Mackerel Season

Mackyboy · 03-04-2011 4:56pm #1

The water temp is getting up. And I'm thinking of fresh grilled mackerel.
Anyone living near the coast had a dabble yet, or is it wishful thinking yet.
MB

BoarHunter · 04-04-2011 2:33pm

give it 2 months

Mackyboy · 05-04-2011 10:25am

Does anyone know what the mackerel quota is for the trawlers, for this year. I know the 2010 quota was 65% of 2009, hopefully it's down again.

MB

rushnaldo · 05-04-2011 2:26pm

Quota for Irish boats being down does not help stocks because our politicians handed over our seas to Brussels for entry into the eec back in the 70s. The Norweigan vessels catch most of our palegic fish and Spaniards catch most of our whitefish. Mackerel breed very quickly anyway compared to the herring etc. This year Europe entire quota is 570 thousand tonnes with Norway having 400 thousand of that share. There is a massive amount of small vessels under 40 ft or so going to the mackerel this summer with electronic jigger machines because the price of diesel has made towing a net unprofitable. The start of May usually brings the first of the mackerel into Donegal bay..

Mackyboy · 05-04-2011 6:05pm

rushnaldo wrote: »

Quota for Irish boats being down does not help stocks because our politicians handed over our seas to Brussels for entry into the eec back in the 70s. The Norweigan vessels catch most of our palegic fish and Spaniards catch most of our whitefish. Mackerel breed very quickly anyway compared to the herring etc. This year Europe entire quota is 570 thousand tonnes with Norway having 400 thousand of that share. There is a massive amount of small vessels under 40 ft or so going to the mackerel this summer with electronic jigger machines because the price of diesel has made towing a net unprofitable. The start of May usually brings the first of the mackerel into Donegal bay..

Thanks rushnaldo, that was very helpful, and I'm sure others will think so as well. As long as us fisherman or woman, can still catch a few for the freezer, we should be OK.

MB

niall_b73 · 11-04-2011 2:26pm

hi there, i have been keeping an eye on this subject now for a while as well. my freezer needs seriously stocking up !!

anyway there are reports of mackerel down at cork and clare allbeit scarce reports but they are slowly arriving.

so hopefully not to much longer now.

niall_b73

Mackyboy · 11-04-2011 8:11pm

niall_b73 wrote: »

hi there, i have been keeping an eye on this subject now for a while as well. my freezer needs seriously stocking up !!

anyway there are reports of mackerel down at cork and clare allbeit scarce reports but they are slowly arriving.

so hopefully not to much longer now.

niall_b73

Hi, do you know if they were caught from the shore or a boat

MB

niall_b73 · 11-04-2011 8:20pm

Mackyboy wrote: »

Hi, do you know if they were caught from the shore or a boat

MB

from a boat....below is a quote from the "sea fishing reports ireland" website.

" Here we found numerous Pollack and small Coalfish. For the time that we had left, we decided to replicate some drifts across here and the fishing was consistent with Pollack coming up three & four at a time. The Pollack were not large (best about 5-6lb) and the Coalfish were small but they were all stuffed full of Sandeels which bodes very well for the months ahead.
While mackerel were scare on Sunday last month in the middle we were catching our Mackerel for bait right inside the harbour of Castletownbere. And in good numbers too, it did coincide with the larger tank boats unloading their catches and pumping out their tanks. Whatever the cause, we weren't complaining.
We are anticipating some very good general inshore fishing in the next couple of months as the water slowly warms up and the Mackerel arrive in numbers. We are expecting a great year for Cod and Haddock fishing in particular."

you can keep on top of all catches & read all the report here: http://fishinginireland.info/update/sea_angling.htm#pollacksea

also this is a quote from the "sea angling ireland" website..
"I had a very short session of mack bashing last saturday in Clare. I caught 3 big ones on the cliff on my 3rd cast, but had to leave due to very strong and dangerous winds. But I could say that 3 Macks in less than 30 minutes is a good start. They were used as bait in the aftrenoon session.

I guess its too early to call but its a promising start.

Tight Lines..."

hope this helps, atb
niall_b73

Mackyboy · 12-04-2011 11:36am

niall_b73 wrote: »

from a boat....below is a quote from the "sea fishing reports ireland" website.

" Here we found numerous Pollack and small Coalfish. For the time that we had left, we decided to replicate some drifts across here and the fishing was consistent with Pollack coming up three & four at a time. The Pollack were not large (best about 5-6lb) and the Coalfish were small but they were all stuffed full of Sandeels which bodes very well for the months ahead.
While mackerel were scare on Sunday last month in the middle we were catching our Mackerel for bait right inside the harbour of Castletownbere. And in good numbers too, it did coincide with the larger tank boats unloading their catches and pumping out their tanks. Whatever the cause, we weren't complaining.
We are anticipating some very good general inshore fishing in the next couple of months as the water slowly warms up and the Mackerel arrive in numbers. We are expecting a great year for Cod and Haddock fishing in particular."

you can keep on top of all catches & read all the report here: http://fishinginireland.info/update/sea_angling.htm#pollacksea

also this is a quote from the "sea angling ireland" website..
"I had a very short session of mack bashing last saturday in Clare. I caught 3 big ones on the cliff on my 3rd cast, but had to leave due to very strong and dangerous winds. But I could say that 3 Macks in less than 30 minutes is a good start. They were used as bait in the aftrenoon session.

