n.ireland yakkers?

[baldycoup]

hi i was just wondering if there was anyone from n.ireland who uses their kayak for fishing and where if any do you do it?

 

ive been out a couple of times but im always looking to expand my horizons and as yet have only been out round the islands in strangford lough for makeral and pollock.

 

i plan to hit red bay harbour sometime out over the deep water for gurnard and codling , be nice to gain some local knowledge.

 

does anyone go out really far from the coast on their own? say to wrecks and such?

[Hake]

Hi,

 

I'm from NI and use a yak for fishing....but I live in England !

 

Since I took up the yak fishing a couple of years ago I often thought how much scope there'd be back home. You're very lucky to be there.

 

Much of the east coast from Millisle down to the end of the Ards Peninsula looks like good bass ground....very rocky, plenty of crabs, blennies, etc. As bass are caught all the way up the UK mainland coast as far as (and beyond ?) the Mull of Galloway, I don't see any reason why there shouldn't also be bass on the Irish side.

 

You mentioned Red Bay. I used to shore fish there many years ago. From memory there are plenty of spots to launch a yak, and some good fishing potential.

 

Then there's Portstewart bay...launch from the harbour. What about Portrush...harbour launch and fish out the back of Ramore Head. Or launch from Portballintrae and fish the Giants Causeway area.

 

Depending on where you live you could find somewhere to launch within a fairly short drive, regardless of wind direction. Where do you live.

 

So many places in NI to yak fish......and I'm right in the middle of England, 2 hrs drive from the nearest piece of sea

 

And don't forget the Erne system for pike, etc. And then there's Donegal...Culdaff, etc.

 

Not that I'm jealous of course !!

 

Good luck with your endaevours and keep us updated as to how you get on.....I'd like to know what I'm missing !!

[baldycoup]

hello Hake and thanks for the reply.

im just in from a day trolling round a couple of the islands in strangford lough.Yesterday i saw a couple of sea trout jumping and thought id try a few spinners trolled behind me ,unfortunatly i had no luck but the scenery was good lol.

i have fished from the shore at all the venues you mentioned and thats one of the reasons for getting the yak in the first place, to explore new places and inaccesable spots which i cant fish from the shore or rocks.

you may be right about the bass but to be honest theres only a couple of spots i know of for bass and thats castlerock and benone strand - both surf beaches. ive not heard of one ever being caught anywhere else in 20 yrs of shore fishing , but hey theres always a first time for everything. apparently the fishlife around the salmon cages in red bay is something to behold according to some divers i spoke to .they told me it was teeming with huge plaice and flounder with lots of codling there too.they reconed it must be something to do with excess food falling through and landing on the sea bed?

though i hear they dont like wee boats getting too near the cages ....wonder why? lol

 

on a different note though, i passed a group of kids in sea kayaks with an instructor and got some odd looks ,followed fifteen minutes later by some more kids in open canoes and i thought to myself ....thank goodness i bought a sit on top.the sea kayaks had no easy access storage compared to my bungeed on crate and drybag,and the canoes where painfully,almost embarrassingly slow and constantly blown in the wind.

though each to their own i guess.

 

anyway,i ended up moored amongst some seaweed watching the gulls and cormorants and hearing the odd splash of a jumping sea trout, tomorrow im bringing my flyfishing gear ....a local gent gave me a places where they frequent ...i may have more to tell tomorrow lol fingers crossed.

[Hake]

I too have never heard of bass being caught anywhere in NI other than Benone and Downhill. Still, the ground off much of the Ards Peninusla looks good for them and, since there are bass all the way up the opposite coast (Scottish side), I don't see why there shouldn't be some on the Irish side. Likely it would require some dedication and lots of effort, particularly in the summer months. I'd love to be there giving it a go !!

 

I'm from Bagor and years ago we used to use rowing boats to catch thornbacks just outside the harbour (pre Marina days) and off the back of the Long Hole. Imagine if we'd had fishing yaks back then...great craic !

[Marty Harrison]

I too have never heard of bass being caught anywhere in NI other than Benone and Downhill. Still, the ground off much of the Ards Peninusla looks good for them and, since there are bass all the way up the opposite coast (Scottish side), I don't see why there shouldn't be some on the Irish side. Likely it would require some dedication and lots of effort, particularly in the summer months. I'd love to be there giving it a go !!

 

I'm from Bagor and years ago we used to use rowing boats to catch thornbacks just outside the harbour (pre Marina days) and off the back of the Long Hole. Imagine if we'd had fishing yaks back then...great craic !

 

From bangor myself, live opposite the long hole and rem those days, i may know you hake!

 

http://kayak-angling-ireland.org/forum/index.php

 

might be worth a look.

 

Marty

Edited September 17, 2007 by Marty Harrison

[Hake]

I believe you do Marty.....in the real world I'm Mike Dodds, formerly of Bangor SAC.

 

Still lving with your folks then, on the Seacliff Road ?

 

Didn't you take up crap (sorry, carp) fishing ?

 

Have you joined the yak brigade yet ? If not, I can highly recommend it, except for the fact that all to soon you'll have loads more stuff and empty pockets !!

 

Mike

[Marty Harrison]

GOD, small world. How are you Mr Dodds?

 

Yes i took up all things freshwater fishing for quite a few years but am back seafishing again in all formats. Youll not believe me if i tell you I bumped into cliff again a few years ago too via a tench fishing club and we fish together all over the country for bass and other things now, him and another where behind getting me back into sea angling.

 

The fishing here is rubbish compared to what we had back then, only thing you still get is the billy turvey fishcake sized whiting lol. Do agree with you about the coast down the road and i do know of silver things from it and other spots you would know

 

Not got a yak yet, mate has one and ive had the pleasure of a few sessions from it. Great fun and very tempting especially for the swff.

 

Marty

[b0ogaloo]

hi i was just wondering if there was anyone from n.ireland who uses their kayak for fishing and where if any do you do it?

 

ive been out a couple of times but im always looking to expand my horizons and as yet have only been out round the islands in strangford lough for makeral and pollock.

 

i plan to hit red bay harbour sometime out over the deep water for gurnard and codling , be nice to gain some local knowledge.

 

does anyone go out really far from the coast on their own? say to wrecks and such?

 

 

Hi Baldycoup

 

Yes yes and yes

 

I live in Belfast, and regularly fish from my yak an OK Big Game

As Marty has posted check out Kayak Angling Ireland , theres a few of use there already and a lot of interest

 

Cheers

Andy

[baldycoup]

hi andy!

 

i joined the other site there and im green with envy at the cod you got lol

 

i like to get out as often as i can ,which is quite often being self employed. though only just started catching at the weekend there.

 

spent the last few weeks paddling round strangford lough islands from killinchy. trolled for sea trout but to no avail, saw a few just had no luck catching ..........

 

 

go on , tell me where i should be fishing lol you know you want to ????