Mackerel on the east coast (Mega mackerel merge!)

dodderangler

Was out in bulloch harbour this morning for 4 hours. Got 10 in first hour which wasn't great. I should've stuck to my gut instinct and went to my usual place straight away. Anyway first ten were all tiny so I went to my usual place and first drop down had full house of proper size lads. 3 of us on the boat and altogether must've caught well over 150. Released a heap load as didn't need all that many. Next two hours I tried for bull Huss and doggies. No bulls but got the doggies. No cod or pollock which was strange.
Anyway have a few joeys for pike bait and some mackerel for dinner later on and the mammy will be happy aswell.
Disappointing day though as usually I clear house but it has been heavily fished the lad said out there.

Snowc

dodderangler wrote: »

Was out in bulloch harbour this morning for 4 hours. Got 10 in first hour which wasn't great. I should've stuck to my gut instinct and went to my usual place straight away. Anyway first ten were all tiny so I went to my usual place and first drop down had full house of proper size lads. 3 of us on the boat and altogether must've caught well over 150. Released a heap load as didn't need all that many. Next two hours I tried for bull Huss and doggies. No bulls but got the doggies. No cod or pollock which was strange.
Anyway have a few joeys for pike bait and some mackerel for dinner later on and the mammy will be happy aswell.
Disappointing day though as usually I clear house but it has been heavily fished the lad said out there.

Disgraceful :mad: why not just set a net ? why not stop when ye had enough each ? Catching and releasing mackerel is pointless when over 90% of them die soon after.

Bizzum

Snowc wrote: »

Catching and releasing mackerel is pointless when over 90% of them die soon after.

Where did you get this figure?

Jonnykitedude

Whats disgraceful about it? The guy said he will use them for food and bait. Myself and my fishing buddy have caught over 200 between us over two trips and we haven't a single one left between us....the day we caught them we cooked 4 on the peir followed by another 40 or so at bbq's that weekend. Not one went to waste just like doddlerangler has said he'll use his.


Planning on getting out this week some stage. Whats clougherhead/Bettystown like?

dodderangler

Snowc wrote: »

Disgraceful :mad: why not just set a net ? why not stop when ye had enough each ? Catching and releasing mackerel is pointless when over 90% of them die soon after.

As I also said I was also trying for pollock and cod and no luck.
You try tell a mackerel to not take a feather mate.

tin79

Snowc wrote: »

Disgraceful :mad: why not just set a net ? why not stop when ye had enough each ? Catching and releasing mackerel is pointless when over 90% of them die soon after.

If you grab the hook and shake them off without touching them they will be fine or if you use a wet glove and try to avoid skin contact. Also the whole idea of 90% of mackerel that are touched dying is based on observations from aquarium fish where they are already under stress from being relocated and housed artificially. A lot of the pelagics don't do well in aquaria. That may not apply entirely to wild fish.

As dodderangler said it can be hard to deter them. I have had mackerel on shads, pirks, jellyworms, all types of baits and even on sides of mackerel on the drop when fishing for spurs. But if you shake them off they should be grand. You can do that with a pliers, a t bar or even your hands if the hooks are a reasonable size.

dodderangler

Still hard to do it.
How often do you hook into macks and hook is in their eye or side of the body.
I moved away from the shoal I found and was still hitting them when I was going for pollock and cod and as you said I was even hitting them using strips of mackerel and they were hitting that.
Very hard to avoid them.
Managed to get a doggie before my line hit the bottom. Thought I hit another mackerel but up came the doggie.
I never take loads f mackerel but yesterday was a day that I couldn't avoid them in most places.

tin79

dodderangler wrote: »

Still hard to do it.
How often do you hook into macks and hook is in their eye or side of the body.
I moved away from the shoal I found and was still hitting them when I was going for pollock and cod and as you said I was even hitting them using strips of mackerel and they were hitting that.
Very hard to avoid them.
Managed to get a doggie before my line hit the bottom. Thought I hit another mackerel but up came the doggie.
I never take loads f mackerel but yesterday was a day that I couldn't avoid them in most places.

