Last week saw the first of the Cork based authorised bluefin tuna boats meeting fish. This week more boats followed suit…
Anglers fishing with David Edwards had great sport on 07 September. He had his largest ever Bluefin to the boat. It was a massive battle and it was brilliant to see a 100 inch long fish alongside and released after tagging.
The novice anglers onboard caught their fish of a lifetime on their first trip out, but even with the choppy sea working with the skipper the kept the welfare of the fish the priority.
Flushed with success David passed on the news of the tuna in the area to other boats. Tom Collins soon in on the action. His crew had 3 hook-ups and landed two. The first fish spat the hook after 5 minutes. The second fish broke the crew in gently measuring in at 71 inches. The third fish was better, screaming off on a great first run it was eventually played to the side of the boat and measured in at 91 inches.
The Bluefin tuna season also started well for Mark Gannon of Courtmacsherry Angling. By September 9th he had tagged and released 6 tuna off Courtmacsherry.
Finally, just yesterday, Irish Deep Sea Charters, back in Union Hall had their first tuna of the season on their first trip out. It was a a hard fighting fish with a calculated weight of 377lb.
Adrian says there are no big bait balls just yet but hundreds of dolphins were in the area all day and they also enjoyed brief sightings of a lunge feeding whale.
Go Fishing
Silver Dawn
41′ Rodman 1250. Twin 430 HP Engines
Skipper: David Edwards
Licence: P5 Licence
Base: Courtmacsherry Operational Area:
Authorised blue fin tuna boat
Notes:The range of fishing found within close range of Courtmacsherry is superb, with trips producing anything between 6 and 15 different species as a norm and in excess of 20 is possible if anglers are prepared to change methods and use different baits and lures throughout their trip. As a rule mackerel, pollock, cod and ling are usually encountered but several species of wrasse along with whiting, pouting, coalfish, bull huss, conger and many more are often added to the catch.
If you do choose to head offshore to sample the superb shark fishing available within 10 miles of Courtmacsherry, there is a very strong chance of encountering blue sharks and an increasing chance of bringing a porbeagle shark to the boat.
Address: The Pier, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork.
Telephone: +353 (83) 449 1403
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.irelandseaangling.com
Loch an Iasc
Fastworker 36 powered by twin Caterpillar 350hp
Skipper: Tom Collins
Licence: No. 974 with P5 licence
Base: Reen, Union Hall Operational Area: 30 miles from Union Hall, Baltimore, Crookhaven.
Authorised blue fin tuna boat
Notes: Operates 12 months of the year and specialise
in shark fishing. With experienced skipper Tom Collins the Loch an Iasc is a modern charter company which offers a comprehensive range of services to customers and aims to cater for your every need be it Mackerel, Reef, Wreck, Specimen or Shark fishing.
Telephone: +353 (87) 2792983 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.seaanglingcharters.ie
Chloe Jay
Aquastar 38 with 200hp x 2
Skipper: Adrian Nowotynski
Licence:1779
Base: Union Hall Operational area:30 miles from Union Hall and Baltimore
Authorised blue fin tuna boat
Notes: Wreck, reef, shark and ground fishing. Also half day trips available and individuals catered for when possible. Regular updates on Facebook at IrishdeepseaCharter. Second boat available
Address: Glandore Harbour Charters, Cashloura, Drinagh, West Cork.
Telephone: +353 (0)86 3314224
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sea-angling.ie
Lady Louise
Aquastar 38′. 370 HP Caterpillar
Skipper: Mark Gannon
Licence: 818
Base: Courtmacsherry Operational Area: 30 miles out from Courtmacsherry
Authorised blue fin tuna boat
Notes: Mark has two Aquastar 38’s, Lady Patricia and
Lady Louise. Specialising in wreck fishing, Mark’s boats have consistently provided specimen fish over the years. Shark, reef and general inshore angling also on offer.
Address: Woodpoint Guest House, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork.
Telephone: +353 (0)23 8846427 or +353 (0)86 8250905
Email: [email protected] Web: www.courtmacsherryangling.ie
Tuna CHART
Tuna CHART (CatcH and Release Tagging) utilises authorised vessels to catch, tag and release Atlantic Bluefin Tuna for data collection purposes off the Irish coast. The programme, developed by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute in partnership with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department for Environment, Climate and Communications, operated on a pilot basis in 2019 and 2020.
The 2021 season will open on the 1st July and close on the 12th November 2021.
