Dun Laoghaire or the South Wall?

[sammypants 13]

hi guys hoping to do bit of spinning this weekend as Im up in Dublin
Just got these today in Baumanns in Stillorgan.

<a href="http://s1174.photobucket.com/albums/r610/sammypants13/?action=view&current=97ca3516.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r610/sammypants13/97ca3516.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

(click the second link btw)

so i just wanted to know if the south wall or dun laoghaire is better for mackerel and pollack?the end of the west pier in dun laoghaire is always very crowded so i would be fishing the back of the pier around the second elbow.
i dont really know what the south wall is like ive only fished there once and caught nothing but i know that there is also a chance of bass from that mark. if i am fishing there would i fish into the river or out to sea?
thanks for the help

[JPA]

The end of the south wall (at the light house) is very crowed too. Saturday morning at 7 am, there were already 15 guys feathering for mackerels. I watched them for 10 minutes. Only 2 mackerels were caught, apparently very far out on the sea side.

I caught a small Pollack there last year on a spinner similar to yours.

I cannot comment about Bass. But I'm sure you'll get plenty of other replies.

[sammypants 13]

The end of the south wall (at the light house) is very crowed too. Saturday morning at 7 am, there were already 15 guys feathering for mackerels. I watched them for 10 minutes. Only 2 mackerels were caught, apparently very far out on the sea side.

I caught a small Pollack there last year on a spinner similar to yours.

I cannot comment about Bass. But I'm sure you'll get plenty of other replies.

Thanks for the help JPA
Anyone else with info on the two marks??
(and by the way, how big was the pollack you caught because you just said small pollack which could be any size between a few ounces to a pound or two )

[JPA]

well... very small in fact ! It was barely twice as long as the spinner. But it was my first ever saltwater fish, so I was happy with that catch. I'm still amazed to see how those creatures aren't afraid to take on stuff almost as long as themselves.

I caught only this one in a few spinning sessions at the poolbeg lighthouse. But I'm still a beginner and I was probably doing something wrong.

[Gilks]

I find Poolbeg a bit tricky for spinning off, what with all the boulders - either you cast from the concrete which reduces your range and risks getting caught, or you stand precariously on the rocks which is grand if the macks are in but a pain to keep up. I've heard it's reasonable for bass and bull huss but I've only ever seen a few mackerel (caught on the float with lugworm).

The end of the west pier at Dun Laoghaire can be ok, basically looking casting in the direction from between the tip of Howth and the opposite pier. Facing out to open sea and fairly close to the wall is best for pollock, but still casting out a long way for the macks. I've seen the occasional pollock caught inside the first harbour. Don't go any further left of the lighthouse, from the wall, as it gets very snaggy.

One of the biggest macks I even caught was on one of those dexter wedges from the ledge that's exposed at low tide just behind the west pier. Mind when the tide turns though.

I've seen a few people fishing along the outside of the last elbow but never seen a fish there except my own nocturnal, rasher-munching poutings. I also heard from a guy in a shop that some bass had been taken with wedges from there.

As the end of the west pier gets so busy I would really recommend getting down there early. Summer weekend afternoons there are fairly pants.