Mega Mackerel thread 2018 - reports, queries and chat

Sam Quentin

BIG catches being reported at Greenore Carlingford Lough.

robinwing

Padgehunting wrote: »

Loads cought last night south ease coast

whereabouts exactly ? was it from shore

Blondie919

There’s no mackerel on the west coast yet. I spent about 3 hours near Kinvara and caught nothing.

rubbledoubledo

Any thing caught in Cobh

cd07

rubbledoubledo wrote:

Any thing caught in Cobh

Should be we were swamped with them on beara 2 weeks ago

Sam Quentin

Blondie919 wrote: »

There’s no mackerel on the west coast yet. I spent about 3 hours near Kinvara and caught nothing.

I caught a bucket of them after you went home!? :P

Rows Grower

The wife brought home some fine mackerel last night that she got from a friend who caught them near Rosscarbery yesterday.

flended12

Plenty mackerel off ballinskelligs pier and around horse island last weekend.

Williamjg

Sam Quentin wrote: »

I caught a bucket of them after you went home!? :P

Was playing golf yesterday at Galway bay and saw seagulls diving into the water which only happened when the sprat are there and I also saw some of those little wooden fishing boats in the bay that the farmers use for mackerel fishing Not sure if they got any but I’d say they did

I’m going to the local peir tomorrow to try my luck

What is the best time to fish for macks. I usually go 1 hour before high tide and stay for an hour after high tide is this the best plan?

Sam Quentin

Williamjg wrote: »

Was playing golf yesterday at Galway bay and saw seagulls diving into the water which only happened when the sprat are there and I also saw some of those little wooden fishing boats in the bay that the farmers use for mackerel fishing Not sure if they got any but I’d say they did

I’m going to the local peir tomorrow to try my luck

What is the best time to fish for macks. I usually go 1 hour before high tide and stay for an hour after high tide is this the best plan?

No harm in going out 3hrs before full tide especially for Mackeral, and if your staying on a bit after tide turns and not seeing any fry or seagul action!.. then follow the tide out a bit,, Nobody could be catching anything and then 'Jimmy' starts shouting I'M IN I'M IN lol

kildare lad

fished ballyreen and had 2 in 3 hours on thursday , fished blackhead on friday and blanked... very frustrating

Williamjg

Was out today saw lots of sprat but only bought sea weed

Atlas_IRL

Was off skerries pier last week and for about 1hr lads were catching 3-6 at a time one after the other. I had loads of bites but it was my first time fishing in about 15 years so i didnt know how to hook them properly when i felt a bite.

Ultimate Seduction

Atlas_IRL wrote: »

Was off skerries pier last week and for about 1hr lads were catching 3-6 at a time one after the other. I had loads of bites but it was my first time fishing in about 15 years so i didnt know how to hook them properly when i felt a bite.

You don't feel mackerel bite or have to hook them?

Rows Grower

Maybe the hooks being used were too big or they were blunt?

Williamjg

Went out yesterday to a local peir in Galway about 3 people there none of us got anything

Ipso

You'd expect it to be in full swing at this time of the year, has people noticed mackerel being smaller over the last few years.

Rows Grower

Ipso wrote: »

You'd expect it to be in full swing at this time of the year, has people noticed mackerel being smaller over the last few years.

Personally I thought that mackerel were getting smaller every year for the last good few years but I've had the biggest average size this year since a long time.

Had a good few horse mackerel this year and a lot of decent sized ones.

Fishing around south Kerry mostly from the rocks or piers.

Ultimate Seduction

Thinking of going for a few mackerel with my spinning rod off youghal pier. What type of spinner should I use?

flended12

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Thinking of going for a few mackerel with my spinning rod off youghal pier. What type of spinner should I use?

Something shiny and about 2 inches long that has a decent cast. Alternatively off a pier I'd float fish a set of feathers, cast out as far as you can and slowly retrieve giving a decent yank on the rod every 20 seconds. Have at least 10 feet between bottom of float and first feather.

Loads of vids on YouTube for same.

Ultimate Seduction

Will look that up so. I know in Youghal no casting is needed, just drop the feathers off the pier. Will let ye know how I get on anyway

Williamjg

I have always used multicoloured feathers with a 2 or 3 oz weight. Mackerel tend to take the bait when it is sinking rather then on the retrieve so what I do I cast probably about 25 meters let it sink for a few seconds then I retrieve for about 10 meters and let them sink again and then retrieve for another 10 and sink then and so on and so forth
Now I haven’t caught any this year yet but last year this method caught me several hundred macks off the peir
But I don’t think it matters too much when you get a day where the mackerel are lineing up to get caught they just tend to bite everything they see

BionicRasher

Was travelling on the Cross River Ferry this morning in Cork harbour and the ramp scooped up a couple of hundred sprat when we were landing.

Mackerel wont be far behind - will have to get the rod out at the weekend and see if I can catch a few in Cobh

rubbledoubledo

BionicRasher wrote: »

Was travelling on the Cross River Ferry this morning in Cork harbour and the ramp scooped up a couple of hundred sprat when we were landing.

Mackerel wont be far behind - will have to get the rod out at the weekend and see if I can catch a few in Cobh

Planning to go to Cobh myself also.
I am down towards Newcastle west , so a bit of a drive for me.
I would hope to catch a few to make it worth while.
Can you keep us posted.
I know it is a hit and miss with any sort of fishing.
Thanks

BionicRasher

rubbledoubledo wrote: »

Planning to go to Cobh myself also.
I am down towards Newcastle west , so a bit of a drive for me.
I would hope to catch a few to make it worth while.
Can you keep us posted.
I know it is a hit and miss with any sort of fishing.
Thanks

Some dolphins in the harbour now in front of Cobh. Looks like there should be lots of mackerel around. Will post updates.

rubbledoubledo

BionicRasher wrote: »

Some dolphins in the harbour now in front of Cobh. Looks like there should be lots of mackerel around. Will post updates.

Great thanks

deckyv

We got 50 mackerel off liscannor pier on a boat yesterday evening

SM2018

20 mackerel in 50 mins Sunday 06:30 morning across from aquarium in Salthill large shoals

Dgamblerbob

SM2018 wrote: »

20 mackerel in 50 mins Sunday 06:30 morning across from aquarium in Salthill large shoals

Was it on high tide when you caught the mackerel

SM2018

Dgamblerbob wrote: »

Was it on high tide when you caught the mackerel

Yes high tide, I was walking the dogs on the prom and noticed the sprat jumping, didn’t expect it, went home and got the rod. Tasty breakfast!