Home East Coast Sea Angling - Carlingford to Balbriggan

    East Coast Sea Angling – Carlingford to Balbriggan

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    The southeast facing Carlingford Lough forms a natural boundary between County Down in Northern Ireland and County Louth in the Republic.


    Carlingford Lough is under the jurisdiction of the Loughs Agency and further information on the area can be obtained from the office in Darcy Magee Court, Dundalk Street, Carlingford.

    T: +353 42 9383888 W: www.loughs-agency.org


    Set in Ireland’s Ancient East, the Cooley Peninsula is part of Co Louth’s “Land of Legends” and is an area steeped In rich Irish folklore. The Lough forms an impressive backdrop to the southern shore. Tucked into the south-eastern corner is the picturesque village of Carlingford (1) where the remains of the 12th century, “King John’s Castle” overlook the harbour.

    Much of the harbour is tidal but small boats can usually be launched and retrieved from the slipways there, or from the marina along the Omeath Road (R173) to the northwest of the pier.

    Carlingford Lough is best known for its superb tope fishing, which usually begins towards the end of April and runs through to September. In the main, the tope found there are male fish in the 25 lbs to 35 lbs (11.34kg to 15.88kg) bracket, but every year a number of much bigger female fish are encountered. They weigh up to 60 lbs (27.22kg) with an occasional much larger fish, such as the 66.5 lbs (30.16kg) former Irish Record set in 1979. Thornback ray, spurdog and dogfish are also common in the Lough, while outside, in the deeper water beyond Greenore Point, pollack, wrasse, pouting, codling and dabs will be found. Boat anglers should be aware that there are very strong tides in Carlingford Lough, particularly during springs. It is important that an experienced person takes charge of boat handling there.

    Where the road (R176) runs close to the shore to the east of Carlingford Village, there is access, at low tide, to a vast area of mudflat (A). Here lugworm can be dug but this can be a back-breaking exercise due to the very heavy nature of the mud. Digging sites should therefore be chosen very carefully.

    Spinning from the shore below the lighthouse at Greenore (2) accounts for mackerel during the summer. Pollack also appear on evening tides and bass and sea trout are also possible in this area.

    Night fishing from the beach produces spurdog, dogfish and ray and there is always the possibility of hooking a tope in this area. Codling are available during autumn and winter, particularly on night tides, but are seldom fished for.

    This area has seen a surge of interest in saltwater fly fishing, with a number of bass falling to large streamer flies. Sea trout fishing can also be good in this area. The late summer is the best time of year, with high water coinciding with dusk being the optimum period.

    To the southeast of Greenore is Ballaghan Point, where the ground is very broken and difficult to fish. In summer, mackerel occasionally come quite close there and can be taken while spinning at high water. Be warned though! Tackle losses are virtually unavoidable. Bass can be taken here on surface, shallow diving and plastic lures.

    Southwest of Ballaghan (off the R175) are Whitestown and Templetown (3) where the weed and rock give way to more sandy ground. These are popular swimming places during summer, making fishing almost impossible during daylight. In any case, night tides are probably more productive and turn up flounder, dogfish and bass in summer and occasional codling in winter. There is excellent potential in this area but very little serious angling activity.

    The shoreline is very broken to the west of Cooley Point and consists mainly of weed covered rock. This terrain offers little of interest to the shore angler, although spinning from some of the larger rock outcrops can produce mackerel, small pollack, coalfish, bass and occasional sea trout.

    Gyles’ Quay (4) is situated on the northern shore of Dundalk, some 1.5 miles (2.5km) south of the R173. This is quite a popular small boat angling location, and a slipway of quite substantial proportions lies adjacent to the pier affording safe launching in all but stiff south-westerly winds.

    The slipway tends to dry out on spring tide lows, and this should be borne in mind when planning a day afloat there. Mackerel can be plentiful in the bay during summer and fishing for them is a popular “must do” pastime for the many holidaymakers who visit the area. For the more serious angler, the deeper water some 3 miles (4.8kms) offshore, offers dogfish, spurdog, codling, whiting, dab, ray and tope.

