Galway Bay fishing

seabubble

Hi All,
This is my first post on the forum and joined because I think that it is just the right place to ask for help.

I have always wanted to catch and eat on the beach. Catch a fish get some muscles and razor shells with garlic butter and wine on the beach.

Is this possible in Galway ? I am going with my girlfriend and thought it would be nice to do.

I have never fished in galway bay before. I am going to the bay in August. Will Salthill be OK or should I go further away?

Any tips on places and baits would be very welcome.
Cheers
Steve

Zzippy

seabubble wrote: »

Hi All,
This is my first post on the forum and joined because I think that it is just the right place to ask for help.

I have always wanted to catch and eat on the beach. Catch a fish get some muscles and razor shells with garlic butter and wine on the beach.

Is this possible in Galway ? I am going with my girlfriend and thought it would be nice to do.

I have never fished in galway bay before. I am going to the bay in August. Will Salthill be OK or should I go further away?

Any tips on places and baits would be very welcome.
Cheers
Steve

Hmmm... off the beach there aren't really that many edible species except flatties, unless mackerel have come in close. I'd suggest spinning off the rocks in a few places for mackerel - tasty on a bbq - mmm! I'd be very wary of picking wild mussels in August, summer is high season for algal blooms and wild shellfish can accumulate toxins which could give you a nasty does of food poisoning. I know its appealing to be able to pick your own and cook them, but just a bit too risky. Cultivated shellfish are purified before harvesting and tested for toxins so you know they're safe, but no way to check wild mussels. I don't know anywhere in the bay to collect razors, even at spring lows I haven't seen razor beds.
If you want somewhere nice to go I'd suggest getting away from the city, head for the coral beach near Rossaveal, nice spot for a picnic and rocks nearby to go spinning from. Beautiful place for a swim too.

seabubble

Thanks Zzippy. Thought that it would be clean there for shell fish but looking at google earth i see a sewage work in the bay ! NO shellfish.

Will stick with the fish. I did think that West coast of Ireland would have a lot of fish, I only want one :0) Will have a look at Rossaveal. Thanks for the info.

Sfinn

There is an old saying that you shouldn't eat shellfish if theres no R in the month.

Although I've eaten limpets, winkles and mussles throughout the year. They are nice on the BBQ.

Ros a Mhil :rolleyes: not much better than Salthill. You need to hit some isolated spots. Mussels can be got but you need brackish water to get the bigger ones.

Like zippy said, if you spin you can get pollock, mackerel, with bait pollock and wrasse. (Wrasse nice filleted on the BBQ). Bass & sea trout if you are extremely lucky. Otherwise i would recommend a charter boat for some deep sea.

Try the following site http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/.

regards

S

Zzippy

Sfinn wrote: »

There is an old saying that you shouldn't eat shellfish if theres no R in the month.

Although I've eaten limpets, winkles and mussles throughout the year. They are nice on the BBQ.

Ros a Mhil :rolleyes: not much better than Salthill. You need to hit some isolated spots. Mussels can be got but you need brackish water to get the bigger ones.

Like zippy said, if you spin you can get pollock, mackerel, with bait pollock and wrasse. (Wrasse nice filleted on the BBQ). Bass & sea trout if you are extremely lucky. Otherwise i would recommend a charter boat for some deep sea.

Try the following site http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/.

regards

S

Yup, the summer months (with no R) are the ones to avoid. OP, normally the bay is fine for shellfish, the sewage works in Galway are very modern and the bay is very clean. However, algal blooms can occur anywhere in summer and its better to be safe than sorry.

Sfinn, there are feck all bass up this neck of the woods, and as for sea trout, its illegal to kill them in this region, so no barbecued sea trout recipes please!

Sfinn

Sfinn, there are feck all bass up this neck of the woods, and as for sea trout, its illegal to kill them in this region, so no barbecued sea trout recipes please! [/QUOTE]


True true:D, I don't recall saying anything about killing them. Bass, true to a degree, but you can wish every time you go out!! Sea trout are catch and release and i quote

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
FISHERIES ACTS 1959 TO 2006
CONSERVATION OF SEA TROUT BYE-LAW NO. 834, 2008.

I, Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 9 (as amended by section 3 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1962 (No. 31 of 1962)) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 (No. 14 of 1959), section 33 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1962, the Fisheries (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1977 (S.I. No. 30 of 1977) (as adapted by the Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2007 (S.I. No. 706 of 2007)) and having complied with the requirements of Regulation 31 of the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997 (S.I. No. 94 of 1997), hereby make the following bye-law:


1. This Bye-law may be cited as the Conservation of Sea Trout
Bye-law No. 834, 2008.


2. This Bye-law comes into operation on the day of its making.


3. In this Bye-law "sea trout" means the migratory form of salmo trutta L.


4. This Bye-law applies to the waters of the following fishery districts -

(a) the No. 91 or Galway District,

(b) the No. 92 or Connemara District,

(c) the No. 101 or Ballinakill District, and

(d) that part of the sea within the No. 102 or Bangor District south of a line drawn due east and west through the most westerly point of Achill Head situated in the townland of Keel West, Achill Island in the county of Mayo and all waters discharging into it.


5. Notwithstanding anything contained in any bye-law, it is prohibited for any person to take a sea trout by means of any fishing engine or rod and line in the waters of the fishery district to which this Bye-law applies unless the sea trout is handled carefully and immediately returned alive to the waters from which it is taken.


6. It is prohibited for any person to have in his or her possession or control on or near the waters of the fishery districts to which this Bye-law applies any sea trout which is not alive taken from those waters.



GIVEN under my Official Seal,
14 March 2008.


_Eamon Ryan
Eamon Ryan,
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.



regards

S

seabubble

Thanks again for the info. Looks like fish and chips at the local then !

I'm not the type to sit more than a couple of hours. But with throw in a hook here and there.

Cheers

gerryfisherman

hi there guys heading to galway bay salthill in august for some fishing is there any marks near the galway bay hotel i will be staying . and is there any pollock mullet and mackerel in this earea . was hoping to maybe fly fish or spin hope to hear from any one in galway that fishis this earea manythanks gerryfisherman

Caribs

@gerryfisherman - if the mackerel are in all you need to do is follow the crowd on the prom. Generally speaking you'll see most people fishing off the prom from Seapoint towards the Claddagh but very easy strolling distance from the Galway Bay.

Can't speak for pollack or mullet but I have heard that mullet (grey) can be found in Lough Atalia but you'll need someone else to confirm that.

gerryfisherman

thanks very much mate for replying to me message very much appriciated . was told i could go to rusheen bay for mullet not to sure if . do you know this point .and if so does it fish for mullet manythanks gerryfisherman

Caribs

I don't know that area of water at all from a fishing point of view I'm afraid so cant help

jackfinzo

rusheen bay has mullet claddagh has mullet watch out for swans! and behind camping site to the right of blackrock there is like a section of water not to clean but full of mullet and i suppose u are not eating them????

Raisins

@ Gerrythefisherman Salthill is usually a disaster zone for fishing Mackeral in August as it's often very crowded. It can be a bit dangerous too as you get a lot of people you don;t usually fish swinging rods around etc. If you drive out the coast road you'll have a lot more comfort. Having said that if you're staying in the hotel then maybe it's convenience that will win over considering you're walking distance away.

Also I went deep sea fishing for the day from Roassaveal last summer with a French guy who does daily fishing trips and had a brilliant time. A boat leaves from Spiddal too which is closer to Galway. We caught lots of different fish. Had lunch on Aran. Might be worth a look I think this is the link.

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/.