Wrasse or Pollock around Galway/North Clare?

[gerty86]

Hi Lads,

Just after getting myself a new spinning set up in the post yesterday from tackledirectireland.ie. (very happy with service, next day delivery and good prices so I'd highly recommend them). Anyway I was like a kid at Christmas and ended up heading out in the lashing rain to Barna pier for a couple of hours yesterday evening and only managed a couple of small fish no bigger than 6 inches.

I know it's getting late in the season but I would love to try and catch some wrasse or a few pollock... Something to put a bit of a bend in the new 8ft rod! I've been enviously reading reports of lads catching fish on soft plastics and am dying to give it a go. The weather for Saturday is looking decent and I'm going to try and get out for a session. I'm living in Galway City and wondering if anybody has any marks they are willing to share that are within about an hours drive? I've tried Spiddal pier and Barna several times this year without huge success. All I'm looking for is some general areas that might have deep water and fish. I've read that Blackhead can be a good spot?

Thanks in advance

Sean

[agardiner22]

Yea blackhead is ok for them on Fanore side of the lighthouse, I have had them up to 4lb there. Just try and ignore the litter

[gerty86]

Cheers agardiner22! Is that for pollock or wrasse? Is there any particular tactics that works well down there? Think I'll try and collect a few limpets while I'm at it for the wrasse just in case..

[redzerologhlen]

Cheers agardiner22! Is that for pollock or wrasse? Is there any particular tactics that works well down there? Think I'll try and collect a few limpets while I'm at it for the wrasse just in case..

Thats pollock I would say. The wrasse are scarce enough on the more popular marks like black head and ballyreen. Too many people bringing them home and they take a long time to recover. There are plenty of pollock around there but if you want to be sure of a few wrasse you will have to stray off the beaten track's a bit. You might want a drop net for some of the better pollock marks in black head aswell.

[gerty86]

Thanks Redzer. It's a real shame that people are keeping wrasse and that their numbers are so low.. I hate to hear stories like that! I'm going travel light with as little gear as possible so here's hoping that on my rock hopping I make it to some of these less well fished marks! I think I'll start on the Fanore side of the light house as agardiner22 recommended and continue walking... Who knows I might end up with that all elusive wrasse yet! I'll let ye know how thing go either way..

[redzerologhlen]

Thanks Redzer. It's a real shame that people are keeping wrasse and that their numbers are so low.. I hate to hear stories like that! I'm going travel light with as little gear as possible so here's hoping that on my rock hopping I make it to some of these less well fished marks! I think I'll start on the Fanore side of the light house as agardiner22 recommended and continue walking... Who knows I might end up with that all elusive wrasse yet! I'll let ye know how thing go either way..

Well I have still to catch one from black head, I know a few who have but they are well earned around there, in contrast I have found a few other marks where I get hit by them on almost every cast that have probably never seen a rod and line before. It says a lot about the pressure a place can be put under due to angling.

[baitdigger]

Blackhead is too close to the road not to get hammered. There were a few wrasse living to the right of the lighthouse nearly as far as you can walk, or if you are really brave on a big low you can get down and walk the headland a little bit which can be quite productive but also dangerous. All the big wrasse are gone from around there now though.
Many of the pollack take will happen right at your feet so fish all the way in. If you are feeling the kelp snag you , you are in the right place! If it is a dull day retrieve as slow as you dare and if you feel a pluck stop the lure dead and hang on to the rod.