People:Me
Duration:3 hrs
Tide:1.5 hrs either side of high
Weather:Slight breeze, sunshine, 8-9 degrees
Bait:"Fresh" mackerel, frozen lug.
Rigs:Single hook clipped, 2 hook flappers.
Results:Blanked again.
Report:
I decided to try somewhere different today but it was the same old story of late. I was fishing off a pier into deeper water than the beaches but not as deep as I had hoped for. After over 2.5hrs without a nibble I switched to single hook clipped rigs and tried for a bit of extra distance. This I achieved but both rods snagged on the first cast and I lost both leaders and rigs. I decided to give the tackle sacrifice a miss and checked out a few possible marks for another day ( yes there will be one). I found one or two spots which I will definitely visit in the future. One good omen was I saw a shoal of fish breaking the surface a couple of times at one spot. Highlight of the day was seeing a wild albino rabbit on the way home, if you're interested see 2013 wildlife Observations in the General angling section. If you're out there Kingfisher, I'm only one blank behind you! (Just read your reply to Rodger the Dodger's trip to Brittas and Anny)
Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
Moderators: donal domeney, saltydog
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Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
2013 species; 31
2014 species; 27
2015 species; 28
2016 species; 32
2017 species;28
2018 species; 33
2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.
2014 species; 27
2015 species; 28
2016 species; 32
2017 species;28
2018 species; 33
2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.
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Re: Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
I feel your pain Jw, its been a though few months but luckily for me I tried a spinning session from the rocks earlier & landed a nice wee Pollock to save me from the fifth blank so hopefully things will keep improving. I thought I was going to set a new blank record 

Cheers Brian
Species 2017: Flounder, Turbot, Coalfish,
Species 2017: Flounder, Turbot, Coalfish,
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Re: Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
Hard luck JW, at least you got a bit of recce done for future trips 

It ain't easy but it sure is simple!
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Re: Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
Ah well:'( it would seem all the fish are gone on holidays!
EAST COAST BAITBUCKET RAIDER,
thornback specialist
thornback specialist
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Re: Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
what are you targeting john,,,flats are very thin...had a few dabs yestersay to 30 cm but nothing major,,,good few spring trout around aswell
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Re: Donegal Bay, 4/4/13
Hi Brian, I'm not targeting anything in particular; the marks I've been trying were giving a mix of flounder, turbot, dab, pouting, whiting, rockling, dogfish etc this time last year but at the moment there's nothing. I don't fish deliberately for seatrout, I pay enough for club permits and other licences as it is without a salmon/sea trout one as well! I'm sure the famine will end at some stage and just imagine how much I'll enjoy my next fish.saving private brian wrote:what are you targeting john,,,flats are very thin...had a few dabs yestersay to 30 cm but nothing major,,,good few spring trout around aswell
Off to Connemara perhaps?roger de dodger wrote:Ah well:'( it would seem all the fish are gone on holidays!
I'll hold off trying them until the fishing picks up substantially, I don't think it would be fair to try them at the moment.Sweetwrasse wrote:Hard luck JW, at least you got a bit of recce done for future trips
I must admit that spinning for pollack isn't my favourite fishing method but if that's what it takes....FisherKing wrote:I feel your pain Jw, its been a though few months but luckily for me I tried a spinning session from the rocks earlier & landed a nice wee Pollock to save me from the fifth blank so hopefully things will keep improving. I thought I was going to set a new blank record
2013 species; 31
2014 species; 27
2015 species; 28
2016 species; 32
2017 species;28
2018 species; 33
2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.
2014 species; 27
2015 species; 28
2016 species; 32
2017 species;28
2018 species; 33
2019 species; ballan wrasse,blonde ray, coalfish, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dab, dogfish, flounder, goldsinny wrasse, ling, mackerel, plaice, pollack, poorcod, pouting, scad, sea scorpion, spotty ray, spurdog, thornback, tub gurnard, turbot, whiting.