Posts Tagged ‘Boat fishing’

Assisting Fellow Tourist Anglers & Fishers

Monday, August 29th, 2016

In 2010 I set up the An Irish Anglers World website because as a traveling angler within my own country I could not access relevant and correct angling information that would enable me to hit the ground running wherever I chose to fish. Today An Irish Anglers World contains 329 posts and 129 pages of published articles across eight categories reflecting a range of Irish angling disciplines all of which provide current information relative to my own experience of Irish angling venues at specific dates and times.

A fine Greystones Co. Wicklow, Ireland tope and one happy sea angler.

It’s great to know that the sites ethos works especially when one receives messages of support and thanks from people who have contacted me for information. Such requests have emanated from countries as far away as New Zealand and the USA to the United Kingdom and as close as Co. Wicklow.

Typical questions would be:

Am over at the end of the month any suggestions as to were is fishing well, we’re staying around Kilmore way again so anywhere around that ways ….will be bringing my own bait over this time?

and

I’ve read your own angling report, Tope Alley, suggesting to fish at various marks inside and outside the red buoy using a mackerel flapper or whole joey but all I’ve managed, on at least ten occasions at this stage, is the odd LSD – is there any advice you could give me regarding tides, fishing depth, anchoring/drifting?! It would be greatly appreciated!

The end result for the latter question, caught within the last fortnight is pictured above, the anglers smile says it all, while the former sent me this report of an angling holiday in Wexford circa summer 2016:

Well them mullet are getting bigger had a few around 5lb.one of 6lb…but seen some that must be 10lb easy…but crafty as they come.had a go.at Rosslare yesterday had over 30 bass but none over a pound great sport tho….had a good day at Slade fishing for the wrasse and Pollock…

In all cases I am glad to help, like Ronseal An Irish Angler’s World does what it says on the tin…………..

Welsh Sea Anglers Embrace Wicklow

Monday, August 15th, 2016

Welshman Alan Duthie from Llanethlie, South Wales should be given the freedom of South East Ireland for the efforts he selflessly makes in championing, within his local community, Ireland as a sea fishing holiday destination. Last weekend beginning Thursday 11/08/2016 Alan and 12 enthusiastic sea anglers from the Swansea area traveled to and spent time and money fishing off both Wicklow Town with Skipper Kit Dunne and also Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford with the Hayes brothers Dick and Eamon.

Welsh sea anglers having the craic with Kit Dunne and Wicklow Boat Charters.

The second trip that this particular Welsh party have made this summer 2016 and the umpteenth since a formal request was made by this writer to Alan Duthie (Chairperson of the Welsh Pleasure Anglers and Kayakers Association, PAKA) regarding holding a presentation in South Wales on the tourism sea angling product south east Ireland has to offer back in September 2009. That presentation, which cost the princely sum of two return ferry trips, a couple 0f overnights in a B/B and living expenses, approx’ €700.00, has resulted in multiple visits to Ireland from a plethora of Welsh sea angling groups aligned to PAKA post 2010.

The information set out below, gleaned from a trip made to Kilmore Quay back in 2013, illustrates just one traveling groups contribution to South East Ireland’s local economy.

Revenue generated exclusive of travel and sundry expenses:

P.A.K.A South Wales, Angling Trip to Kilmore Quay, June 23rd – 28th 2013
B/B, €40.00 x 21 x 4 €3360.00
Charters, €400.00 x 2 x 3 €2400.00
Fresh Bait (ragworm) €200.00
Terminal tackle, and frozen bait. €630.00
Lunch (€10.00 x 21 x 3) €630.00
Evening meal (Average €25.00 x 21 x4) €2100.00
Pints (average over group 4 per night @ €4.00) €336.00
Bus collection/return from ferry port €300.00
Total € 9956.00

 

The average spend per angler exclusive of Ferry Travel was € 474.09 based on a four bed night stay or €118.52 per day, by translation that spend equates to €711.14 per angler for a week (6 x bed nights) long trip. Individually some of the traveling group would say that they spend more, however the above is an accurate account and translated over seven years to date based on the known repeat trips organised by Alan Duthie, his group alone have directly deposited €160,000 plus in Ireland on an outlay of €700.00, now that is some return.

