Luke Aston, skipper of the Clare Dragoon, is a man of many talents. Not just fishing and skippering, he’s good at writing about it too. So here’s an account of a two-day trip last week in his own words.

Great plans that almost worked out!!

Andy has been fishing with me for a few years and last year he got a SixGill of around 700lbs. He’s mad keen to to get one over the 1000lbs! He had 2 days booked this week and with a good forecast I suggested we stay out overnight and he jumped at the chance. As it turned out although there was no wind there was a bit of a swell and it made things quite uncomfortable. But that’s another story back to the fishing. Being the time of year I new there was also a chance of a triple of SixGill, Blueshark and Porbegal and Andy was all on for it. We got the Blue out of the way early and a fine lump it was up around the 100lbs.
A fine blue shark for Andy
But an afternoon on the SixGill mark just had us plagued with Congers. Still with a nice evening we moved to try for a Porbeagle. After a while with chum out we could see porbeagles swimming round the boat and they played with the baits a few times but it took a couple more hours to get one hooked up and it was a fine beast that gave us a real run around. After a 20 min fight we seemed to be winning when it took off right under the boat and along the surface on the other side. Before we could do much Andy’s line was parted on the keel. Despite another tease or 2 that was the best we could do and back to anchor for the dark hours. All that resulted in was more congers to about 25lbs.
In the morning I wanted to try another mark for SixGill and as the tide settled we hooked into a great big fish. It was reacting just like a SixGill going up tide and then coming back to hang heavy under the boat. I’m not sure how long we where in it but long enough for me to talk about changing from Andy’s rod harness to my heavy fighting harness. (Andy wanted to get it in his harness but the arms where getting tired!) Any way just when we thought we where winning, the shark managed to throw the hook much to Andy’s disappointment. And despite waiting out the tide we did not get another take.
So near and yet so far!! Fishy tales but it is an exciting triple that is doable in a single trip. Well done Andy for giving it a go.

 

Reef Fishing

Luke was also out both days at the weekend and again, we’ll let him tell it in his own words:

Just great to be on the sea and despite a slow drift and very bright sunshine the fishing is holding up very well.
We headed to the Loop Saturday morning to pick up mackerel for bait and for the first time in a couple of months we could not even get one! So our on the reefs we fished with feathers and plastics and had great fishing on the reefs. 
This young man enjoyed the pollack fishing
Later in the day we when back into give another go at the macks and we got on a good patch of them. Today (Sunday) they were solid at the Loop all day…fishing can be strange! With plenty of bait we had some fine Ling on the reefs and a nice surprise this afternoon was a good sign of Codling around.

 

A nice ling

 

And another nice pollack in glorious sunshine

Go Fishing

Clare Dragoon

Clare Dragoon is a LOCHIN 366 powered by 650HP engine, skippered by Luke Aston and operating out of Carrigaholt Co. Clare…

I have some offers up on my web site www.fishandstay.com and if anybody is interested in putting a trip together please do get in touch. Also I Twitter from the boat on @fishandstay and try to update my face book page www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtSeaAngling fairly often!To experience some of the best deep sea fishing available in Ireland contact Luke.
Telephone: +353 65 9058209 or +353 87 6367544
Email: [email protected] Web: www.fishandstay.com