1 - Portnacloy
This tiny fishing village located in a small natural harbour is often
described as a placed untouched by time and the modern world. The best
mark is the inner pier, whereas both piers will work at high water
especially during the summer. You can also walk down the western
headland and fish from the rocks on the point into extremely strong
currents over reefs. Mackerel common in the summer, with garfish a
possibility and the odd but often large Pollack taken there as
well. Not a place for the beginner or youngster, especially on a
rising tide. Species
& Techniques: On the two "piers" - they are both very
small, most Flatfish including small Turbot, Ray
in calm weather, Dogfish and Conger will fall to bottom fishing.
In the summer small Wrasse are everywhere between the piers and the
point, with a few bigger fish available! Float fishing will take Wrasse and Mackerel in
season. Coalfish and Pollack are taken on spinners. I have
found that there are fish but little quality. October 2003 |
2 - Ballyglass
Pier
Another tiny fishing village, the pier (there are two and a high water
slipway, you want the one furthest north towards the promontory fort) will produce fish mainly on the
incoming tide and an hour either side of high water. A second smaller
beach on the far side of the headland offers shelter from heavy south or
westerly breezes. Species
& Techniques: Most
Flatfish including small Turbot, Ray in calm weather, Dogfish and Conger
are all taken from the inner pier via bottom fishing. The Wrasse are
ever-present and float fishing will also account for Mackerel.
Coalfish, pollack and the odd Codling will fall. |
3 - Ballyglass
Point The rocks at Ballyglass Point stick right out into Broadhaven Bay and
offer fishing off both sides - handy on a windy day as you can choose a
sheltered spot! Follow the road cum track down to the lighthouse and
depending on the wind direction, head to one side or the other! Species
& Techniques: Mackerel,
small Coalfish and decent Pollack will fall to spinning tackle, with
bottom fishing producing Dogfish and Conger, with the possibility of
larger Bull Huss over the rougher foul ground. Junk leads and
rotten bottom links are vital. Most poeple will fish these marks
at high water and often into the ground in front of Glash island.
January 2004 |
4 - Pullacoppal This
oddly named mark offers beach fishing and is best fished at
night. Access is downhill on a dirt track at the end of a road accessed
from the main crossroads at Knocknalina. There is also an
interesting but foul ground shore mark to the right hand side, marked by
two old promontary forts. Fishing from the rocks will produce pollack
and wrasse over the rougher ground.. Species &
Techniques: All the
standard flatfish, with small turbot and ray falling to larger fish baits,
are caught here. The only advice would be to fish it at night as
we had a poor day with only pin whiting in daylight early this
year. January 2004 |
13 - Tippe Pier &
Channel From
here you can walk out to Duveel Point for
the view and try a speculative session there but the very narrow mouth
of the Blind Harbour is where we would recommend you fish. You can dig
sandeel and lugworm and possibly razors from the sands beside the
harbour for the latter and in the channel at low water for the sandeels.
