Dingle Peninsula

For what it's worth spent a few days last week on Brandon Bay and its surrounds. Tried every lure I had in both day and night and only a small sea trout. Not a bass in sight. Tried slow retrieved senkos as well as some of the usual suspects such as the feed shallow, zonk, savage gear sandeel, etc. Almost no gannets, no terns. The scenery is fantastic but the fishing ...? Going down again tho' for the next few days - just in case. Anybody catching (and releasing)?

The area is only a shadow of it's former self. Netted out.

Same all over. Inshore gill netting and pot bait collecting and trawling nurseries

There are plenty of fish to be caught in the area, just not bass as the stocks have been obliterated. Even 10 years ago the bass fishing was excellent (although still a shadow of what it was 30 years ago by all accounts!). Nowadays, they are few and far between, particularly on lures. Best advice I can give you if you are chasing silver is to get out and fish the beaches in darkness with bait. You'll also likely encounter flounder, ray etc so at least you'll have something to keep you entertained if the bass don't show up. Failing that find some rock marks where the pollock and wrasse lure fishing can still be truely exceptional. If you are dead set on lures (which I also tend to be these days, despite the blanks), then scale down the lure somewhat as the area still holds a decent stock of sea trout which run the estuaries and beaches. Finally, pick your fishing times carefully to match suitable conditions and stay in bed if an easterly is blowing!

Steve is spot on here. I have fished it twice this year, 4 days and then a whole week. Not one bass. My mate had one session and had 4 bass on bait. I had a few trout, pollock and macks. I have fished this area over 20 years, (Steve has even more experience that that) and it has gotten worse and worse.)

We know when and where to fish as we have built up good knowledge over the years. (Just search for some of my older catch reports)
But it has got so bad that we are seriously thinking of finding another spot. Would break my heart as I love the place and the people.
Last time I was there, on a sunny evening, two lads got out of a van, dropped a big net into a boat and headed over to the Estuary. They were back netless 30 mins later. I kept my mouth shut as they didn't look like the kind of lads that would respond politely to questioning. When I asked a local about same I was told it was in my best interest to say nothing. The joking reply I got was along the lines of "They would break your legs". Rightly or wrongly I was told that this kind of thing has gone on for years and that I didnt know those people and what they had to do to put money on the table etc. I have kids myself and I know if I had to I would do whatever it took to provide for them. Anyway, as I have gotten older I have learned that its better to bite your lip and keep your mouth shut.

The sad part is that I know lots of guys who used to visit here and fish it numerous times a year. Dave Tilly and a whole bunch of lads used to book the place out for a week or so and fish it. So the loss of revenue from guys not fishing it would more than cover a few trout or bass in a net to a few guys.
How much rent, food and drink would 10 guys in one week spend on. Now multiply that ten fold or more to get a good idea of the amount of money.
I could go on but i'll start blubbering

I have another trip planned later in the year and will probably go, but we might look more at boat fishing and more on bait than lures. (I would fish 95% of the time on lures) I now target trout and Pollock just so I can have a few fish on lures, rather than search for Bass and most likely blank.

Thanks for your comments guys. With regard to bass being netted to obliteration I'm not so sure. Yes of course there must be fellas netting but in such numbers as to drastically ruin the local fishery? There's never any reports of large amounts of bass caught and poachers ending up in court. If so who's buying the bass? I've never seen a large 'fillet' for sale in any of our restaurants. Are they specifically targeted or caught in illegal salmon/sea trout nets? Also has anybody seen large amounts of bait fish in the area? I haven't nor have I seen much bird activity? Back in Cork at the mouth of the harbour sometimes you can barely hear yourself think because of the terns screeching and diving. Earlier today I took a walk at low water in Cloghane estuary - no terns. Is this usual? As for going back to using lug and night fishing I find a bass -invariably small - with a 3/4oz lead trailing behind hasnt the same allure as a feed shadow or a floating hard plastic on braid connected to a small reel and 7 ft rod. perhaps I will have to enquire about pollack marks in the area and leave Brandon Bay to the surfers?

I know of four nets from brandon head to the mouth of the estuary. Catch reports speak for themselves.

Eoghan that's really bad news. I hadn't realised it easy so bad in the area. I suppose you hardly reported it - even anonymously? I assume the bas are caught in nets for salmon? Or are they targeted specifically? I too have been going down a couple of times a year for the past 30 years and TBH I have seen it as bad - but that was about 15/20 years ago. Since then it's been much better. However lately I go down every couple of weeks and as I've said its really bad and a terrible pity. I had given up on the beachcaster and bait but did try it a couple of times in the last month or so - still no bass from the beaches. I've been lucky enough to catch and release a few oN plugs but not from beaches and I blank more often these days. Anyway I'll try again in the gloom and wet and windy weather forecasted for this weekend - you never know ...

No I didn't report it. I suppose you could call it not shitting on your own doorstep. I know for a fact these nets have been reported numerous times before by other people so it doesn't seem to make any difference. I also know of another time when the IFI were called out and turned up only to say they couldn't find any nets.
I know for a fact that same person gave them precise directions to 3 nets and still they said they could find nothing..?
Maybe they are legally owned nets, but draw your own conclusions.

What we have done is cancelled our trip there for September and will be fishing in Waterford or similar. Its just too far to travel for such a grim Bass reward.
Its a shame as I love the place and the people. 4 hours to Kerry for no Bass, or 2 hours to Waterford for what seems to be fishing better and at worst we save a few hours journey..!

But honestly i'm not sure I will ever travel there again.

I'm in Tralee for a week from tomorrow and heard Feint is pretty good. Hoping to take the kids out to try to get a few marks on feathers. Can anyone shed any light?