Mackerel on the east coast (Mega mackerel merge!)

paddy147

Mackerel now being caught on the rocks/cliffs just after the large grey/white house at Balscaddan Bay,Howth.


Was out there at lunchtime for around 10 minutes,and watched 2 lads down on the rocks pulling in 3 at a time.

Not huge size,but good enough to eat.

paddy147

Caught 8 mackerel in the space of an hour this morning at Balscaddan Bay,Howth.

Fished the tide as it was on the fall.....(full tide was 10am).


A few other anglers down on the rocks fishing.


The seal was jumping out of the water chasing the hooked mackerel in to the rocks.He managed to nab a fair few mackerel too.:eek::D


Big thunderstorm out there at about 3pm,quite a bit of fork lightening over the bay,as the storm came in over land.:)

robbie67

Went out on a boat from Malahide yesterday 8 of us got a load of mackerel at the bailey lighthouse enjoyable days fishing pulling them in in fives and sixes

paddy147

robbie67 wrote: »

Went out on a boat from Malahide yesterday 8 of us got a load of mackerel at the bailey lighthouse enjoyable days fishing pulling them in in fives and sixes

Any pics?

junospider

anything happening in dunmore east or tramore?was in ballycotton thursday,tide was in at 2o clock,absolutely nothing happening.does the time of high tide have a bearing on mackeral fishing? always found tides in the evening best.

Jimy1971

Good few being caught around Hook at the minute

fathersymes

Few being caught yesterday on East pier dun laoghaire

Fecky the Ninth

Rented a boat at Bullock Harbour today and got a few at the Forty Foot bouy.

dodderangler

Fecky the Ninth wrote: »

Rented a boat at Bullock Harbour today and got a few at the Forty Foot bouy.

Wasting time there mate. The hotspot for the mackerel around bullock is in between the mainland and the island with the goats on it.
Il be there hopefully on Saturday rain or shine.
Need to stock up fridge and freezer

stretchaq

nothing on rosdonstown beach (wexford) last night

robclay26

Woukd somebody be able to put up a photo of their fishing rig for catching Them please ? I'm new to this game. Have feathers and big weights and 12 beach caster. Any help and I would be delighted.
Thanks

dodderangler

It's pretty basic.
The feathers you have should have a swivel on the start and end of feathers. Tie you line on the start and on the end should be a swivel to put a 4 or 5 oz weight onto it.
Simple enough

robclay26

Thanks will give it a shot!

paddy147

Just back from Balscaddan Bay in Howth.

Absolutely hammered the Mackerel out of it today....casting about 90-100 yards out into a small narrow gully.

2 small boats about 200 yards off shore also hammering them out of it.

Several seals and also a pod of porposes in close to the shoreline.:)

Jonnykitedude

Myself and pullandbang took close to 70 between us at clougherhead today..........on the kayaks.

dodderangler

Lads just a question but yas catch 70-100
Are yas keeping them all?

paddy147

dodderangler wrote: »

Lads just a question but yas catch 70-100
Are yas keeping them all?

Most of mine were/are catch and release.:)

I keep a few for a nice fish supper and some for bait for the shore angling/casting.

dodderangler

Alri. I was just wondering because there's lads moaning about there being no fish and are being overfished yet have no problem taking over a hundred home with them.
Il admit I done it myself and found that it was a waste of fish.
So now 20-30 will do me fine and I'd probably use bout ten of them to fish for something else. Dogfish or ray if I knew where they are
Still yet to catch a ray

paddy147

dodderangler wrote: »

Alri. I was just wondering because there's lads moaning about there being no fish and are being overfished yet have no problem taking over a hundred home with them.
Il admit I done it myself and found that it was a waste of fish.
So now 20-30 will do me fine and I'd probably use bout ten of them to fish for something else. Dogfish or ray if I knew where they are
Still yet to catch a ray

A nice fresh peeler crab or a large sandeel will catch both.:)








I only fish for the sport of it.:)

I very rarely take home my catch.


Only time is the odd nice codling or when its mackerel season and I want a nice fish supper or some frozen mackerel as bait for winter shore fishing.


Out of 37 mackerel caught today I took home 11...which is enough for me.

Jonnykitedude

dodderangler wrote: »

Lads just a question but yas catch 70-100
Are yas keeping them all?

