Mackerel season 2006

Message

#1 Post by **pete** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:05 pm

Just wondering how people found this years run? I know its still on but the bulk of the fishing has already been had. Lot of small macs around July and August but that always seems to be the way for the past few years. I haven't noticed any difference compared to last year but was talking to some commercial jiggers and they said that the fishing was well down on last year.

#2 Post by **round_ourway** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:48 pm

all in all it was pretty good round these parts i managed to get out in the boat a good bit. probably caught around 40 mack and kept around 10 for bait

#3 Post by **nige** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:55 pm

it was the worst season I have ever seen for macks in the galway area :(

#4 Post by **Adam S** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:07 pm

i found it good, slightly better than average

Livid · #5 Post by **Livid** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:22 pm

I caught one from the shore this year. :lol: :shock: Wasn't trying though and never went out when i said i would, from reports though, at times they were right in close in Belfast lough in very large numbers. Think it was a bit hit and miss at times though.

Jah Rastafari Fishingclub · Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:34 pm

Spent 4 hours out on Dunlaoighaire pier on Sunday gone 17th . Absolute mayhem.
I reckon the only place that had more bodies in a confined space was croker for the All Ireland. Reckon we could have taken close to a 100 between myself and my brother but we took home 10 in the end. Quite disrturbing to see the quantites that some people took, looked like pure greed to me. It would be great if there as bag limit.

But despite that and the tangels and the heated verbal exchanges I haven't seen this many being caught for over a decade out here. :shock:

"Knowledge is found in the secret place of the most high and with that knowledge comes understanding"

#7 Post by **round_ourway** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:55 pm

I agree with a bag limit on the mackeral. I must admit it was a free for all one day at carrick harbour and great to catch but i had to leave as i started to get tangled and seen kids kicking the fish. i then seen them same kids about a month later and telling me there woes of catching nothing for about three weeks. I believe the gods of fishing had something to do with that. :lol: :lol:

#8 Post by **corbyeire** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:47 pm

yea the macks never happened in galway this year - its great now that the bashers have stopped trying - but now have no bait!

#9 Post by **BigPhil** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 12:31 am

there ahve been quite a lot of the boats though small, with very few showing from the shore on the north coast.

martin32 · #10 Post by **martin32** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:23 pm

Have to say i haven't fished for them at this year :shock:

#11 Post by **rab01** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:34 pm

still catching them in belfast lough. i was only at a spot for an hour today with a light spinning rod using my tried and trusted dexter wedge and i pulled in 5. not a massive number of fish but at least they r still about and i reckon if i had stayed for another hour i could have caught a dozen. all big mackerel bar one. :D

#12 Post by **rab01** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:38 pm

still catching them in belfast lough. i was only at a spot for an hour today with a light spinning rod using my tried and trusted dexter wedge and i pulled in 5. not a massive number of fish but at least they r still about and i reckon if i had stayed for another hour i could have caught a dozen. all big mackerel bar one. :D

#13 Post by **hairyconger** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:40 pm

didnt get out enough this summer at all to have a go at mackeral....not that i would of been targeting them anyway, usualy come across them when spinning for pollack etc.....Reports havnt been encouraging though :?

#14 Post by **rab01** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:59 pm

hi hc! its been a great year for the mackerel in belfast lough, for me anyway. why don't u target mackerel?? i can understand getting fed up trailing them in 3 and 4 at a time on feathers with heavy gear. but if u scale down to a light spinning outfit and catch a decent mackerel they r fantastic sport!! i do understand that mackie season brings out some undesirable fishermen who have no interest or respect in the sport we all love and maybe the mackerel's popularity has dropped because of this. i love catch all species of fish and would really miss mackerel if the vanished from r shores.

#15 Post by **hairyconger** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:08 pm

rab01 wrote:hi hc! its been a great year for the mackerel in belfast lough, for me anyway. why don't u target mackerel?? i can understand getting fed up trailing them in 3 and 4 at a time on feathers with heavy gear. but if u scale down to a light spinning outfit and catch a decent mackerel they r fantastic sport!! i do understand that mackie season brings out some undesirable fishermen who have no interest or respect in the sport we all love and maybe the mackerel's popularity has dropped because of this. i love catch all species of fish and would really miss mackerel if the vanished from r shores.

its not that i have anything against mackeral there's been days id wish they show, its just i dont go out and target them ever.... i dont mind catching one or two when spinning for pollack etc, i just wouldnt reach for a string of hokias or alike to try catch bucket loads.....

#16 Post by **rab01** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:42 pm

i can understand that mate. i wouldn't use a mackerel trace anymore unless i wanted to catch them for bait. without question they r far more fun on the spinner.

#17 Post by **hairyconger** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:57 pm

rab01 wrote:i can understand that mate. i wouldn't use a mackerel trace anymore unless i wanted to catch them for bait. without question they r far more fun on the spinner.

most of the marks i fish for pollack etc are extremly deep and to be anust a 3 hook trace still manages to grab snags on the retrive, cant be annoyed with them anymore....much more fun on the single lure

#18 Post by **round_ourway** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:57 am

i believe mackerel are the main fish that first gt people started into shore fishing and provide the initial sensation of catching your very first fish. Although my first fish was a sea trout. lol. :D