Duration:
Tide:rising tide both venues
Weather:Galway=Breezy
,,,, Wicklow Same breezy,,,,but the sea was flat calm 
Bait:Galway ,,,,Rag Wicklow ,,,,Crab, rag, Lug
Rigs:flappers in Galway and pulleys and flappers in Wicklow
Results:Spiddal Pier,,,,,Ballan Wrasse, Pollock, Blennies Wicklow Beach ,,,,Doggies,, Doggies and more Doggies,,,then Dabs and finally a smoothie
Report: Went to Galway for the weekend with a few Irish mates and a Yank,(Los Laddos
) to do our part for the Gathering. Tough work but somebody has to do it I had the van loaded with all my fishing gear and plenty of bait in case I could lure the lads away from the bars and get them to try their luck fishing . On Saturday morning we went out to Spiddal to watch the Lions V Australia so we took 2 rods and 20 rag along. The tide was well out when we arrived , with rocky,snaggy looking ground everywhere.Once the Lions had beaten Australia,,,,,or as soon as Australia had thrown the match away,,,,we headed down to the Pier in Spiddal to try our luck. The tide was on the way in at this stage thankfully. We weren't setting our sights too high,,,the target was just to catch a fish each 
. I set up the 2 rods at the end of the Pier, 2 hook flappers, size 4 hooks baited with rag. The nibbles came straight away and the Laddos were amazed to be able to feel the fish plucking away on the other end . By this time the rain was coming down steadily but the Laddos were determined to land a fish each. The Yank, Timmy was first in with a small Pollock,,,,putting the pressure on myself and the other two Laddos, Nathan Prince and Brendan Shupper.
More rag was sent out,,,,about 10 yds off the end of the Pier, and Nathan jumped into action as he saw the tip nodding away
. His first cast,,,,,on his first time fishing and he pulls in a nice double,2 fine 30cms Ballan Wrasse . 
The rain eased off and we had a visitor, in the form of an over friendly Heron.
I was feeling the pressure as I wasn't having much luck,,,losing 3 rigs to snags, but I eventually hit into 2 Pollock to save my blushes
. With the rain coming down again now, the Laddos sat into the car but Brendan Shupper, another fishing newcomer, was determined not to be the Blanker 
. Luckily for him, he pulled in a nice little blenny to put an end to the Laddos slagging and we could all resume our Gathering Itinerary back at Eyre Square Thank God I don't have to do a report on that ,,,,that would be some reading I drove back to Dublin the next day, Sunday, and got the idea to head to a certain Wicklow Beach that I was getting good reports from,,,,,so after a short rest at home I drove on down to Wicklow and set up. There were a few smoothies being caught by Mitch as I arrived so I had high hopes but alas it was not to be a great night for me
. I had a few doggies on the crab but it wasn't until my final cast of the night that I got my smoothie, no monster but he made the trip 
. I got some nice dabs on lug (thanks Mitch )that I had out in search of a Bass. All in all a great weekend and I think my non fishing friends have been bitten by the bug The Yank,Timmy Mooney is more used to Striped Bass,,,,,,i'm sure he had a good laugh though 
