Keem Bay, Achill Island, Co. Mayo

[Guest]

April 13th

First blank of the year. Fished tight to the rocks on the near side and didn't get so much as a rattle. There was a seemingly ideal surf and the wind was from the south west. Tide was falling mind you. Bait was frozen mackerel. Tried casting short and long.

[kieran]

Keem Bay, Achill Island, Co. Mayo 9th May 2004
low tide to high tide, 3 pm to 10 pm
light NW breeze, overcast with low cloud

Now I know you are all going to tell me that you fish this mark at low water but let me tell you, you're nuts! :D Myself and the brother fished from the first point on the rocks on the southern side of the beach, with lugworm (freshly dug from the first road short of Rosturk House on the road to Mulranny), ragworm ('imported' from Dublin), frozen mackerel, frozen peeler crabs (from Waterford - we get around me and the bro!), frozen sandeels and a few clams and mussels to boot.

Low water, grey and misty, practically no swell... three rods out at different ranges and not a single thing to show for the first two hours. First up a tiny wrasse close in on lugworm. Nothing for another half hour. Suddenly a nice Dab, returned. Another Wrasse for the brother (Des). Had a chat with two lads from Dublin who were off to fish the far (northern) rocks / sand. They came back to pitch up beside us an hour later, which speaks volumes for what was happening there...

Over the next two hours, from mid water up to just short of high water, we hit lots of Dabs, the brother took a double, a Flounder and a Plaice (kept for the pot). One Dab was also retained. Then the Coalfish put in an appearance (check the gallery for the brother's treble shot on a flattie rig). The two lads from Dublin took the odd Dab and Coalfish also - apparently they are called Ribble by the locals - all in the 1-3 lb category.

Sixteen fish between the two of us, with the other lads adding a few to bring it up to twenty. High tide saw everything stop. Ragworm was very successful with lugworm and crab cocktails working. A thornback (7.5 lbs) was reported taken last week on a section of greater launce (caught spinning) flung out only fifty yards. No sign of them despite hunks of mackerel and crab dropped out in a lob cast.

Now one for you match anglers to sort out. I had a crack off with the braid line (first this year) and saw my rig disappear off. An hour later one of the coalfish (with a seal's bite mark around the tail!) came in with a braid line attached. Excellent I think and hand haul it in... except that when it comes in, there is another rig attached and a small flounder hooked on ragworm!!! :shock: Unhooked the fish and let him go - has to be the luckiest fish in the sea at this moment! Can I count it in a match :wink: ? Anyhow, the extra rig was also off braid, even the same colour and type as my own, but not my rig!

BTW, heard the Mulranny has had some decent Bass fishing recently, with spinners in sandeel patterns the most effective off the rocks at low water...

A good day's fishing, lost the contest 11:5 and the brother even had the cheek to pull another Flounder off the beach with a "final cast" whilst we were tackling down.

[Read]

check the gallery for the brother's treble shot on a flattie rig

No can see :?

[kieran]

Apologies...

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/gallery5.htm

Work got in the way of updating the gallery section! :wink: If you want a better set of pictures, follow the link "Flatfish" and also click on the picture itself.

Thanks

[Read]

I am so jealous.

[SOD]

Kieran
That has happened to me many times bringing in a snap off trace with a fish attached . Unfortunately any fish caught on the snap off trace dont count in competitions .