North and West Donegal, 17/18 November 2023

[johnwest]

North Donegal, 17th November 2023 A long-standing plan was coming to fruition, a trip to North and West Donegal with Martinc from the site. Time off work for Martin coincided with reasonable weather so almost everything was packed into the car. Autumn into winter fishing really requires some form of “geansai”, I should know by now, but in the rush to get going things can get overlooked. Fortunately Asda came to the rescue! Martin had a work-run to finish so I fished the first 4 hours alone, he was probably better off at work since I hadn’t so much as a chewed bait for the first 3 hours. Dusk brought a couple of small flounder at 22 and 24cm and a small 19cm turbot. Once he arrived, Martin made up for lost time with a 37cm flounder, best of the night. As if that wasn’t good enough, his next trick was to produce a lovely plump bass in the low 40’s cm. Despite arriving late, he wiped the floor with me and since he was providing me with b’n’b I had to have the good grace to lap it up! I had a few silver fella’s too, sadly mine did not come equipped with spikes, three coalies around 35cm. I managed my best fish of the night, a 35cm flounder which unfortunately had a loop of fishing line wrapped around him, I don't know if fish experience gratitude but he can only be better off without that noose around his neck. The bites dried up but the weather did the opposite as it became wetter and the gentle breeze became a strong wind with a considerable cooling effect; I was glad of my nice, new Asda sweater, by George! According to current TV ads, they have a saying for this in Yorkshire; “That’ll do!” A last parting shot from me though, reeling in my second rod yielded a 32cm flounder.
Saturday 18th November; West Donegal; Today saw us at a beach I had fished once before a couple of years ago. It had been producing doggies and small turbot until the weather deteriorated seriously and I left with the intention of doing a General McArthur in the Philippines; “I shall return!” Well I’m back. Conditions looked good, sheltered from the wind, a hint of possible sunshine, settled sea and definitely a lot milder. That was the good news. The bad news was the fish did not come out to play. I didn’t have a single bite; I could have used the same bait strips all day. Eventually Martin managed a nice 30cm turbot and a short while later he landed a flounder. Were they coming on the feed? Apparently not, that was it. Stuffed last night, whitewashed today. We decided to retire for a quick snack and try one last mark. Darkness was accompanied by steady rain as we set up. I started getting rattly bites straight away, small coalies and an even smaller pin whiting. Martin had a small flounder and coalie double and things went quiet. With the wind freshening, the rain unrelenting, the fish not biting, a long drive home, well how many excuses do you need to pack up? A good performance from Martin, perhaps he should have written the report!

[johnwest]

More pics....

[corbyeire]

Some seriously daycent fish there. no wonder martin was laughing - ~I know what you mean about the old geansai - ive gotten awful used to my fishing in ireland snood - the neck is fierce cold without it - has made me soft

great report as ever

[Greg30]

Great fishing lads, well done.

[MC]

wonderful report and nice fish

[MartinC]

Great report jw,, we will definitely have to get out again some other weekend