Welshman Marshall Mainwaring displays a fine County Wicklow smooth hound.

Traveling for the scenery, craic and a different fishing experience, on this occasion the boys were targeting east coast Wicklow tope. Staying in the Grand Hotel the lads fished two days with skipper Kit Dunne and Wicklow Boat Charters. The first outing was tough with only a few dogfish and hounds showing, however on the second day pay dirt was struck with 9 tope boated partnered by a succession of bull huss.

A male Wicklow tope and one happy Welsh sea angler.

Skipper Kit Dunne has invested serious money in his business and the Welsh sea angling party travel with the primary motive of wetting a line. For this business arrangement to survive and prosper the fishing resource needs to be firing on all cylinders, unfortunately Co. Wicklow’s offshore fishery is stuttering badly due to inshore habitat destruction and over fishing within the greater Irish Sea.

A grand male Wicklow tope.

Government needs to recognise fully stakeholders such as Kit and the Welsh tourist sea anglers, for they having committed to travel and spend money within Ireland are stakeholders too. The current narrow Government marine fisheries focus on the commercial catching/processing sector as the only gig in town is limiting the return on a key national resource at a time when innovation and diversification are the buzz words of business. Kit Dunne exemplifies the former, pity our relevant national marine agencies and politicians still refuse to back his efforts. A starting point for a change of tack would be for both Ireland’s Ministers for Fisheries and Tourism and the CEO of Failte Ireland to meet with Welshman Alan Duthie then listen to and act on his recommendations, after all its his money and passion that contributes not only to their salaries but to their existence as public servants…….

 

Kilmore in Jig Time

Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

“Kelp below”, intoned Eamonn Hayes, stalwart skipper of Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford based charter boat Autumn Dream, in unison 10 Welshmen focused harder on working their jig rigs 10 fathoms down, on cue rods curved and danced to the tune of hooked pollack and codling interspersed with ballan and colourful cuckoo wrasse. Not large but numerous, codling averaging 1.5 lbs with pollack slightly bigger, most anglers at days end boating forty plus fish (predominantly returned alive) the heaviest being a codling of 5 lb weight.

Daron Lawry displays a colourful Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford cuckoo wrasse.

Sea anglers off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford utilise the time honoured method of jigging three hook feather, rubber eel or shad rigs while drifting over extremely rocky, kelpy ground, baiting the bottom hook only with fresh mackerel or worm bait in the hope of attracting a larger pollack, cod, ling, ballan wrasse or pouting. The unbaited coloured feather or plastic lures proving especially attractive to pollack (colour black) and codling (colour red).

A plump Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford codling.

The trick to success at Kilmore Quay is to employ a 20 lb class braid set up with just enough lead weight (usually eight to twelve ounces) to keep the angler in contact with the sea bed while his/her line is working straight down below as against being streamed out by tide and drift. At Kilmore Quay a streamed out line catches the seabed more times than it catches fish, the result costly rig/lead weight losses and one pissed off angler. Vigilantly working the rig by constantly tapping/lifting and feeling the contours of the sea bed produces more takes from fish while minimising tackle losses, Kilmore’s reefs offering no mercy towards lazy or inexperienced sea anglers.

A Kilmore Killer jig rig.

My first sea angling session of 2016, it was nice to catch up with Alan Duthie and the boys from South Wales. Annual visitors to these shores, as a nation we cannot get complacent as to their continued repeat business. The reason these Welshmen and others come is for a different sea angling experience to what they get at home, Kilmore Quay offering a wider range of species amid a challenging sea angling environment of deeper water, stronger tides and rougher ground in contrast to the shallow, sandy estuarine ground the lads frequent across the pond.