Species &
Techniques: A flooding tide is essential. Sean Lavelle says it
is a useful spot for spinning for pollack and mackerel, with wrasse in
the weed in the summer. Mike Thrussel has reported congers and
bull huss from the rocks around the mouth but these are subject to big
swells and a foul ground mark. Sea-trout will fall to spinners
over the sand to the right of the channel rocks, with mainly small plaice
taken to worms baits in the channel beside the road and further up, past
the first "bay", mullet. March 2005. |
12 - The Sailor's
Graveyard
Take the last metalled road (just about!) to the right on the last
stretch of road heading for Tippe Pier. There is very limited
parking at the end past the lone holiday home. You are faced with
an old slipway - take the sheep's path up to the right past the first
headland and you will see the point lying in between foul ground with
occassional patches of sand directly below you. It is not an easy
climb down but not unduly arduous. Not a mark for a bad day since
it is totally exposed and a long walk back to the car! Species &
Techniques: This is foul ground par excellence with lots of white
water outside of a flat calm day. It fishes best from
mid water up. At low water there is around 3-5 metres of water but
there are lots of rocks and the area is kelp strewn. On our last
trip, spinning
produced coalfish and one massive hit and a lost fish, thought to be a
big pollack. It will undoubtedly produce mackerel and top quality
wrasse in summer. The sandy patches are a curious feature and aside
from bull huss/dogfish and congers, we speculated that it might offer
gurnard and flatfish. March 2005. |
5 - Illanbaun
IInstead of taking the sheeps path up to the right, you need to swing
around over the headland and past the apparent island to the left. It involves
crossing boggy ground for fifteen minutes followed by a difficult trek down a
watercourse that can range from dry to a torrent! If it is in
spate turn back, as the mark will not fish well. Tag along the shore and round the point. This marks
offers rock platforms and produces fish at any stage of the tide, but it
is best on the incoming tide and around high water as it is a relatively
shallow bay. It is extremely sheltered which makes it ideal if you find
yourself with a westerly or southerly, but it is a long trek back to the
car and certainly not to be fished alone. Species &
Techniques: Dogfish, bull huss, conger, wrasse, coalfish and
pollack are
all taken here, all from bottom fishing onto the foul ground.
Spinninga nd float fishing will reduce tackle losses. Codling were reported but
not to a decent size. Gurnard and mackerel have been taken, with shoals of
sand eels and greater launce common in the summer. Basking sharks
are often seen here in summer. March 2005 |
10 - Glenlara
This
whole coastline offers rock platforms and produces fish at any stage of the
tide, but it is best on the incoming tide around high water. Access
is difficult and mainly from the road to Aghadoon followed by what can
be a long walk over heavily sheep grazed and often quite boggy
ground. The swells here can be massive so proper care is required
and an automatic lifejacket is essential. This is very remote so fish in a group and check the first aid box
and mobile phone coverage. Species & Techniques:
Dogfish, rockling, conger, bull huss, wrasse in summer, coalfish and
pollack are all taken here, mostly by bottom fishing. Mackerel
will fall to feathers and spinning once they have arrived, often quite late. A
massive and very scenic shoreline, we met some anglers in March 2005
walking back with what looked a like a truly massive pollack. March
2005. |
14 a - Scotch Port Bay (south)
To the
south of "Dun na mBo" the bizarre cliff top sculpture you will
drive past a small red brick and stone building, the old Eagle Island
lighthouse supply station. There is limited parking beside this
down a heavily rutted road. To the south, the land sweeps up as
shelving rocks off a shingle and boulder beach. Species & Techniques:
Sean Lavelle tells us that you can fish into sand and shingle from these
rocks with flatfish the dominant species, especially flounder near the
small stream. I have no doubt that you would pick up wrasse,
mackerel and a host of other species probably including all three types
of gurnard, conger and bull huss or doggies in the summer and
autumn. The bay is a popular scuba diving site.
14 b - Scotch Port Bay (north)
From the
limited parking take the route north towards the dominant cliffs over
some very rough ground. From mid way out to the point of the bay
the water drop down from 25 m to 40 metres in depth. At the very point
there is a channel between the headland and a small island, with an
exceptionally massive swell, and we visited it on a calm day. I
would only recommend this mark at the very head to a party of
experienced and properly prepared anglers. Species & Techniques:
Sean Lavelle brought us to a series of ledges, just past a vicious cleft
running at right angles to the sea, perhaps a 15 minute walk-cum-clamber
from the supply station. It is safe to fish here and you can get
right down to sea level in order to bring in any large fish, and you
will need to! On our first visit, we took coalfish on almost every
drop, from legering to spinning to float fishing with squid strip, with
larger pollack up to 6 lbs (2.5 kilos) taken on legered sandeel, squid
and mackerel cocktail, and on a variety of spun lures. This is
exceptionally foul ground with lots of kelp and it is very deep.
