Duration: Saturday and Sunday
Tide: up on arrival, down to the bottom, and then a bit up again
Weather: overcast and cool Saturday, like a summers day on Sunday!
Bait: fresh lug, fresh rag, fresh mack
Rigs: 2 hook flappers
Report:
This is a trip that I had been really looking forward to and had been planning for some time now. After a few months of deliberation - made up of failed attempts to accommodate a few fishing buddies, or being beat by the weather - I eventually set off on my own and managed to get myself down to Silver Strand beach in South Donegal.
I had heard a lot about this beach and its capability of producing fantastic flounder also, as an added bonus, it was meant to offer spectacular scenery. I intended to find out if both cases were true.
I took off from Co.Antrim on Saturday morning and the drive took two and a half hours. After a bite to eat in Killybegs I continued west and was set-up and fishing for 2pm.
I had arranged to meet up with johnwest from the forum here on Sunday (hey I couldn't believe it, he looks exactly as he does in his pics!!
) so I was on my own on Saturday; however, there were three local guys fishing there too to keep me company so it wasn't so bad. It really is a beautiful place all right - a little horseshoe-shaped sheltered bay flanked by steep cliffs either side; the water was gin-clear and the beach was pristine, it was stunning. I arrived and a guy in a car who was just pulling away from the car park at the time even felt the need to pull-up side me and say, "That must be the most beautiful beach that I have ever seen!"
I could see his point.A long story short: the trip was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. There were a few fish caught all right but certainly none of the specimens that the beach was renowned for. The best fish of the weekend was caught by JW himself - a nice turbot just 2oz shy of 1lb that was safely returned, along with all other fish caught. Btw, if you want to know how best to take a swallowed hook from a flattie then JW is your man! Very neat job indeed JW
At one stage a pod of maybe a dozen dolphins came right into the wee bay and hung around for a few hours, it was great entertainment. They were very possibly harrying a shoal of fish in against the rocks at one stage but they also certainly took time-out afterwards to play and leap from the water. They were flipping cleaning out of the water, splashing with each other, and tail slapping - great stuff, a very enjoyable sight!
I managed to also see a small school of big mullet patrolling the edges of the bay but any attempts of throwing of a shrimp fly in their direction proved futile
I should have brought a floating line though; maybe a wee strip of mackerel of or a bit of bread, who knows.. There were also plenty of small sandeels along all shores of the bay and some of the local lads even spotted a school of joey mackerel sheltering close to the cliffs. Moments later, and with the use of a small strips of mack, one of the lads was kind enough to provide me with some fresh bait - good lad.
A good few flounder were taken over the two days averaging maybe 25cm. There were a few welcome turbot too and one dog. I'm going to let a PILE of pictures from the trip do the rest of the talking...
Is this the most pictures ever added to a report..??!
A few of the pics have a title to look out for too.
167 steps out of the place to be precise, i counted them twice, they were no bother to JW!
Maybe JW will add a few pics too if he gets the chance
Enjoy,
Chuckaroo
, well done to you both, crackin session
