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    Sea angling in Donegal

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    The beautiful coves and beaches of Donegal...

    MULLAGHMORE TO GLEN BAY, DONEGAL BAY

    Deep Sea Angling: Charter boats are based at Rosses Point , Raughley Pier, Mullaghmore, Bundoran, Killybegs and Teelin.  Blue fin tuna have been caught in Donegal Bay.  Other species caught frequently are pollack, ling, coalfish, spurdog, gurnard etc.

    Shore Fishing: St. John’s Point on the eastern side of Killybegs is a popular hot sport for mackerel, pollack and specimen size ballan wrasse.  The beach at Fintra sees catches of sea trout, dogfish, codling and occasional ray.  Teelin Pier for conger.

    Small Boat: The Mountcharles channel leading into Donegal town is a traditional mark for tope in sheltered waters.  The inshore waters of Drumcliffe Bay and Ballisodare also see catches of tope, ray, huss, dogfish and flatfish.

    When to Fish: September to December for blue fin tuna. July to October for blue shark.  May to November for all other species.

    Comments: Donegal Bay is quite exposed and sheltered fishing in bad weather is limited. In the year 2000 the first blue fin was boated on rod and line.  The Irish record blue fin tuna of 440kg held here.

    More information and map of MULLAGHMORE TO GLEN BAY, DONEGAL BAY.

    NORTH WEST DONEGAL, FANAD HEAD TO BLOODY FORELAND

    Deep Sea Angling: Two charter boats based at Burtonport and three at Downings.  Boat angling offers a wide range of species from very diverse locations including offshore reefs, pinnacle rock, offshore wrecks, sand banks and shallow estuaries.  Blue fin tuna caught out of Downings as well as porbeagle shark, blue shark, common skate and tope.

    Shore Fishing: All the rock marks will produce mackerel, pollack, wrasse, conger and dogfish. The beaches offer catches of flounder, plaice, dogfish and sea trout.  Kincaslough Pier fishes well at high water at night for mackerel, pollack, flounder, dab, conger and codling.  Good shore fishing at Tranarossan Bay for gurnard, dabs, ray and pollack.

    Small Boat: The best option here for small boat anglers is Mulroy Bay.  These sheltered waters provide some excellent catches of thornback ray, dogfish and flatfish.  Some sheltered fishing behind Aranmore Island also Sheephaven Bay.

    When to Fish: May to November for general species.  Blue fin tuna September to November.

    Comments: An excellent area for large fish such as porbeagle, blue fin tuna and blue shark.  Several wrecks offshore provide catches of specimen sized pollack, ling, torsk, coalfish and cod.

    More information and map of NORTH WEST DONEGAL, FANAD HEAD TO BLOODY FORELAND

    INISHOWEN PENINSULA – L. FOYLE TO L. SWILLY

    Deep Sea Angling: Deep sea charter boats based at Rathmullan, L. Swilly and Culdaff.  Nationally renowned for the offshore wrecks and inshore tope marks. This is one of the best areas in the country for specimen red, grey and tub gurnard.

    Shore Fishing: Good shore fishing at Fanad Head into deep water for wrasse, sea trout, pollack, mackerel and dogfish.  Culdaff beach sees catches of flatfish including turbot on the flooding tide.  Tope have been caught off Rathmullan Pier.  Flounder and some plaice off Moville Pier.

    Small Boat: Numbers of launching sites in Rathmullan and Culdaff.  Some excellent tope marks inshore of Rathmullan Pier. Thornback ray plentiful in Lough Swilly.

    When to Fish: June to September for tope in both loughs. General and wreck fishing May to November. Shore fishing September to November.

    Comments: An excellent are for tope. One boat fishing one day recorded 27 tope ranging 25 to 45lbs. The offshore wrecks produce many specimen fish.

    For more information and map of INISHOWEN PENINSULA – L. FOYLE TO L. SWILLY

    West Donegal – Bloody Foreland to Ardara

    For more information and map of – Bloody Foreland to Ardara

    Sea Angling Maps

    Charter Boats in the Northern Region

    Charter Boats in the Northern Region