Mackerel reports '09 here.....

[Stephen8wood]

Right, this may be inflamitory but, what's a Mackie Basher? I mean what is the actual definition in the high minds of some of you SAI contributors. I do on occasion spend three hours chasing the mackerel and then settle down to some good bait fishing with the beach casters, three hook flappers, gripper weights and all. So am I a mackie Basher?

Should I continue to pay a fiver for a pair of flash frozen macks and see the slivers break apart as I do my best to impale these fishy smelling ice cubes on my hook just to avoid pissing off the "more serious fisherman" who is busy, 25 yards away, doing everything he can to catch an inedible miniscule flounder?

On some summer evenings there is nothing better than to take a nice light 9 foot spinning rod and a bait runner with 10lb line, matched up with a small dexter wedge or a trace of three silver feathers and a one oz weight and to perch on a rock, fishing, not mackie bashing but fishing!

I've met some of the lads who may be the intended targets of some mackie basher comments and most of them seem to be polite and easy going. Yes there are a few who leave litter or become over excited and may cast accross your line when the fella further up from you makes contact with the shoal but to brand all anglers who fish for mackerel as mackie bashers seems a bit unfair.

I'm fully expecting a lecture or two following this post and I can already guess who is going to give it but for the moment that's my two cents on the subject. If anyone has a good definition I'd like to hear it.

[captain AHAB]

look out for lads,usually with limited gear(ie.lidl rods,feathers and plastic bags) that only comes out in summer and have absolutely no respect for fish,fellow angler or venue or themselves for that matter.........when you climb down off your high horse that is.i wouldnt call you a mackie basher,i`d have another name for someone like you man.

[Stephen8wood]

What might that be?

[bigsod]

When the mack are in they are great craic to catch on light gear and i do go on the odd mack hunt myself in the summer.I do avoid the obvious spots where lads pay no attention to their safety and the safety of others at the venue and where as said line crossing and littering are rampent.Many lads have said if mack grew to the same size as pollock or bass they would be one of the beat fighting fish in the sea, and i agree. The odd session for mack dont make you a mack basher, i prefer to spin along beaches and rock marks for them constantly moving and keeping well away from the fair weather brigade.Roll on the summer

[The Austrian]

When the mack are in they are great craic to catch on light gear and i do go on the odd mack hunt myself in the summer

yep, fully agree with bigsod, that's the point of this thread, keep us informed, nothing else, no bitching, no stirring

[Stephen8wood]

I think that the water temperature needs to reach 13 degrees and as soon as that happens they come in. The met's website have a water temperature report somewhere which can be usefull.

[Stephen8wood]

Me. trying to create controvercy? Ah lads, I'm only speaking the truth. For examlpe.....If Ahab is right if you have only a small amount of cash and can only afford a rod and tackle from lidl and you show up on4 a hot spot in summer then you are a mackie basher. Wheras if you have a super penn reel and a fantastic zipex rod then you are not a mackei basher??? Well as Beebub and his wife knows I've had an ale or two and as such you are all welcome to come fishing with me/us???

[Stephen8wood]

burp............

[beebub2]

Hey, I've got a Lidl spinning rod, I just bought a stack of 5 hook feathers. I've only fished for mack once. It was last summer and we were on a boat rented from Bullock harbour. Three of us caught enough Mack to bring them home that night for dinner. It was top class and got me into fishing. So this summer will be my first summer mackerel fishing. I can't wait. I may have to purchase a new freezer for the amount I'm likely to catch. I see no problem. I don't get it and I'd love for someone to explain the problem to me. I'm polite to fellow anglers. I never leave rubbish behind and frequently clean up an area before leaving of not just my own stuff but of stuff left by others because it annoys me so much.

But what's the difference in me catching a shed load of mackerel this summer and freezing it for winter bait?? I'll be using mack in the winter for bait whether I catch it myself or spend €2.50 on each frozen one I buy.

Apart from that, if in the summer I find myself fishing for a few hours at a spot where there are mack and for example I catch 5 mackerel in the first hour, I'm not going to just pack up and leave because for the next few days I'm not going to want more than 5 mack. I'm going to keep fishing. If I catch more mack than I need I'll freeze it and use it as bait. I can't for the life of me see what's wrong with that.

And Ahab, your thinly veiled description of 'mackie bashers' is pretty ugly and it's not the first time I've seen you on this site behaving like this.

Oh and I can vouch for Stephen8wood, he certainly had a few ales while contributing at 12.40am on a Sunday morning!

Ok, I'm going back to bed now, because I think the few ales I had last night are still swimming around my sore head.

[blackiemc]

Hello lads and/or ladies,
As I mentioned before this is the fourth year of this thread. I think almost each year the thread has gone off on a tangent and threatened the whole idea of it. One year I had to apologise for possibly offending the good name of the owner of one of the largest fishing vessels in the country, cause of a poor attempt at a joke to get the thing back on track (I didn't mind apologising because this site has changed my angling abilities and potential from mostly catching macks to catching very good sized fish and various species).
For the love of God please keep to the spirit of this, and BTW I want this one thread for shore and boat if that's what suits users.

...and don't be too precious about what people post here or anywhere. You will learn lots here from one and all, as I have (just check my posts to prove what a wanabee mack basher can get out of the site).

First full house photo anyone??

Blackie

[Surfrod]

Spot on blackiemc
People, people, lets stay focused on the matter in hand.
Any more reports of the mack on the move?

[MAC]

Totally Agree,

Please start another thread for the basher discussion.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Surfrod]

I'm thinking of heading West to the coastline along Clare at the weekend .
Any reports of Mack ini the area???

[beebub2]

I fished Black Head in the first week in April in two spots for about 3 hours one afternoon with another chap suing feathers. Not a sausage. There were a few others at the second mark who had been there a few hours also and had caught nada. Mind you a lot can change in a few weeks.

[baitdigger]

Mick from Fanore post Office said there have been a few landed in the last week around Blackhead, but some lads I know tried all along the ususal marks around there and couldnt find any Saturday or Sunday. Ithink we need a few days of good sunshine to bring North Clare to life.

[Surfrod]

Thanks lads for the last two replies. It appears as though I might have to set my sights up further.
Do anyone know if any mack are being caught up around the Sligo area??

[mann]

I'm thinking of heading West to the coastline along Clare at the weekend .
Any reports of Mack ini the area???

caught these in Clare this morning,


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Mackerely%20002.jpg

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also caught the seal but he managed to get free after a tug of war that he was wining,

now who's going to get that full house?

Didnt manage the full house but ended up with 14 fish and a good ass fight from the seal

[Surfrod]

Nice, Mann.
So their begining to move.
Right so, it's may be a long way to Clare from here, but it looks like it could be there for me this weekend.

[dan]

When the mack are in they are great craic to catch on light gear and i do go on the odd mack hunt myself in the summer.I do avoid the obvious spots where lads pay no attention to their safety and the safety of others at the venue and where as said line crossing and littering are rampent.Many lads have said if mack grew to the same size as pollock or Bass they would be one of the beat fighting fish in the sea, and i agree. The odd session for mack dont make you a mack basher, i prefer to spin along beaches and rock marks for them constantly moving and keeping well away from the fair weather brigade.Roll on the summer

i caught them on feeder rods on earthworms for wrasse a few years ago, great scrap.

[baitdigger]

A few fish showed at long range at 'The Flats' Inner blackhead over the weekend. Still not there in numbers and still have to be fished for rather than catching a few for bait and moving on. Mainly showing an hour each side of high water

NEIL