Mackerel on the east coast (Mega mackerel merge!)

dodderangler

Plan to go bullock harbour on Sunday. Anyone been out and catching yet??

ddashk

hi

im new enough to the east coast. been trying west pier, sorrento rocks, coliemore and bray harbours. not much going on. what would you guys do at the moment when the tide is full in the middle of the day like this. low tide evening or high in the middle of the day?

paddy147

Mackerel/Pollack feathers/rigs.....any 5 (mix n match) for 5 euro in Woodies DIY at the moment.:)

safetyboy

Bullock harbour got 5 and a hefty Pollock, few lads arriving off the boats with buckets of them. Plenty about it seems.

elius

Caught 50 odd in Achill over two trips some good fishing down there seems like there coming in...

tabby aspreme

In wicklow town today mackeral were very scarce off the peir

wicklow_hunter

Slade was fishing well last nite before dusk

Water was ful of sprat never seen as many of em. Even saw em getting washed up on the rocks :eek: Macks wer hotly in persuit

Good evening was had by all

Sparky84

What woodies is this in ?? I was in 2 shops and didnt see any.

dodderangler

It's usually middle of September the mackerel head off again.
Isn't it?

Pj!

Sparky84 wrote: »

What woodies is this in ?? I was in 2 shops and didnt see any.

I don't think all the Woodies stock fishing gear.

If you're desperate for them you can get anything from the fishing section in Woodies online at sportsdirect.com, for cheaper in nearly all cases.

For example those rigs are generally €2.49 each in Woodies and €1.19 at sportsdirect.

5 for €5 is a decent enough deal if you can get them though.

exador

Sparky84 wrote: »

What woodies is this in ?? I was in 2 shops and didnt see any.

I got some in Blanchardstown Today. Not a huge amount left though

exador

Dunlaoghaire Today behind the east pier wall...lots of mackerel been caught.. Seen a couple of lads taking in about 30 plus eachin about an hour just on high tide.

paddy147

Caught 17 Mackerel in 2 hours earlier this afternoon in the absolute pi55ing rain out at Balscaddan Bay,Howth.


Had the entire shorline to myself for the 2 hours too.

Maybe because nobody else was dumb/stupid enough to be fishing in that monsoon type rain.....only me.:pac::D


Also had some craic with the seal chasing in the Mackerel when I hooked into them,he mannaged to nab 2 of them from me.

Tomohawk

Caught nothing in 3 hours at Collimore Harbour yesterday afternoon. Guy beside me caught 3 small macks in the same time. Boat coming in was full of them...

paddy147

Decided to give Balscaddan Bay a miss today (too many people for my liking and safety) and go for a slightly quieter spot to relax and enjoy the weather.

Caught 1 small Mackerel and 2 nice Pollack just on the rocky side of Howth Harbour today......in around 1.5 hours

Fished in close and along the sides of the harbour breakwater and got the 2 Pollack about 20 yards out off the edge of the pier.Mackerel was about 35-40 yards out off the breakwater.

70-80 yards out and theres a long line of lobster pots that will you will get caught up in.




1st Pollack was around 1lb in weight,and the 2nd was a nice sized one,at least 1 1/4 lb in weight.


Mackerel was more like a Sardeen in size and weight.

All 3 went back in to swim/fight another day.




Rod,reel and tackle was as follows......

9 foot pier/spinning rod.

Medium Fixed spool reel with 10lb breaking strain line.....(better to cast with on a smaller fixed spool reel and rod).

5 hook Mackerel jig/feathers

3oz weight.

All fish were caught on the very bottom and on an incomming tide.

robinwing

Hi Paddy , any good spots below Howth where Mackerel can be caught easily from shore ? Hear they are giving themselves up in Cork at the moment its a feast of them

paddy147

robinwing wrote: »

Hi Paddy , any good spots below Howth where Mackerel can be caught easily from shore ? Hear they are giving themselves up in Cork at the moment its a feast of them

The ends of both piers (east and west pier) are the usual spots for mackerel fishing in Howth Harbour.

West Pier is allways a tad too crowded with lots of people casting over each other and lines being crossed.
The East Pier is much quieter and less people fish there,so it will be a nicer/quieter spot to relax and fish from.

Most people try to cast out as far as possible into the mouth of the Howth harbour,where the boating channel is,but I found that any mackerel that I caught were in close on the outside of both piers...off the rocky breakwaters behind both piers.


