It has been a terrible season so far on the rivers and loughs for me. I have yet to catch a decent tout and only a single salmon has fallen for my flies. Time to change things around and do some salt water angling.
I have agreed to fish as part of a team in a local sea angling competition on 9th June. We will be dropping lines in Clew Bay and at this time of the year we would expect to contact dogfish, Pollack and possibly some early Mackerel. I’m looking forward to getting out on the briny again after a couple of years break from it. Whether we catch very much is another thing altogether. Clew Bay has been very poor for a long time now, a victim of gross over fishing by both commercial and sport fishermen. I’ll give it a lash anyway for the craik.
Ahead of then I will try to pop out to Achill Island to see if there are any sandeels around. These are great bait for just about anything that swims in the sea around here so catching some on tiny feathers is always a good idea. While they are definitely better used fresh they still work well after freezing.
I have a theory (here we go again……..) that shore fishing is much better during the hours of darkness. I’m plotting a couple of ‘after hours’ sessions over the next couple of weeks. Successful fishing at night is all about proper preparation so I’ll make new traces this weekend and check all the gear is in good order. Nothing worse than trying to find the item you want in the dark. If you are new to night fishing then I suggest fishing from piers or jetties is a good place to learn as there are usually lights there to give you some comfort. A rocky headland or exposed storm beach can be intimidating in the pitch black.
I tend to keep my rigs very simple.
- Three-hook flappers for flats and small stuff, usually armed with 1/0 Aberdeens
- Pulley rigs in different weights and with a range of different hooks to meet a wide variety of situations. The Pulley rig is my ‘go-to’ for most situations.
- Sliding float with an anti-tangle section for wrasse and mackerel
I always take a spinning rod with me so I can try for Mackerel even when bottom fishing for other species. This adds a bit of extra interest to each session, even the ones when the fish are absent. The spinner can sometimes attract an occasional sea trout or pollack. I love those old ABU Krill lures but it is heartbreaking leaving them stuck on a rock or in thick kelp. I use cheaper alternatives over rough ground!
One of the great joys of sea angling is the chance of picking unexpected species. Pollack, mackerel and dogs are our staples here in Mayo but bass, turbot and other less common fish do turn up from time to time. Some local anglers seem to be forever catching oddities but these are the same lads who put in the long hours on the shore and try out new spots. I’m hoping to find the time to do just that this summer!
So there you have it, some sea fishing in my diary from both boat and shore this month unless it rains heavily. If it rains I will grab a fly rod and go chasing grilse in the rivers but until then it will be the tang of the salt air and the roll of the Atlantic swell beneath my feet.
Claretbumbler 