A long handle T bar is useful for getting them off. hold the line with the t bar at the hook and they generally fall off easily enough

rochemedia

Anyone hear of anything being caught around Wexford? Caught 25 in an hour (throwing most back) two weeks ago on slade but the place was black with idiots out for their annual mackerel fishing trip. Nothing happening around Wexford since. It's as if it has been fished out. No macs no bass no pollock nothing

wexandproud

rochemedia wrote: »

Anyone hear of anything being caught around Wexford? Caught 25 in an hour (throwing most back) two weeks ago on slade but the place was black with idiots out for their annual mackerel fishing trip. Nothing happening around Wexford since. It's as if it has been fished out. No macs no bass no pollock nothing

mackeral all over the place, bass along the shore from rosslare to bannow over the big tides last week,and plenty of pollack on the charters out of kilmore

rochemedia

Are you talking about from boats or off the shore? I'm talking about fishing from the shore.
"mackerel all over the place" Could you be a bit more specific. I have been fishing down at Rossdunestown, Slade Carnesore point and the Hook at different times of the day and on different tides and nowt!
Are the bass being caught on bait or spinning? was thinking about trying down by St. Helens this weekend. The only place I have heard bass being caught lately is Dollar bay and off the bridge in Wexford town.

dodderangler

Try using a floating mackerel strip or half mackerel for the bass if they're around.
They'll be gorging on the joeys.
Still Havint caught one myself or even fished for them but quick google search says to use a bit of floating mackerel if the bass are around them

wexandproud

was refering to both shore and boat. i brought some friends to kilmore and got macks off the beach in evening over the springs last week, they were regularly in rosstoonstown in past weeks and they are becoming a nuisance in the boats. some of the angling boats in kilmore had parties of anglers in nearly on the shore at rosstoonstown recently and had loads of good pollock and bass on various lures also bass been taken of forlorn point, and somewhere around carnsore,there is a few being got in wexford but usually all small. i havent heard saint helens mentioned yet but its usually a good bet i spent my youth fishing bass there. regarding what dodderangler said about the mackeral, use a whole live one and as long as its not huge it will catch bass its the best sport you will get watching the float getting agitated as the poor mackeral spots the bass coming, their can sometimes be a chase on the surface for minutes but be caraful its addictive i have a good few this year allready but september and after is usually best, now this has put a longing on me, im off to catch a bass[hopefully]

rochemedia

Thanks a million for the info wexandproud. You have me itching to get out there again now.
Any particular time of day you would recommend?
When I was catching the mackerel the other week they hit at around 9:30 which was dead on dusk and were taking for just about an hour and then die off completely.

Mr abbey

Anyone know whether Poolbeg lighthouse is any good for mackerel at the moment. Was thinking of heading out tomorrow evening? Or any other recommendations?

Which pier in dun L is best or either for mackerel?

Thanks.

paddy147

Mr abbey wrote: »

Anyone know whether Poolbeg lighthouse is any good for mackerel at the moment. Was thinking of heading out tomorrow evening? Or any other recommendations?

Which pier in dun L is best or either for mackerel?

Thanks.

If you take a minute or 2 to read back over the past few pages,you will get the answers you need.;):)

wexandproud

rochemedia wrote: »

Thanks a million for the info wexandproud. You have me itching to get out there again now.
Any particular time of day you would recommend?
When I was catching the mackerel the other week they hit at around 9:30 which was dead on dusk and were taking for just about an hour and then die off completely.

no problem. mackeral are strange but along the shore dusk is best and tides not usually that important in a boat they could be everywhere one day nowhere the next and then back again.i usually only get the bass at high tide. i fish them from a boat so when its high tide at the pier the tide is still running mad to the east where i go. where abouts are you

Mr abbey

paddy147 wrote: »

If you take a minute or 2 to read back over the past few pages,you will get the answers you need.;):)

Thanks but had read back over a good few pages, seen the east pier mentioned but couldn't find anything on Poolbeg and was just looking for some specific recommendations. Used to do a lot of fishing years ago and but not so much the last few years.

paddy147

Mr abbey wrote: »

Thanks but had read back over a good few pages, seen the east pier mentioned but couldn't find anything on Poolbeg and was just looking for some specific recommendations. Used to do a lot of fishing years ago and but not so much the last few years.