My fishing diary accounts since 2008 for Kilmore Quay clearly record a decline in average weight for pollack, codling and ling encountered on the reefs surrounding the Saltee Islands albeit numbers boated are still holding. The once famous fishing grounds off Greystones, Co. Wicklow followed a similar pattern before the fish disappeared. Tourism sea angling as a viable offering needs fish as a key element of a unique experience to successfully attract paying customers. Kilmore Quay still enjoys that mix and long may it continue, but a word of warning: “We cannot afford to get complacent and I see signs that we just might be”.

Bream Time on the Barrow

Friday, May 6th, 2016

A solid lift, bump sensation transmitted through taught six pound test line prompted an immediate upward sweep of my thirteen foot feeder rod, a pulsing heaviness manifest thirty meters out in the slow moving water signaled a good bream on, happy days. Staying deep while doggedly moving left towards an overhanging bank side willow, applied side strain guided Mr. Bream towards my outstretched landing net, job done.

A fine fish in great nick of between three and four pounds, the sense of achievement after all these years fishing still kicks in when all the planning, travelling and effort comes together post landing a targeted species. A third bream of the day banked, one each also for angling companion Thomas and neighbouring coarse angler Cathal, two more were brought ashore before we upped sticks around 17.00.pm.

A fine barrow bream for Ashley Hayden tempted by four red maggot on a size 14 hook.

It was good to touch base with Thomas who like many coarse anglers has a passion for catching big dustbin lid sized slimy bream. Although bream dog it out rather than running when hooked, their resistance allied to their bronzed largeness makes for an impressive sight when resting in the landing net before unhooking. In this instance Thomas, Cathal and I were feeder fishing maggot and worm to catch alongside the bream a succession of dace, roach, trout interspersed with an odd hybrid.

A barrow bream and one happy coarse angler.

April, May and early June are great months to target bream on the lower River Barrow, bring lots of ground bait as a bream shoal will hoover up a prepared swim and move on similar to a herd of cattle munching on fresh grass. On this occasion not having pre-baited Thomas and I relied only on what our feeders attracted, a brace each of quality bream made our day. Until the next time………..

Autumn Sea Fishing off Kilmore Quay

Sunday, September 20th, 2015

It’s not even nine in the morning and we are catching mackerel, drifting a half mile off the Burrow shore west of Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, John Devereaux skipper of charter boat Celtic Lady II placed us over the mother load. Smiling faces greeted full hanks of the tiger striped little beauties as they came dancing and skittering over the gunnels, their tails drumming on the deck while we feverishly unhooked them before lowering again our feathers towards the throng below.

Mackerel fishing off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

Autumn sea fishing off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford is a special time as resident summer and returning winter species merge over the offshore reefs to create a quality angling experience. On this day a warm light north westerly beeze faded to nothing creating a calm sea with a blue green clarity. On occasions as one peered into the depths the water would glitter and shimmer as herring fry swam by no doubt pushed up by the mackerel preying on them at will. Gannets dived, seals bobbed their heads, all this a backdrop to a regular smattering of codling and pollack taking interest in our mackerel baited jigs as we drifted eastwards across the kelp covered reefs.

A nice Kilmore Quay codling for Belgian sea angler Jean Reginster.

Belgian nationals Karel and Jean, no strangers to fishing in Ireland, having just enjoyed three days pike fishing in the midlands were sampling reef fishing Kilmore Quay style for the first time. Drift fishing over foul, kelp strewn ground where one has to feel the tackle claiming ups and downs of the seabed combined with grabbing weed can be a tough learning curve for the uninitiated, however Karel and Jean coped well. Codling, pollack, ling, wrasse, pouting, poor cod, dab and mackerel came aboard while the following morning Karel added icing to the cake with a brace of shore caught 5/6 pound bass.

A copper coloured Kilmore Quay pollack for Belgian national Karel Deckers

Relative abundance is how I would describe the sea fishing off not only Kilmore Quay but the south and south west coast of Ireland in general, one has to place an honest perspective on the resource. The fish are there but in the main are smaller and thinner on the ground when measured against very recent times, by that I mean up to twenty years ago. Skippers like John Devereaux work hard to deliver a quality experience which Karel, Jean and I most certainly had last weekend. In tandem the powers that be should work equally as hard to maintain and enhance this wonderful inshore resource ongoing for it’s the reason people like Karel and Jean choose Ireland as a holiday destination. As they say, it’s not rocket science………..

