Schull, Ballydehob and the Mizen Penninsula

Schull is very popular with the tourists. While the shore angling is mostly limited to rock fishing for common species such as pollack, mackerel and dogfish, it is a great place to catch bull huss from the land. Ray are also commonly caught, and these are characteristic of angling in Schull and the Mizen penninsula.

As far as surf fishing is concerned, Barleycove is the place to go. This is a huge, gently sloping surf beach with more than just bass and flounder being caught. Dabs, plaice, codling, ray, and a number of other species can be caught from this beach. Ballyrisode beach is not as big, and probably not as productive.

There is some very good shore angling to be found in Crookhaven, in a lot of small coves and inlets. Galley cove is a typical example, where conger, bull huss, ray, codling, pollack, coalfish, bass and flats can all be caught in one place. The rockier areas are likely to hold wrasse.

There are not as many places for bass fishing as there are farther east, but they can still be found all along the penninsula. If you like big conger from the shore, go to Goleen pier. Full of cracks and crevices, with fish guts being discarded regularly, it is a paradise for big eels, and probably the best pier in West Cork to get them.

Sea fishing in Ballydehob is not very interesting, but you can get flounder, bass and sea trout in a few muddy or sandier areas, and pollack and mackerel from the rocks. Lugworm, mackerel and crab are the best baits, and all of these can be found fairly easily in the area.