Now I will admit,that I have lost a trace or 2 there,due to heavy seaweed and rocky ground for the 1st 10-15 yards out off the pier,but thats where you can get you can get some nice sized Pollack.
I sometimes use old sparkplugs as weights when fishing out off the breakwaters.....depending on how rocky the specific location is.




The South Bull Wall is fishing ok at the moment,some mackerel being caught half way down the pier....fishing into the main shipping channel
Thats the very long pier at Poolbeg with the Red Lighthouse at the end of it,that sticks out into Dublin Bay.

Its a very exposed pier and on a windy day like today,is not the best place to fish from.






West Pier in Dún Laoghaire is fishing ok at the moment aswell,some mackerel being caught on the breakwater side half way down,and also off the upper pier at the very end.

Casting far out (140-150+ yards) into the shipping/ferry channel seems to be getting them down there,as my mate was doing last week.
He bagged 20 in around an hour,when others were only catching the odd 1 or 2 in closer to the pier.


The East Pier is also good...right at the bottom and fishing out to sea off the breakwater.
Some hefty pollack to be had there,,,if you can hit them on a rising tide and use fresh peeler crab or muscle as bait.




If you are fishing the breakwaters on the outside of any of the piers,be very carefull.

If there is any sort of sea swell,then a wave can break and rush up the breakwater and take you clean off your feet,before you even know whats happened.Next thing you know,you are sucked/dragged back down into the sea and being bashed off the rocks by the swell/waves.

Plan ahead,know the weather forecast and sea conditions for the area and tell someone where you are going.

Stay safe and enjoy your fishing.:)

paddy147

Can be even caught off the beaches just before Wicklow Town.

Previous post of mine with picture.


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=85628364&postcount=80

pullandbang

Spent a couple of hours out on kayaks off Clogherhead on Friday evening on an incoming tide. We caught some serious good macks - in fact at one stage we couldn't even unhook what we had without others trying to take our feathers from the side of the boats. Mad!

Got to watch some of the shore anglers on the pier and the rocks behind the pier, and they seemed to be getting some fish too. Seals paid us plenty of attention but never really bothered us. We did get to see some cool dolphin/porpoise action though, as a pod swam round us about 500m offshore.

paddy147

pullandbang wrote: »

Spent a couple of hours out on kayaks off Clogherhead on Friday evening on an incoming tide. We caught some serious good macks - in fact at one stage we couldn't even unhook what we had without others trying to take our feathers from the side of the boats. Mad!

Got to watch some of the shore anglers on the pier and the rocks behind the pier, and they seemed to be getting some fish too. Seals paid us plenty of attention but never really bothered us. We did get to see some cool dolphin/porpoise action though, as a pod swam round us about 500m offshore.

Same up at Balscaddan Bay in Howth.

Seals chasing the hooked mackerel into the shoreline/rockline and pouncing on them at the very last second.

1 Polish lad had his fishing rod broken in half by one of the seals.




A pod of Porpoises also breaking the surface of the water about 100 yards off the shoreline.
A truely lovely sight to see....and the tourists were all snap happy with their cameras.:)

robinwing

Thanks Paddy !

ddashk

no mackerel in in bray harbour this morning. got two pollock though. got there just before eight and left at ten.

iLikeWaffles

Small few caught dun laoghaire yesterday eve. Seen one decent size one being caught.

Was fishing into the harbour for a while then switched sides and second cast caught 1 immature mackeral threw him back then caught two bigger ones and had a nice supper.

gumbo1

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

caught 1 immature mackeral threw him back then caught two bigger ones and had a nice supper.

Karma??

iLikeWaffles

gumbo1 wrote: »

Karma??

Yeah exactly. Rewarded.

DERICKOO

pulling them in in 6s in Cork harbor have all the neighbors feed and the dog loves them cold. Near oldhead in boat

paddy147

DERICKOO wrote: »

pulling them in in 6s in Cork harbor have all the neighbors feed and the dog loves them cold. Near oldhead in boat

But Cork isnt the East Coast...is it?;)

EoghanIRL

Anyone know If the mackerel are at youghal?

dodderangler

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Anyone know If the mackerel are at youghal?

Try the cork thread.

paddy147

dodderangler wrote: »

Try the cork thread.

Do people even bother reading thread titles these days???:pac: