Clew Bay / Clare Island - Shore Fishing

[JonB]

Just back from a week & a bit holiday round Clew Bay / Westport with the family. Her indoors insisted that I could no fish all the time but I did manage to sneak out now & again!

I had read loads of reports abou how good the fishing in Clew Bay was & what it may lack in quantity of fish, it certainly makes up with quality. Over five session (one 5hrs & the rest limited to 2hrs each, over three different sites), I bagged:
10 x Pollack (never bigger than 2lb)
6 x LSD all over 3.5lbs
1 x 5ft Conger (my first) &
1 x Thornback Ray (approx 8lbs) (& again my first).

I would warn anyone going to Clew Bay that it's not the easiest place to fish, nor for the fainthearted! The whole bay is rough ground & to save kit I reverted to 30lb line straight through with rotten bottoms. Most of the marks are a good walk (up to a mile) from the car parks. And if you fish Old Head, the rock platforms are 60ft + above sea level. Add to that the standard Mayo weather (horizontal rain, 30mph winds, & that's August).

However if you like a challenge it's fantastic, & if you want to feel like your the first person to fish a mark, take the ferry from Roonah Quay over to Clare Island & simply explore virgin, undocumented shores which hold tons of fish (& is where I caught the Conger in the middle of the day!).

Imanaged to fit in one boat trip, & caught loads of mackeral & Pollack, but in truth there are so many boat options that one trip can not do the place justice. I only hope that when I return next year that I can find time to do more boat work.

If anyone wants any info on Clew Bay, feel free to PM me.

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Great bit of info there -- well done on your firsts on Conger & Thornback

[Norfolkboy]

Sounds a great place to fish, well done on the catches

[pingu]

sounds a good trip there well done