West Pier in Dun Laorigh...(very end of it)


Balscaddan Bay in Howth,up beside the large cliffside house.

Mr abbey

paddy147 wrote: »

West Pier in Dun Laorigh...(very end of it)


Balscaddan Bay in Howth,up beside the large cliffside house.

Thanks, used to go up to Balscaddan regularly, am bringing a child with me so think I'll try DL. You mean from inside pier on the wall on the end?

paddy147

Mr abbey wrote: »

Thanks, used to go up to Balscaddan regularly, am bringing a child with me so think I'll try DL. You mean from inside pier on the wall on the end?

Very end of the West Pier,casting out into the shipping channel.

Watch out for the odd snobby narky yacht person who will probably sail right in close to you just to try and pi55 you off.:(:rolleyes:

Its a long drop off the top of the pier down to the water,so just be carefull with the child and make sure that he or she doesnt get too close to the edge.;)


Happy Fishing.:)

rochemedia

Hi wexandproud, thanks again for the reply.
I'm in Wexford town itself. Fish mostly Slade, Hook head (the west side, out across the end of the fields) Rossdunestown and sometimes Rosslare/St. Helens and out off the rocks in Kilmore just past where all the Campervans park up.
Mostly fishing off the shore. Don't have access to a boat very often tho I am trying to organise a charter to head out over the recks and reefs.
Tides aren't great for fishing at dusk this week but I think i'll still try get out and try one or two places.

dodderangler

paddy147 wrote: »

Very end of the West Pier,casting out into the shipping channel.

Watch out for the odd snobby narky yacht person who will probably sail right in close to you just to try and pi55 you off.:(:rolleyes:

Its a long drop off the top of the pier down to the water,so just be carefull with the child and make sure that he or she doesnt get too close to the edge.;)


Happy Fishing.:)

Hate them yacht fcukers
When I used to fish for doggies and flats they'd go right towards my line forcing me pull in my line or lose my gear.
And yes they will go right up to you aswell moaning and all.
Nothing but a bunch of toe rags. No respect for anyone using the pier for fishing.

Mech1

dodderangler wrote: »

Hate them yacht fcukers
When I used to fish for doggies and flats they'd go right towards my line forcing me pull in my line or lose my gear.
And yes they will go right up to you aswell moaning and all.
Nothing but a bunch of toe rags. No respect for anyone using the pier for fishing.

Just shout "FORE" and cast a 6oz gripper just off there aft, then tell them that your a more accurate caster than they are sailors. So beware:D

I only recco this if your well sure of your skills.

Worked well for me, but a trailing floating light rope on a 8oz lead was the prop catcher for another guy (repeat offender)

pullandbang

Caught about 40 or 50 between two of us at Clogherhead on Friday evening. We set out from the beach beside the lifeboat station in our kayaks and fished for a couple of hours.
However next morning I was out on my own around near the harbour and never got a bite! Funny old world.

con___manx1

plenty of mackerel being caught down at roadstone in Arklow last night off the rocks. i believe it was the same the night before. there was people catching them off the south beach too.

wexandproud

mackeral at beach in kilmore sat evening and slade on sunday.was in kilmore about 4.30 today gannetts and terns going mad feeding a mile from pier, first time iv'e seen it this year,hope its fine tomorrow evening

rochemedia

wexandproud wrote: »

mackeral at beach in kilmore sat evening and slade on sunday.was in kilmore about 4.30 today gannetts and terns going mad feeding a mile from pier, first time iv'e seen it this year,hope its fine tomorrow evening

I was talking to someone who was fishing on Kilmore beach on Saturday evening and he said there was nothing being caught.
What time was it that you heard Macs were being caught?

wexandproud

rochemedia wrote: »

I was talking to someone who was fishing on Kilmore beach on Saturday evening and he said there was nothing being caught.
What time was it that you heard Macs were being caught?

did not hear a time but the guy who told me is usually reliable, but then again do all people who fish tell lies or are all fishermen liars.
send me a pm with your details i might know ya , maby we can organise a bass trip

paddy147

Maybe we should stick to actual catch reports and specific locations then.

As in,if you go fishing and catch some mackerel then you post it here.

A confirmed catch and specific location and day/time perhaps.


Simples.