Donegal Bay, 10th/11th April 2018

Old Shore Reports are moved here for Public Viewing

Moderators: donal domeney, saltydog

Donegal Bay, 10th/11th April 2018

Postby johnwest » Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:17 pm

Tuesday 10th. After a couple of months away from the sea at pike and trout, it was time to head for the salt again to see if any rays were about; they were this time last year! Tuesday saw me step out of the car into a fresh if not cold easterly wind but once down at the water’s edge, the wind was less of a problem. The usual 2 rods with 3-hook flapper and small baits on one, large bait on a single hook rig on the other, were set up and cast out and the waiting began. It took almost an hour for the first fish to show, a flounder, to the flapper rig. The next couple of hours produced another four flounder with the best nudging 32cm interspersed with three small turbot to 25cm, the first turbot of 2018. This mark tends to produce mainly dabs with a few turbot so getting mainly flounder was a bit unusual. The fish came a couple of hours either side of high water after which the bites died away; eight flat fish but no rays.
Wednesday 11th. A different mark today, wind at my back, what little wind there was. It was one of those dull, heavy, dead days, no swell or wave on the water and little or no movement in the air. The only thing missing was the sound of a chainsaw whingeing in the background. Anyway, get the rods set up and wait.....and wait......and wait. The rod tips sat motionless hour after hour. The baits came back totally untouched; I could have fished the whole session with 4 strips of mackerel. Eventually after four hours, the flapper rig rod registered the gentlest of nods, just one dip of about 1cm, and then stillness. After a few minutes I reeled in to check the bait and felt some resistance. A small thornback came gliding through the water and in an instant I was converted from mere fisherman to catcherman! A quick measure and picture and back he went. Once again I find small baits on a scratching rig more effective than the “dedicated” long trace, large hook and bait. That was it, no more bites in the next hour and a half so a quick text to She Who Does Not Make Sandwiches; Get the spuds on, I’m coming home!
On my recent travels I have seen a lot of dead animals along the roadside, pine martens, otters, and yesterday alone, 3 badgers and 2 hares, so it was a treat to see a live hare running past behind me at the fishing mark and then, setting off for home, a badger emerged from the left side of the road, ran along in front of me for 40-50 yards and then ducked under the fence to the right.
Attachments
P4101713.JPG
1st turbot of 2018
P4101716.JPG
turbot no 3
P4101720.JPG
1 of 5 flounder
P4111731.JPG
Perfect Fit
P4111733.JPG
quikpik
2013 species; 31

2014 species; 27

2015 species; 28

2016 species; 32

2017 species;28

2018 species; 33

2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.

For this message the author johnwest has received thanks: 4
chuckaroo (Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:07 am), corbyeire (Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:38 am), gussyw (Thu May 03, 2018 4:07 pm), joe the junior (Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:51 pm)
User avatar
johnwest
SAI Megalodon!
 
Posts: 1041
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:33 pm
Has thanked: 1111 times
Have thanks: 1299 times

Re: Donegal Bay, 10th/11th April 2018

Postby joe the junior » Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:51 pm

well done John West , great dedication rewards all
Joe Chambers
2017 (35 species)

2018 species: whiting, coalie, flounder, turbot, plaice, dab, sea trout, thornback ray, dogfish, sandeel, Launce, Mackerel, Pollack , Bullhuss, corkwing wrasse, ballen wrasse, rock cook wrasse,Cuckoo wrasse, grey gunard,tub gunard,Red Gunard, weever fish, 3 bearded rockling, Five bearded rockling, ling, common blenny , rock goby, conger, Pouting,silver eel, scorpion fish, scad, poor cod, mayo bass (35 species)

2019 Flounder, Dab, Turbot, Plaice, Pollack, Coalie, Pouting, Whiting, Codling, 3 bearded rockling, Sea Trout, Dogfish, Bullhuss, black goby, rock goby, corkwing wrasse,Ballen Wrasse, cuckcoo Wrasse, Conger Eel, Shore Rockling, Long Spined Sea Scorpion, Lesser weever, common blenny, tompot blenny, bass, twaite shad, smoothhound, Dragonet, Silver Eel, Tub Gunard, Red Gunard, Gray Gunard,scad, thornback ray, poor cod
User avatar
joe the junior
SAI Bait Ball
 
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:44 pm
Has thanked: 88 times
Have thanks: 90 times
Blog: View Blog (1)

Re: Donegal Bay, 10th/11th April 2018

Postby MC » Thu Apr 12, 2018 8:19 pm

Nice to see the target species, might get out after a ray if I get the car back this weekend
User avatar
MC
SAI Megalodon!
 
Posts: 3788
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 10:21 pm
Location: Derry
Has thanked: 363 times
Have thanks: 379 times

Re: Donegal Bay, 10th/11th April 2018

Postby rushnaldo » Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:46 pm

Nice "catching" j.w some great weather nice to get out and get the first Turbots and rays of the year
rushnaldo
SAI Bait Ball
 
Posts: 194
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:53 pm
Has thanked: 3 times
Have thanks: 109 times

Re: Donegal Bay, 10th/11th April 2018

Postby chuckaroo » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:09 am

Good stuff Paddy 8)
It sounded slow all right but a few reward fish - nice to see.
Charlie

2024 targets:
porbeagle, stingers, seatrout, shore skate, shore tope
User avatar
chuckaroo
SAI Megalodon!
 
Posts: 1931
Images: 28
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 7:40 am
Location: Co.Antrim
Has thanked: 1206 times
Have thanks: 819 times


Return to Archived Shore Angling Reports

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: SemrushBot [Bot] and 11 guests