    Fishing from the pier is also popular in summer, with high tide producing dogfish, flounder, mullet and mackerel.

    The Castletown River (5) flows through Dundalk Harbour and into the sea between Tippings Point on the northern shore and Soldiers Point to the south. The floor of the estuary is predominantly alluvial mud, which gives way gradually to sand beyond the buoyed channel in Dundalk Bay. There is some fishing for mullet and flounder in the main river channel and occasional sea trout and bass show up in spring and autumn. The bay is very shallow, and at low tide, literally hundreds of acres of sand and mud are exposed. The maximum depth during this period is about eighteen metres. Despite this the bay offers fair boat fishing at times in the shallows for tope, bull huss, spurdog, mackerel and codling. In the deeper water around the Dundalk Patches and beyond other species such as whiting, coalfish, ling, gurnard, wrasse and pollack become available. Tides at Soldiers Point are -10 minutes on Dublin.

    The River Fane (6) flows into Dundalk Bay just south of the junction of the N1 and R172 at Blackrock. The mouth of the river offers opportunities for shore anglers to take mullet, flounder, sea trout and bass. Care should be taken here to avoid being cut off from the shore, as the tide fills very swiftly, particularly in easterly winds. South of the Fane at Sea Bank large shoals of mullet congregate in the runs from the marsh gullies in late summer.

    The Rivers Glyde and Dee converge before entering the sea at Annagassan (7), one of the most picturesque harbours on the east coast. Small boats can be launched on the southern side of the harbour, but it should be noted that this is a tidal slipway, confining launching and retrieving to about two hours either side of high water. It is essential that a check be made locally on prevailing tide conditions and sea state before going afloat. Boat fishing is for tope, ray, spurdog, dogfish and dabs. Smooth hound have also been recorded in commercial catches in the area. Shore fishing at high tide from the quay wall yields mackerel (in season), flounder, mullet and occasional bass. To the southeast, the broken ground between Salterstown and Dunany offers some possibilities for bass while lure and fly fishing.

    To the south of Dunany Point, the shallow beach at Cruisetown (8) runs for some 3 miles (4.83 km) broken occasionally by rocky patches and crossed in several places by small streams. Bass and flounder, dogfish and sea trout can all be taken here. In winter codling and bass can be taken on the night tides which are generally most productive.

    In the south-eastern corner of the beach, above Hackett’s Cross (B)lugworm and occasional white ragworm can be dug at low tide.

    Port Oriel (9) on the sheltered north-western side of Clogherhead is a busy commercial harbour which offers excellent launching facilities for small boat anglers wishing to explore the local waters. Fishing is for mackerel, codling, dab, coalfish, dogfish, ray and tope. Access to the slipway and harbour area is restricted, so anglers wishing to use the facilities should get permission from Clogherhead Fisherman’s Co-op, Tel: 00 353 41 9881403. The pier and adjacent rock outcrops afford a number of vantage points for spinning, float fishing and bottom fishing with pollack, coalfish, dab, wrasse and conger all possible.

    Fishing from the pier for mackerel is very popular but catches have declined in recent years. There is also a very active seal population in and around the harbour that is more than willing to snatch your catch.

    During easterly, autumnal winds, or immediately afterward, bass fishing is worth trying where Ballywater Stream runs across the beach and enters the sea at Termonfeckin (10). Anglers who are prepared to put in the hours may be well rewarded as this area is capable of producing bass to over 10 lbs. Flounder and dogfish may also be taken especially on night tides and mullet can be found in the river.

    Baltray (11) is situated on the northern shore of the river Boyne Estuary. The easterly facing beach offers good bass fishing in the vicinity of the bar which runs at right angles to the shore and has been created by gravel and sand being deposited by the strong currents deflected along the beach by the River Boyne breakwater. This area has gained in popularity in recent years. Bass to over the specimen size of 10 lbs (4.54kg) are possible. On the Boyne River side of the breakwater, spinning with lures, fly fishing or free lining sandeel are popular methods for bass from June to September. Fly fishing for sea trout and bass are also popular on the estuary. The last hour of the ebb and first two hours of the flood tide being the optimum time. There is a tidal slipway south of the reservoir which allows access to the estuary. Trolling a “Red Gill” or similar lure behind a boat or fishing on the drift is a very effective way of taking bass and has a number of local devotees. Outside the estuary, bottom fishing will produce bass, flounder, dab, plaice, dogfish and ray.