Sea Fishing in Wexford: Rocky Bottom Boys

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015

“60 feet below us, rocky bottom boys”, skipper Eamonn Hayes intoned, “fish marking over kelp beds, keep bumping those leads”. Eamonn is a character, in terms of Irish recreational sea angling an institution, who in tandem with his fellow skippers older brother Dick and John Devereaux have firmly placed the fishing village of Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford on the map as a must visit destination for offshore sea anglers.

Sea fishing off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland for codling, pollack and wrasse.

A full compliment of 12 members from the Welsh Pleasure Anglers and Kayakers Association rubber stamped Eamonn’s decision to head east towards the rough ground south west of Carnsore point. Tides, albeit climbing down from springs, still flowed strongly and tangles given the number of anglers on board would be inevitable if the deeper more turbulent grounds west of the Saltee Islands were fished. Yes, the resident pollack, codling and wrasse most likely would be less numerous and smaller on the shallower eastern grounds, however a combination of Eamonn working hard to find fish and fewer tangles equates to more fishing time and correspondingly plenty of bites.

Welsh sea angler Alan Duthie displays a fine Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford codling.

In recent weeks cod ranging up to 10.lbs have been numerous on the kelp covered inshore reefs which dominate the underwater landscape east and west of the Saltee Island’s. Immediately upon dropping the customary three hook jigs baited with ragworm, sandeel or mackerel (“on the bottom hook only lad’s”, as Eamonn would order.) to the sea bed rods doubled over to the pull of mottled brown codling in the 3 – 5 pound class interspersed with colourful cuckoo wrasse accompanied by hard diving pollack.

A colourful cuckoo wrasse from Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

With skippers Eamonn, Dick and John D conversing throughout the day as to catch returns, then moving as applicable bites remained steady and correspondingly the species count mounted. Codling, pollack, coalfish, ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, poor cod, whiting kept light twenty pound class rods bent and subsequently the crew happy. Winds from the north west slackened throughout the trip, the sun shone and mickey taking abounded. Lines up came too quickly, never mind though, a high stool accompanied by a creamy pint and a bowl of chowder awaited in Mary Barry’s. Heaven…………

Sea fishing charter boat off Kilmore Quay, Wexford, Ireland.

Sea fishing off Kilmore Quay gets going at Easter and really takes off from June lasting well into October if the weather holds. An hour and a half from Dublin and a half hour from Rosslare port Kilmore Quay is a modal for short break sea angling trips for both indigenous and UK based sea anglers seeking a quality holiday experience. Knowledgeable friendly skippers, understanding accommodation providers, pubs, restaurants and scenery, its why I keep going back.

To book a day out with skipper Eamonn Hayes click on: Autumn Dream.

For sea angler friendly accommodation click on: The Quay House B&B, Kilmore Quay.

 

Pike Surprise

Wednesday, October 1st, 2014

The great pike hung motionless within the reeds concentrating, observing, twenty seconds earlier the chug, chug sound of an outboard motor invaded its space, a common enough occurance the sensory invasion presenting no fear. Next second a rhythmic pulsing grabbed the pikes attention, becoming alert its eyes darted left and right triangulating then homing in on the source of the physical sensations entering and transmitting along its lateral line. A silvery flash, target locked on, half a dozen purposeful sweeps of the hungry fishes paddle like tail and Bang!!

Pawel Augustyn displays a wonderful 110 centimeter Irish pike.

