Hi Adrian
Before you whack out 30 Euro on each map...
I've purchased most of the Admiralty charts for Mayo at this stage and whilst in general they are very good, transient features such as mudflats and sand banks / bars can utterly destroy preconceived notions about what looks like a good shore mark. Cliffs erode as well so that you are casting onto two feet of water instead of twenty fathoms - I had a lead bounce into the air off the water up near Benwee Head last year on a pioneering trip. It came as something of a surprise to put it mildly.
Combining the appropriate Admiralty Chart with the local Ordinance Survey Discovery series (1:50,000) map is a better bet, but that still does not guarantee you will find deep water where it should be on the map!!! Whilst this is helpful, driving along the coast (in the car or on a boat with a set of decent binoculars) is a better method for finding marks. Talking to scuba divers, kayakers, sailors (not the motorised brigade IMHO who have a hard time telling starboard and port and not jetskiers because we all hate them
), and even local commercial fishermen can give an excellent insight into a particular area. Scuba divers are particularly helpful if you convince them that you are keen on catch and release - clearly conservation offers common ground and some of them even do a bit of fishing themselves. Always contact the local SAC where possible...
More anon...
All at your fingertips, you'll just have to find one in the local pub if you want more detail, or buy one of course.
