Keem Bay & Purteen Harbour, Achill, Saturday 13th Dec 2014

[kieran]

People: Myself and Eoin

Duration: about 4 hours

Tide: coming in from low water

Weather: cold, occassional squalls, SW veering W force 4-5

Bait: sandeel, black lug and mack (unused)

Rigs: mostly two and three hook paternosters

Results: 2 pollack (small), three coalfish (600 grams, 1-1.5 lbs)

Report: Headed off to Keem to avoid the wind and found it very sheltered and a light surf, well down the beach owing to the LW. Serious tide pushing around the headland. Looked ideal. Fished for a few hours from in front of the lifeguard hut to avoid the streams with sandeel / lug combos on 2 and 3 hook paternosters. Had to use 5 - 6 oz (125 gram) leads to hold bottom.

Lighter rod was caught with lots of floating weed. Big 5 m rod was high enough up to avoid it.

Hit by small pollack, beauftifully coloured to live over sand almost blue in places - for the first hour. Wind was swirling which made small bite detection on the Triplex difficult. Eventually was hit by a nice coalfish - typical of the area and time of year. Tried some black lug only on the smaller rod, closer in to target flats but did not get a touch. Reckon beach was netted recently?

With no flats showing and the ribble scarce, we packed up at 10 and decided to give the habour a qiuck visit. Two coalfish obliged but that was it. I can only surmise that the storm has smashed up the usual shoals and we were picking up the stragglers.

Think I have to try some river estuaries if I am to get the flatfish. Overall not too bad... nice day out in the fresh air.

Tight lines

[rushnaldo]

I'd feel the recent storms and sudden temperature drop has affected most beaches over the past week sending fish deeper and more stable temp water. That report was almost identical to the 3 beaches we fished over the last week. Coley and pollack and a few stragglers of flatties

[kieran]

That's interesting... I had not through of the temperature drop being a possible explanation.

I was more concerned with the about of fresh water running to various marks.

A nice bout of cold frosty dry spell over the Christmas and I might given the elusive Mayo bass a go... up until a few weeks ago there had been some nice fish taken (and released back praise God) by people who seem to lurk here but don't post any more. *coughs*

The boys behind the shark from shore trips are at me again. They took a charter out to some wrecks on the north coast (long steam from b'castle) and had cod and ling to 14lbs. Nearing the end of the sessions, one of them was smashed and bitten through lifting a decent fish up from the depths. They reckon there's porgies out there...

[johnwest]

Tough going in tough conditions Kieran but as you say, still good to get a bit of fresh air. A photo of those little Pollack would have been nice.