12 - Balderg Harbour
Okay, this one is off the map to the west, on the R314 out of Ballina,
past Killala, past Ballycastle, past the Ceide Fields, and in fact past
Balderg village. Turn north (right) at the sign for the
"prehistoric farm" and keep going straight down a fairly tight
country road. Parking around the working harbour is quite
limited. It
is only exposed to the north or east so it’s a nice sheltered mark in
poor weather.
This is a middle-to-high shore mark if you are fishing off the
pier.
This pier is not lit.
Species
& Techniques:
You are fishing on shingle and sand, casting as much towards the
beach as you would out to sea; there is a small stream emptying onto the
rocks.
This area produces flounders, the odd dab, and turbot in the
colder months.
The latter are small but you can occasionally get lucky.
A fish nudging two kilos was taken on belly mackerel strip in
October 2003. Coalfish
are a nuisance in winter, especially after sunset. There
are no codling here, perhaps the ground is too clean although there are
snags and nasty tackle eating reefs further out.
In summer wrasse will pluck at float fished ragworm and crabs,
with small pollack and mackerel falling to spinning.
Strap congers wander on the bottom but tend to lose out to the
dogfish.
Bull huss are best sought after dark.
Move out onto the rocks on either side in clam weather.
On the western shore –the ground is easier to cover, standard
rough ground fishing for pollack and wrasse is possible.
Distance casting past 80 metres finds clean patches but the
occasional fatal reef.
The current is very strong and holding bottom is a big problem
outside slack water.
This said, it is very deep in places but so far it has only
yielded pollack.
I think a big bait legered over low water could tempt any number
of species.
Ling are taken from boats very close to shore along this north
Mayo coast.
A long flowing trace, say a pulley rig with a big bait, might
tempt something toothy… |
1 - Ballycastle
Bay
This sheltered bay, down the road from the town of Ballycastle offers
good to excellent low water
fishing. The first two hours of the incoming tide is best, and night
fishing is reputedly better still. There are effectively three
marks, on the rocks to the east of the bay, on the beach itself with the
river's outfall the best spot for flatfish, and finally another river
outflow on a shingle beach near the Stella Maris Hotel, which is
flounder and coalfish central. You can combine this low water
mark with the other marks for a full day's busy angling. Species
& Techniques: Most
Flatfish and Dogfish are available off the beach, however Coalfish and
Codling are also available for distance casters, particularly at low
water. You can fish all of the three main marks,moving from east
to west as the tide floods in, with the most comfortable on a summer's
day being the pier
however you will need to be nimble to get onto the pier arm, and watch
the incoming waves! |
2 - Lacken Pier
The trouble is the split access, for although the pier and strand look
side-by-side on a map, it is a long drive from the beach, accessed from
the Kilcummin side, to Lacken Pier, accessed from the Ballycastle
side! Species & Techniques:
Spinning from this pier will produce Pollack, Coalfish and Mackerel in
season. Given the foul ground it is best to float fish for the
available Wrasse. The odd Conger can be taken around the pier
itself, and it is rumoured that there is a massive beast resident
in/around the harbour itself. Distance casting can produce pollack
and coalfish - they often follow the small boats in, and recently we saw
excellent mullet there, quite late in the year but they did not find our
fresh lugworm attractive. October 2003. |
11- Lacken Strand
The strand is only approached by road from Kilcummin, and a
lovely beach it is too, backed by high sand dunes. You can fish
off the flat layered rocks on the east, (watch for large waves) directly
below the road and scramble a long way out along towards to the huge
cliffs at the point (beware: it is a very exposed mark), or fish the
first little cove (very sheltered but it fills completely at high
tide). The main beach is often thronged with holiday makers,
especially at weekends so it is not easy to fish it during the summer,
except after sunset. Species & Techniques: Conger, Bull
Huss, and Dogfish are available over the weedy rocky ground along the
East but it is snaggy. Float fishing will produce good
Wrasse. Flounder are taken all along the mark, but close in either
to the shore or the rocks. The main beach, especially towards the
river offers only Flounder, with the possibility of a Bass. People
seeking the Bass should try the rocky spine and eastern shore,
particularly with plugs but lug or ragworm will work also. Turbot and Ray
have been recorded. |
3 - The Flags
above Kilcummin Harbour
When you get to Kilcummin you can try spinning at high water off the
pier, but the key mark is above (north) at the Cliffs. These are
known locally as "the Flags" and they are signposted! No
excuses. At low water you can fish over foul ground from the base
of the cliffs but once the water begins to flood in, you are best to
climb up and fish from the green fields above! Most people fish off the
eastern side (near the pier), where the "flags" are located. Species &
Techniques: Pollack, Coalfish, Wrasse and the odd but large Conger
are the typical fish, with Mackerel to feathers in season.
