Posts Tagged ‘Donegal’

Shore Fishing in South West Donegal

Friday, May 18th, 2012

South West Donegal in the vicinity of Glencolumbcille and Ardara is a rocky indented coastline jutting out into the Atlantic with what would appear to be great shore fishing potential. Characterised by sheer cliffs to the south punctuated by Glen Bay and the beautiful Silver Strand (Trabane), merging into Loughros Bay containing breathtaking Maghera Strand to the north, this most definitely is an area worth exploring.

Slieve League, Co. Donegal, at 1,972 feet they are the highest sea cliffs in Ireland.

Close to the village of Carrick are the cliffs of Bunglass where the amazing Slieve League can be viewed. A mountain cut in half rising sheer to 1,972 feet above sea level, the vision really is awe inspiring. Not for the feint hearted is a walk  up to the summit along a narrow ridge called “one mans path”, which can be a bit dodgy I believe on a windy day.

Loughros Bay looking south west towards Maghera strand.

Sparsely populated outside of the main towns of Ardara and Killybegs, the landscape is mountainous moorland bisected by glaciated valleys such as Glengesh and Glencolumbcille which sweeps down to the sea. Visiting relatives I only did a bit of exploring supplemented by observation and a few well placed questions as to the quality of shore fishing available. Loughros Bay is tidal and the sea strips to reveal pristine sand flats pock marked with extensive lugworm beds, evidence of flounders burying themselves in the sand indicated a large population. Sea trout run the estuary so straight away there are two species worth targeting I would say with crab, sandeel, lugworm, or mackerel strips.

Glengesh looking north towards Ardara, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

Loughros Point is definitely worth a pop with pollack, wrasse, and conger in mind, and Maghera strand which if it was in Kerry would scream bass, must on the form of similar Donegal beaches be home to flats and sea trout. Other marks which I intend to visit later in the summer would be Glen Bay beach (Glencolumbcille) and the nearby Silver Strand. What to expect, well I’m going to find out but certainly mackerel, pollack, and various flats, with possible ray, dogfish, coalfish, and codling. Essential baits and lures would be lugworm, crab, sandeel, mackerel, feathers, jelly worms, and spinners. A sea fly rod would be worth packing too, along with a five weight game fishing set up for sea trout which run the many spate rivers in the area.