Clare, july 23rd to August 2nd

[shambobala]

myself and or brother in law, father + neilus and corbyeire in fanore:



Tide: mostly fooding evening / nights :

Weather: all sorts except snow :

Bait: fresh and frozen lug, mack, lures, poppers, razors, mussel, crab, sandeel:

Rigs: all sorts, ususually 2/3 hook flappers or clipdowns / pulleys:

Results: 10 plaice, 20+ flounder, 2 pollack, 1 mack, 7 doggies:

Catch and Release:: Yes/No: kept 3 plaice and the mack



Report:

decided a week of dedicated fishing was well overdue so headed back to my base in lahinch for 8 days with the intention of getting a few decent bass and trying for a plaice.

Arrived late on the Monday night in darkness so no time to recce the conditions, as the ide was just about in decided to fish Cregg for an hour or so, got set up but had to pack it in quickly as the weed made it almost unfishable, headed back to the house stashed the gear away and decided to go for a late pint. On the way to the pub spotted a few lights at the end of the promenade in lahinch so decided to investigate, met two lads from Middlesborough who had been having a good session getting bass, flatties and a few dogs, chatted to them for 30 minutes and watched them land a few flatties and a dog and miss a good bass-like take, so back to the house and off to the beach with me. Got about 5 flatties (not great size) and 2 doggies in 45 minutes...great start!

Went back to various spots around lahinch / inagh estuary over the next 4 days, weather was often miserable but the flatties and doggies kept coming so no complaints. only problem was the flatties were getting themselves very deep hooked on the lug tipped with mack, crushed the barbs which made things easier but was a bit nervous about losing a bass then. Sure enough I managed to get a decent sized bass (6lbs ish) almost to shore before he shook the hook free and legged it (well, swam it I guess).

During daylight hours I fished ballyreen (pegs 15-20 usually) managed only one mack, but they were fairly scarce, got fed up with the would-be-bashers casting over / under / across me every few minutes, made fishing a pain in the ass :evil: Tried a bit of bottoom fishing off there also, had two good bites which I think were conger, but I just couldn't get them out, was using grip leads so was reasonably sure I wasn't being caught in the rough stuff. Had one pollack here also about 2 1/2 pounds on a spun sandeel.

Tried Seafield (big beach south of the pier) twice, once with standard bottom rigs for bass as there was a decent surf going and was told by the lifeguard of a "9lb bass last week" (although everyone and his dog in clare seems to have caught the same fecking 9 pounder last week from what i can tell), anyway no joy. Went back the next day to try a bit of lure fishing on the same beach as there were rocks jutting quite a way out that let us cast into and behind the breakers, no results but a lovely way to get very sunburnt :oops:

Fished fanore on my last night with Neilus and Corbeire, nada, but there was a very nice sunset and a full moon, which didn't nearly make up for the blank!

Overall a good week, dissappointing not to get my bass but at least i got out and about and saw some more marks I want to check out on my next trip to clare, plan to head to cork later this month for another 5 days fishing in east cork.


Ballyreen seems to be a bigger rubbish tip than ever before, don't know why these gobshites can't take their rubbish home with them.

[eointarmey8]

nice sessions! where did you get the plaice?