1 - Spanish Point My thanks to Neilis for the update.
Named after the wreck from the Spanish Armada in 1588 lost on the
reefs around Mutton Island, this offers quiet enough beach fishing
with the option of spinning off the rocks on either side. Species
& Techniques: Bottom
fishing from the beach will produce flounder and the odd bass. Float
fishing will take wrasse and mackerel in season. Spinning will account for the odd
bass and will also take small coalfish and pollack.
Neilus
reports that the beach only starts to fish in darkness, with dogfish to the fore in with some
flounder, and that he had one very decent
bite, almost certainly a bass. November 2004.
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2 - Doughmore Strand
This is a curious beach mark that apparently fishes best (a) during
the day and (b) at either high or low water, but not on the flood or
ebb! Species &
Techniques: Bottom
fishing from the beach will produce tope and ray (a specimen painted ray
was caught here) to big baits, with flounder, dogfish and bass available.
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4 - Kilkee
A very traditional holiday resort now undergoing a timely extensive
redevelopment, Kilkee has something of a faded elegance about it,
nestling into a small sandy cover between two rocky headlands... A big
swell and following wind produces a spectacular show off the rocks and
sea cliffs. Species &
Techniques: Bottom
fishing from the rocks to the south of the little bay will produce bass
and flatfish, with the small harbour to the north limited to pollack, coalfish,
wrasse and mackerel in season.
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5 - "The Castle" aka Castle
Point aka Dunlick(e)y
Just
follow the coast road south of Kilkee. There is a car park here and no
trek across fields as indicated in previous descriptions.
It is just a short hop across a rutted
track to the cliffs, however the fishing can be combat style here when
the mackerel are in... i.e. shoulder
to shoulder stuff! Species
& Techniques:
Spinning will take pollack, coalfish, and especially mackerel in season.
Scad aka horse mackerel, a deep water
species best sought at low light levels (only fit for the cat but I am
told they are a supreme pike bait) and even herring have been taken
here. My thanks to Tim Hoy and Bill Ryan for the
original data and the update. April 2005.
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9 - "Ross" aka Bridges of
Ross
Special
thanks to Bill Ryan for this mark. It
covers three hotspots in the general area, one of which is very
dangerous in anything other than near flat calm conditions.. This is
a series of rock platforms accessed via a trek across the fields. Go
through the village of Cross, and keep right at The Anvil Farm Guest
House at a fork in the road. Parking
is along the roadside. If you reach the turn for Bridges of Ross you
have just passed it! This mark demands your respect. You should
ideally only fish it in a group and with local guidance. There
are several gullies accessible at the left hand side of the car park
at Bridges of Ross. Follow the track from the car park (left
hand side), pass the big hole where a sea cave collapsed on the left
hand side, out to where a wire fence makes a sharp ninety deg turn.
The track continues to the last remaining sea arch (Bridge) and goes
south to Ross Bay. You can fish the channel on your right hand
side just after the ninety degree turn in the fence, however you will
see a small island which gets cut off at around mid water. You
can climb down and cross the narrow gap at low water off but be
careful! You are now on an island of rock and can fish along its
length on the right hand side right out to the most seaward point.
"Do not go here in bad weather as the waves come from behind
and could catch you unawares. I wear a lifejacket here on good days!"
Can be good for big wrasse and triggers but care is needed.
Alternatively follow the track south to the last arch and cross the
narrow grassy ramp to a gully which is easily and safely fished near
its mouth for big ballen wrasse from half tide up to high water, with
triggerfish in August/Sept, pollock and conger eels on the bottom.
There are snags in middle of the gully so if bottom fishing, fish
close in or be prepared to lose leads, fish and temper! Finally there
are some flat rocks and a channel almost dirtecly below the car park.
Pollack, mackerel and conger are the main targets here. The
ballen wrasse are small here. Some big mullet cruise the edges of the
flat rock at high water but it is hard to approach them without being
seen! "Not many anglers fish the gullies at Ross. I have taken
specimen wrasse and triggerfish here." Indeed he has, just
check the galleries. Species
& Techniques:
This series of marks are good for mackerel, pollock, the odd coalfish, ballen wrasse and triggerfish, with
the latter exotic species falling to lots of different baits including
the local limpets! April 2005.
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10 - Rinevella
Bay
Special
thanks to Bill Ryan for this mark. Leaving
Carrigaholt Pier turn left for the Irish College. Take the first right
and follow the road straight ahead until after 1.5 kilometres, the sea
is on your left, the road being protected from the sea by caged
boulders. After some winter storms this road may be impassable! Just
where the boulders start there is a sandy patch going out for about
150 metres otherwise it is weedy and stony. It is best inspected at
low water. Species
& Techniques: This patch produces thornback ray to mackerel or
sandeel while bass fall to lures and plugs in calm late evenings at
high water. A fresh southerly produces nice choppy surf where crab is
best for bass. April 2005.
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6 - Carrigaholt Pier
Carrigaholt is a lovely little village with a bustling harbour and
several charter boats. It is famous now for the dolphin and whale
watching services. Species
& Techniques: Bottom
fishing from the pier will produce, dabs, flounder and lots of dogfish.
Conger eels have been taken at night, right underneath the
harbour walls, with float fishing accounting for wrasse, mackerel and
the odd pollack. A lovely spot indeed.
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6 a - Carrigaholt Beach
Its a fairly shallow sandy beach with waders being used for extra
distance. As you move up the
beach theres a sand bar and rocks which can lead to the loss of fish
and tackle. High tide will force you back towards the steep
shingle beside the sea wall and the beach can disappear completely in
places at high water. Species
& Techniques: Thornback rays will fall to frozen sand eel
and mackerel but at distance. The rays can come in close on calm days, especially during the
summer and
at night. Flounder, bull huss and undulate ray are reported. Dogfish
will often arrive in packs after dark.
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7 - Poulnasherry Bay
Fishing on the western side of the mouth of this bay, subject to
strong tidal races, has produced a remarkable variety of fish. Species
& Techniques: Bottom
fishing has generated catches of Flatfish at low water, bass on the
flood, and tope, Monkfish and lots of quality thornback ray for people seeking larger toothier
critters on half mackerel baits. If you want to target the occassional
sting ray, use peeler crab or kind ragworm, and be warned, the sting
rays grow
very big!
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8 - Cappagh Pier (Kilrush)
Kilrush boats a new marina and the Pier at Cappagh gives access to
very deep water indeed. Species
& Techniques: Bottom
fishing has generated catches of dogfish, tope, conger and ray for
people seeking larger fish, but smaller pollack, whiting and wrasse are also available, mainly to the local dug small harbour
ragworm,
with the odd flounder and dab thrown in, to keep you on your toes!
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