Surprised there hasn't been a thread on this so far.
Anyway mostly into the pike fishing myself but will try catch anything. Happy enough to whip out any of the regular coarse fish around. Love a brown trout on the worm or spinner as well but haven't ever taken up the fly fishing.
What do ye be at lads?
I spent many hours as a pup either on the river or the lake trying and failing to land monsters. Never caught a salmon.
Back then it was perch and pike.
Just a few months ago I got back into with a lad from work.
He is one of those that has a rod for everyday of the week and them some.
It's all shore fishing so far for pollock and gar fish. They fight like demons and come back for more.
It feels like recently I have spent a fortune on lures.
Just got a new rod for fresh water fishing and a killer new reel for my saltwater set up.
It's such a buzz when one of those big pollack takes a bite and bittersweet when they get away.
My kids were thrilled the first afternoon I brought dinner home fresh from the sea.
It's great craic and it's time out in the fresh air.
I never caught anything out of the sea yet. Have tried throwing in a lure off the rocks on occasion but to no avail. Tbf that's generally what happens when one hasn't a notion of what they're doing so I was never disappointed either. Looking forward to grabbing a trout or 2 in march because I can actually catch those.
As you say it's the whole being out trying is the best part of the whole exercise. How many people I've met over the years who couldn't understand going fishing at all when there's a chance one might catch nothing but I can't even explain it to them why I'd do that
That's it exactly.
There is always the anticipation of " this is the cast" or the one more cast thing we always do.
The spot I go to is quite good on all levels. Accessibility, shelter, scenery etc.
My goal is to land a bass in the upcoming sessions.
I love the conditions that each different local "expert" attaches to their success.
Have gone out on Clew Bay a few times when I was younger. Reefing 5 mackerel out at a time and cooking them on the boat. Savage. Not much fishing involved though.
Have done bits and pieces of river and lake but not in recent years. Keep meaning to get back into it. Soon.
Quote from: Circlepit on December 30, 2022, 08:29:06 AMThat's it exactly.
There is always the anticipation of " this is the cast" or the one more cast thing we always do.
The spot I go to is quite good on all levels. Accessibility, shelter, scenery etc.
My goal is to land a bass in the upcoming sessions.
I love the conditions that each different local "expert" attaches to their success.
Does be fierce hard to go home at times!
The last time we were out we just got back as the school bus was pulling away and my kids about to give out.
There are far worse reasons to be late.
Quote from: Circlepit on December 31, 2022, 04:24:07 PMThere are far worse reasons to be late.
As I know only too well... :-[
Resurrecting an old thread here. I did a lot of coarse fishing before the kids came along. I've decided to get back into it again for a bit of headspace more than anything. I've never tried fishing for pike so I'm going to give it a go on Blessington Lake in the next week or two. Has anyone here ever pike fished there?
It took a re-read of the thread title there.
My two young lads have me absolutely plagued for fishing any time it's bright enough and it's brilliant even though we hardly ever catch anything.
It has gotten them away from the telly and PlayStation for months now other than to watch fishing videos on YouTube. Long may it continue :)
Have they tried fishing in Red Dead Redemption 2?? :laugh:
Quote from: Born of Fire on November 14, 2025, 01:23:57 PMHave they tried fishing in Red Dead Redemption 2?? :laugh:
:laugh: :laugh:
Man you're after giving me an idea here. I have that game and all!
I had mixed season this year.
One afternoon my daughter was landing pollock and mackerel like they were part of a death cult.
I was a small bit up the shoreline and my son was a few feet past me.
We didn't catch anything, she maintained is was because she was asking them nicely.
I had one whopper day on a small boat just by Sherkin pier - just off Baltimore.
It was nearly every second cast.
I'm felt like some sort of demigod.
Most others days were only ok.
Still though I stand by the point that it's brilliant when you get that hit/tug.
Been out an awful lot this year with the young lads and have had a decent run at it. Lots of good Pike Tench Bream Rudd etc.
On a mission with the lads to catch one of every freshwater species on the island and we managed a stickleback on rod and line and all, which to me was the achievement of the year.
Anyone else out doing a bit at all?
Not been out as much as I'd like but have had some very big tench and some pretty decent pike too. I took the plunge and bought a boat this year too for a bargain and while it has a few bits needed to tidy it up to a standard I'm happy with, I'm looking forward to getting lots more use of it in the coming months.
