While out on the kayak the other day, I trolled the waterwolf just to see if any fish about, managed to spot these lads, well within casting distance of shore, maybe 70yards off the rocks.
https://youtu.be/Gp7oltyoinQ
Early mackerel appearance
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spindlefist
- SAI Sea Dog!
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Early mackerel appearance
2016: dogfish, pollack,
2015: whiting, coalfish, turbot, pollack, ballan wrasse, conger, thornback, short spined sea scorpion , common blenny ,
2014 : dogfish, garfish, launce, common blenny, cuckoo wrasse, flounder, pollack, thornback ray,
2013 species:(15) Whiting, Dogfish, Three Bearded Rockling, bull huss, poor cod,turbot, flounder,pollack, spotted ray, thornback ray, launce, corkwing wrasse, long spined sea scorpion, common blenny,mackerel,
2012 species: Thornback, bull huss, Dogfish, pollack, Mackerel, bass, flounder, turbot, conger,
Species 09:(23) Conger, Whiting, Bass, flounder, Dogfish, dab, corkwing wrasse, pollack, bull huss(8lb 10oz~PB) , thornback ray(8lb~PB), dragonet, ballan wrasse, Blenny, Mackeral,long spined sea scorpion,pouting, coalfish, launce, codling, poor cod, starry smoothhound, 5 bearded rockling, shore rockling..
2015: whiting, coalfish, turbot, pollack, ballan wrasse, conger, thornback, short spined sea scorpion , common blenny ,
2014 : dogfish, garfish, launce, common blenny, cuckoo wrasse, flounder, pollack, thornback ray,
2013 species:(15) Whiting, Dogfish, Three Bearded Rockling, bull huss, poor cod,turbot, flounder,pollack, spotted ray, thornback ray, launce, corkwing wrasse, long spined sea scorpion, common blenny,mackerel,
2012 species: Thornback, bull huss, Dogfish, pollack, Mackerel, bass, flounder, turbot, conger,
Species 09:(23) Conger, Whiting, Bass, flounder, Dogfish, dab, corkwing wrasse, pollack, bull huss(8lb 10oz~PB) , thornback ray(8lb~PB), dragonet, ballan wrasse, Blenny, Mackeral,long spined sea scorpion,pouting, coalfish, launce, codling, poor cod, starry smoothhound, 5 bearded rockling, shore rockling..
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johnwest
- SAI Megalodon!
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
I wonder did they ever actually leave?
2013 species; 31
2014 species; 27
2015 species; 28
2016 species; 32
2017 species;28
2018 species; 33
2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.
2014 species; 27
2015 species; 28
2016 species; 32
2017 species;28
2018 species; 33
2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.
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m.b3
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
you might be right there i have caught them every month of the year locally although it's not reliable!
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GKC0806
- SAI Lug Worm
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
From the video imagery it's apparent that your leader (is that wire?) is highly visible to these highly observant eye-sight oriented predators.
Perhaps consider converting to a Flourocarbon leader - 15-20lbs would be more than adequate to cover most fish in Irish waters likely to take a trolled bait, and the main advantage is that is becomes virtually invisible in water. You could even run the entire section, including your beads and spinner/flasher on Flouro to make the entire set-up invisible underwater. I'm sure your pick-up/hit rate would then improve, especially in clear water and when the fish are a little on the "shy" side.
It's not like you're padding at a ferocious speed where they have to make up their mind in a flash - you can see they came in a few times to inspect the bait closely without committing.
Perhaps consider converting to a Flourocarbon leader - 15-20lbs would be more than adequate to cover most fish in Irish waters likely to take a trolled bait, and the main advantage is that is becomes virtually invisible in water. You could even run the entire section, including your beads and spinner/flasher on Flouro to make the entire set-up invisible underwater. I'm sure your pick-up/hit rate would then improve, especially in clear water and when the fish are a little on the "shy" side.
It's not like you're padding at a ferocious speed where they have to make up their mind in a flash - you can see they came in a few times to inspect the bait closely without committing.
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eoghanb
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
A small spinner on the end would have gotten more hits,I’ve caught mackerel in December and January in berehaven,I think if it’s deep they stay around,I’ve heard they stay in killybegs too
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hugo
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
"I think if it’s deep they stay around, I ’ve heard they stay in killybegs too."
Can anyone from Killybegs SAC confirm this?
Can anyone from Killybegs SAC confirm this?
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corbyeire
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
Plenty to feed on in killybegs in the winter
catch and release!
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Flipperdipper
- SAI Lug Worm
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Re: Early mackerel appearance
Hi all, just found this site and joined. This is the first article on mackerel that I've found, have mackerel become scarce and practically non existent all around the coast or is it just around Wexford? For the last three or so years we haven't seen a single one shore angling where they were always plentiful.