Flat free zone, Donegal Bay, 27-11-213

[johnwest]

People:Me

Duration:6 hrs

Tide:3hrs either sie of low water

Weather:Very mild, drizzle.

Bait:Frozen mackerel, sandeel and lug

Rigs:2 hook flappers, 1 up 1 down and single clipped.

Results:Coalfish, pouting, poorcod




Report:
I had intended to give the flatties a go but that idea really fell flat. The tide was half way out with a nice even surf rolling in and the last of the light was fading as I set up two rods on the beach. Mackerel strip and frozen lug was fished at range and in the suds a few yards out; bites came immediately and a stream of small coalfish around 22cm came to both rods. Casting anywhere produced more of these coalies. This continued down to low water when I decided on a change of venue as double shots of small coalies were wearing a bit thin. Time to try a bit of “High grading”. I don’t know if there were any flounder there or not as they didn’t have a chance of beating the coalies to the baits. The second mark usually fishes better from half tide up but with the small tides there was still some depth of water. One rod was fished in the rough ground close in and the other on the clean sand at range. First fish was a small poor cod to lug at range, not much improvement but at least it was a change of species. As the tide filled, pouting started to show in the rough ground while the coalfish also started to feature. Sandeel fished at range produced no interest at all. Best fish of the night was a 30 cm pouting .

[chuckaroo]

JW, ye may get back out to SS

[hugo]

Much the same down this end of the bay (Killala area). Out for a couple of hours yesterday with the same bait in what looked like promising conditions - nice gentle surf - but nada apart from weed and crabs. They must be away doin their Xmas shopping....