Muc Mara - Donegal Bay

Message

#1 Post by **pete** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:28 pm

Tide:Ebbing

Weather:North easterly, sunny

Bait:Fresh mackerel

Rigs:1 hook running ledger

Results:6 Thornbacks

Report:Mackerel were incredibly scarce and I spent an hour and a half before getting seven. Dropped anchor of the back of the Point and put two rods out. Both got hit at the same time and I lost both fish, was pumping what I think was a ray to the top when the other rod (reel in ratchet mode) took off for Bundoran at a rate of knots. At this stage whatever was on first rod came off and when I hit the other I got two heavy lunges before the hook fell out, probably a tope. Nerves well in tatters at this stage.

Fishing was steady if unspectacular after this and I finished up with 6 thornies. Cracking day weather wise and I had to seek shelter in the shade of the wheelhouse a few times. At the end of the evening when I was pulling up the anchor a group of 5 porpoises passed close by, nice sight.

Pete

#2 Post by **blowin** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:42 am

Hi Pete ,
How do you tell the difference between a porpoise and a dolphin ? Not sure which I saw the other day .
Hardly any mackerel in Sligo/Ballysadair bay either .
cheers
nick

#3 Post by **pete** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:56 am

Hi Nick,
Porpoise is our smallest cetacean and thats one of the surest ways of identifying them, common and bottlenose dolphins are much bigger. They are usually very dark in colour and you only usually see their small dark backs as they roll out of the water. Not much splashing compared to the more lively dolphins and then they tend to be quite shy and you'll never get them riding the bow-ride of the boat.

Pete

#4 Post by **dingbat** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 11:35 pm

mackerel very scarce in Donegal Bay

Dingbat

#5 Post by **pete** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 7:39 pm

Compared to last year the mackerel have been poor although I was out with Adrian Molloy the day after that boat trip and had 10 in two drops! Still that was down around Rathlin O Birne at the very outer edge of the bay. I don't know if the 'red tide' incident has influenced their movements in the upper bay, you notice any dead flounder on Rossnowlagh Dingbat. Friend was telling me there was a whole load of them last week, kids even playing with them.

Pete

#6 Post by **dingbat** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:36 pm

peter all I know is that the friends of mine out fishing are catching nothing.
A local commercial fisherman sickened me with a box of pollock none of them bigger than 200mm