Clare nth and the shannon

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#1 Post by **marno** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:58 am

Was down in Clare for Holy week hoping for Wrasse Ray and Pollock.

Fished the rocks of north clare on the 16th for 3 hours from low tide. Fished out 80m with frozen mackeral and frozen lug but nothing not even crabs....

Fished in the margins with the lug searching the bottom and at different depths and landed a Ballen Wrasse just at going home time.

All the time spinning a wide selection of jelly monsters but nothing here either.

On Wed 18th spent 4 hours (from LTide)on the Shannon looking for Ray, the usual mouth of the bay was too windy so I tried a more sheltered area nearby using frozen mack and lug and landed one thornback. I was fishing out about 100m but I got the fish up to the surface early and skimmed her in without much of a scrap. I had my scales back at the car so didnt weigh the fish but it was a deffo pb for me (not too hard) given the size 13 wellies I would put her at about 20" wingspan . Any Ideas on a guestimate for the weight, would it make 4 or 5lbs? I havent a clue

Anyway never got the pollock but first time out this year and it is 2 for 2 so very happy and has almost made up for the international rugby season...(though I am old enough to remember when 2 wins were a success :roll: )

#2 Post by **Donagh** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:55 am

Around about 4lbs is about right but its very hard to tell from a picture. With wing tip to tip measurements to weight on rays are very hard as a few cetemeters can change the weight of a ray. The same size ray can very in weight with there thickness. I`ve always thought measurement of rays in comps has never been successfully done fairly.

At the end of the day it nice to get a ray in March. From your describtion I`ve fair Idea where you were at and it`s good to hear theres ray showing there.

Donagh

marshpike · #3 Post by **marshpike** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:09 pm

The rays are showing early, the Pike spawned earlier this year too nothing to do with global warming I'm sure :roll: .

#4 Post by **marno** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:51 pm

Donagh wrote:Around about 4lbs is about right but its very hard to tell from a picture. With wing tip to tip measurements to weight on rays are very hard as a few cetemeters can change the weight of a ray. The same size ray can very in weight with there thickness. I`ve always thought measurement of rays in comps has never been successfully done fairly.

At the end of the day it nice to get a ray in March. From your describtion I`ve fair Idea where you were at and it`s good to hear theres ray showing there.

Donagh

Also you can't see the heel of the boot so it is a real guess. It is good to catch in march alright especially the day before good Friday when most of the fish were in hiding for fear of the pan :!: My guessing weights method is the how many bags of sugar does this feel like.

#5 Post by **zeke** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:50 pm

well done mate...nice fish :D

#6 Post by **SKIP** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:27 pm

fairplay marno, nice thorny :lol:

#7 Post by **marno** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:15 pm

SKIP wrote:fairplay marno, nice thorny :lol:

thanks skip and zeke though the poor ballen is starting to feel neglected, and he was a lot more fun to get ashore (the ray got a bigger grin it must be said)

#8 Post by **Al and Jordan** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:39 am

nice catch man, good to see the wrasse are starting to show again 8) roll on the summer :lol:

kstaff · #9 Post by **kstaff** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:37 pm

Weldone on the Thornie Marno, hoping to get a few up there soon.