Late night in Donegal

[MC]

The fishing bug has taken hold again and the car was packed and ready for when the wife finished work at 11pm. Once she was home I dashed out the door and was 20minutes down the road and I remembered my bait, yes I left it behind so home again. Off into the night heading for north Donegal again, got to the mark around 12 and had a bait in the water around 12.10. A big chuck of mackerel in the hope of a conger, while it was being chewed by crabs I set up the bass rod with a scratching rig and lobbed it out, I didn't even make it to the rod rest and the rod was banging away, first coalie of the night at just over a pound. Several more of the same size and I put the bass rod away, rebait end the conger rod and dropped it over the side. Crabs cleaned it too and after several baits changes the ratchet went, waited patiently for a tense minute before it went again and I struck into it, the gear I was using was outgunned for the wee coalie who managed to get an 8/0 hook in its gob. No further action after that just crabs eating my half mackerel baits so after 4 hours I packed up and headed home. I may try another mark next time I go on a conger hunt.

[johnwest]

Nice report MC, good to see you back in action.

[MC]

Nice report MC, good to see you back in action.

Great to back again, hope the next trip is sooner rather than later

[zeke]

Great session MC! I fished a couple days ago and caught loads of coallies here in Sligo. Few slabs of flats too and caught on lug with macky strip. Surely winter is coming.

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[Paddyschoice]

Has anyone eaten coalies?! Are they worth anything for the pan no?!

[zeke]

Yes they're good eating fish

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[chuckaroo]

Has anyone eaten coalies?! Are they worth anything for the pan no?!

I caught a 2lb cod in Norway last year but with no facilities to cook it I offered it to a local guy who was out walking his dog. He looked at me in disgust, he said that he might give it to the dog, possibly, as he figured that that was all it was good for.
He went on to explain that he couldn't understand why we liked cod so much, he informed me that coley is his and many other people's preferred choice in Norway. Other Norwegian guys I spoke to backed this up.
So there you go..

They are very fond of making simple fish cakes out of coley.
Quite a light fish with little taste but a nice texture

(Apologies if this topic takes over your thread MC..)

[DavidLynch]

mc things have gone quite in Donegal maybe a few trawlers working at night not many fish about not even dogs which I find strange.

[corbyeire]

the bay or further north? thanks

[MC]

Further north mate. Funny I have noticed the lack of doggies

[DavidLynch]

I think the trawlers have found a market for the dogfish mc,never seen them as scarse as they are at the minute even in the swilly.