Mega Mackerel thread 2018 - reports, queries and chat

Sam Quentin

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Although we have had a scorching few weeks, sea temps are the same at this time as they are the last 10 years so chill

*I only learned this yesterday

Mark my words.... There's no getting away from it,I believe from years of experience bright sunny skies are also an influence on fry shoaling hence mackeral feeding....

Ultimate Seduction

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Mark my words.... There's no getting away from it,I believe from years of experience bright sunny skies are also an influence on fry shoaling hence mackeral feeding....

I fully agree, check my post out here from 2 days ago.

What I am saying is sunny skies in Ireland for 2 weeks have no effect on the temperature of the Atlantic ocean.

2013 and 2014 were hotter than this, and for longer. Fishing was still poor until august..

gre

2013/14 was warm for two weeks!..no way was it more warm than this year!!..we went to 32 degrees 1 degree off the record 33 which was in kilkenny 1887 this is a record summer in Ireland never seen before!..i had a few mackerel the other day!..it's getting better now lads

Ultimate Seduction

gre wrote: »

2013/14 was warm for two weeks!..no way was it more warm than this year!!..we went to 32 degrees 1 degree off the record 33 which was in kilkenny 1887 this is a record summer in Ireland never seen before!..i had a few mackerel the other day!..it's getting better now lads

We had 32c for 1 hour in Shannon last week. All the statistics are on the Met.ie website my friend, 2013 was hotter for longer. 2006 the same.

gre

😂 I don't know where your living but your stats are very wrong I remember 2013 very well! limerick won the Munster championship that summer was both amazing and sad for me as I lost a good friend too.. I can tell you it was knowhere near as warm and definitely didn't go past 14 days that we got in July..since end of May we haven't gone under 21!..anyways happy fishing I think the fish are back😊

gre

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health-fears-on-the-rise-as-country-braces-itself-for-hottest-summer-since-1976-37042869.html

Ultimate Seduction

gre wrote: »

😂 I don't know where your living but your stats are very wrong I remember 2013 very well! limerick won the Munster championship that summer was both amazing and sad for me as I lost a good friend too.. I can tell you it was knowhere near as warm and definitely didn't go past 14 days that we got in July..since end of May we haven't gone under 21!..anyways happy fishing I think the fish are back😊

Ok so, official met eirean stats are wrong, you are right because nostalgia. I'll leave it there. Tight lines .

Captain Red Beard

So the hottest summer since 1976 news is all a lie?

Ultimate Seduction

Captain Red Beard wrote: »

So the hottest summer since 1976 news is all a lie?

Who do you believe, newspapers trying to sell, or official met eirean statistics?

Ultimate Seduction

Here are the statistics as of 2 days ago. As you can see 2013 had more sunshine in most places. This doesn't add in the very hot spell in early June 2013 either.

Gumbi

It seems like a few are having luck at the moment. I'll be heading down to Caherciveen for a few days and I'm wondering if it's worth having a few casts this early.

Got quite a few mid-November last year (surprised we got them so late, is this normal?), but many were very small and not worth eating. Got 9 or 10 over the course of 3 hours and returned most of them. Only 1 or 2 were of any decent size.

Rows Grower

Gumbi wrote: »

It seems like a few are having luck at the moment. I'll be heading down to Caherciveen for a few days and I'm wondering if it's worth having a few casts this early.

Got quite a few mid-November last year (surprised we got them so late, is this normal?), but many were very small and not worth eating. Got 9 or 10 over the course of 3 hours and returned most of them. Only 1 or 2 were of any decent size.

There are some being caught in Kenmare bay since a couple of days ago, small enough though.

Caherciveen is worth a cast.

Ultimate Seduction

We caught plenty in Dunlicky co clare a few weeks ago, very small.

Sam Quentin

Small(not to small)to medium sized mackeral is the best, never mind those BIG ones..
Fillet them throw them into a wee bag of flour with salt and pepper added to taste, shake them all about and just before you drop them on the pan run them through a nice bowl of whisked egg, skin side down first and as you see the colour change and heat start to effect the lovely meat turn them over for a couple more sizzling minutes... Ohhhhh Yeaaaaaaah...

TomOnBoard

I learned years ago to bleed mackerel as soon as it's caught. This has the most beneficial effect on flavour, as mackerel can turn rancid very quickly.

gre

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Who do you believe, newspapers trying to sell, or official met eirean statistics?

