Mackerel 2021

dublinbando · 16-05-2021 8:33pm #1

Lads the sea is 11 degrees, macks should be showing up any day now! I was feathering out in Malahide today but no joy!

flended12 · 17-05-2021 2:07pm

The mackerel season is totally blurred last few years. I'd expect them now but would roll the dice and say maybe another month or so.... was catching them until late October a few years back

US2 · 31-05-2021 3:00pm

Should start seeing a few over the next few weeks now. Im going to Kilkee Saturday ill report back

pullandbang · 31-05-2021 3:52pm

I spent the last wo days fishing from the kayak off the Wexford Coast. Four of us out Saturday and three of us yesterday. One mackerel between us. Mind you I did have two on the line but one unhooked himself at the side of the kayak. They were a fine size too!

Bawnmore · 31-05-2021 3:55pm

What type of fishing setup would you use on a kayak if you don't mind me asking?

flended12 · 31-05-2021 3:59pm

pullandbang wrote: »

I spent the last wo days fishing from the kayak off the Wexford Coast. Four of us out Saturday and three of us yesterday. One mackerel between us. Mind you I did have two on the line but one unhooked himself at the side of the kayak. They were a fine size too!

They probably saw that green plastic float you sit on and darted!

flended12 · 31-05-2021 4:00pm

Bawnmore wrote: »

What type of fishing setup would you use on a kayak if you don't mind me asking?

Everything on a kayak regards rigs is a shorter version of what the beach lads use.

Example: IF you have a set of 7-8 feathers for casting off the beach, just use same rig with 3 or 4 on it for kayak. Kayaking on the sea is handy, you dont really have to cast that far.

pullandbang · 01-06-2021 12:35pm

Bawnmore wrote: »

What type of fishing setup would you use on a kayak if you don't mind me asking?

Short everything!

As flended12 says, cut your feather rigs down to three. Last thing you want in seven mad macks dancing around on your lap :eek:

dublinbando · 28-06-2021 6:13pm

any signs lads?

Jonnykitedude · 30-06-2021 8:42am

Was chatting to a lad in Achill the weekend, had caught about 25 one day and 5 the next! Nice size too!

Timmy O Toole · 02-07-2021 3:18am

Caught 12 yesterday with just 3casts in blackhead co clare

dublinbando · 02-07-2021 10:08pm

I fished over high tide this morning at the Balscadden rocks in Howth, first time going here and never again, beer cans/bottles/rubbish all over and the whole place reeked of piss. No mackerel either!

malinheader · 04-07-2021 10:30pm

I was informed today that line caught mackerel cannot be landed today by a fella on my local pier is this correct or is he mistaken.

dmc17 · 04-07-2021 11:31pm

malinheader wrote: »

I was informed today that line caught mackerel cannot be landed today by a fella on my local pier is this correct or is he mistaken.

For commercial fishing the majority of the quotas were given to the bigger trawlers and they've already exhausted them. Don't think this affects recreational anglers though.

Atlantic Dawn · 04-07-2021 11:40pm

Yes can't be sold but not sure what limit they put on for recreational angler. I know you can catch 1 lobster and 5 crab per day recreationally, not sure what the allowed limit if any is for mackeral 20-30 perhaps.

Jim from Cork · 05-07-2021 1:59pm

There is no limit on recreational anglers with regards mackerel.
Usually 400 tons of mackerel quota was reserved for the "hook and line" fishery. This usually does the whole country. However the limit per trip was increased to 750kg and therefore the fishery became more viable. Also jigging machines take a lot of the hard work out of this fishing. The 400 ton inshore quota was taken up rapidly (Mainly by boats off Mayo, so I'm told.) There has been no transfer of quota from the big pelagic fishery (The national quota is around 61,000 tons) so the boats that fish for mackerel later in the year off the south coast cannot now fish as the hook and line fishery is currently closed.

