St John's Point/Gunwell Question

[FermanaghFisherman]

Hello all, my first post on the forum. Used to fish in Donegal as a child (mainly around Creevy Pier) & having moved to Fermanagh last year have felt the fishing/nostalgia bug bite me again. Have 2 questions relating to St John's Point/the Gunwell which I'd be really grateful if anyone could answer.

I've been fishing St John's Point consecutively the last 4 weekends and have caught small to average Coalfish & Pollock as well as my first ever Conger (on a float!). All of these have been caught in the main bay area at the end of the point just beneath the lighthouse (where the steps go down). Can anyone recommend any other good marks on the St John's point peninsula? I've fished the rocks to the left and right of the aforementioned main bay area but have never caught anything there. The reason I ask is because a) the main bay area can get busy at times with divers going in and out (always worried about hooking them) and also would like to try spinning for larger pollock which I am told is possible on the point.

Second question relates to the Gunwell which I understand from these boards is a great place to fish. I was able to find the spot via Google Maps and a bit of driving around. Aside from parking the main problem is getting access to the site itself as the only way I could see to get to it would be to climb over a barbed wire fence i.e. tresspass over the field to get up to the headland. Being a landowner myself I am not keen on trespassing on the land. Is there any way you can get to the mark without trespassing, or failing that, does anyone know who to ask to get permission?

Many thanks!

[shortcircuit]

I fished the gunwell earlier in the year but like yourself I'm not a local.

I must admit I didn't ask permission from the landowners I got the impression that this was a well known angling mark and that access was understood to be OK

That said,it has been said to me that a lot of anglers have been leaving the place in a wreck, bait and feather wrappers, beer cans etc. unfortunately understood to be people who are not born and reared in killybegs if you get my meaning. If that continues there may be issues with access.

I can see why it was a great mark in the past- there is a great depth of water in front of you.However the day I fished (sat of June bh weekend) was exceptionally sunny, I only caught a dab.I don't know how well it fishes under different conditions.That day a few of the aforementioned "locals" showed up as i was leaving-they left a gate wide open and there were cattle in a field who could have broken out.Not good



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[FermanaghFisherman]

Thanks for that shortcircuit. Yes I've heard about the Gunwell & SJP being left a tip in the past by certain individuals. Have to say the last 4 weekends I've been up it's been really clean. I noticed they are doing work to the WW2 Eire stone sign so perhaps the same people have been cleaning it up. Can't say the same about the estuary along the N56 before you get into Mountcharles though. I got out to take some pics & was shocked by the amount of rubbish that had been thrown down there (see attached pics). Really makes the blood boil. .

I'm itching to fish the Gunwell so might just give it a go next time I'm up if I can get parked. The fact that it's deep water over clean ground is really appealing as I've lost so much tackle on the dirty ground at SJP.

[shortcircuit]

That's right the gunwell is clean ground, you shouldn't have much bother with snags. I have heard that it's not as good as it was a few years ago, sadly like many well known marks

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[keymcg]

I first fished it 5 years ago. Have been there a few times since. It produces fish but nothing spectacular in my experience. I have had dogs flatties and thornies in the middle of the channel. Coleys pollock mackerel and wrasse spinning close in to the rocks to the right. the bottom is indeed clean but is basically mud.

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[gavind19]

Am from killybegs. You are safe enough going over the land the owner Ambrose is sound just close the gates behind ya. Loads of people have been leaving lots of rubbish behind which me and other members of our club are sick cleaning up. Doesn't fish half as good as it used to. Spinning will get ya pollock and Macs. Fishing in close is snaggy ground but produce good variety all the wrasse rockling conger etc. Casting out there is deep gravelly mud. Produces dogs dabs flounder.ya can pick up the odd bonus fish out there to like gurnards and stuff. Try it mid April to June And you are nearly guaranteed a thornie we have had them up to 10/11 lb. Hope this helps

[FermanaghFisherman]

Am from killybegs. You are safe enough going over the land the owner Ambrose is sound just close the gates behind ya. Loads of people have been leaving lots of rubbish behind which me and other members of our club are sick cleaning up. Doesn't fish half as good as it used to. Spinning will get ya pollock and Macs. Fishing in close is snaggy ground but produce good variety all the wrasse rockling conger etc. Casting out there is deep gravelly mud. Produces dogs dabs flounder.ya can pick up the odd bonus fish out there to like gurnards and stuff. Try it mid April to June And you are nearly guaranteed a thornie we have had them up to 10/11 lb. Hope this helps

Cheers - that's really useful information! Sad to hear it's not as good as it once was but that's like everywhere I suppose.