Offshore Fishing in and near Ballybunion

Halpin's Shooting & Fishing

Based on the River Feale, Halpin's stocks a full range of fishing equipment. They can arrange all fishing licenses, supply lures and flies specific to all western localities and, as fishermen, boast great knowledge of the area. ... more

Ireland's spectacular coastline is the ideal place to make a great catch. As it is a nation completely surrounded by sea, it comes as no surprise that one of the main industries in Ireland is fishing. Fish make up a staple part of Irish Cuisine and many people enjoy eating what they catch. Dozens of fishing charter companies operate around the country allowing you to take part in this vital part of Irish life.

Deep sea or offshore fishing in Ireland is a wonderful experience for a keen angler as you can catch everything from conger and cod to rays and sharks. The Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Ireland is particularly rich in a variety of fish species.

Cork Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world, and is the ideal place to set out on an offshore fishing trip. There are several charter companies operating from the harbour, including Boy Dylan Charters, Angling Charters and Chieftain Charters, all of which take anglers to the most rewarding marks around rocks, reefs and wrecks.

One of the major advantages of the site is the fact that if the weather is not conducive to fishing on the open sea, there are plenty of excellent marks within the sheltered harbour itself. Fish that are often caught around the Cork coastline include cod, ling, pollack, rays, whiting and conger. Shark fishing is also possible in the region in late summer.

For the real angling enthusiast, Whispering Pines offers a seven night angling holiday. They will take visiting fisherman out each day for some fantastic offshore fishing around Cork Harbour, before heading back to the mainland in the evening. The charter boat's skippers also offer instruction to less experienced anglers.

The area around Youghal, in County Cork, provides some fantastic sport, as it benefits from the warm Gulf Stream. Wreck fishing is especially popular here, as there are over 30 wrecked vessels around Youghal Harbour, most dating from the two World Wars. The Sea Hunter charter boat travels out to many of these wrecks, several of which are underfished, and are teeming with a diversity of fish species. The charter company operates on a catch and release policy, so as to preserve the fish populations of the region. Blue Shark and Porbeagle (a rare shark species) are also fished around Youghal from July to September.

Charters are also available around Dungarvan, near Youghal, and typical catches in the area include conger, ling, pollack, cod and coalfish. Dungarvan is also one the centres of blue shark angling in Ireland during the summer months.

Galway Bay is a fishing hotspot, with several charter companies taking advantage of the conger, ling, pollack and cod that thrive around the coast. Galway Bay Safaris takes anglers out off the beautiful Connemara Peninsula, and a rewarding aspect of this fishing charter is that they have connections with a famous seafood restaurant, so you can have your spectacular catch expertly cooked and can eat it that same evening.

Carrigaholt Harbour near Kilkee is situated in the Shannon estuary, providing brilliant fishing in all weather conditions. Ray, conger, bass, dogfish and tope are just a few of the diverse species you can expect to catch around the harbour. The end of the harbour's peninsula provides some especially great catches: anglers have been known to land up to twenty species in one day! These include blue shark and large skate. A charter company, Fish and Stay, can take you out to the best marks off Kilkee's coastline.

Most fishing charter companies hire out rods and tackle and provide bait. You don't even have to be an experienced angler, as there are often expert skippers and instructors on hand to help you with the intricacies of casting and reeling. All you need to bring is a desire to experience the excitement of landing a massive fish in the middle of the deep blue ocean.