    Peeler crab can be collected at low tide in the weed margins of the main channel during May and June, while lugworm can be dug at several locations on the mudflat adjacent to the R167 between Baltray village and Tom Roe’s Point (C).

    It is thought that Drogheda (12) or Droichead Atha (the bridge of the ford) was established by a Norse chieftain named Thorgestr in 911. Today this busy, modern town is the gateway to the beautiful and historical Boyne Valley.

    Anglers can fish from the quays below the viaduct for mullet and flounder. The estuary downstream of Tom Roe’s point is seldom fished but holds good sized flounder and mullet. The mudflats on the north and south banks attract large numbers of mullet in late summer. Bass can also be taken on the river from Tom Roe’s point to the river mouth and some kayak anglers are starting to explore these underfished areas at Baltray, Banktown, Queensboro, Stewards Bank and Tom Roes Point.

    Several slipways/launching points are located along the estuary affording access to the river channel for the growing number of small boat angling enthusiasts in the area.

    On the Baltray or northern side of the river, bank fishing with bait, lure and fly is available from the Front and Haven all the way to the Aliera light at the end of the rocky breakwater and estuary defence wall. Fishing for bass, sea trout and mullet is best from the two hours of the ebb to the first two hours of the flood tide.

    On the southern side of the river at Mornington (13) access to the estuary mouth via the beach is a bit more difficult than on the northern bank. The breakwater has not been concreted there, and the adjacent foreshore is very soft sand, making for difficult walking conditions. The fishing found on this side can be carried out safely for two hours either side of low water. When spring tides coincide with a dry spell, during summer, mackerel may move well upstream. On these occasions they can be taken in numbers in the vicinity of the old yacht club.

    The most popular fishing areas are from the old fishmeal factory pier to the river mouth, with the Tower area receiving plenty of attention. Fishing marks can also be found right to the end the rock breakwater. Crab baits fished tight to the base of the rocks can be very effective for bass and flounder. Casting lures out into the channel and allowing them to be carried round by the current before retrieving has also proven a potent bass catching method. Spinning and fly fishing also accounts for a number of sea trout to over specimen size of 6 lbs (2.72 kg) each season from May onwards.

    Tides at River Boyne mouth are -20 minutes on Dublin.

    The shallow beaches at Bettystown and Laytown (14) produce occasional bass fishing with the best opportunities occurring when surf is running, and the water is coloured after an easterly blow. Spinning for sea trout can also produce results. Please note that these are some of the busiest tourist beaches on the east coast during the summer months.

    Where the River Nanny enters the sea a deep pool has formed below the railway bridge. Mullet can be taken on flies there and crab fished into the main channel attracts flounder and bass in autumn. Sea trout are also available in this area. The south beach at Laytown can produce bass into double figures.

    Similar fishing can be found where the Delvin River enters the sea just east of the N1 road at Gormanstown (15). Night tides are regarded as providing the best opportunities. Despite showing a lot of potential, the fishing on the beaches in this area is underutilised and visitors will seldom meet another angler.

    Balbriggan (16) affords launching facilities for small boat anglers. There are plans to upgrade this harbour’s commercial potential and visitors must be always aware of this. The main harbour area is quite confined, particularly at low water. The entrance is also narrow and small boat users should always be prepared to give way to trawlers entering or leaving, as their manoeuvrability is very restricted. The slipways are also tidal and cannot be used at low water. Some mullet fishing can still be found in the harbour, but it is not like it was in former years.

    Boat fishing is carried out mainly around the Cardy Rocks north of the harbour which offer pollack, coalfish, codling and wrasse. The sandy ground to the east produces dabs, dogfish and occasional ray.