On Saturday morning, 5thĀ October 2013Ā a party of anglers from the Tubbercurry area gathered to head out for a days fishing in Killala Bay. The party comprised of a gatheringĀ of friends who had just returned from distance lands after the summer. As they set out the day was a little dull with some outbreaksĀ of sunshine. The only concern was the stiff south easterly breeze,Ā which made for a fast drift, and on the change of tide, choppy seas.
In the initial drifts the group came upon a goodĀ shoal ofĀ mackerel, ensuring a ready supply of fresh bait. A variety of feathers and baited traces were deployed, and soon the group was into pollock, the best up to 5lbs with pouting also featuring. The surprise came when one of the anglers usingĀ mackerel feathers hooked into a large fish only to have it break free. A second angler then hooked a fine fish still using feathers and managed to bring it to the side of the boat and identified it as a large spurdog, only to have it break the line. The next few hours there was good sport around the boat, with manyĀ spurdogs being caught and released.
The next fish hooked was by LorcanĀ OāConnor and seeing the rod bend double, they knew it was a goodĀ one. After a strenuous fight the fish was landed, a fine spurdog, a potential specimen fish contender. The fish was taken back to the quay and weighed in,Ā on registered scalesĀ at 7.135kgsĀ /Ā 15.6 lbsĀ a cracking fish. Details of the capture are being forwarded to the Irish Specimen Fish Committee for ratification, well done to Lorcan for his catch.