It is totally exposed to the S and SW, but otherwise quite
sheltered. We have no idea what might be caught there in the
summer, but you can rest assured that we will be returning several
times. It looks a truly exceptional spot, and to be honest the
entire coast south to Annagh Head and north around Erris Head and down
to Tippe Pier looks the exact same. Bring lots of spark plugs with
you! March 2005. |
6 - Annagh Head
Another set of rock platforms, this produces fish at
any stage of the tide, but an incoming tide and
high water are the optimal conditions. Most people fish the
western/southern side but the "inside" can be fished as well,
especially onto the sand using worm baits. This is a particularly
dangerous mark and sadly lives are lost by the unwary on a regular
basis. On a calm day you can get a 10 metre swell or "freak
wave" that will give you absolutely no chance at all. Better
to fish it on a dropping neap tide at least for starters and in a group
and with all the necessary precautions taken. Species &
Techniques: Dogfish and
Conger, Wrasse, Coalfish and Pollack are all taken here by
bottom fishing. Spinning and float fishing work also over foul ground.
Flatfish available on the "inside" shore down near a small
pier. |
7 - Cross Strand
This beach mark is reputed to fish best at night. Species
& Techniques: All the
standard flatfish (very few plaice, mostly dab and flounder) but
including turbot are taken here, with thornback ray falling to larger fish baits. Sea-trout were once a common catch here given
the excellent local trout lakes on the penninsula itself. Cross
Strand accounts for occasional decent sized brill and even the odd
megrim in
the autumn, although these are more common further out to sea and over
mud. |
8 - Cross Point
to Glosh Tower
This truly massive range of beach marks can offer excellent fishing,
even more so at night, but the main problem is working out where to pitch
your tent! This beach is extremely popular with surfers (all year
long) so
that might help make up your mind for you! Most sea anglers tend to
gravitate towards one of the many rocky marks on an otherwise
featureless expanse of sand. Species
& Techniques: All the
standard flatfish (again mostly dab and dlounder) but
including turbot and teh occassional brill have been taken off this
beach. Ray fall to larger fish baits, especially on the flood after
dark. Specimen sea-trout have been taken off the
beach on spinning gear and some bass have also been recorded. You could easily spend a week fishing half the marks
along this beach. Towards the end of this vast beach there is a set of
rocks off which the locals fish for sea trout using sandeels fished
behind a bubble float on an incoming tide. March 2005. |
11 - behind Blacksod
Lighthouse
I have not put this mark up before because it has a reputation for (a)
being dangerous and (b) for producing either excellent or truly awful
fishing - blank city. It is very exposed and features foul ground
with sand at distance. I would be particularly careful of the fishing
here in anything other than clear and fairly calm conditions. Even
landing a small fish here can be a minor nightmare. Drive all the way
down to the lighthouse and you will find a trail behind it
leading down to the rocks due south and west. Species
& Techniques: Close in over the rocks you wil take pollack,
coalfish, mackerel and wrasse in summer with garfish and launce likely. Most people prefer to spin or float fish on account of
the appallingly foul ground. If you leger, expect to contact
conger eels and buss huss all year around. At distance you can get
onto sand and this will produce dabs, the odd flounder, the possibility
of a megrim (they are caught regularly in the channel), and
dogfish. Lots of dogfish. In the foul ground in winter you
can pick up codling, the odd fish over 2.5 kilos and on calm days even
whiting. You will pick up odd fish on small baits like rock
cooks, corkwing wrasse, blennies, gobies, dragonets, and other
peculiarities. I find it fishes best on the last two hours down
and the first two hours up, ideally heading towards darkness on a medium
sized tide. |
9 - Doohooma
Past the village of Geesala the road runs directly west towards the sea,
and no-one fishes here... A vast sandy beach runs the whole western edge
of this penninsula, from the end of the road right across to the village
of Doohooma. The road runs alongside it too thankfully! Species
& Techniques: Again,
we suspect that a pioneering spirit will rewards you with virgin beach
fishing for all the flatfish, bass, and maybe even sea-trout, with the
possibility of some ray in calmer warmer weather. A unique if very
windy spot! |