Simple answer YES, I keep what I'll use. I keep x amount for myself then give some to family and friends along with keeping some for bait.

Its hardly overfishing taking 30 fish!

If your not going to use them, put them back. I don't fish for mackerel for the fun of it (tho it is enjoyable) I fish to feed myself along with others that enjoy the fish. I course fish for the "fun" element and all fish are returned.

dodderangler

Not overfishing taking 30 fish but over 100 is pure greed

Jonnykitedude

dodderangler wrote: »

Not overfishing taking 30 fish but over 100 is pure greed

Not if your going to use them and not head out again for the rest of the season, which some people do.

If your killing them and not using them.....well that's another matter but it drives me mad in all types of hunting sports. Use what you kill!

Jonnykitedude

BTW I don't think I have ever been in the position to take 100+ fish!

pullandbang

All of my catch from yesterday are now filleted and ready for eating. I'm at a group BBQ tomorrow and the other people are already clamouring to get their teeth into them, so my catch will be gone tomorrow. Hopefully the next day we head out on the kayaks we'll get another load which will also be happily eaten. BTW, that is our first catch this year despite quite a few previous attempts from different locations.
So the macks are in in Clogherhead folks.....

robclay26

pullandbang wrote: »

All of my catch from yesterday are now filleted and ready for eating. I'm at a group BBQ tomorrow and the other people are already clamouring to get their teeth into them, so my catch will be gone tomorrow. Hopefully the next day we head out on the kayaks we'll get another load which will also be happily eaten. BTW, that is our first catch this year despite quite a few previous attempts from different locations.
So the macks are in in Clogherhead folks.....

Catching them off the pier? Or where? Might try up there on Sunday. Best when tide coming in?

pullandbang

robclay26 wrote: »

Catching them off the pier? Or where? Might try up there on Sunday. Best when tide coming in?

No, we were on kayaks and kept well away from the crowds on the pier for fear of getting skulled by weights! However from the artificial rocks along the back of the pier wall you'd have to be getting them as we were catching out from that. When the wind picked up we headed back in towards the shore and fished along the the rocks facing and to the left of the end of the pier where we caught some nice fish. We got them on the incoming and high tide.

stretchaq

got 15 off hook head last night long way out cast 120-130 yards tough going

paddy147

Can I issue a warning to anyone who thinking of bringing their young kids to Balscaddan Bay.

DONT



This is a dangerous place........even for adults to fish from.

One false move and you are falling 20+ feet down off the cliff face into the water or onto the rocks and to your possible death.


Balscaddan bay is a busy spot and its not uncommon to have 6-7 people trying to fish on a section of cliff face/rock ledge thats around 20 feet accross.



People regulary get caught up in each others line,and tempers "can" become frayed.



This isnt the place for young kids to be learning to fish or being left to mess around........there is absolutely no space to mess around


Think of the kids safety 1st please.



Thanks.

indie armada

Everytime i go up to balliscadden its jammed up with 10-15 lads all using 12 foot beach casters and 20lb line,pulling 5 fish out at a time.
i was up there recently with a spinning rod catching mackerel one at a time for bait, and ive used feathers with a 12foot carp/pike rod to catch bait a few times up there also.
I usually spin for mackerel as the larger fish tend to go for the spinner, better fight and better eating.
ive been spinning for bass lately, but only caught mackerel/pollack, mostly around portmarnock/malahide area.

paddy147

indie armada wrote: »

Everytime i go up to balliscadden its jammed up with 10-15 lads all using 12 foot beach casters and 20lb line,pulling 5 fish out at a time.
i was up there recently with a spinning rod catching mackerel one at a time for bait, and ive used feathers with a 12foot carp/pike rod to catch bait a few times up there also.
I usually spin for mackerel as the larger fish tend to go for the spinner, better fight and better eating.
ive been spinning for bass lately, but only caught mackerel/pollack, mostly around portmarnock/malahide area.

It was very busy there today,over 10 lads on the ledge trying to fish side by side.:eek::D


Was out in Howth for lunch and had 15-20 minutes to spare,so I quickly popped up there today just before my lunch.

Caught 4 Mackerel in around 10 minutes.:)

Just about made it back down to Howth Village for my lunch too.:pac::D