Ballymoney/Courtown Harbour 06/07-May

[FintanMorrisson]

People:Myself & the old man

Duration:4 hours each morning from 8am

Tide:Not sure about sat but think it was full T 10.30 sunday mornin

Weather:Sat: Overcast, strong SE wind blowing in. Sun: Dry bright

Bait:Rag & Sandeel

Rigs:mostly 1 up, 1 down

Results: Sat: Zilch, Sun: Dogs galore, small plaice, dabs


Report: Sat was terrible! Conditions looked great, waves were crashing in off a strong wind... not even a bite!!! Tried spinning for Bass off the rocks... was probably a complete waste of time? Sunday went for the handier option of just goin off the pier in courtown... and was the usual story, Dog dog dog dog dog dog dog... 1 small plaice & the odd dab. WHERE ARE ALL THE REAL FISH GONE!!!!??? I swear if I spend another session catching nothing but dogs I'll lose the plot!

Was much the same story for me last year no matter where I went. I've gotten the odd pollock, 2 smoothies (1 very decent) from Ballymoney in the past 2 years & pretty much everything else has been dogs & small fry!... oh, and i got onto a bass one morning & lost it! Mare!! Still haven't ever caught one!

Anyone know of any good marks around the Ballymoney/Gorey area that are yielding a few bass at the moment?

Or anywhere that might yield something other then ****** Dog Fish!!!

[Livid]

Is it only me that'd be quite happy to catch a Doggy? mind you, only because i've never caught one before, i'll probably get about 10 now tomorrow.

[FintanMorrisson]

If you dip your mickey into the water anywhere off the east cost you're bound to catch one!!!

Plan B is to make em into a delacacy.... a little something like this!:

Rock Salmon PernodettePrep. Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
3/4 pint (450ml) fish stock
salt and pepper
12 pickling onions, peeled
sprigs of dill, to garnish
1 bunch baby carrots, peeled
4oz (125g) button mushrooms
4 pieces, about 6oz rock salmon
pinch powdered saffron
2 tablespoons Pernod
1oz (25g) butter
1oz (25g) plain flour
3 tablespoons double cream

Directions:

1. Heat the stock in a frying pan, add the onions and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

2. Add the fish to the stock, cover and cook gently until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove carefully using fish slice and keep warm. Strain the stock into a jug and add the saffron and Pernod.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock, cooking until the sauce is thick, smooth and glossy. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper and heat through.

4. Arrange the fish and vegetables on four warmed plates. Pour the sauce over and garnish with dill.

[stevecrow74]

Rock Salmon PernodettePrep. Time: 25 minutes

the only way youl'd get me to eat a doggie (dogfish, just in case you were even thinking of the four legged type) is by getting me seriously drunk.. and i dont think pernod will do it...
mind you a shot of pernod in a pint of cider.... yummie... especially when you have four or five of them

[nige]

i am with you on that one steve and ur talking LOADS of cider!! ( or maybe that brandy u carry in a hipflask)

nigel

[Al]

Very intersting development there in the auld cider-spirits department
Think i'll have to try that,just for research purposes of course that is

By the way i dont mind catchin doggies either, saved me from many a blank, "tis better to have caught than to have never caught at all"
Quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson,well close enough for me

[stevecrow74]

a shot of pernod in a pint of cider.... yummie...

its called a red witch


and that brandy nige is on about is spanish brandy and goes very well in coffee

[nige]

nige wouldnt know what its like as I was the driver

[stevecrow74]

any more posts about courtown.... i'll be fishing there through the summer.. so i want to keep an eye on how it fishes and where to fish...

[Al]

A red witch eh..sounds about right,i'd say you'd be flyin on the stuff! Who needs a broom anyways

[FintanMorrisson]

I'll be down there a good bit so will keep ye posted!

not touching the harbour tho once half of dublin heads down for the summer!... will be the quiet beaches & coves for me!

[teacher]

any more posts about courtown.... i'll be fishing there through the summer.. so i want to keep an eye on how it fishes and where to fish...

I'm in riverchapel (2 mins from courtown) but believe it or not, i've never fished there All my fishing is further south.

If you're interested in bass ...

I'd recommend you head 10 minutes south on the coast road. Try Roney Point (go down the road, head north along the beach 1/4 mile, fish into the channel towards roney island, avoid the seals).

Going south on the road again towartds Ballygerrett, Dunamore can produce at times, but I've not fished it much.

Just before you get to Ballygarrett, Glascarraig can be either very good or very bad.

Taking the left turn in Ballygarrett takes you to Cahore. You might be tempted to fish off the pier, but I wouldn't. Traditional spots are the rocks behind the castle but this hasn't produced so much in recent times. I have my own personal rock there so you'll have to get a license to fish on that The south beach at cahore produces small to medium bass at night. Fish in very close (if yo think you're too close, then you're about right) with light gear a running ledger and rag. Heading south along the beach from cahore, pretty much anywhere should produce bass and flats. Shortly after high tide works best.

2 miles couth of cahore along the beach is Ballinoulart. (If you google for it, it's supposed to be a popular naturist spot, but I can't say I've noticed). It's _always_ windy here (hence the wind farm, which you can see for miles) but produces bass and flats, even during the day. Where the road comes out at Ballinoulart is now a popular compo spot.

If you keep going south, you're into morriscastle, ballyconnigar, knocknasillogue, ballyvaldon, blackwater, etc. and I'll defer to the people here who know more about those spots than me.

I haven't been fishing for a couple of weeks so haven't tried these spots out since the bass started arriving. I hear there are some bass moving in the area now, although probably not as many as recent years.

Jonathan

[FintanMorrisson]

That's legendary info! Thanks Jonathan!
I'm actually in Riverchapel myself, we bought a house there last year as a holiday home.
Wasn't gonna head down this weekend, but you may have inspired me to get down!

I'd heard rooney's point & cahore were decent alright but didn't have a clue about any specic marks - thats a big help!

[FintanMorrisson]

Heard there were a few tope caught off the harbour in the last week or so???

[John D]

Don't forget the Bass ban May 15th -> June 15th.

John D

[x]

Just had an angler call me to check on what the close season dates were before he went fishing. At least somebody's listening. Sadly, real anglers aren't the problem....

[John D]

Well at least he's trying. He could be new??

John D

[teacher]

Well at least he's trying. He could be new??

You're too young to be a cynic John

Jonathan

[gibbo]

try spinning off rosslare point i got two bass ther couple weeks ago very first cast got one between 1and 2 lb the very next cast i got another one a bit bigger then the tide start going out a they went with.