Met eirean themselves have said this and yes the stats are proof on the official site that this summer is more warm!...lol I don't what you are trying to prove but you are failing with it..get out and fish😊

gre

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Small(not to small)to medium sized mackeral is the best, never mind those BIG ones..
Fillet them throw them into a wee bag of flour with salt and pepper added to taste, shake them all about and just before you drop them on the pan run them through a nice bowl of whisked egg, skin side down first and as you see the colour change and heat start to effect the lovely meat turn them over for a couple more sizzling minutes... Ohhhhh Yeaaaaaaah...

That sounds good pal I may try😊

Atourdeforce1

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd give an update about mackerel fishing in clogherhead atm.

I'm a local so most people in the area (including myself) will tell you fish don't arrive until late July.

I live in the village so I've been up at the harbour the last few days and will be most days for the next couple of months.

Tuesday 3/7/18.......went fishing at 1 hour before high tide at the end of the pier. No fish seen.

Wednesday 4/7/18.....again went down at high tide and nothing again. Tried the rocks and nothing there too except 1 small pollock.

Thursday 5/7/18......a few anglers out but nobody catching again. The seals seemed to be picking up the odd mackerel or pollock here but no shoals in.

Can't find much signs of sprats either.

I would've though with the recent warm weather the season would start early as water temps rise but nothing so far.

I wouldn't bother trying clogher for another few weeks until fish start landing.
I hear there's very little being caught anywhere on the east side of the country.

I'll continue sending updates and let you guys know when the fish arrive.

Sam Quentin

I've noticed in the last number of years that the price of mackeral has soared, I mean compared to NOT to many years ago... We use to buy fillets if we were going bait fishing early in the season(and had forgotten to freeze some from the previous year)and for about a fiver you would get a decent weight bag of fillets,, now you'd be lucky to buy a couple of fillets for 3€..
I'm sure in the greater scheme of things that mackeral are still plentiful HOPEFULLY...
But it would make you wonder!?!?

Doc Farrell

Generous info, fair play to you.

Atlantic Dawn

Sam Quentin wrote: »

I've noticed in the last number of years that the price of mackeral has soared, I mean compared to NOT to many years ago... We use to buy fillets if we were going bait fishing early in the season(and had forgotten to freeze some from the previous year)and for about a fiver you would get a decent weight bag of fillets,, now you'd be lucky to buy a couple of fillets for 3€..
I'm sure in the greater scheme of things that mackeral are still plentiful HOPEFULLY...
But it would make you wonder!?!?

Yes gone over €1000 a ton regularly now which 4 or 5 years ago would be unheard of.

Ultimate Seduction

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Yes gone over €1000 a ton regularly now which 4 or 5 years ago would be unheard of.

Mackerel caught on the Irish coast is probably cheaper to buy in a shop in Spain rather than Ireland.

Gumbi

Caught 4 over 2 and a half hours near Caherciveen yesterday evening as the tide turned and started coming in. Bot sure of etiquette with regard to advertising spots when it comes to sea fishing, but will gladly tell if it's OK to do so. Not tiny but not of great size either, small enough.

Gave 2 away and kept two for myself. The two I gave away were the size of the bigger one in the picture linked.

Gumbi

Caught 4 last evening near Caherciveen as the tide turned and started coming in. Not sure of etiquette with regard to advertising spots when it comes to sea fishing, but will gladly tell if it's OK to do so. Not tiny but not of great size either, small enough.

Gave 2 away and kept two for myself. The two I gave away were the size of the bigger one in the picture linked.

Gumbi

Caught 4 last evening near Caherciveen as the tide turned and started coming in. Not sure of etiquette with regard to advertising spots when it comes to sea fishing, but will gladly tell if it's OK to do so. Not tiny but not of great size either, small enough.

Gave 2 away and kept two for myself. The two I gave away were the size of the bigger one in the picture linked.

Picture is too big to attach, here's an imgur link:

https://imgur.com/a/CrCT50u

Sam Quentin

Shir they're a grand wee size,,
Ohhhh I'd say they were tasty 😋

Gumbi

I'm not generally a fish person but they were absolutely lovely. Got another 2 today and lost 2 more. Same size. Got a nice sized pollock too but will probably give that away.

Sam Quentin

Gumbi wrote: »

I'm not generally a fish person but they were absolutely lovely. Got another 2 today and lost 2 more. Same size. Got a nice sized pollock too but will probably give that away.

Make a beer batter for the pollack and deep fry it... You'll never look back
Certainly as nice if not nicer than cod.

Rows Grower

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Make a beer batter for the pollack and deep fry it... You'll never look back
Certainly as nice if not nicer than cod.

You, my friend.

You know how to cook fish.

pullandbang

I've tried Clogherhead for the past few years from the kayak. Complete and utter waste of time at any time of year. The seabed is thrashed to death by the boats and is virtually lifeless. Nothing there to bring the macks in.