is there bass in strangford lough???????

Message

#1 Post by **rab01** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:06 pm

i've listened to my dad tell me of when he was young (in black and white days) there was loads of bass in strangford lough!! could it have just dried up?? is there enough people regulary fishing stretches of the lough to be able to know?? i also heard that there was large amounts of sea trout. now i know how hard areas have been commercially fished but is it possible that these two species have totally gone from the lough??? i am very interested in any of ur replies. :)

Livid · #2 Post by **Livid** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:55 pm

Still loads of Sea Trout in the Lough..

#3 Post by **rab01** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:16 pm

hi livid!!!! might c u at the dee pier one of these weeks, havent fished it in years!!!! but i always had good crack there and i always caught plenty of doggies. i'll let u know when i'll hit there.

#4 Post by **stevecrow74** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:18 pm

rab01 wrote:hi livid!!!! might c u at the dee pier one of these weeks, havent fished it in years!!!! but i always had good crack there and i always caught plenty of doggies. i'll let u know when i'll hit there.

you can show livid how to catch them when your there... he hasn't been doing too well lately :) :) :)

Livid · #5 Post by **Livid** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:24 pm

stevecrow74 wrote:
rab01 wrote:hi livid!!!! might c u at the dee pier one of these weeks, havent fished it in years!!!! but i always had good crack there and i always caught plenty of doggies. i'll let u know when i'll hit there.

you can show livid how to catch them when your there... he hasn't been doing too well lately :) :) :)

Got another new species tonight well... :wink: :shock: 8) http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... php?t=6018

#6 Post by **Davy Murdoch** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 10:26 am

the only bass i know of near strangford are in a tank at the portaferry aquarium :roll: :wink: as for sea trout strangford is basically a sea trout fishery,there is a bloke in downpatrick(i think) that will be your guide for the day or you could try most tackle shops in co down they should give you all the info you need

#7 Post by **pete** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 10:54 am

Over the past four years the research centre at Portaferry have been stocking Strangford with hatchery reared sea trout smolts in an attempt to improve the fishery.

ray · #8 Post by **ray** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:22 pm

i fish the lough on a regular basis and although i would not say that thee are no bass thee i would not like to categorically say that there are no blue fin tuna there either
but before you pack your 80lbs class gear and beat your way down the chances of catching either are remote and about equal!

the main problem is that the most bassy looking area is down at the narrows here the tides are ferocious drifting, is out of the question as you would travel too fast in too little water (5-6knts in a channel only 400 yards wide) and although im sure that anchoring is possible it would be beyond my seamanship getting into even a little trouble here is seriously life threatening.

so while they may be there (although i doubt that they are there in great numbers) getting into a position to catch them...

#9 Post by **rab01** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:34 pm

i think that covers the bass theory!!! often wondered if my dad just seen a few mullet and mistaking them for bass. i'm certainly gonna try a few spots with the beachcaster, it interests me that we get so very few reports on strangford. is there enough numbers fishing it and if not u never know what it could throw up!! there is definately a few spots i've looked at that look like they would hold big numbers of flatties. if anyone fishes strangford then could u put a few reports on the site!!

Esox lunatic · #10 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:11 am

I have never heard of bass being caught in Strangford Lough in living memory (if ever).

There was heated debate on this on another sea fishing forum. One guy was even prepared to bet a box of his best flies that there is a good stock of bass in Strangford Lough. However, the consensus was that no-one had ever witnessed or heard of bass being caught there. I don't know if the guy handed over his box of best flies!

Link to Strangford bass debate:

http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/s ... php?t=7241

E.L.

#11 Post by **Ryan** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:31 am

Maybe we should have this as the next big quest for SAI forum members!

Catch a Bass from Strangford lough! and post the report with photos :D
and BTW no dodgy Tesco bass either :lol:

I had guys telling me they'd never seen any bass being caught in the foyle, just flounders and more blooming flounders, i proceeded to catch 2 bass in one day :lol: Bit of hard work and perseverance may show some actually are in strangford.

I've caught and seen bass being caught in various marks along the antrim coast where most people never even tried for them.

#12 Post by **rab01** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:07 pm

so ryan, don't suppose u'd let me know where u caught ur bass along the antrim coast?? heard of catches from red bay down the years but in very small numbers. i'll certainly be experimenting around strangford lough so i'll definately keep everyone posted if i catch anything decent. also where the hell r the mackerel????

Livid · #13 Post by **Livid** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:49 pm

I refuse to believe that there are NO Bass in Strangford lough, perhaps they aren't specifically targetted enough and a lot of people are put off by such stories appearing in the like of that thread. :wink:

#14 Post by **Ryan** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:21 pm

rab01 wrote:so ryan, don't suppose u'd let me know where u caught ur bass along the antrim coast?? heard of catches from red bay down the years but in very small numbers. i'll certainly be experimenting around strangford lough so i'll definately keep everyone posted if i catch anything decent. also where the hell r the mackerel????

Hi Rab if i told you i'd have to kill you or my old man would kill me first! :lol:

Though as a guide i stick between Portballintrae to Ballycastle.

I've caught them spinning from rock marks using eels. Ballycastle beach produces a few though not in big numbers. Mostly ones caught been in the 2-3lb bracket though a few have been over 5lb. My old man had a 5lb one on his first cast from a rock mark on the north antrim coast.

Though as i say the old man likes to keep his favorite mark quiet especially since his favorite cod mark gets to many visitors now in the winter for his liking :lol:

#15 Post by **Drew** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:14 pm

If there was even a hint of a Bass in Strangford I'd be there a hell of a lot more often, I need it for my list... I'd certainly like to go to the North Coast a lot more to try and get one... :)