Stefan Martin from Killybegs Mariners SAC reports on the fishing around Donegal Bay…
10 June: Walking among fields of cotton in high summer armed with the light lure rod and a selection of plastics knowing the shore is teeming with sandeels and needle eye being chased about the pollack and wrasse and mackerel shoals bubbling the surface of a deserted shoreline. Old ruins of buildings and almost hidden scars on the soil of crop trenches from the 1800s the only sign of any civilisation on the remote Donegal shore. I often wonder what would those hardships folk think of lure angling and throwing all the fish back alive.
The slow waving kelps are now teeming with wrasse, using polarised glasses it amazing watching them bolt out of their hiding spot and nail the lure while dashing straight back for the kelp in a violent dash as the rod arches over fish on… beautiful colours and each different to the last. Some fine pollack also in chasing the fry and happened to nail the ammonite shads when the opportunity arises… All released back after a heavenly few hours over high water.. bliss
13 June: The good weather and a nice session on the Turbot bank rock mark. The shoaling turbots hopped into the first rod and a nice double and slipped into the recovery rock pool for release when the 2nd rod went and another double. Nice to watch them and their behaviour up close as they use the pecotral like a rudder on a ship to steer and then “shiver” themselves to bury into the sand and camoflauge hiding from prey and awaiting the chance to pounce on unsuspecting small fish. A lovely species
Stefan Martin
Killybegs mariners SAC
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mariner.sac
Go fishing…
Mariners sea angling club Killybegs Co Donegal. The club runs a shore league and boat comps and angling trips around Ireland doing the sport we love. Get in touch at www.facebook.com/mariner.sac
