Clew Bay here I come!

Cormdogg

Heading off to Westport this evening, Hit the pubs tonight, Then going to spin/feather in Bertragh on Sat. maybe bottom fishing in Old Head if the weathers not great. Then heading out 9-5 with The Helm Crew on Sunday with 6 locals around Clew Bay. Heard fishings quiet at the moment but Im looking forward to it,Anyone fish these spots before?,Ive been to Bertragh and had 25 delicious Mackerel but theyre not in yet. Any tips for bait/rigs?

Should I try stay to a 5 Guiness minimum on Sat night

Well lads you know Ill have a full report for yis on Monday if I make it back

nb* I get awful sea sic-sickness but it only really kicks in when Im back on land!, will I get ginger tablets?

Doc Farrell

so how did u get on? did u stick u the 5 minimum pints?

Cormdogg

Well lads, I didn't want to give you'se the story before I get the camera developed because honestly you wont believe me! But I promise the photos will be up shortly!On Saturday between four of us on Bertagh on the feathers we caught one Mackeral! Now Sunday was a different story alltogether!
9am we set off in the The White Seahorse (we had only the 5 pints).
3 of us and two locals Austi and Paul, Austi the Skipper and Paul a local angling champ who was experimenting before the real start to the season.6 other lads didnt turn up so we had the whole boat to ourselves and an unlimitless amount of knowledge from the lads. First spot we stopped for mackeral on the feathers no joy,second spot we caught about 50 or so,when they were gone we hit another spot and they were flying in,We had loads of bait and and plenty to bring home and stick in the freezer.We went further out to a sandy area.And between the 3 of us we had,4 thornbacked ray,4 dogfish,3 spider crabs?? and one mackeral, Then lads the real excitment started.All of a sudden Paul is hanging over the boat, "Ive got a big one hear lads!". On order the rest of us took in our lines and Paul was wrestling away for about ten minutes before his line snapped.The lads then told us they reckoned there was a 90+ pounder skate below us,So we all changed tackle for a big one. It bit again and I had it for a while before some how it spat out my hook.It took a hook for the third time this time on my mate Dave's line and so the battle began, An hour and a half later the three of us taking turns to tire it out we got the skate up to the surface.Graham had the pleasure of getting it to the surface. Lads it was huge the biggest fish I have ever seen!The two lads had to take it in both wings with the gaf hooks I grabbed it by the nose and it took us another 5 minutes,5 of us to get in on the boat.We got it up on the engine cover.
It was huge.It was 64 inches accross and well over 6ft long. Austi estimated it was over 200 pound. We had no way of a weighing it unfortunately. It had no tag on it so it may never have been caught before,Im not sure how long these things can live but Austi reckoned nearly a hundred years old (hmmmm?).We tagged it and then the arduous task of getting it out of the boat began. It was a female so there had to be another one down there as Pauls tackle was nowhere to be seen, I believe they travel in pairs so a smaller male must've been down there.We fished on a bit but we were knackered so we set off home. We boiled the spider crab legs (delicious) fried the wings of the two rays we kept, Roast the mackeral and froze the rest,had lovely fried mackie for breaky the next day too. Lads I could not more recommend anyone thinking of heading out that way to go out with the Helm lads, Brilliant, I will 100% be going back, Ill post the pictures as soon as possible,Seeing is believing!

growler

nice one ! i've had two trips up to scotland for ray and never a bite

well done

Degsy

Cormdogg wrote: »

