Tilt in poker? Shannon estuary

Well i was talking to a fishing associate of mine, hadnt spoke in a year - i didnt have a fishing story for him, he couldnt believe it, im out twice maybe three times a week and away in Norway and nothing to talk about - hes on about a skate!

I had to to go back to my sceal of the near specimen gilty of 2018 - anyway where am i going with this...
Can you suffer from tilt at fishing!

on the shannon friday night - all baits 5 hours, big hooks and small hooks - a 20 cm dab and a 17 cm pouting - how bad
other lad had a nice flounder late 30s, few whiting, straps - but no huss, cod, dogs etc.

every session is just small stuff and big hooks, big baits dont sort it

Ive always thought there are lucky anglers - but how do you break the cycle - anyways the blanks could be worse
but it would be nice to connect with something decent eventually

Plain and simple: you're fishing bad venues(?) (- with a combination of poor winter fishing and the fact that our seas due to over-fishing etc). Best to not expect definite results and not to be disappointed by poor results around our coastlines in general..
Norway was just a ball-breaker for us. And the more reports I read of people travelling to Norway the more I realise just how tough it can be (is getting to be?) there at times, many guys return underwhelmed
You are doing nothing wrong. Just need to focus on areas that are more productive. Need to travel to very specific marks and try and get the conditions (tides etc) right, to make a difference
My 2 cents..

I'm always told because I fish aload of different spots, tactics and different species sea, trout, pike, roach etc,I will be the master of nothing. Its definitely true but I enjoy the change.

I would think focusing on a species all year round should yield better results.

On a side note, what's the story then with the norwegians holidaying down here for a weeks fishing When they have 30lb coalies !! Ha that I cant understand.

Galway bay is your problem

Getting stuck in a rut is definitely a thing. I know I can end up getting comfortable fishing the same few venues that always produce fish. Usually these marks have quantity over quality though. Thankfully I also get bored of the same scenery and start to move around. You know me, Im travelling half the effin country just trying to fish a mark thats extra deep or extra snaggy. If I dont catch a fish i may have learned that the mark is too dodge/ snaggy to ever fish again or that its worth coming back to just to try again. Blanking happens and unfortunately Im a professional at it sometimes. Blanking can also make you consider tactics, like tides, time of year, weather, baits and traces. One parameter different could mean the difference between nothing and a PB.

Im as happy as you to sleep in the back of the Jeep so why not use that more. Go that bit further, stay that bit longer. Change it up. Try some of the piers for conger ONLY. Try some new marks, try a different style. Feel miserable sitting, as rain drips off the hood of the jacket because these things get you out of comfort zones. I always find going for some pollack, mullet or wrasse on the light gear as good as any other sort of fishing and nothing beats the reel screeming and the rod hooped over when in a conger.
Unfortunatly luck is definitely a thing. Norway showed that when ye fished the same marks as myself and Ian and we had completly different results a day apart but thats fishing.

Basically my way of thinking is if its not working change it. If it is working try fiddling with it. Getting stuck in a comfort zone is much worse then blanking if you ask me.

I am paying much more attention to moon phase in the autumn and winter - this weekend is ideal. New Moon.

On the big Atlantic surf beaches, there is nothing available in daylight but they can really come alive at night. There are a few lads over towards Louisburgh who have introduced me to the joys of freezing my kacks off in the darkness ... and it has been a revelation.

Hope to post a report from Saturday night from a new-for-me mark, which I have been looking at for ages... the lads have told me I am wasting my time and that a known mark 500 metres closer to the road is better, but you have to try, don't you?

First session of 2020. Going into night. HW an hour or two too early @ 18.16 but what can you do... not a big tide either.
No moon. Cold. Horrendous band of rain and wind due, hopefully it lands a few hours too late as currently forecast.

Sure you would have to, wouldn't you?

Winter fishing in Clare is tough but it is difficult to hang up the rods for six months waiting for the fish. The crabs will be moulting soon and the rays will be in to look for them. The Shannon is a huge sheet of water to learn to fish and sadly I only scratched the surface of a couple of marks. Even putting in plenty of hours doest guarantee success as each tide brings something new. Personally I found low water marks more productive than the high water marks.