Carraroe -> Clifden -> Carraroe Sept 6-7

[vinnycorrigan]

First time post here... so hello to you all..
Been living in Galway City now for 4 years and this is my first year fishing shore marks here. Fished quite regular back home in Long Island new york for flatties, blue's and stripers but out of the game for quite some time. Started this year just out for a few hours around galway city not catching much... but then after an afternoon with my father in-law around Clonakilty and catching my first sea bass I was hooked....

So.. first real weekend out was sept 6-7.

SAT
Venue 1 - Carraroe, Galway near the small lighthouse.
6:30 am
First cast on feathers produced 4 mackerel. Wind was quite heavy so found shelter on opposite side and began spinning with rod #2 for pollack on mackerel shads and tobys. This produced about 10 pollack, 2 of which were decent enough size (2+ lbs).. Tried switching to fishing with some mackerel strips but nothing biting but more mackerel.
Overall 16 mackerel and 10 pollack. Finished up here at about 12:00 noon and headed for breakfast.

Venue 2 - Clifden - rock mark off Lower Sky Drive.
4:30 pm
First cast on feathers again more mackerel.. this time 3... then pretty steady mackerel for the next hour. This was getting pretty ridiculous now so I baited up a two hook rig with mackerel strip and let that soak for a bit 50 yards out while I used my spinning rod. Nothing on the lures then I noticed the bait rod tipping away. This produced my first irish ray... see pic..
Overall 18 mackerel, 1 thornback ray. Fisished up at about 7:00pm and headed for a b&b.

SUN
Venue 3 - Carraroe, Galway - small lighthouse
2:30 pm
Decided to try same mark again but found it quite full with lads fishing floating rigs.. noticed one catching a nice wrasse but then instantly turned off as they were keeping everything of any size.. including pollack not much more bigger than your hand...

I stayed off the feathers this time and fished with mackerel strips. Big suprise.... more mackerel. But some nice jumbo mackerel... and last fish of the day another 2lb pollack.
Overall 10 mackerel, 1 pollack. Finished up at about 5 and headed home to Galway City.

[saltydog]

Nice Ray welldone if your staying around the galway area for a bit we might see you for a session or two p.s. Welcome to the site.

[vinnycorrigan]

I'm here permanently so yeah if your ever heading out and have room for one more i'm game... i'll PM you my mobile #.

[mga]

Welcome to the forum, and the West
Nice looking ray. Couple of us head out on a (fairly!) regular basis. More than welcome to join us. Know what you mean about the guys keeping under-sized fish. Too bad that happens...

In fact, some of us may be heading tomorrow evening/night for a few hours. If you're interested, let me know.

[stevecrow74]

welcome to the wesht and to the forum.. your more than welcome to join us in a session (a fishing one that is)
nice ray you got there, some good one to be got up around clifden..

dont know if you'ld be interested but check this out viewtopic.php?f=24&t=17656

local club, the more the merrier