Well lads, I didn't want to give you'se the story before I get the camera developed because honestly you wont believe me! But I promise the photos will be up shortly!On Saturday between four of us on Bertagh on the feathers we caught one Mackeral! Now Sunday was a different story alltogether!
9am we set off in the The White Seahorse (we had only the 5 pints).
3 of us and two locals Austi and Paul, Austi the Skipper and Paul a local angling champ who was experimenting before the real start to the season.6 other lads didnt turn up so we had the whole boat to ourselves and an unlimitless amount of knowledge from the lads. First spot we stopped for mackeral on the feathers no joy,second spot we caught about 50 or so,when they were gone we hit another spot and they were flying in,We had loads of bait and and plenty to bring home and stick in the freezer.We went further out to a sandy area.And between the 3 of us we had,4 thornbacked ray,4 dogfish,3 spider crabs?? and one mackeral, Then lads the real excitment started.All of a sudden Paul is hanging over the boat, "Ive got a big one hear lads!". On order the rest of us took in our lines and Paul was wrestling away for about ten minutes before his line snapped.The lads then told us they reckoned there was a 90+ pounder skate below us,So we all changed tackle for a big one. It bit again and I had it for a while before some how it spat out my hook.It took a hook for the third time this time on my mate Dave's line and so the battle began, An hour and a half later the three of us taking turns to tire it out we got the skate up to the surface.Graham had the pleasure of getting it to the surface. Lads it was huge the biggest fish I have ever seen!The two lads had to take it in both wings with the gaf hooks I grabbed it by the nose and it took us another 5 minutes,5 of us to get in on the boat.We got it up on the engine cover.
It was huge.It was 64 inches accross and well over 6ft long. Austi estimated it was over 200 pound. We had no way of a weighing it unfortunately. It had no tag on it so it may never have been caught before,Im not sure how long these things can live but Austi reckoned nearly a hundred years old (hmmmm?).We tagged it and then the arduous task of getting it out of the boat began. It was a female so there had to be another one down there as Pauls tackle was nowhere to be seen, I believe they travel in pairs so a smaller male must've been down there.We fished on a bit but we were knackered so we set off home. We boiled the spider crab legs (delicious) fried the wings of the two rays we kept, Roast the mackeral and froze the rest,had lovely fried mackie for breaky the next day too. Lads I could not more recommend anyone thinking of heading out that way to go out with the Helm lads, Brilliant, I will 100% be going back, Ill post the pictures as soon as possible,Seeing is believing!

How much did it set ya back for hiring boats etc?

Cormdogg

There was originally supposed to be 6 lads and four of us.We lost my brother to the pints and only one other lads turned up. It says €400 for a full days charter but the other two guys had a lend of the boat and we were splitting the cost so it wasnt the full charter price.The three of us chipped in €55 each and we were delighted with that. Great boat, great location, reat lads

But fortunately my Auld fellah lived the dream and after ten years of talking about it got himself a boat. Channel Islander 22 footer. I was on it yesterday (on the trailer) and it went off to westport this morning. Its an absolute beauty. So hopefully Ill be doing alot of fishing on it this summer.

Doc Farrell

lovely little boat dogg, very jealous.

just wondering when you said you needed gaff hooks to bring in the ray, did you hook around the wings yes, not through them? i hope this is a supid question, i've never seen a ray that size.

Cormdogg

Here's the picture at last! Me and me mate muffin in the picture.We did have to put one of the gaff hooks through one of the wings. I have 100% faith in the lads that we were with and we wouldn't have got the skate on board without the gaff.It may seem barbaric but in the long run we had to get the fish on board to get the hook out and tag it,ultimately to protect the fish and the species in the future.The lads have took on big skate before and it has always been the process.The boat went out on its maiden voyage (in the atlantic) yesterday, sans me but I went out with the lads from Bulloch yesterday. 9 pollack for me but pipped at the post my my friend moler who got 7 pollack and 3 mackie,Where were my Mackies!!!!!(not bad for 2 hours) Fried the mackie,as delicious as ever.We kept the biggest pollock which I caught (ahem).Put the the fillets in flour and fried them.I havnt had pollack since I was 12 in Donegal and I didnt like it then.It was ok but very bland.Anyone know a better way to cook pollack?

Cormdogg

One of my thornbacked rays. Cooked the wings,tasty but difficult,very slimy Ill be putting them all back from now on I think and a pair of spider crab,the legs were delicious but not much eating. Some crazy booze hound in bulloch yesterday told me the best meat on a ray is down the back? Is he as crazy as looked?

Degsy

Cormdogg wrote: »

the best meat on a ray is down the back? Is he as crazy as looked?

Not at all..its called Long Ray in a chipper!

Cormdogg

Ill have to research that degsy,Thanks, That wasnt you down the harbour yesterday was it?

Cormdogg

The good ship Billy Joe, 22ft Channel Islander!Nice!Anyone know where I could get a fair priced fish finder?