Deep Sea Dingle

The good news is I have teamed up with Jimmy Flannery and his new angling boat Lantern 2.

Skippered by the experienced charter captain Tommy Russell, a man of vast knowledge in the angling world.
This will be a boost as we now can cater for groups up to 24 passengers. So come on lads and lassies the weather could not be better and the fish ‘are biting’.

Lantern II is a steel built boat with a ‘walk around’ wheelhouse and is licenced by the Dept. of the Marine for 12 passengers. Good luck to Jimmy & Tommy.
Rory.

The very 1st day of June Trevor and his Stag gang were out on a fine morning, even though it was seasonally cold the sea was calm. The water temp was low 10.5 oc, so the fishing was slow to start but picked up gradually, some of the guys never fished before.

I’m sure they had a great ‘Dingle’ night later. The following day I had a family from Australia, John Murray and family, they had a house rented in Ventry. Keen fishermen and women, it took them no time to land fish in fact the ladies had a higher catch rate than the men.
As you can see from the photo the start of the day was poor. They sent me a photo from Ventry before they had a barbi at their rented house.
The rest of the week was painting and little ‘jobs’ around the boat as the weather picked up for a few days. we had a few more short trips for the rest of the month nothing spectacular. More prep for painting while the weather held.
Next months log is much better and a lot more action as the ‘heat wave’ hit us.
Rory.

At last there was a few days of fine weather, great to be out and be able to go where we liked.
Ross and his boys were out last Friday after a good night in Ventry there were up and at it first thing Friday morning. We had no luck for a while but after a few moves we came on a few fish at Slea Head. So we drifted over the mark a few times and each time we picked up a few Pollack and even 1 Herring. While the lads were having lunch we steamed to the Wild Bank, while the wind was fresh from the north against the flood tide we had our first good drift. Pollack started to come fast and furiously for the second drift.

Fishing as you can see from the photo then became like a fishing frenzy with everyone even ignoring the mobile phone ringing, all distractions were put on hold.
The lads all Latvians were looking forward to seeing Dolphins and whales but none were around us, fishing continued.
The lads were anxious to do a little Conger fishing and we decided to head for sheltered ground on route the lack of sleep became evident as the days hauling from 70m took its toll on most of the men. I had coffee, they all slept.
We stopped again for a try at Conger but the wind was too much to anchor so we had a few drifts and one of the lads had his best fish ever on his very first day fishing.
We got back to the harbour and gutted the fish all of 120 kg of Pollack the boys took some to Ventry for dinner that night for the rest of the group and I’m sure they loved the fish.
Today was to be a painting day but the weather is not suitable so I write this report. Saturday was Cillians group and they had a Dingle night on Friday, !!! The sea was calm but rain dampened the morning, pun ? I didn’t take any photos but the boys were going back to cook the fish and out on the town again on Saturday, a stag night.
Next week more from me.
Rory.

Painting is on my list at present a ‘clean bottom’ is a great thing !

Our weather is due to improve next week and we will be out on the water as usual and I hope to have a good report for you.
Whales and Dolphins are still following us and are great to see but hard to photograph, maybe a fast camera ?
I have been asked to do some night fishing especially for Squid we had a few last year but around August. Shark will be on my list also this year. I have a few new pieces of equipment to experiment but more of that later as I need to learn to work it !
More next week,
Rory.

I mentioned Cod in the last posting and here we have young Kuba from Killarney with his Dad and friends fishing on a very ‘lumpy’ Saturday afternoon.

Tomas sent me these photos of the day he and friends were out with me. This was a great fine day no wind or swell.
We had a visit from the Common Dolphins, I have had no luck in getting a photo when they jump out of the water, but it’s great to see them so we followed them in a mile circle south of the Blasket Sound. Fishing was good again with mainly Pollack some Wrasse and even a few Herring !! Everyone said it’s too late for them but there they were ?
We had a little fun with a fine Pollack as he was being hasuled in over the hand rail on the bow the fish fell off the hook and back into the water. Luckily I had the net with the long handle near me and I Fished him back to the boat, unlucky fish, ha ha.
The great thing about fishing is that there is always something funny happening and great to have a laugh.
Sunday was a very windy day the lads were good fishers in poor conditions, if will ask them for photos for the next post.
Good fishing from Dingle 087 2213 900 don’t forget to ring !
Rory.

Sean from Ballybunion and Bernard from Brittany were out again with me on May 1st (May Day lol). The day was great fine weather at last. We travelled directly to one of my favourite marks and started slowly at first but the we came on Pollack.

The fish were not big at first but we came on a few larger ones later.
I had a few Pollack fillets for my dinner tha evening and I can say they were better than Cod. Talking about Cod, the next day the weather changed for the wost but there was light ! Next post I will have the photos.
Rory.

