Species

Pollack

The most abundant sporting fish over rocky reefs and kelp forests.

Mackerel

Arrives in massive summer shoals; vital for sport and fresh bait.

Coalfish (Glassen)

Hard-fighting predators found over deep wrecks and reefs. Glassen is the local Irish name.

Cod

A prime winter and summer target over gravel beds and mixed ground.

Haddock

Frequently caught alongside cod on sandy or muddy sea beds.

Ling

Long, aggressive predators found hiding deep inside offshore shipwrecks.

Ballan Wrasse

Colorful, powerful reef dwellers found close to coastal cliffs.

Cuckoo Wrasse

Smaller than the Ballan, but famous for its brilliant neon-blue and orange colors.

Conger Eel

Massive, powerful eels targeted at anchor over deep wrecks and rock tears.

Grey Gurnard

A common bottom-dweller that “grunts” when brought on board.

Red Gurnard

Strikingly bright red bottom fish caught on baited feathers.

Tub Gurnard

The largest and most colorful gurnard, featuring bright blue pectoral “wings.”

Pouting

A smaller member of the cod family, highly abundant over offshore structures.

Poor Cod

A tiny cod relative, frequently caught when fishing with small hooks for bait.

Whiting

Plentiful over clean ground, especially during the cooler months.

Blue Shark

The ultimate summer big-game target in deep Atlantic waters offshore.

Porbeagle Shark

A massive, powerful, cold-water shark targeted by specialist anglers.

Spurdog

A pack-hunting shark species with sharp spines, very common over mud and sand.

Lesser Spotted Dogfish

The most common small shark species on the seabed; will take almost any bait.

Greater Spotted Dogfish (Bullhuss)

A larger, nocturnal relative of the dogfish that loves rocky ground.

Thornback Ray

The most common ray, caught in shallower sandy channels behind Arranmore.

Blonde Ray

A large, beautifully patterned ray found in deeper, high-current areas.

Homelyn Ray

A smaller ray species occasionally landed on clean sand banks.

Turbot

A highly prized, flat premium sportfish targeted on the drift over clean sandbanks.

Plaice

Brightly spotted flatfish caught using colorful bead rigs over sandy bottom segments.

Flounder

Common in the shallow, sandy estuaries and bays near the coastline.

Dab

A small, abundant flatfish that eagerly takes worm and fish baits.

John Dory

An unusual, prehistoric-looking trophy fish caught occasionally in deep water.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Epic big-game fish targeted on a strictly regulated catch-and-release basis in autumn.

Tope

A sleek, hard-running shark species that provides incredible sport on light tackle in shallow bays.