Bio Mech · 05-07-2021 3:20pm

dublinbando wrote: »

I fished over high tide this morning at the Balscadden rocks in Howth, first time going here and never again, beer cans/bottles/rubbish all over and the whole place reeked of piss. No mackerel either!

Balscadden is an absolute cesspit. I have seen fellas fighting on the rocks over tangled lines with mackerel on them. I was out in a boat fortunately. Its about as far from my idea of sea fishing as its possible to get. I havent wet a line in the sea in Dublin in a decade.

Timmy O Toole · 05-07-2021 5:54pm

Jim from Cork wrote: »

There is no limit on recreational anglers with regards mackerel.
Usually 400 tons of mackerel quota was reserved for the "hook and line" fishery. This usually does the whole country. However the limit per trip was increased to 750kg and therefore the fishery became more viable. Also jigging machines take a lot of the hard work out of this fishing. The 400 ton inshore quota was taken up rapidly (Mainly by boats off Mayo, so I'm told.) There has been no transfer of quota from the big pelagic fishery (The national quota is around 61,000 tons) so the boats that fish for mackerel later in the year off the south coast cannot now fish as the hook and line fishery is currently closed.

Scary when you think of 400 tons taken from the sea just from recreational fishing alone.

Atlantic Dawn · 05-07-2021 6:01pm

Timmy O Toole wrote: »

Scary when you think of 400 tons taken from the sea just from recreational fishing alone.

No that 400 tons is for the hook and line fishery, commerical boats catching it by hook and line using jigging machines.

Jim from Cork · 05-07-2021 6:24pm

This gives some idea. It is not a artisanal as you'd think!

https://youtu.be/No_nxfU9AtY

https://youtu.be/Iep78ScjFIY

dublinbando · 15-07-2021 8:32am

No mackerel on the boat yesterday out from North Dublin, spent 3 hours looking about the place for them..

dublinbando · 15-07-2021 8:44am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117595538#Comment_117595538

Yeah Dublin definitely has it's "spots to avoid" but there is still plenty good fishing to be had, I've caught 10 bass for far this year, my biggest being 73cm! I keep record of everything I catch on a website I made too https://lambayfishing.ie/reports.html

dublinbando · 17-07-2021 2:58pm

Spent 4 hours feathering Dublin bay side of Howth yesterday over high water, no joy, not even a pollock..

flended12 · 19-07-2021 9:40pm

Big ones trolling in Donegal last weekend.

dublinbando · 20-07-2021 11:33am

No mackerel in 3 hours feathering Dublin Bay yesterday

JerryHispano · 20-07-2021 9:43pm

I have a few hours free on Saturday, where would be the nearest place to Dublin that has a reasonable chance of mackerel being present?

Mimon · 20-07-2021 9:46pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117575125#Comment_117575125

Haven't gone there in over ten years but never remember a rubbish problem, pity about the selfish fks who ruin it for everyone.

dublinbando · 20-07-2021 11:42pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117639028#Comment_117639028

The only reports of mackerel being caught that I've seen so far this year are in Mayo, Donegal and Down with catches being especially good in Mayo & Donegal!

dublinbando · 20-07-2021 11:43pm

Spent a few hours feathering over high tide at poolbeg this evening, lots of people fishing, no one catching mackerel, the lads who were bait fishing were getting smooth hounds, dogs and wrasse..

ronnie3585 · 25-07-2021 11:14pm

Spent two hours fishing on the Prom in Galway around high tide with spinners and feathers and not a smell of a mack. The water temp is more than enough and there were plenty of spray around, what’s missing?

