Last weekend saw the start of the Killybegs Mariners‘ winter league. Read their report below…

A kaleidoscope of colour splashed across the Rossnowlagh sky on Friday night as 20 mariners lined the beach to enjoy an evening’s fishing and the first of 12 league outings.
The first leg of this season’s winter league in full swing
A warm night with some fine fish landed although not in big numbers as we chased the full moon ebb down the beach and hampered with weed there was a few flounder breaking the 30cm mark and the biggest going 38cm for Sean Harte. A total of 4 species were caught including flounders, trout, turbot and weevers.
Sea trout off the beach
Longest flatter prize of €60 was won with a 31cm flounder for John Cunningham. 2nd overall €60 was won by Sean Harte and 1st on the night €120 was won by Brian Smith with 5 flounder and 2 weever along with some undersize turbot.
Well done to all out enjoying the fishing!
Winner on the night Brian Smith
Meanwhile, some Mariners members added a few more species to their record list including new club records for ballion’s wrasse for Sean Harte and tub gurnard for Cormac Burke.
Fine tub gurnard
John Cunningham however, went from one of the smallest fish in the bay, a painted goby, to one of the largest, a bluefin tuna, aboard Donegal Bluefin Tuna and Angling Charters. This meant species number 56 and 57 for the year for him with one on a size 18 hook and one on an 11/0 hook.
Species 57 for the year for John Cunningham a bluefin tuna aboard Meridian