Last Saturday was the last day we fished in April. A nice day wind from the North cool but not more than F4. G, Tomas & friends from Latvia were with me, good fishermen all. We had information that nothing was happening near the harbour so we skipped the usual spots on our journey west and the 1st stop was at Slea Head. Nothing much at first except a large mark of Herrings again so we moved a little to the west. Now we had a bust time 1st it was Coley 3/4 per haul even 5 at one time on Mackerel feathers. Then we came on Pollack and again the were coming over the rail fast and furious.

By 11.oo in the morning the arms were getting tired so we broke to the wheelhouse for coffee.
After the break we had a visit from a pod of common dolphins who played around the boat for a while.
We moved south a few miles and the fishing was good with loads of Pollack but only 1 Cod. Seale found us and it was a game of hid and seek around the Wild Bank for a few hours. we started out for home by returning to Slea Head and more big Pollack. The days catch must have been 140 KGs.
As the fish gutters got busy on the way home we planned a shark and squid hunting trips for later in the Summer. Happy faces and full deepfreezers and I know friends will look at this !
Wednesday is the next day out so a report soon.
Rory.

Wednesday 24th April will remain in my mind as the longest spell of lay-up we had and the 1st real day fishing.
Bernard and his friends from Brittany were out with me. These guys have been coming to Ireland fishing for years and staying with friends in Killorglin. The forecast was good and we headed for Slea Head and fished around this area for a while as the wind changed from SW and settled to the north. This had a cold bite to it and after a few rain showers the day turned mild. The fishing took off to a slow start with the guys trying all different lures. I settled on 3 feathers and foul hooked a Coley. The lads then started to catch Pollack with lures like dead heads but with a long tail about 25 cm, you might be able to zoom into the photo to see the lure.

Next thing more Pollack same ‘lure’ different colour, they told me they bought them at the ferryport in France and the guy in the shop told them thst they were the best for Irish Pollack !

As we moved around south of Slea Head I came across a great mark on the sounder (Fish finder) this I had seen many times as a commercial skipper and knew it looked like a mark or shoal of Herring. I thought late April is too late for herring in Dingle Bay but we tried in the hope that it would be Mackarel, no good. We had an early lunch in the shelter of the land and then steamed south for the Wild Bank. The wind was a little fresher here but the fishing made up for it. Pollack after Pollack came up until a big fat seal appeared beside us. Nothing for it but move to the western side of the bank and again more Pollack and again a pair of seals. The French for seal is a four letter word we use here F***k, we had to use the word again and move. Everytime we started to get fish they appeared. One of the lads hooked a fish and then he got a mighty pull on the rod, he didn’t know what was happening but I figured the seal took the hooked fish and sprinted away with it, we had to break the line and f**k again. We started back to the land and again came across the large mark so I put the boat right over it and the lads started a few fine Markarel and then lo and behold Herring, what a surprise.

We had a few double Pollack hooked and landed to add to the catch.

As we steamed for Dingle the gutting crew got busy and even hungry as I know a few of the fish were going to be on the table in Killorglin that night.

I had an enjoyable day with the Bretons and Stan their Irish host but the rain came down heavy as I took the group photo.

The group pic looks a little arty but I put it in for the fun. Next week we are out again and I will bring you up to date. Great at last to have something to report.
Rory.

Hi Guys and Gals, We have been in the grip of cold weather since January. The reason for this is a High pressure area is sitting over the North Sea and it aint mooving. This brings Easterly wind to us here in the Southwest and as the old fishermen say “when the wind is from the East it is not good for man or beast but when the wind is from the West it then the fishing is at it’s best”. This old saying is true to prove I went out on St Patrick’s Day with a bunch of hardy guys from Castleisland. The fishing was difficult with the Easterly wind and we couldnt go off shore to the better ground but the lads had a god day and are to return again when the weather improves. If it ever does !!!
The wind forecast for Easter is again you guessed E 5/7.

Congrats to Davey on becoming a Daddy again.
I just stuck the photo of my old boat the Atlantic Warrior for the craic of it.
As soon as I have news I will update this site.
Rory.

Happy New Year to everyone. Not much going on at the present but I am working on a few new innovations for the new season, all will be revealed soon !! I hope this has got you thinking.
I was looking for new and old fishing marks in Dingle Bay when I came across this Happy/Sad account of an old shipwreck in Dingle Bay.Funny Sad Click on it to open the account.
Looking foreward to getting some weather for painting and getting ready for 2013 season.
Dont forget 087 2213900.

Regards & Bst Wishes,
Rory.