Galway Bay Porbeagle, Maighdean Mara, Spiddal 20-8-08

Message

#1 Post by **Bradan** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:52 am

People:Me + 7 others

Duration:0600-1600

Tide:

Weather:Wet, wet, wet

Bait: Mackerel

Rigs: Shark balloon rigs

Results: 2 porbeagle sharks, one at 200lbs+, one at ~120lbs

Report:

Met at the pier at 0530. I don't mind admitting I'm not a morning person, so I was half cursing the skipper when the alram went off at 4.30. Still, I managed to crawl out of bed and get to Spiddal on time. Left the pier around 6 and headed out the bay. Stopped en route to pick up mackerel for bait, had enough in 5 minutes. Lots of small joeys but plenty of good size macks deeper down.
The weather forecast was for westerlies, so the skipper pointed us to where we would get a nice long drift leaving a good rubby dubby trail, hopefully bringing in a few sharks. On the way, Max, the other skipper on board, got the rubby dubby ready. My god, but I've never smelt anything as bad as this in my whole life. Felt sorry for the guy who was already seasick and when the smell hit him, made him much worse. Let's just say he didn't even go near a rod all day...
Anyway, got to the start of the drift and Max and Kevin got the scent trail going and set up 3 shark rods. Meanwhile, we started bottom fishing, and were soon into some good pollack. A red gurnard and a lot of whiting came up as well, as well as some pouting. But it wasn't long before the ratchet on one of the shark rods started clicking, and Kevin grabbed it. The other rods were quickly reeled in, and he struck into the fish. This seemed to wake it up, and the ratched screamed as it went on a run, then everything went slack. Turned out the fish had smashed the mainline (80lbs BS) and the whole leader was gone. Definitely wasn't a bad knot, I saw the end of the line and it was just smashed. Kevin has played a few of these fish and reckoned this was a big 'un - maybe 300lbs!
It wasn't long before we got another run, and as I was standing beside the skipper he handed me the rod first. Jesus christ! I've never felt so helpless playing a fish before... this thing was so powerful! Managed to get a good bit of line back, then it would go on another long run, taking it all back seemingly effortlessly. The other lads were queueing up to have a turn, so I handed the rod over after playing the fish for about 15 minutes. I think 3 other lads had a spell playing the fish before Dave eventually got her to the side of the boat after about 35-40 minutes.
When we got her aboard (it took 4 lads) she was estimated at over 200lbs. Quick photo, tagged and released.

About half an hour later, the same rod got another run, and this time the fight was over in 10 minutes, a couple of lads had a go at playing the fish, and he was quickly brought to the side of the boat. This lad was a lot more lively than the first fish and was difficult to bring aboard, but when he was we could see he was a smaller fish, maybe 100-120lbs. Again he was tagged and released.

By this time we were all well fed up with the weather, a couple of lads were seasick, and even bottom fishing had gone quiet, so as we were drifting almost into shore and nearly out of rubby dubby, we called it a day. What an experience though - to be attached to a fish of that size and trying to reel it in was incredible. There were a couple of blue shark experts on the boat and they agreed that this was far better.

Photo shows Kevin the skipper with Max, who skippers the sister boat the Leaca Rua, with the bigger fish caught on the day.

saltydog · #2 Post by **saltydog** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:31 pm

Savage fishing well done i'm itching to get back out with Kevin he's some skipper :)

#3 Post by **keith** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:10 pm

Brilliant report, Great pic :D

#4 Post by **g agus t** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:26 pm

nice fish...well done....wish i could catch one !

#5 Post by **jack01986** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:50 pm

Vey nice wouldnt mind catching some of them!! 200+lb is massive fish :shock: :D .

#6 Post by **mga** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:11 pm

Wow! What a fish! :shock: :shock:
Must have been some experience. Good stuff & great report :lol:

#7 Post by **tomi** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:35 pm

Nice report Bradan, I got text from Kevin at 14.54, wednesday. (propably I wasn't only one :wink: ), but didn't seen the photos. Huge fish. Well done guys :D

#8 Post by **stevecrow74** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:16 am

now thats some fish.... how were the arms after the play?? sore i bet :D

#9 Post by **yappo** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:02 am

Great fishing :D
What rod and reel setup were you using :?:

Yappo

#10 Post by **Bradan** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:35 am

Arms and back were a bit sore alright! Glad of the belt - i wouldn't like to have the rod between your legs fighting a fish like that - bruised balls for sure!
It was an 80lb class rod with a 9/0 reel and 80lb mainline - the rod was like a broomstick but that fish put a good bend in it ...

#11 Post by **Tanglerat** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:07 pm

Excellent fish, loved reading the report.

See the look in that shark's eye? Bet he's thinking " little bit lower, c'mon, leeeetle bit more, and I'll have those fingers off at the wrist"

:shock:

#12 Post by **dbrock** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:53 pm

excellent i think a trip to galway is warented now :P :P :P

ROADRUNNER · #13 Post by **ROADRUNNER** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:37 pm

You Jammy so and so... Braden you are now a member of a very small club of people who have caught a porgy in Irish waters :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: Do you have any idea of the measurements of them ???

Danny

#14 Post by **Tom H** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:18 am

Thats a very nice porgie 8)