Pawel Augustyn’s reel started screaming as the now startled pike exited stage left connected to a very excited anglers small trout spinner, Pawel will continue the story;

First I thought it’s just a bottom hook so I stopped the boat and tried to roll back the line when I realised my line is actually moving to the left. I knew then it’s a fish on. I knew it’s something big until i saw it under the surface for the first time it was actually a massive pike. It was 1 p.m.when the fish hooked . The fight took me 20 min and it was really strong fish. Maciek netted the pike and the net broke under the weight of the pike. Luckily we managed to get the fish on the boat. I couldn’t believe the size of the pike especially because I’ve never caught a fish this size.

Small pike/trout/perch spinner.

The pike was hooked on a very small trout’s lure( I attach the pic) and my line was only 4.kg spinning line. We took a few pics and put him back in the water. We let him to get energy back and water to flow through his gills then after a few mins the fish swam away. He is waiting somewhere in the water for another lucky angler; This was the best fishing day of my life.

Returning the great Irish pike.

An absolutely fantastic catch, I am extremely thankful to Pawel for sending me both the story and images. Knowing the water upon which Pawel and his friend Maciek were fishing, it does not give up pike easily, so well done to both anglers and tight lines for the future…..

The European Bass Fishery, Wake Up and Smell the Roses!!

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

Let us be clear and with not a hint of arrogance this angler can catch bass. Living within south east Ireland yours truly has access to a variety of marks ranging from estuaries to rocky headlands, tide races to storm beaches, all local habitats where over the last fifty years bass once swam in prolific numbers, were summarily decimated by both angler and commercial activity in the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s before making a partial recovery post 1990. Between 1998 and 2008 the recovering south east of Ireland bass fishery delivered consistent sport, enough to sustain a burgeoning tourist angling product. Today it stutters after 24 years of Irish Government initiated protection, why?

Competition landings of bass for Cork Sea Angling Club members 1963 - 2013.

Ref: Ed Fahy, 2014

Yesterday afternoon this writer after close on thirty hours of fishing effort over seven trips landed two five pound bass attracted by a shallow diving plug worked through a tide race within five minutes of commencing fishing. Great stuff you say, however the bigger picture must be taken into account, late summer/early autumn in south Wexford relative to the tides, times and marks fished should have delivered those much appreciated bass thirty hours previously, bass fishing in Wexford unfortunately experiencing terminal decline since 2010.

Irish bass from the archives, 2008 to be precise.

To place the feat in perspective Jim Hendrick’s last ever French clients, yes Jim has closed his successful and professionally run high end bass guiding business, South East Angling Ireland, after 10 years trading, encountered only 9 bass in over 120 hours lure and fly fishing over the last set of spring tides. Five years ago the same three anglers would have averaged 180 bass between them. Yours truly has lovely images of four bass caught yesterday ranging from 4 – 8 lbs. Until professionalism and responsibility is applied from decision makers, commercial interests and recreational anglers alike, An Irish Anglers World will not publish another bass image ever, the image above an oldie from 2008.

Recent annual bass returns for South East Angling Ireland.

Having attended and presented a perspective on the actual benefit of recreational angling to south east Ireland at the North Western Waters Advisory Council Bass Workshop held in Dublin Castle last Thursday 18/09/2014 it became clear how little is known about the species at official level and how the way forward to better management of the species is staring all vested interests in the face, sadly many but not all of them cannot see the wood for the trees. “When all interested parties to include the political establishment view the resource as a public owned entity then begin to learn, understand and accept the needs and wants of all interested parties, then reach out and through dialogue build trust the bass will survive and prosper”. Continue on the same old tack regurgitating the same old failed self centered mantras and you may kiss the European bass fishery goodbye, Ed Fahy’s “LPUE” graph a true reflection of where the fishery is at today………

Pollack from the Black Rocks

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

Welsh anglers love coming to Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford, some of the reasons for their repeated visits being a grand welcome, good fishing, familiarity and trust of the charter skippers ability, and craic in the pubs and restaurants of an evening. Centre stage in this appreciation is Alan Duthie, visionary chairman of the Welsh Pleasure Anglers and Kayakers Association, Alan has championed Kilmore Quay and Ireland since a presentation of tourism angling given by this writer in Burry Port, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire back in September 2009. Subsequently hundreds of sea angling trips by both groups and individuals have been taken, many by first timers based on recommendations, to not only south Wexford but also Cork Harbour and the Beara.

