People:The Unofficial Newtownabbey Sea Angling Club
Duration: 1 week
Tide: All states
Weather: All states
Bait: Allsorts
Rigs: Allsorts
Results: Bass Turbot Plaice Flounder Dogfish
Report: This was our second trip down this year to the peninsula and again we had a great time allround. The 5hr journey seems to get shorter the more we do it . We had planned to fish the surf beaches for the week but the weather had other plans and we only managed 3 days. For anyone on the site who hasnt made the journey theres only one way I can describe this part of our beautiful island ' Fishing Heaven'. We had fished day and night sessions on the surf beaches but I would stress the night sessions can be a bit hairy if you are unfamiliar with the terrain especially when your on one of the storm beaches with lateral runners, one second your up to your ankles in water next second its making its way inside your chest waders , we actually have found that there is just as much if not more catches during the daylight and its a lot safer so I would advise that option. I, on behalf of the club would like to thank Gerry O'Connor the crab man from Blennerville, hes a top bloke whos kindness was very much appreciated, if only all fishermen had his attitude. Also the locals in the area are a fantastic advertisement for tourism in the area and they looked after us no end and were very thankful.
On a sadder note, on our previous trip we had met a local couple who advised us on a good place to dig lugworm, we found it and the lug was plentiful and easily collected, so on our recent return journey we headed for the lug beds but when we got there it looked like the surface of the moon, huge craters the length of the flats and on closer inspection virtually lifeless. We had a go at collecting some lug but after an hour we still never had any so we just ploughed on with what we had brought down with us. On our way to the venue we called into a local shop and the girl in the shop told us that there had been a competition on the previous week with about 150 competitors taking part, she explained that they had been digging the lugbeds all week with up to 30 people at a time, the local fishing community are saying this area may never fully recover. I have a few words for the organisers of this competition and the competitors but I will restrain myself and save a ban from the site, your a disgrace and you need re-educating, did you seriously think that digging 30-40lb of lugworm per day for 5 days solid doesnt have a detrimental effect on the enviornment?
Congratulations to Tommy and Gordy for their first Turbot and Bass respectively, these fish are special whether the 1st or 100th, unfortunately we forgot scales and were only guessing at the weights. Well done lads.
Roll on May 2011
Tight Lines
Aaron
Y'all know me. Know how I earn a livin'. I'll catch this bird for you, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bad fish. Not like going down the pond chasin' bluegills and tommycods. This shark, swallow you whole. Little shakin', little tenderizin', an' down you go. And we gotta do it quick, that'll bring back your tourists, put all your businesses on a payin' basis. But it's not gonna be pleasant. I value my neck a lot more than three thousand bucks, chief. I'll find him for three, but I'll catch him, and kill him, for ten. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then ante up. If you want to play it cheap, be on welfare the whole winter. I don't want no volunteers, I don't want no mates, there's just too many captains on this island. Ten thousand dollars for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing.
Just a note to say if those lug beds are in an SPA or SAC then the National Parks and Wildlife Service could very well, and quite legally ban all bait gathering in an area, probably a bigger geographical area than the specific beds.
This kind of behavior can affect everybody in ways that we couldn't imagine once the machinery of state gets the wheels moving.
Maybe the next time there is a competition entrants can be warned.
Keeping it all positive, some fine looking bass and I agree that Turbot is a massive fish to be caught of the shore. Well done and I bet worth the trip
cheers guys, the turbot is a cracker and he will find it hard to better that of the shore.
Y'all know me. Know how I earn a livin'. I'll catch this bird for you, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bad fish. Not like going down the pond chasin' bluegills and tommycods. This shark, swallow you whole. Little shakin', little tenderizin', an' down you go. And we gotta do it quick, that'll bring back your tourists, put all your businesses on a payin' basis. But it's not gonna be pleasant. I value my neck a lot more than three thousand bucks, chief. I'll find him for three, but I'll catch him, and kill him, for ten. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then ante up. If you want to play it cheap, be on welfare the whole winter. I don't want no volunteers, I don't want no mates, there's just too many captains on this island. Ten thousand dollars for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing.
well done nice turbot, a couple of spots on the dingle area to dig lug, barrow harbour tralee bay. killishannig brandon area.some big turbot to be had at banna strand, enter through the tralee golf couse course takes you to a carpark 50 yards fom the beach.