Mackerel

ferret man

i was at rathmullen this last week or s and everyone getting them wa wondering if there was anywhere near rathmullan or buncrana

meanmachine3

heres a link from a post i did last year
http://www.fishingireland.net/fishing/sea/dublin/index.htm
you'll find the numbers for bullock and coliemore there. as far as i know theres two different people that operate boats out of bullock ,the best one would be monica smyth by far.
these were her rates last year. i just copied my quote from a previous thread from last year.
"just got of the phone to monica and the rates are as follows:
€20 per hour fishing
and
€30 per hour sightseeing".
i dont know what her prices are this year.
if the weather stays like this for the summer advance booking would be essential

Diageio_Man

Just back from bullock harbour there again and there was'nt much happening,a couple of macks and a nice big whiting. just cooked up the whiting there and it was dam tasty.

jister

The blue pool is coughing them up nicely at the moment. Gotta say that place is like paradise on a nice evening as the sun goes down over the Atlantic. Lads all along the top and bottom ridges toiling away.

Tinytony

I'd love to give fishing for macks a go. The nearest place I could get to would be the Shannon Estuary. Anybody know if they come in that far?

meanmachine3

spent about 4 hours fishing at the very top of the west pier in dunlaoighre not much biting. i didn't even get a sniff there was only about 6 fish caught during my time there. bout 4 macks ,one doggie and a tiny whiting. i have'nt been down that way in years but i was amazed with the amount of F.N.'s there. for those looking for bait and gear out that way there's a bike shop just of the main street that does fishing gear and bait. rag was €3 for 10.
ohhhh one final word. i got burnt to a ****ing crisp out there today. please use plenty of sun block when fishing folks. i only realised how bad i was when i got home. damn i could fry an egg on my forehead it's that hot.

shamwari

A pal of mine was fishing off Howth in a boat one evening last week. They were catching mackerel to beat the band using feathers.

Mark#1

Spent a couple of hours last night on the north beach in Skerries, after asking a couple of guys on the pier if they were having any luck (they weren't).

Used spinners and feathers, but nothing. There were a few other guys along the beach too, but nobody got a sniff.

There were a handful of birds diving, so I thought there might be some action, but there was also a big seal cruising around.

I wonder if the seal was there becauses there were mackerel there, albeit just a few?


Mark

Balfey1972

Just in from off Rush Harbour. We left about 7 and back in about 9. Nothing happening with 4 rods. We were off lambay for a while. headed back into towards rush and caught 3 big ones on the one line off the north beach. Was a great fight with the three of them on it. We caught 11 last Saturday evening and 12 the sunday before. These were great size. just as much on the 3 fillets in weight as the 11 were from last week. Hopefully they will be a little more plentiful in the coming weeks.

2 cooking as I type. mmmm.

ps. all bar 2 over the last few outings caught on the one rod. Using the hoki mackeral feathers. They are highly recommended.

Táck

just back from loughshinney. northing. seen 3 rats.

flynner08

was down in dun laoghaire west pier yesterday but was pretty dead only 4 mackeral caught within about 4 hours out of about 15 people (1 chap gettin 3 of them) but then about quarter to ten i packed up nd started to walk home wen everyone started to run along the pier because a school came in all together so set up quick and reeled in two decent sizes on the one line but line snapped on the next cast so just packed up happy wit gettin something.....

Táck

yeah we've been in howth a good bit of late and there does definetly be a window of opportunity when you get a few. well, the lads do. i dont haha

kajo

Hi,

Is it common to find white thread type worms in the flesh of mackerel?
I know these can be found in cod and dont cause you any harm but its put me right off eating mackerel.

Anybody else pick up on this?

Thanks.

Balfey1972

http://newsweaver.ie/fsai/e_article001298981.cfm?x=b11,0,w

check out for here re Cod Worms. Was going to post part of the article but it you are any way squimish you won't love those macks as much.

kajo

Thanks that was a good read.... i feel a little sick now but i did ask so thanks

smurfy999

kajo wrote: »

Hi,

Is it common to find white thread type worms in the flesh of mackerel?
I know these can be found in cod and don't cause you any harm but its put me right off eating mackerel.

Anybody else pick up on this?

Thanks.

ye , i found a couple last week. caught them from east pier at dun laoghaire. fed them to my tropical fish ! they were torn apart so hope they don't infect my fish . if only i had seen the link explaining all.

dun laoghaire piers are fishing well on the incoming tide. most fish taking at a good distance and letting the feathers hit bottom before retrieving with the odd jerk. i find 15 pound line with a thin diameter gives a decent cast along with 2 ounce weight.remembering to keep your reel full to with in 2 mm of the rim with line ' which is hard as the boats tend to drive a bit close to the east pier cutting my line on several occasions' but its to be expected when your casting nearly a 100 meters in a good day. i use a 2 3/4 test cure pike rod for my spinning .getting good results in the past few weeks on the sure catch cheap feathers 1.50 in decent shops . the long ones work best they are about 50mm long in luminous colours with a few flashy hair's in them . they resemble sand eels which there are plenty of on the sand banks around dun laoghaire.working o my homemade version of them at the mo . bit of bright coloured pound shop wig. a few strands of crystal flash whipped around a size 4 shiny hook drop of glue and bobs your uncle , Sally's your aunt . mackerel in the pan!

