donaghadee pier. HELP!

[jammiedodger55]

Hi all. I am new to sea fishing and have only been out a couple of times. I am looking for some advice for fishing around donaghadee off the pier etc. I was out this morning but only for an hour and had absolutly nothing. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers Jamie.

[minty]

never fished it myself but from reading the reports it seems that you'd be better fishing it at night or at least just as the light drops, some of the other lads here know the area well and will point you in the right direction, good luck for your next trip there

[jammiedodger55]

thanks minty have you got any idea what kind of baits or lures they use??

[nobuzz]

The harbour was dredged in the Spring and the fishing hasn't really recovered yet. Having said that I've caught a few flatties recently which I never did before.

I've only been down there 3 times since.

Most guys fish at the rails beside the lighthouse and cast towards the other pier.

Best bait for me is ragworm though most baits have their day.

I tend to use a 2 or 3 hook flapper with size 2 or 4 hooks.

Another option is to fish straight down the wall for minis - pollack, wrasse, rockling and scorpion fish, using small hooks & small baits.

I've also seen congers caught on heavy tackle fish close in using big lumps of fish as bait. I've also had a few doggies on mackerel fished close to the other pier.

Most Summers you will catch mackerel (but not this year) either by float fishing or on feathers.

The ground off the back of the pier is rough with kelp stretching out a fair distance. I don't fish there much myself but I've seen reports of good catches of pollack & wrasse on float fished rag.

[nobuzz]

Mean't to add that some of the local trout fly fishermen used to fly fish for pollack off the back of the pier in the summer when the trouting was poor.

[gerryl]

yep...off the rails not good followin the dredging...been fishing of the rocks at the back wall casting towards harbour entrance bout 30-50yrds out (cleaner bottom than casting straight out!)...as above small hooks small bait (Rag is good but usually macks will do)...plenty of coal's small pollock and wrasse (on the float closer in to the rock)...got cleaned out last time by loads of very small flatties (foul hooked a few)...great place to fish but badly lackin in fish this year...The Brother's boat trip seems to be worth the money if ye want macks!...best luck

[jammiedodger55]

The Brother's boat trip seems to be worth the money if ye want macks!...best luck

funny story about that boat we had to get towed in after our engine failed by that boat!!!

thanks everyone for the advice and i know this isnt really the place to be asking but would the old rag and lug etc. help out off a boat?

[Drew]

If you do the Mackeral Drift. (Thats from the Marina, up toward the Harbour, Bout 200-300yds out), Worms will help considerably. Fishing them on jigs along that drift usually accounts for plenty of Codling and Haddock, the Odd Gurnard, and when you hit rough you'll be getting wrasse, pollack and Coalies, usually when you make it just past the harbour mouth, it's time to head back down and start another drift.

Dropping Anchor near the Yacht club marker (The wee one, not the fat ones), near that drift will produce Congers, Ling and the odd nice Red Cod to suitable tactics...