Castleetown Kilmuckridge

Who: Me and the Dog
Duration: 8pm to 2.30am
Tide: high at approx 6pm
Weather: Very Mild, Not a breadth of wind. Calm sea.
Bait: Lug, sandeel,mackeral
Rigs: Pennels and Flappers.
Results: Pfft

Started out on a mission to head to Kilmuckridge for 2 days, Tent in tow and plenty of snacks for me and the dog for a few days away. (you'd swear we were goin abroad)
I needed to head to courtown for bait, got there and it was closed, met joe down the road and he gave me some lug and the rest above - I will say I was after rag crab and squid but thats all I could get so thats what i had to use. There was a competition in castletown that finished up at 6pm i was informed - me being the greedy type I got the Idea of heading to there instead of Kilmuckridge, as 40 fishermen on that beach had surely drawn in plenty of interest with the amount of bait in the water for the day and also the waste after. One eyebrow raised, I was very happy with my sneaky, devious plan!!!!!

Got down - set up and cast out for about 8:30/9pm - Straight into a dogfish while setting up rod 2 - at least they are biting I said.
My Lug was being destroyed by dogs over the next hr, 5 dogs in that time - I have become numb to dogs on that beach, its a simple fact that your going to get at least 10 and possibly 20 every night so just live with it.

My sandeels were not generating interest at all, a few nibbles taken out of the sides i suggest by whiting, but nothing coming in with them. I chopped and changed, cocktailed and tried different rigs, but got no luck only for the dogs. I finished fairly early by my standards and headed back to my friends mobile home (another reason I'm constantly drawn to that beach - despite it's poor performance record. - you simply cant beat a bed and a gas fire 50yrds behind the beach) around 2 ish - full intentions to rise at 5 and have another go. - I was awoken by the beaming sunshine at 11:30am monday morning - oh well!

I travelled south to kilmuckridge in search of the bass I knew I had missed the previous night, still unable to get rag or crab in courtown or ballygarret I had plenty of the aforementioned still in stock and still fresh(ish) so travelled on my way. Stopped off in sean og's for my dinner (and here's my first restaurant review) which didnt blow me away by any means - to avoid legal implications for S.A.I. I'll just advise you to give it a miss if travelling that way. Although previous trips to the verona chipper in the village were not much better! Bring some sandwiches!

So I arrive at ballinoulart beach - I can usually tell what the day will bring here by the amount of cars around - 3 jeeps here today (good stuff i thought) Wrong - all runners or dog walkers - not an angler in sight! This tell's its own story.

I arise to the sumit on the top of the cliff to view my hunting grounds, pick out the sandbars holes and troughs, view the tide, scout like no fisherman has ever scouted before in preparation for the fish of a lifetime and where he will be and be rewarded with the satisfaction of a superior tracking game to those of my peers!!!

Flat sea - I mean flat - I mean if I threw in a pebble it could have caused a tsunami! No indication of anything - Reading this beach was the equivalent of me trying to read braille.

I do spot a small flock of birds of the water so head that way as its the only sign of life I see - I set up - and they fly away 5mins later! Anyway, I fish hard. Its about 6pm.

At about 9pm its dark, alot colder than the night before which had an impact on my choice of attire for the night, It was quite warm the night before and I had prepared well for cold, resulting in me being uncomfortably hot all night, the opposite was happening this night - why cant stuff just be easy - I notice a fishing boat heading north as the light went down - big trawler.

At about 10:30 I still have no fish, every bait I put in the water was being stripped in 10mins or less by crabs I can only presume but its not a very crabby area so i really dont know what it was, I was using small hooks so flats or whiting would be caught if it was them so I have no idea, probably crabs.

I have had no bite indications in the 4.5hrs I have been here - not a single one. terrible night.

Suddenly, the sky lights up, a flash of blinding orange - I'm convinced it's the apocolypse but the dog doesnt seem too bothered so I presume all is well or he has accepted death with grace!

The trawler that passed earlier had returned, and positioned itself right in front of me - Like 300 yrds in front of me - I would have hit it with a 3 wood!

The blinding lights beamed at me - Not knowing what it was for a while I was worried 1000 syrian refugees were going to come ashore, my main concern being they dont frighten any fish during the swim!

So the boat stays still, for an hr - Which gives me false hope of fish in the area, I am not sure what it was fishing for but regardless it didnt help my cause any - instead of bedding in I pack up and head home. Very dissapointing few days but at least I got out.

Ardinn

Great report, its a pity about the fishing.

Entertaining report Ardinn, shame about the fishing. Stick at it, September/October can be good on those beaches. A bit of surf will help though.

"1000 syrian refugees were going to come ashore"

Unlucky with the fishing but great report.

Good stuff....

Great report, was on that beach in Balinoulart last Saturday. Not a fish to be had.


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great report, perserverence will pay off.

I have been lure fishing down arond that area sine start of July. South Arklow onwards. Had 1 Bass in about 10 outings at the start of July. Not great fishing.
Was out this morning again and not a sniff. Perfect conditions. Think I will now give up.

Well dont give up - just enjoy the day out!