Duration:8am --->
Tide: Rise to low onto the rise
Weather: Beautiful, sunny, warm
Bait:Rag, Lug, Sandeel,
Rigs:mackerel rigs, flappers
Results:2 Thornies, 8 Dogs, 1 Mackerel
Report:
Well it started out down a dusty road, Well that what was playing on my radio as well!! I was Finally in the West, been along time since I was over there, in fact Toooo long, but heading to a place I didn’t know, I was thinking to myself isn’t this what fishing is about! Hop in the car and head off, Yes fishing a mark you know well is easy, but fishing a mark you’ve never fished before, learning the ground, damn it brought the sense of adventure back to me! And if it didn’t pay off with TWO Personal Best which I know I’m going to struggle to beat again!!
First mark was a known fjord in Mayo, I heard that during WW2 the Germans used to use it to hide their submarines in during the war as its so deep and narrow, which they could drop right out of sight! It was 8 am sun was beating down there was a strong wind blowing up the channel. Set one rod to see what was about, and the spin rod for mackerel, locals told me that i needed a licence to fish for salmon and sea trout, I tried desperately to assure them I was going after something else Ray, Plaice, Flounder, Pollock etc.. But they insisted that only Salmon, Sea Trout, and mackerel were to be got there…. Well coffee drunk, lit a smoke, (it is still legal I thinks) and damn the bait rod pulled down, then again, grabbed it and FISH ON, after a good ol fight a male Thornie was on the tackle box weighting a healthy 3lbs 4oz, well chuffed just a little over my best, and sent him back, with the mackerel gear out was having fun and bang Mackerel on only one but his little run on the light gear set my heart flyin!! This is Fishing! Then looked over no soon had the mackerel in the cooler box, the bait rod took another knock twice down then slack lined!! Took me an age to get this one in, as it kept stripping line off me But landed it safely which turned out to be a lovely female Thornie weighing in at 4lb.5oz my PB this one was a keeper, as my kids said they wanted to try ray. With the tide running out decided to look for an access to the really deep water marks (some place they running at the very least 30 meters so I was told!!! All fishable with a good cast) but every mark I drove to I had to cross farmers land to gain access so tried to contact various farmers without much success, (id rather make an effort, then to be lookin down the barrel of an ol’ shotgun!), So unsuccessful in my quest, I decide with tide and time running out I hit Clifden, so glad I did… ventured out onto a rock, perched over the sea with the tide draining slowly out sun just right in the sky that it wasn’t blinding me as I looked on the tips..2o minutes of nothing quiet and peace,…….was ruined with a hard knock on the rod, first rod nearly doubled over!??! Hound? Ray? Bass on rag? What the Hell is this… It fought like mad as I reeled in, It was dark on top, then with a swish of its tail it threw the hook? Ok excitement just got great.. reeled in both rods, that fish went after fresh sandeels , so put on owner hooks and baited up again, BANG fish ON!
Happy Chappy on top of a rock with his rod bent into a fish! And it was fighting, line went off, reset the drag just enough to control it, and ended up w ith a 1lb doggie, then the next rod took a serious knock and after plaing that fish in another doggie, and that’s the way Clifden left me! My last fish (due to my arms killing me now at this stage was a 3lb 2oz doggie… another personal best! BOOM! “ in one session Happy days!
REAL REALLY have to get back over there... Im in love with the West and I am sooooooo jealous of you... 