Ah unreal man, a boat! That's class. Was fishing this evening at Lough Derg and thinking about what a boat would do for us. Are you near a good stretch of water for it?
I miss fishing...
And I actually own a boat/ship....
Must rectify that....
Quote from: astfgyl on August 16, 2026, 12:39:40 AMAh unreal man, a boat! That's class. Was fishing this evening at Lough Derg and thinking about what a boat would do for us. Are you near a good stretch of water for it?
We're a few miles out from Mullingar so have a huge amount of choice. Lough Owel, Ennell, Derravaragh, Iron and the river Inny all within 10 or so miles
Ah lovely. I was passing that way lately heading from Drogheda to Sligo and I noticed a fair bit of water on the map around Mullingar indeed. Any recs for a day trip for a fella with no boat and 2 eleven year olds in tow? Tench pike perch etc not fussed about trout unless they'll fall onto a spinner.
In Tipp myself and we wouldn't exactly be spoiled for choice. There's 2 small sized coarse lakes near me but the oxygen levels are very low with the weather and there's not the best of action the last 3 or 4 weeks
I have a rod there but haven't been at it at all in years. And as for the fishing lol
:laugh: :laugh: you knob
:laugh:
Quote from: astfgyl on August 16, 2026, 09:11:40 AMAh lovely. I was passing that way lately heading from Drogheda to Sligo and I noticed a fair bit of water on the map around Mullingar indeed. Any recs for a day trip for a fella with no boat and 2 eleven year olds in tow? Tench pike perch etc not fussed about trout unless they'll fall onto a spinner.
In Tipp myself and we wouldn't exactly be spoiled for choice. There's 2 small sized coarse lakes near me but the oxygen levels are very low with the weather and there's not the best of action the last 3 or 4 weeks
The canal around Mullingar is as good a place as any for easy access and good stocks of rudd, roach, perch and some very good sized tench. It's accessible pretty much anywhere. A few stray carp in there top allegedly although I've never caught them.
Currently in Birr Co Offaly here and it's pissing rain so out came the mepps size 2 and a lovely brown trout on the first cast.
And my god did we need a bit of rain, the rivers are in an awful condition
Where is the fishing in Birr? Hardly the castle grounds but I can't imagine elsewhere there is a spot. (I do like that woods though and go there once or twice a year for a stroll of it)
There's a grand river in the middle of the town there, right beside Supermacs if you're coming from the roscrea direction. If you go in and park behind the Top garage on the right there's a lovely stretch there absolutely teeming with trout.
Moved on from there to buy a few bits in wildhunter in athlone and stopped at the canal near Ferbane and the boy caught a nice little pike after about three casts.
Grand job and it's still lashing so I picked up a large tub of vermes in anticipation of even the lightest hint of a colour coming on the river.
Got a few more mepps size 2 in various colours as well because the pike and the perch will hop off those as well as the trout.
Both the pike and the trout today were caught with a garish luminous yellow and green size 2 in two different spots
IMG_20260827_141227.jpg
IMG_20260827_163305.jpg
It's a little bit Facebook putting up the pics of what are very very ordinary catches but it's a fishing thread and I think it might be cool if we throw up a few pics on it so if any of ye have any nice ones I'd like to see them
Another one for the luminous mepps size 2
A roach caught as well now so that's a good round of species, albeit no specimens but still a grand oul day at it.
Myself and the young lads are on a mission to catch every freshwater species on the island.
So far we have
Perch
Pike
Trout
Rudd
Roach
Bream
Mirror Carp
Common Carp
Minnow
Stickleback
Dace
I feel like there's one more but I can't remember.
The one rule is that it must be rod and line so with the minnow and stickleback out of the way I think we are in good stead
How the fuck did ye catch a stickleback with a rod and a line? :laugh: Sisyphean task. Any tench?
That's a grand pike. I know the river now I just always drive over it on the way through and pay no heed. I have the rod there but need some bits for it, might see can I get somewhere near here for a few casts of an early morning or evening before they get darker. Often see lads fishing on the quays here but I imagine it is for car doors or traffic cones or similar shit.
Man the stickleback was like the most amazing thing that never happens and of course we weren't targeting those
The most enjoyable time ever fishing was fishing form the shire for pollock and a few gar fish formed up with their " I'll fight any man" type attitude.
They are so rowdy it's brilliant.
As it stands I've yet to go fishing this year.
Shitballs.