Fin in water close to shore

weadick

I was swimming earlier this evening in Cork. The tide was way out and I had to walk a good bit to get to the shore. The water was hopping with fish for some reason. In the middle of a section of water where there seemed to be a lot of fish I saw a small fin emerging from the water, circling about. It was only for a few seconds at most. I was wondering what type of fish would this be that would have a fin protruding from the water like this? It was only maybe three inches above the water.

I said this to someone already today and they laughed and said I was seeing things but I am 100% sure that's what I saw.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Could be one of many inshore species including dogfish, tope etc

Zenify

I used to always see the fish jumping like that in Dun Laoghaire when the dolphins were around.

Mickeroo

Could have been a dolphin, did it look too small for a dolphin?

Blazer

duunnn dunnn... duuuunnnn duun... duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn

fred funk }{

Could have been a Mullet.

cd07

Definitely a mullet!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Could have been a Mullet.

cd07 wrote: »

Definitely a mullet!

With a fin 3 inches out of the water????

cd07

Mia Zealous Office wrote:

With a fin 3 inches out of the water????

He said "maybe 3 inches" size is very difficult to ascertain over water and given shallow water and that heat id say mullet

CeilingFly

It was a shark!

Sounds dramatic, but basking sharks are quite common in south and southwest.

https://www.irelandswildlife.com/sharks-are-back/

fred funk }{

cd07 wrote: »

He said "maybe 3 inches" size is very difficult to ascertain over water and given shallow water and that heat id say mullet

I'd bet my life on it. I've fished for them for many years and the description sounds like a Mullet.

MysticMonk

Mullet or bass regularly show fins out of the water,realistically you wont see anything bigger near the shore.

MysticMonk

CeilingFly wrote:

Sounds dramatic, but basking sharks are quite common in south and southwest.

Basking sharks are enormous. You would see the shape of them long before you see the fin,and they are usually encountered a good distance offshore.

I had the pleasure of witnessing one in howth harbour in the early 70's but those days are long gone.

cd07

fred funk }{ wrote:

I'd bet my life on it. I've fished for them for many years and the description sounds like a Mullet.

Yea I've fished for them for years myself and given the hot weather im sure it was a mullet they love cruising the the shallows with their back out of the water!

Half-cocked

Description fits Grey Mullet apart from the size, but it's very hard to correctly estimate things like this.