In article , Herman Nijland
wrote:

introduement, here it goes - I am a Dutch fisherman, preferably fly but
quite flexible if need be. No fly purist, I like to choose the tool best
fitted for the job, but nothing beats a decent fish on a fly rod :-).

OK, you'll like Irish fishing :-)

I'll be in Courtmacsherry (West-Cork, Ireland) next spring, probably by
the end of April. I read quite a few websites so far about the fishing
possibilities, and it looks like I'll be in seafishing Mekka if
everything everybody promises is only half true :-).

Oh it's all true, the fishing can be first class but that doesn't mean it
will be easy.

Still, I can't imagine that all species listed will be available all
year round for shore fishing. I'd love to catch something on the fly
while I'm there, but honestly, I haven't got much of a clue what to go for.
I'll probably take a 8-weight flyrod, a spining rod, a carp rod and may
be a beachcaster if there's any room left.
Any tips, like what to take, what to leave home or don't waste your time
on bass because there won't be any would be most helpful.

Ignoring the beachcaster (which will catch dogfish, lots of them) and
concentrating on the lighter gear:

I usually fish a bit farther west - fo no good reason, the whole coast is
fishy. You'll need to move around a bit - finsd few rocky areas as well as
the inlets and beaches and work with the tides.

There will be bass there by then though it's not peak season. The bass will
probably be chasing sandeels but if the weather is warm the crabs may have
started to peel and the fish will concentrate on them.

The pollack will have finished spawning and there should be some close
enough to take a fly from the rocks where there is some tidal flow - you'll
want -big- flies though, 15cm is reasonable. Groundbaiting from the same
rocks will attract garfish, you can use a smaller fly for them but hooking
is tricky. If you are really keen you can try throwing a leaded prawn
imitation into deeper steep-to kelpy areas for a wrasse but you'll lose a
lot of flies.

In Courtmasherry inlet itself (or any estuary where there may be flounders) a
baited fly - use a cm of ragworm 'secret weapon' style - is worth trying as
the tide floods.

You're not far from Rosscarbury where for a small fee you can fish for trout
in the lagoon - but you are really after the cracking mullet that may feed if
the weather is hot.

The weather is going to dominate your fishing. You could get practically
anything short of sea-ice and you may go from sweltering to snow and back
again within a morning. If conditions are poor on the coast you have
several alternatives inland - The salmon will be up at Iniscarra on the Lee,
you can often get day tickets for the water below the dam just by phoning or
turning up at the hut in the morning - weekends and public holidays need
advanced booking. It's probably a bit too early for the Bandon and the
Ilen.

There are several ESB run trout fisheries in the area, mostly rainbows, the
westrn ones are usually stocked with fingerlings that are allowed to
grow-on a cheap all-fisheries ticket is available if you feel like touring.

Many of the smaller strams in the area are free brown-trout fishing (check
in the nearest pub) and if everything else fails head for Loch Hyne and fish
a small fly for joey mackerel.

Cheerio,

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