Calling on all Master Anglers. SOS!

rabb_lbad

Hi everyone, I'm relatively new to the fine sport of sea angling. Nothing beats the feeling you have when you step out of the car get a nose full of the sea air and head down to the water.

I took the son on a fishing trip to Howth and had absolutely no luck what so ever. We've had quite a few trips in fact what identical resluts, plenty of snags but no bites.

I was hoping maybe if I describe the details of the fishing trip someone may be able to tell me what I’m doing wrong.

Here goes.

It was 8 o'clock and the tied was just about to go out. We headed to the East Pier and stopped just down from the lighthouse at the bend where the rocks meet the smooth cement slope on the seaward side of the pier wall. There were some guys dropping some lobster pots so I thought it may attract some fish around that area.

We used beach casters to float mackerel and rag at a depth of about 8 to 10ft. We put it out around 80ft from where we were set up. I would cast and leave the bait out for about ten minutes then very slowly begin to reel it in stopping and letting it sit for a while every now and again. Done this for about an hour casting out to different spots. Nothing.
So we changed the depth to about 6ft and did the same for another hour. Nothing.

We got rid of the floats and tried to ground bait the mackerel and rag and alas!!.......we both got snagged on the very first cast. What a sight!!
We've had similar excursions on the opposite pier in howth too.

Despite the lack of success we're still enjoying it, but after 4/5 weeks of trying it would be nice to catch some thing. I know it's a big arse sea and there aren't as many fish around as there use to, but something, anything would do.

HELP! Can anyone please tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Are there any marks around where you're a dead cert to catch something (that swims in the sea) at least?

All your advice, suggestions & criticism are dual welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks R.

dbrock

your best bet is to join a local club, or get out with a few people and learn that way, if you ever wanna head down towards greystones ill happily pop out with you guys give you a few tips,

whitesands

I don't know howth for fishing but try spinning for mackeral, I had a similar problem a few years ago with the girlfriends nephew, after a few trips with not a fish he was getting bored.
I knew if I didn't land him something quick I'd get stick so took him down to dalkey on a rising tide in august, gave him some new white feathers & a 3 oz weight & after a while he pulled in 4 mackeral on the same line.