Kevvv

smurfy999 wrote: »

ye , i found a couple last week. caught them from east pier at dun laoghaire. fed them to my tropical fish ! they were torn apart so hope they don't infect my fish . if only i had seen the link explaining all.

dun laoghaire piers are fishing well on the incoming tide. most fish taking at a good distance and letting the feathers hit bottom before retrieving with the odd jerk. i find 15 pound line with a thin diameter gives a decent cast along with 2 ounce weight.remembering to keep your reel full to with in 2 mm of the rim with line ' which is hard as the boats tend to drive a bit close to the east pier cutting my line on several occasions' but its to be expected when your casting nearly a 100 meters in a good day. i use a 2 3/4 test cure pike rod for my spinning .getting good results in the past few weeks on the sure catch cheap feathers 1.50 in decent shops . the long ones work best they are about 50mm long in luminous colours with a few flashy hair's in them . they resemble sand eels which there are plenty of on the sand banks around dun laoghaire.working o my homemade version of them at the mo . bit of bright coloured pound shop wig. a few strands of crystal flash whipped around a size 4 shiny hook drop of glue and bobs your uncle , Sally's your aunt . mackerel in the pan!

Why not just put on put on a 4 or 5oz weight and cast double that ?
Was fishing Howth the other day myself with 4oz weights and casting double what everyone else was straight out into a big swell.

smurfy999

Kevvv wrote: »

Why not just put on put on a 4 or 5oz weight and cast double that ?
Was fishing Howth the other day myself with 4oz weights and casting double what everyone else was straight out into a big swell.

this is true if your using heavier line and a beach caster. my pike rod is flexible and light and this set up allows me to fish all day with no complaints. also when you do hook into a few fish there is a bit of sport playing them in . i find heavy set ups a drain. waist of lead when you lose it. i use 5 oz weight when I'm beach fishing when i want to hold bottom on a ruff day.

Kevvv

smurfy999 wrote: »

this is true if your using heavier line and a beach caster. my pike rod is flexible and light and this set up allows me to fish all day with no complaints. also when you do hook into a few fish there is a bit of sport playing them in . i find heavy set ups a drain. waist of lead when you lose it. i use 5 oz weight when I'm beach fishing when i want to hold bottom on a ruff day.

Maybe i should try that then cause iv never experienced a fight from mackerel not even on a light spinning rod :rolleyes:

smurfy999

Kevvv wrote: »

Maybe i should try that then cause iv never experienced a fight from mackerel not even on a light spinning rod :rolleyes:

try it with 8 pound line and a two feather rig 2 oz weight . two macherel decent macherel will make a show of you. 5 oz weght plays the fish out for you . i'd be supprized you even know when you have a fish on

Kevvv

smurfy999 wrote: »

try it with 8 pound line and a two feather rig 2 oz weight . two macherel decent macherel will make a show of you. 5 oz weght plays the fish out for you . i'd be supprized you even know when you have a fish on

You sure feel it when you have 6 fish hooked I have some 10lb lying around for my spinning rod will give it a go... You wouldnt happen to know wheres good for spinning for mack or pollock would you ?

snomsnom

Was in Slade Co.Wexford for high tide yesterday evening - maybe five or six others fishing with feathers. Nobody caught any mackerel. There was a few pollock being caught off ragworm.

snomsnom

Fished off the beach at Rostoonstown Co. Wexford at high tide yesterday. Plenty of other people beachcasting as well as bait fishing for bass etc there. Nobody caught anything!! Sprats were in however as the birds were feeding off them in the breakers... but sadly nothing else.

WinstonSmith

any news of any being caught in greenore in louth lads?

Running Bing

Headed out to Dun Laoighre (sp?) last Friday and it was pretty miserable. Using feathers for Mackerel, and threw out another rod with a single 1/0 just looking for a few doggies or whatever. Not a bite:(

Picked a bad spot too and lost a bit of gear:mad: (although in fairness I was too lazy to move so thats my own fault:P).

Fast losing faith in the sea fishing though, I mean is there anything out there? It just seems like blank trip after blank trip. This was the first time I went seafishing in a long time (since last summer) and I wont be rushing back. Really lost my appetite for it the last few years:(

hitman_

Any MACKS moving in North Dublin/Louth - Howth, Balbriggan, Clougher Head. I fish most of the north east coast from time to time.
Kids want to do a bit of mack haulin'.
Thanks guys.

Táck

still macks in howth lads, dont think anyone read or believes me. more pollock though in fairness.

while i have your attention, we were out there wednesday and we caught this fish that was about 9/10 inches long. more like a small snake then a fish. went limp as soon as it came in. about 3cm in diameter. what was it? looked like an eel. hardly much eel out howth pier??

stevenmu

Sounds kind of like a garfish?

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/fish%20-%20garfish.htm

(better image: http://www.valentiaislandseaangling.com/Neil%20McIlhagga%20with%20Garfish.jpg)

Táck

cheers, twas similar but only or so an inch either side of my palm.

went limp immeadiatly. but wasnt dead.

admiralofthefleet

was meant to get out to lambay today but couldnt because the weather got up:mad: