Bann estuary

[weedave]

hi,

anyone ever fish the bann estuary with any success.

i fished it a few time last season with little luck, hooked a few sea trout but that was about it. needless too say none were landed. they are tricky wee buggers.

once i get liscense etc i'll be at it again this season but i am interested to find out methods others used or any success had?

i tend to go for a light rod and reel set up, 30lb braid, flourocarbon leaders and small sandeel like spinners.

i wouldnt mind trying it out for flounder too.

any info appreciated

regards
dave

[dtr1027]

Hi Dave
I used to fish the estuary with a couple of locals. We would use a paternoster rig with two hooks and a 2oz doughnut shaped sand weight and small rag or red worm. On the spinning side of things use the same paternoster rig with two small flies and small sand eel type spinner, They only use this from the summertime on. If you head up near the golf course on the left hand side at the sixth tee any of the locals should put you on a mark. The Sea Trout there are few and far between now and I don't think Bann Systems are going to do anything about it.I brought this up with one their reps at the Ulster Angling Federations AGM and didn't seem to know anything about it or what to know.
Regards
Tommy

[twitcher85]

yea dave i used to fish it wen i was a child da an uncles used to take me an r boy about 15 years ago i remember the amoust of flaties we used to catch an we would run in to the odd sea trout aswell rag worm was the best bait then but then i tried it two years ago an too b honest the fishing just aint the same. all the flaties av gone and as u say ur lucky if u catch a sea trout now. i recently asked my da why the fishing has got so poor in the bann esturey an he said its because they dredge from the barmouth to coleraine every couple of years 4 big ships to get up it. the life at he bottom dosent stand a chance. the only fish that survive r the running fish like sea trout that r constontly on the move.

[weedave]

Hi Dave
I used to fish the estuary with a couple of locals. We would use a paternoster rig with two hooks and a 2oz doughnut shaped sand weight and small rag or red worm. On the spinning side of things use the same paternoster rig with two small flies and small sand eel type spinner, They only use this from the summertime on. If you head up near the golf course on the left hand side at the sixth tee any of the locals should put you on a mark. The Sea Trout there are few and far between now and I don't think Bann Systems are going to do anything about it.I brought this up with one their reps at the Ulster Angling Federations AGM and didn't seem to know anything about it or what to know.
Regards
Tommy

thanks for the reply tommy. i did see alot of men fishing last year but never saw anyone catch, although i'd of been preoccupied with my own fishing at the time.

its s pity the bann systems men arent interested in fixing problems like that. do the quantitfy catches or anything like that to see decline in stocks?

regards
dave

dave

[weedave]

yea dave i used to fish it wen i was a child da an uncles used to take me an r boy about 15 years ago i remember the amoust of flaties we used to catch an we would run in to the odd sea trout aswell rag worm was the best bait then but then i tried it two years ago an too b honest the fishing just aint the same. all the flaties av gone and as u say ur lucky if u catch a sea trout now. i recently asked my da why the fishing has got so poor in the bann esturey an he said its because they dredge from the barmouth to coleraine every couple of years 4 big ships to get up it. the life at he bottom dosent stand a chance. the only fish that survive r the running fish like sea trout that r constontly on the move.

i have heard the fishing aint the same in numbers as in the past but then i hear rumours of fish caught etc and i'm not sure what to think these days.

i plan on giving it another bash this season to see how it pans out...you never know.

i'd have to agree with your dredgers comment, there is not alot of chance of bottom dwellers/feeders having much left after these boys have been in.

thanks for the info

regards
dave

[Big G]

hey guys

i used to fish it all the time not so much in recent years but my dad still fishes it and although the sea trout are not as plentyful as in past years their are still some their. my dad had 23 trout last year all of a good keeping size and 4 or 5 around the 2-3lbs mark. The other regular fishers also caught 10+ keepers each, most of these guys have a boat so more marks are fished. My dad also had 1 Bass of 3.5lbs caught at barneys on rag. as for rig for bait fishing most use 2 hooks a 2oz sinker, and use small red worm and/or rag worm, as for spinning most start around june/july we only use tazmainian devels for spinning for trout they come in many differant colours 6 or 7 years ago i used a orange one with black stripes and caught plenty of fish but over the last 2/3 years my dad has caught most on a red and white one nicknamed the bloody ripper. it is also posible to fly fish for them but this is a lot easier from a boat.

[weedave]

hey guys

i used to fish it all the time not so much in recent years but my dad still fishes it and although the sea trout are not as plentyful as in past years their are still some their. my dad had 23 trout last year all of a good keeping size and 4 or 5 around the 2-3lbs mark. The other regular fishers also caught 10+ keepers each, most of these guys have a boat so more marks are fished. My dad also had 1 Bass of 3.5lbs caught at barneys on rag. as for rig for bait fishing most use 2 hooks a 2oz sinker, and use small red worm and/or rag worm, as for spinning most start around june/july we only use tazmainian devels for spinning for trout they come in many differant colours 6 or 7 years ago i used a orange one with black stripes and caught plenty of fish but over the last 2/3 years my dad has caught most on a red and white one nicknamed the bloody ripper. it is also posible to fly fish for them but this is a lot easier from a boat.

thanks for that BIG G.

where are you calling barneys??

the tazmanian devels have been pointed out to me in the past so i'm glad to have that confirmed.

i'll have access to a boat too this season so i should be able to get around a bit down there.

regards

dave

[Big G]

barneys is just above the sixth tee you have a big bay between them, only problem with barneys is their is almost always quite a few people fishing their at weekend and can be hard to get a space. but if you have use of a boat you have plenty of other places to fish from the bench to the 2 islands to the coast gaurds and the hole, my personel fav is the sixth tee or the 2 islands, this is just because over the years i have caught plenty of fish at these to places.

[weedave]

is that on the portstewart side or castlrock side. i'm not up to speed with the names of these spots so i'll have to pay more attention to were they are.


would you believe i cant remember two islands. think i'll take a walk along the bank this weekend and see some spots.

[Big G]

barneys is on the port side the 2 islands is on the rock side and is only fishable from a boat. is it your own boat you have access to, i would be more than happy to head out a day with you get you back up to speed on weres were.

[weedave]

barneys is on the port side the 2 islands is on the rock side and is only fishable from a boat. is it your own boat you have access to, i would be more than happy to head out a day with you get you back up to speed on weres were.

ok i see.

its not my own boat unfortunately.

i'd really apprecitate that offer of coming out and showing us around. as soon as we plan a trip out i'll get in touch with you and hopefully we can all get out a run and see whats whats.

many thanks G

[Big G]

hey guys just thought i would let you know today was my dads first trip down the bann and with his first cast he caught a nice trout around th 1lbs mark. it was caught at barneys he was sitting with a few of the other regulars when he caught it some of whom have been down 5 or 6 times and still have no fish. i will keep you up to date on any more catches i hear about.

also i hear of 4 big trout being caught around baileys all around the 3-4lbs mark on the spinner.

[weedave]

Good to hear that G,

i had one of my own near baileys on full sandeel on thur night. decent size 1lb 3/4

must get the spinning gear out.

dave