I guess its too early to call but its a promising start.

Tight Lines..."

hope this helps, atb
niall_b73

Yeah that does sound promising,
Cheers Naill_b73

MB

dbrock · 12-04-2011 9:13pm

couple have been caught of dunlaoighaire pier

mullen07 · 22-04-2011 1:28am

was in howth tonight, tide out - 5 medium sized caught from the pier

rushnaldo · 22-04-2011 12:35pm

Donegal bay has some major plankton boom going on in this great weather. Its like something youd see in a movie. Mackerel breaking the surface everywhere mouths open feeding and shoals of pollock and coalie. Sky news were in Killybegs filming 20 baskin sharks attracted to it very early in April. Small boats with jiggers getting 20 boxes a day and shore anglers getting plenty for evening tea

niall_b73 · 23-04-2011 10:49pm

rushnaldo wrote: »

Donegal bay has some major plankton boom going on in this great weather. Its like something youd see in a movie. Mackerel breaking the surface everywhere mouths open feeding and shoals of pollock and coalie. Sky news were in Killybegs filming 20 baskin sharks attracted to it very early in April. Small boats with jiggers getting 20 boxes a day and shore anglers getting plenty for evening tea

true, i am near bundoran and the charter boats there and mullaghmore are all catching mackerel.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Video-Basking-Sharks-Warm-Weather-Brings-Early-Basking-Shark-Sightings-In-Donegal/Article/201104315976389?lid=ARTICLE_15976389_Video,BaskingSharks:WarmWeatherBringsEarlyBaskingSharkSightingsInDonegal&lpos=searchresults

niall_b73

DoneDL · 06-05-2011 10:34am

Anyone catching from the shore.

fallowbuck · 06-05-2011 12:31pm

First mackeral this morn 6th/May, weather windy sea bit choppy, But this spot has produced mackeral even earlier the last few years, off the rocks mine head dungarvan co waterford. Two pollack also.......... fish pie for sunday dinner:D

Mackyboy · 07-05-2011 2:15pm

There are mackerel being caught, in cork harbour.
Checkout the irish sea fishing website for details

MB

DOTHEDOG · 07-05-2011 3:37pm

anyone know about the galway area would love a few kippers

Michael Angelo. · 08-05-2011 1:37am

Mackeral season!?!.. Ya'll get kippers in galway bay sea food.. Or mc donaghs.. :-)

DOTHEDOG · 08-05-2011 11:27pm

Michael Angelo. wrote: »

Mackeral season!?!.. Ya'll get kippers in galway bay sea food.. Or mc donaghs.. :-)

eh: i think the fish are fresher coming straight out of the water :pac:

spose · 08-05-2011 11:37pm

Had plenty of tehm inside Cork harbour in the last couple of weeks. Unusually large too

ch750536 · 09-05-2011 8:30am

Drew a blank at fenit last week but spoke to people further round the bay on the same day who had a bucketful.

Michael Angelo. · 10-05-2011 2:31am

DOTHEDOG wrote: »

eh: i think the fish are fresher coming straight out of the water :pac:

:rolleyes:

Of course, but my point is this is a mackeral season thread, unless i'm wrong kippers are herring???

Mackeral are showing in small numbers from the shore at Ballycastle, Mayo

gsxr1 · 10-05-2011 6:19pm

Would I be correct in saying that the mackerel season has been terrible for 2 years now.

elius · 10-05-2011 7:20pm

gsxr1 wrote: »

Would I be correct in saying that the mackerel season has been terrible for 2 years now.

Far from it caught 250 in mayo last year and just had to stop to many being caught......

Mackyboy · 11-05-2011 10:08am

Wow, thats good going.

MB

Cdub · 14-05-2011 10:21am

Mackerel have been abundant last few years, sometimes the shoals get broken up after a sustained period of bad weather.

Best way to fish for them is still a single spinner and a light spinning rod, great fun.

neilboard · 16-05-2011 5:08pm

Does anyone know if they`ve been caught from nemo`s pier in galway yet? Was very hit and miss last year!

Cdub · 16-05-2011 10:43pm

Know a few Galway lads and they haven't mentioned macks yet.

Longranger · 18-05-2011 10:18pm

Cdub wrote: »

Mackerel have been abundant last few years, sometimes the shoals get broken up after a sustained period of bad weather.

Best way to fish for them is still a single spinner and a light spinning rod, great fun.

You haven't had fun catching mackeral until you try a #4 8 foot fly rod with a slow sinking line. Just use 6-8 foot cast with a single fly. Best job are homemade lures made with size 2 hook wrapped in fluorescent wool with a couple of 2 inch silver streamers and finished off with a dab of loctite! Cheap,cheerful and GREAT craic:)

ronaldo84 · 19-05-2011 12:21am

Longranger wrote: »

You haven't had fun catching mackeral until you try a #4 8 foot fly rod with a slow sinking line. Just use 6-8 foot cast with a single fly. Best job are homemade lures made with size 2 hook wrapped in fluorescent wool with a couple of 2 inch silver streamers and finished off with a dab of loctite! Cheap,cheerful and GREAT craic:)

me and 2 other lads did this in killary last year of a boat were getting 3 at a time on a cast with 3 feathers awful craic until a seal decided to take a mackeral and snap the fly rod!!!

janeymacd · 20-05-2011 11:13am

Any mackerel in and around Clogherhead yet? Thinking of doing a bit around 28th May.

Mackerel Season

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