Alan Duthie, Chairman of the Welsh Pleasure Anglers and Kayakers Association.

Make no mistake, these guys love Ireland, a repeated comment being, “you live in a beautiful area”, indicating clearly that when hopping on the ferry at Pembroke its not just the fishing that attracts them. On this occasion, for the second time this summer Alan Duthie and a group of 15 anglers from the Swansea area descended on Kilmore Quay with intent to not only fish the reefs for pollack, wrasse and codling but also hopefully catch a few bass.

One happy Welsh angler off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford.

Dick Hayes, amiable skipper of charter vessel “Enterprise” listened to the boys wishes for the day and worked out a plan, first catch some mackerel then head east to fish the reefs inside of Carnsore Point. Initially employing standard size feathers it became apparent that the mackerel were small and not taking, swapping to sadiki rigs solved the problem and enough bait was secured in jig time.

Catching mackerel is easy with old yellow.

The sea appeared chock full of herring fry evident by gannets dive bombing and occasional schools of mackerel driving myriad whitebait onto the local beaches only to be left hopping and gasping in a silver carpet as the waves receded.

Whitebait driven onto the beach east of Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

Was this the reason fishing was slow on that beautiful sunny day in a three month long summer of continuous gorgeous sunny days. Were the fish stuffed to the gills with food and not interested in our offerings, who knows? Dick tried everything as did the crew until eventually a few pollack and codling came aboard, then drifting close to the Black Rocks it kicked off.

Double headers of pollack for Welsh anglers Darren and Richard.

The boys, some gilling some using baited feathers, rods collectively heeled over as Enterprise drifted over a shoal of pollack swimming close to the rock pinnacle. Doubles and singles came aboard in a welter of scales, spray and good humoured banter. Whoops, laughing and smiley faces lit up the afternoon and then it was over. “Come on lads it has been a good day we’ll head for home”, said Dick. No bother skipper, a shower, meal and a few pints beckoned then tomorrow once more into the breach. Kilmore Quay, it’s a special place………..

Cod Heaven off Kilmore

Thursday, June 26th, 2014

Ready up boys where drifting over some kelp”, instructed “Autumn Dream” skipper Eamonn Hayes, seconds later members of the Pleasure Anglers and Kayakers Association were leaning into head thumping resistance 60 feet below, as codling up to six pound weight took a shine to the Welsh Dragons lures. Bright and fresh, mottled red from their kelpy home, it was wonderful to see both good numbers of a much loved species and the smiles of blokes on their annual trip to Ireland enjoying a great mornings fishing.

A nice reef codling boated off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

Kilmore Quay circa 2014 is fishing very well at present across a range of species from codling and pollack to ballan and cuckoo wrasse. Anglers drifting across the various reef marks east and west of the Saltee Islands jigging rigs baited with ragworm, sandeel or mackerel are producing individual catches in excess of 30 prime fish for an eight hour trip excluding steaming time.

A Kilmore Quay beauty displayed by a happy Welshman.

The Welsh Pleasure Anglers and Kayakers Association members are good friends of Kilmore Quay, returning every year to sample the hospitality of Siobhan and Pat in the Quay House B/B and the superlative fishing enabled by top skipper Eamonn Hayes. A north east breeze hampered fishing due to contrary drifts, across as against with the tidal flow, however Eamonn did his best to keep the boys lines from going under the boat and the lads responded by fishing hard throughout the session.

Another Kilmore Quay codling in prime condition.

At lines up species caught included codling, pollack, coalfish, small ling, pouting, poor cod, launce, ballan and cuckoo wrasse. The sun shone, banter flowed and a tired but content bunch of lads stepped off Autumn Dream at days end. A quick shower then back down to the Wooden House for a customary chowder followed by battered haddock, chips and mushy peas, sure you have to. A few pints, the world cup and its back out with Eamon in the morning to do it all over again, HEAVEN………..