From the south western point of Omey Island, pollack can be taken while spinning and wrasse and conger while bottom fishing. The ‘island’ is joined to the mainland by a sandbar which is covered by high tide.
At low tide the southern side of the bar is an excellent bait gathering area. Lugworm, sandeel, occasional clam and white ragworm can be found there. Spring tide strips, which expose a greater area of beach are particularly productive.
From the rocks on the northern shore of Streamstown Bay conger eel can be taken at slack water, as also can pollack and mackerel. At the western point of the southern shore at Coolacloy spinning produces mackerel and pollack in summer, while float fishing with lugworm or peeler crab may take wrasse.
The coastline between Coolacloy and Clifden is very rugged and precipitous in places, however, if care is taken, the rocks at Slopers Cliff and Belleek offer excellent possibilities for ray fishing. Ray to over 4.5 kilos have been recorded while dabs and dogfish are available if fished on the bottom. Spinning will take pollack and mackerel, while float-fished baits near kelp margins will take wrasse.
About 1.5 Km west of Clifden is a small sheltered beach which provides lugworm and sandeel. On low spring tides razor fish can be collected.
Several charter boats operate from Clifden Quay on a regular basis. Ray, dogfish, bullhuss, pollack, dabs and mackerel can be taken while boat fishing in Clifden Bay.
Outside the bay, off Cruagh and High Island, many different species can be caught over the reefs and sand banks. Specimen cod and pollack have been recorded here. Charter skippers specialise in shark fishing during the months of July, August and September. Blue shark to over 45 kilos are the main quarry but occasional porbeagle are also encountered.
On the south western shore of Clifden Bay are two excellent rock angling marks at Hawks Nest and White Lady. The main interest here is in the superb ray fishing which is available, especially during the Autumn.
Filets or strips of mackerel or herring are the most successful baits and the fish run from 1.4 kilos to 6.4 kilos in weight. Dogfish and dabs can also be plentiful at times while bottom fishing. Pollack and mackerel can be taken by spinning. Conger and wrasse can be caught close to the rocks using fish and worm baits. Low tide and the first two hours of a tide flood give best results. Tides at Clifden are plus 5 hours and 33 minutes on Dublin times.
In the small harbour inside Erislannan Point wrasse are plentiful when float fishing. Conger are also available but are difficult to prise away from the rough bottom.
To the south east of Erislannan Point at Ballinaga wrasse can be caught close to the rock. Distance casting will enable anglers put baits over sand where ray, dogfish and dabs congregate. This area is best fished on a flooding tide. Flounder, plaice, small turbot, dabs, dogfish and occasional ray can be expected over sand in the sheltered bay at Candoolin. Distance casting with fish or worm provides the best chance of success.
Mannin Bay holds good possibilities for the inshore small boat angler. Boats can be launched from the beach north of Ballyconneely and expected species include ray, bullhuss, dogfish, dabs, plaice and occasional turbot and tope.
Shore fishing from the south western corner of Mannin Bay, just inside Knock Point can be very productive for ray, dogfish and flatfish. On the western side of Knock Point, at False Bay and Dooloughan, shore fishing is mainly for flounder, plaice, dabs and small turbot. Lugworm and mackerel strip are the most commonly used baits.
The coastline around Slyne Head is very broken and offers little scope for the shore angler, but anglers using small boats in Ballyconneely Bay can expect tope, ray, dogfish, pollack to 4.5 Kilos as well as big plaice. There is a slipway at Bunabhan.
At Roundstone a charter boat is available for fishing the sheltered waters of Bertraghboy Bay where tope, ray and dogfish are the main quarry. Outside the bay, there is good reef fishing for pollack, codling and conger. Lugworm can be dug among the rocks and on the strand at Roundstone Bay.
About a mile west of Glinsk,on the southern shore of Bertraghboy Bay, dogfish and ray are caught. South of Bertraghboy Bay small boats can be launched beside Moyrus Pier.
The sandy ground between Mace Head and Croaghnakeela Island holds a fair stock of plaice. The most effective way of taking these fish is by using a “flasher” spoon on a running leger, baited with ragworm. Dogfish and ray are also common in this area. South of Moyrus pier lugworm and occasional white ragworm can be collected by digging in the firm sand.
On the south eastern corner of Mace Head there is rock fishing for wrasse and pollack.[ Ray may also be possible to distance casters fishing over sand (150 Metres approx ) although retrieving fish over the weedy bottom near the rocks may cause problems.
Lugworm are plentiful and the occasional white ragworm can be found in the sand to the south of the road which runs from Carna to Mweenish Island while crab are quite common around the rock outcrops in the middle of the beach. On the south eastern point of Mweenish dogfish, wrasse and pollack can be caught in the sandy channel to the north of the point. Plaice, dabs, bull huss and flounder have also been recorded. Boats can be launched at Kilkieran for fishing on Kilkieran Bay and also at Ardmore Pier. Ray and dogfish are particularly common and occasionally monkfish are caught. Off Ardmore point , there is a good mark in 10 metres of water for plaice and dabs, while tope have been taken east of Birmore Island. Mackerel are caught with spinners and feathers in Autumn.
Immediately to the north of Kilkieran lies a small inlet where lugworm are plentiful in the mud. The upper reaches of Kilkieran and Camus Bay are, for the most part, shallow and weedy and afford little prospect for shore or boat angling. However, shoals of pollack come to the bay in early spring and can be caught over clear patches. Some bass are also found in the bay.
There are several good shore angling locations situated along the southern shores of Lettermullen and Gorumna Island. The shoreline between Golam Head and Dog Island offers possibilities for dogfish, bull huss, wrasse, pollack and mackerel.
Near the abbey on Kiggaul Bay, plaice, dabs and flounders are caught over sand. Lugworm can be found in the mud in the inner bay at Kiggaul.
On the south-eastern corner of Gorumna Island on Greatman’s Bay there is a small quay at Trawbaun, and bottom fishing is best in the harbour at high water when flounder and plaice can be expected. Spinning also produces pollack to 1.5 Kg.
From the Old Pier at Glenmore dogfish, bull huss, flounders and occasional ray can be caught while bottom fishing. Mackerel baits are usually most productive.From the pier at the fishing port of Rossaveal conger can be taken at night. Specimens to over 18 kgs have been recorded. Mullet to specimen size and flounder are also available in the harbour.
