By Carmel T. Madigan
The southern boundary of county Clare is that of a generally low lying Estuary coast. South Clare borders the Shannon estuary in its entirety, and the estuary 'separates' us from our county Kerry neighbours..though I am more inclined to think it binds us! (story for another day). I didn't know too much about the marine infrastructure and villages bordering the inner part of the estuary on the county Clare side, whether rod fishing was possible, and if so, what sort of fish could be caught along the edge of the estuary, bearing in mind that salinity levels are variable and dropping as one heads further up the estuary towards Limerick city. Salinity levels in estuaries vary from .5 to 3g per kilogram of water, versus open sea salinity levels ranging between 3 and 5g per kilogram of water.
Starting out with the familiar territory of Cappa Pier, I am heading eastwards to discover heretofore unknown (to me) fishing opportunities, and without a rod in sight! No, I believe I will locate the information without casting a fishing line and in any case it is low tide as I move along. The first part of the journey takes me closer and closer to the Money Point Power Station, with its own dedicated off limits port, which is owned and managed by the Shannon and Foynes Port Authority. So I motor on past towards the next port of call, Kilimer port, which is a transportation port hosting the Shannon Ferries. Shore fishing is carried on to the west of the pier and according to the information available (at Kildysert Pier) the species prevalent here are Conger eel, Dogfish, Bull Huss and Thornback Ray. These are all substantial and aggressive species to catch and I ponder whether they can be caught from the shore, especially the larger variations. The Dogfish and Bull Huss are members of the Shark family. Kilimer itself has a few shops and pubs including those at the ferry terminal.
Moving a few kilometers east of Kilimer, I arrive at the pretty, well presented pier at Knock a tiny south facing village. At the pier the signage specifically states that there is fishing for Flounder and Mullet at high tide. Flounder is a much more manageable fish. It is a flat fish that maintains a sea floor position (demersal), and it can survive very well at lower salinity levels. It can be cooked and eaten.
Moving east from Knock I am swung around Clonderalaw Bay, and somewhat away from the river view, and after some kilometers, I am turning right into the larger village of Labasheeda, which is nestled on Labasheeda Bay. It is a quiet and peaceful village, with a beautiful stone built 'St Kieran's' Church positioned right at the edge of the river, and in close proximity to the old stone build school of the same era. Both buildings have been replaced by newer buildings across the road. Labasheeda has a fascinating boating history, one that commercially plied the river Shannon to Foynes and north Kerry, several times a week, carrying goods, animals and people to and from fairs. (This requires another blog post). For now I am happy to discover from ample signage around the village, that the species of fish available in the estuary, include Flounder, Mackerel, Conger eel, Pollack, Tope, Cod, Bass, Monkfish, Ballan Wrasse and Common Skate. I can imagine that species like Mackerel and Pollock are to be found further out on the mouth of the Shannon, in faster flowing more saline waters, but I am open to correction. The fishing hotspot in this area is not at Labasheeda itself but at an inlet called Aillroe, where the fish on offer are Dogfish, Bull Huss, Thornback Ray and Conger eel. This information is not provided at Labasheeda itself but at my next 'port of call'. Labasheeda left a lasting impression and meeting a couple of proud locals helped greatly to enhance that impression.
Moving further up the road from Labasheeda, another estuary fishing hotspot presents itself just off the main Kildysert road at Shannakea. Here the shore angling on offer is the same as those at Aillroe, Conger eel, Dogfish, Bull Huss and Thornback Ray, all significantly large species with aggressive tendencies. A further few kilometers east there is Inismurray Quay, where the species on offer are the same as those at Shannakea.
Kildysert is a small town just up the road, and the last stop off point in my quest to study the shore fishing hotspots of the Shannon estuary. The pier itself has some small anchored craft and with the tide out, the sea basin is silty to sandy, just like Labasheeda and other locations visited. Here there is good signage with maps of fishing locations along the estuary to Cappa Pier together with a list of species that are prevalent at each location. This information board has been developed by the Shannon Fisheries Board. For Kildysert itself, there is fishing of Flounder and Mullet when the tide is in.
Beyond Kildysert, a few kilometers eastward there is the final hotspot, which I didn't get to visit. It is Crovraghan Pier, where Flounder, Dogfish and Bull Huss can be shore angled.
This has been a journey of discovery, along the southern banks and border of our county Clare. It brought me into direct contact with tiny villages and larger towns all embracing a maritime heritage and each eager to promote its own facilities, resources, past heritage all linked directly to the Shannon Estuary. For hobby shore anglers/fishermen, it provides a multitude of outings, as each location is tested and experienced. It provides an opportunity to introduce children to the shore, without the need to seek out the high cliffs and lively waves often associated with Atlantic coastline cliff fishing. For those who have never encountered fishing, perhaps there are opportunities for some guided shore fishing to get eager wannabe anglers started.