Codling are taken by distance casters in the autumn. This mark on
the flood would make an ideal match with Ballycastle Strand on low
water. A minor bad road directly north of the pier brings you to
the site of the French landings. There is a small car park... and
a sheer cliff 100 feet (30 m) high or more. We tried fishing it
but you land on flat shelves in surprisingly shallow water (Admiralty
Chart is due an update) inhabited by hordes of crabs. 'Tis a windy
spot! |
4 - Scurmore
Spinning here produces Sea-trout and bottom fishing for Flounder with
lugworm also takes the odd larger Sea-trout. Species
& Techniques: Around Killala Bay all of the smaller estuaries
and that of the giant River Moy itself holds lots of Flounder and some
Plaice - the typical bait is lugworm. This will also take
Sea-trout and Mullet, but a tradition in the area is to float fish a
single sandeel on a long trace for Sea-Trout or a large Bass. All the
rivers in North Western
Mayo have runs of Sea-trout and Salmon, and the Sea-Trout are known to
take the odd lugworm in several of these estuaries. A game fishing
licence is required for Sea-Trout. |
5 - From
Castleconor up to opposite Bartragh Island
Spinning here in the estuary itself produces Sea-trout and bottom
fishing for Flounder with lugworm also takes the odd Mullet and
Sea-trout. Species & Techniques: This is one of
the key locations where you can watch the locals fly fishing as well as
float fishing a sandeel on a long flowing trace... I have also seen
small joey mackerel used as a bait for the large Bass resident in the
estuary, although I have never seen one landed. It is a known Bass
fishing technique all around Ballina. |
6 - Inniscrone
Strand
This beach is reputedly six miles long and very popular with holiday
makers. The village itself is famous for its links golf course and
is a popular destination for golfers and families. Fishing from the
beach or the pier in daylight requires patience. Species &
Techniques: The beach mark will produce Dab and Flounder near the
small river outflow, Ray in calm conditions with the odd Bass in bigger
surfs, and shoals of Dogfish as you near the harbour. Fishing at
night is best, give you will avoid the kids inquiring of your success! |
7 - Inniscrone
Pier
This pier in daylight requires patience and a keen eye on the
tackle box, although it is not as thronged as the beach on fine days
and/or at weekends. Species & Techniques: The
pier regularly produces Conger and Dogfish at low tide, most Flatfish
including the odd Plaice on the flood, whilst spinning will take Pollack
and Mackerel at high water. One or two fine Rays have also been reported
in recent years. The pier will also offer Codling, Coalfish and Whiting
in the autumn and winter, especially at night on a flooding tide. |
10 - Pollacheeny Harbour
This is a new mark, pioneered on a 2002 winter's
morning. It is hard to find however a good Ordinance
Survey and the Admiralty Chart # 2715 will show you why it is so worth a
visit! There is a massive and deep depression in the seabed located
slightly south of the rocks and dis-used harbour. Species & Techniques:
You have to walk out over the rocks south as the tide recedes and
directly west of the point a short cast lands you into
the deeper parts of the "hole" - a productive
spot! As the tides floods in, care has to be taken and you have to
retreat with each successive cast getting longer and the retrieve being
made over longer stretches of broken and foul ground. Lead lifts
will work well. We were broken twice by very large fish which we now believe
may have been Common Skate. We took too many Flounder for words
and an old man watching us said it was a known Bass mark on the ebb
tide. The last fish was a Codling. |
8 - Easky Pier
Easky is a reknowned surfer's haunt but the pier is also a good fishing
mark. Species & Techniques: The pier will produces
strap Conger and Dogfish at low tide, most types of Flatfish on the
flood, whilst spinning will take Pollack and Mackerel at high water,
particularly in the summer. Wrasse are usually caught float fishing worm
baits. Doubtless, there are also Flatfish available casting
towards the strand. |
9 - East of Easky
This pier is not a bad spot but the resort town is favoured by surfers
all year and as such it is difficult to find a place to fish
safely. Heading east, stop the car as the road bends sharply
inland and walk uphill of the field keeping to a track on the seaward
side and you will come to shallow cliffs. They offer excellent
fishing over mixed ground at distance and extremely foul ground close
in, but its sheltered from the usual south west winds so it is a good
spot.Species & Techniques: We have only fished it on the
flood in the autumn of 2002, and whilst spinning will doubtless take Pollack,
Coalfish and Mackerel in the summer, we caught wrasse are on legered worm
baits, lots of 'schoolie' Coalfish, two small Codling, and a Bull Huss
of about 7 lbs (3 kgs). The highpoint was a pair of Pollack, both
of which just fell below the 8 lbs (3.3 kg) shore specimen mark. |