Dungarvan - 24nd September 2010

People:
Duration: From about noon to 7pm approx
Tide: Low @12pm approx

Weather: Sunny, windy

Bait: Lures

Results: Mackerel

Report:

(Conclusion to viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29352)

Finally took the boat down for the day with the intention of hitting some bass. Launched about midday and headed straight to the rough water I spotted just off the flats at the cunnigar expecting a few bass to be on the move, but nothing happening. Then tried a few places as the tides was flowing in but had no luck at all - didn't even see any of the expected mullet. Eventually I spotted some birds working the water about half way between the oyster beds and helvic and steamed out to them. Tried a few surface poppers around the edges to see if some big bass were on the feed, but was attracted to the fishfinder showing up big black clouds of fish so duly dropped some feathers and pulled up a few strings of good sized mackerel. Also saw some very strange fish thumping into the shoals of mackerel on the surface which I tried for with a big surface popper but had no success. Big. stumpy, black and very fast and explosive - I'd swear they were small 5lb class tuna?? Any ideas?
In the end the birds and fish disappeared and I trolled my way back inshore, catching a couple more mackerel on a rapala, and the fishfinder showing up ample shoals of macks and bait fish.
All in all a good days fishing, if not particularly productive. More to the point I think I proved the feasability of a small boat in sheltered waters, which is always something to be happy about. The bay there is quite interesting as well, the deepest water I found was about 40 feet and that was at the point of the cunnigar, all the rest of the bay seems to be no more than about 15-20 feet deep and sandy.
Oh yea, and arrived in to the unfortunate sight of a poor dead common dolphin, which was found struggling on the shore and had to be euthanised by a local vet after failed attempts to get him back swimming, shame really, he was a beautiful (and almost 7ft long) speciman.

excellent viper im sure you were chuffed you tried it out. pity about the bass not playing ball but im sure you enjoyed the macks anyway. any idea what was the cause of the dolphin running aground?they are beautiful creatures

No idea, wasn't there for the struggle, however the guys who tried to revive him were saying that he wasn't trying to breathe and after an hour or so the decision was made (by the whale watch society) to have him put down. He looked in good condition, however he was very large (so probably old) and also had a lot of teeth lost from what I could see. Anyway he's at UCC now for an autopsy so I'll get in contect with them in due course.

The proof of the pudding etc........

Next time, if you start off at low tide, try a few whacks round the Gainers, the submerged rocks in the middle of the bay up towards Helvick. Pollock and codling etc live there, and Bass prowl around as they wait for the water to flood the inner bay. Over on the golf course (Balnacourty) side is worth exploring too, lots of weedy/sandy patches.

Interesting that you observed tuna-like fish there.

I was fishing the Cunnigar a couple of years ago and saw some really fast fish moving 50-60 metres off shore. Couldn't see the shape of them but could see what I assume was their dorsal fins just barely breaking the water.

The speed was incredible, first thing I thought was "Tuna".

To the Cortazmobile!!

I would be fairly sure that the 5lb fish were bass. I have caught bass with 2 full mackerel inside them. They were still feeding. In late June this year I came upon birds diving in the same spot you mentioned and caught 8 bass in a very short space of time. The sand eels are thick in this area now and every possible species is in for a free dinner.

I know that a certain local of well known fame ( guess who!!) did find a wounded tuna last year. Maybe the dolphin suffered the same fate. Maybe while chasing sandeels/other fish along the trestles the poor animal hit the steels and got cut.


By the way there was a small dead porpoise washed up in Ardmore cove last Saturday. It may be that they get injured during the rough weather by items pushed around in the high waves.

Possibly so but didn't have a bass shape about them so am not convinced. Far stockier fish, possibly even a gilthead - don't know if they feed that way though?