Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

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Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby johnwest » Thu Jul 05, 2018 7:26 pm

Tuesday 3rd. Having been concentrating my efforts recently on trout and boat fishing, I thought it was time for a bit of shore leave. I arrived just before low water and, in no rush to get set up, I had a walk around to stretch the legs. About 40-50 yds out I saw something pop up to the surface; an otter. By the time I got the camera, it had disappeared but a few minutes later I noticed a couple of fish exiting stage left, pursued by an otter, (you didn't really expect a bear did you?). I got a quick shot of him just as he surfaced for air. That was all the excitement for a couple of hours as bites were non- existent until eventually a very hesitant tremor registered on the rod tip. This failed to develop any further so I was surprised on reeling in to feel some resistance, a nice little spotty ray, 3lb 4oz and my first shore spotty of the year. I hardly need say that it took a small bait on a #4 flapper rig in preference to a nice big juicy slice on the bigger hooked clip down rig. Ten minutes later the flapper rig produced the first of 4 dogfish before tempting a second spotty ray at 2lb 8oz. At one point, things were very quiet so I retired to the car for a coffee. A small bird, probably a rock pipit, flew down and perched on one of the rods. I tried a bit of lrf; this produced a 25cm launce on a mini-sabiki rig, (they put up a struggle on the lrf rod!), numerous small pollack and 2 blennies to mackerel strip. They weren’t big fish but they added to this year’s species list. There was a lull in activity, broken by a Fishery Patrol rib passing by, presumably checking for illegal nets? Some float-fished shell-on prawns accounted for three ballan wrasse with the biggest going 2lb. The wrasse were not exactly throwing themselves at the bait, I could actually see them approach the offerings and mostly turn away though I managed to provoke one into taking the bait; what the fly-fisher would call “the induced take”. At one point, I could also see a few fish, definitely not wrasse, darting about at the bait on retrieve. A quick change to the lrf sabiki rod produced a mackerel for one more species and some fresh bait for tomorrow.
Wednesday 4th. This time I arrived half way through the ebb tide, another hot, sunny day. It was a very slow start with a wait of almost two hours before the first half-hearted bite. Sadly this failed to produce a fish so with low tide approaching, I switched to the lrf rod and almost at once hooked and lost a mackerel. At the turn of the tide I managed to get 3 launce before they moved on. Half an hour into the flood, the dogfish started to feed with 5 coming to hand over the next 4 hours, all but one to the flapper rig. The wind then shifted direction and became very blustery and surprisingly cool. I stuck it out for another 3 hours but with no activity on the fishing front I decided to quit. I must say I have been disappointed by the lack of flatties, this mark is usually good for dabs with other representatives of the family putting in appearances quite often too. Over the two days, the fishing was fairly slow but any trip that produces a couple of spotties isn’t bad.
Attachments
P7037316.JPG
The Competition
P7032041.JPG
3lb 4oz spotty
P7032042.JPG
LRF monster Pollack
P7032046.JPG
Launce
P7037322.JPG
2lb 8oz spotty
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.

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Re: Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby johnwest » Thu Jul 05, 2018 7:32 pm

Some more pics.
Attachments
P7037329.JPG
Blenny for the Species List
P7032050.JPG
Golden Ballan
P7032047.JPG
Rock Pipit perched on rod
P7037330.JPG
2lb wrasse, best of 3
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.

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Re: Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby rushnaldo » Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:55 pm

Another few nice species added to the list.. spotty ray lovely fish well done great report again jw

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Re: Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby rushnaldo » Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:57 pm

Yes fishery patrol out most evenings the salmon can't get up the dry rivers so checking for coastal nets and also alot of small ribs and spear fishers about the area interfering with pots

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Re: Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby chuckaroo » Sat Jul 07, 2018 5:15 pm

Nice blenny and a stunning golden ballan JW
Good fishin, great report 8)
Charlie

2024 targets:
porbeagle, stingers, seatrout, shore skate, shore tope

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Re: Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby Sweetwrasse » Sat Jul 07, 2018 8:58 pm

Great photos and report again JW. Nice few species.
It ain't easy but it sure is simple!

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Re: Shore Leave, Donegal Bay, 3rd, 4th July 2018

Postby mickser » Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:33 pm

Great report john that spotty looks bigger well done.
mickser
I have not fished in two years hoping to change that this year with anything ?

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