UnleashTheBeast · 25-07-2021 11:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117661058#Comment_117661058

Mackerel.

browner85 · 25-07-2021 11:35pm

Is there a safe spot in Malahide that I could bring my 6 year old?

dublinbando · 27-07-2021 1:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117661103#Comment_117661103

Not really at this time of year, especially with the good weather, it is a very popular swimming spot and gets very crowded. You would be better off fishing the pier in Howth!

ronnie3585 · 02-08-2021 11:49pm

2 hours before high tide in Salthill today. Loads of sand eels but no macks:(

Glencarraig · 03-08-2021 5:06pm

Is fishing near the bandstand on the East pier in Dun Laoghaire any good or just a pain in the hole given the number of boat moorings around there.

dublinbando · 03-08-2021 10:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117700594#Comment_117700594

I looked it up on the sea-angling-ireland.org shore mark guide and this is what it says for Dun Laoghaire:

2 - Dun Laoghaire, East Pier

The only pier worth fishing is the West Pier, the less used walking route for thousands of residents and their children who usually select the longer East Pier Species & Techniques: The West Pier offers Conger, Dabs, Bass and Plaice, with Codling and Whiting in the autumn from the point itself, usually on mixed and sandy patches. Spinning and feathers to the seaward side off the East Pier gives up Pollack and Mackerel in season, but over very foul ground. Wrasse on the float are a possibility.

Here is the link to the full guide: https://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/shore%20-%20dublin.htm

dublinbando · 03-08-2021 10:08pm

We were getting loads from the boat yesterday out from Skerries. Should be showing up from the shore on the east coast any day now..

a148pro · 10-08-2021 4:49pm

In on east coast

dublinbando · 13-08-2021 3:22pm

Anyone getting any lately?

Planet X · 13-08-2021 11:34pm

What's holding me back atm........is the weather / wind. Am a regular on back of West pier Dun Laoighre. About 8 / 10 blanks in the last about 2 months.

dublinbando · 16-08-2021 8:49pm

Spent a few hours in Howth this morning over high tide feather but no joy on the mackerel front, I did manage to get a bass on a lure though

ronnie3585 · 17-08-2021 6:33pm

Have been on the rocks in Salthill the past few days just before high tide, not a smell of a mackerel. Loads of sand eels about, some sprat but no macks.

kirk. · 18-08-2021 12:21am

Wouldn't be unusual to catch like a hundred off the rocks in Clare back in the day

Are those days gone now with th trawlers

Zzippy · 18-08-2021 9:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117768319#Comment_117768319

Fished HT at the docks the last 2 days, not a sniff, but one lad said he had 10 the previous evening 2 hours before high.

pullandbang · 18-08-2021 2:52pm

You have to wonder sometimes about "fisherman's tales".

Couple of weeks back in Donegal I had a chap tell me he'd caught thirty macks off the rocks that morning and he'd met another two lads who had "a hundred" the day before.

Myself and another chap spent the next two days fishing the same spots from our kayaks and between us we couldn't get a dozen. There wasn't even any shoals showing up on the fishfinders.

dublinbando · 18-08-2021 11:19pm

I had a nosey down at Balscadden rocks today about 2 hours before high tide, place was jammers (as per usual) so I didn't stay to fish but for the few minutes I was watching I saw a few mackerel being caught! I ended up fishing the Howth east pier but no mackerel for me unfortunately..

kirk. · 19-08-2021 12:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117772000#Comment_117772000

Used to sell on them on the street when I was younger you'd catch so many

Zzippy · 19-08-2021 11:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117772000#Comment_117772000

I hear ya, sometimes it's just to put you on the wrong scent too. Think this lad was for real, older man who was genuinely delighted with his catch. The shoals do move around a lot so maybe he just got lucky.

pullandbang · 19-08-2021 10:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117772000#Comment_117772000

Few of us actually heading back up to the same spot tomorrow evening to fish all day Saturday and Sunday. Will be interesting to see the difference a few weeks can make to an area. Catch report with pics on Monday 😁

dublinbando · 24-08-2021 4:17pm

None for me in Dublin Bay today 3 hours over high tide..

Planet X · 24-08-2021 11:01pm

One on Sunday.......6 hours spinning a Denver spratt. Dunlaoighre West pier, off the back of it. I was going "purist"....didn't work!

Guy 60-100yds up from me had about 11 on feathers. Offered me a few, I declined politely. Learned a lesson I suppose..............has to be feathers then.

Mackerel 2021

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