Right, I'm off out to try fly fishing in the sea for the very first time.
Using my oldest rod and reel, and some newly bought saltwater flies, I'm heading for Ayr shore to give it a bash!
Probably be a disaster, but nothing ventured etc!
Any tips gratefully received!

Cheers,

Keith

Hardest thing about catching mackerel is finding them. If you find them you can catch them on any fly that's big and flashy. Keep an eye out for sprats and sand eels breaking the surface and chances are there's be mackerel underneath them. The terns and gannets are a good give away as well. If you see them diving, the fish won't be far away.

Good luck and get ready for some of the best fights you'll get on a fly rod.

Finding them is the usual problem. Seagulls diving and messing around in an area may be a clue. Deepest water you can get to has to be usefull.

I used to go out in a Currach (dodgy rowing boat full of holes) off the Connemara coast with some likely lads a few years back. In an hour we usually managed 100+. But and it's a big but-we used feathers.

I reckon it would be tough going on foot. Better to buy some feathers, sold in sets of 6, and find some deep water. Better still borrow a boat and row out. No need to go far-2-300 yds should do it.

Or abandon the Mackerel idea and go looking for Bass. Much more do-able with a fly rod because the Bass are/will be close in. The third breaker out is their territory. The wave disturbs the sandy bottom and the sand eels get tossed around, Bass snap em up. Check out Bass type lures, usually long, thin and flashy. Good time of year for that caper. They are not to fussy about what height you present the lure at either. The ideal is a surf beach-shallow with lots of breakers stretching back out to sea.

Good luck.

Chris.

Just seen above post-yep same as.

Steep, shingle beaches are really useful for bringing the Macks in close. Look for them chasing shoals of tiny fish into the shore - you'll often see loads of them stranded on the beach after they have been chased in.

Walk the shore with the fly rod and you can chase the shoals arouns, making quick casts through the shoals.

Huge fun... go as as light as you can cause the fight is superb. Often wind means you have to go heavier than you would like...but even on a #6 or #7 they are great sport... nice eating too.

Just remember, of you do happen across them, a few casts with a #8 and a bigger fly is always worth it just incase there are some Bass chasing the Macks, chasing the whitebait

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Dave Wiltshire

River Fly Box

If going for mackerel off a Ayr pier or Dunure etc. hour or so before dark when the light is starting to fail, fish come up in the water column and closer inshore. Tonight is a high tide at about 2130 or so, so should be perfect (or as good as it gets), give it a whirl but use a sinking line and fly to get down as deep as possible.

Check world sea fishing for who is catching where.

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Just My Tuppenceworth!!

Dont forget to give your tackle a good clean with fresh water or it wont be long before its kna**ared

If no joy at Ayr pier, then try at Portencross pier or the rocks around it or the red rocks north of Largs.

Dave

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Who casts, wins!

with the bass suggestions. I live in north devon and flyfish in the sea on and off, but i feel you either need super deep water close in for the maks or get out in a boat/kayak. I would love to catch them on the fly also they are steam trains. Catch them on light spinning or coarse tackle is super fun. all the best let us know how you get on

Many thanks for all the tips guys!

I got back around 8 o'clock. No joy unfortunately, but I really enjoyed the experience. It's bloody hard work, this saltwater fly fishing!

I walked out past Greenan Castle, and went out on some rocks which took me closer to deeper water. I was using Fulling Mill bass flies, mainly a sandeel type thing, which apparently is good for mackerel too.
I also had a bash in the Doon estuary, and I did see some fish moving about, but no takers.
I really enjoyed the freedom of it though, and it's free which has got to be a plus!
I'm definitely going to give it another go, and I was thinking about Irvine next time.
I've washed all of my gear, so it should hopefully be ok for the next time. Funny thing - I took my oldest rod, reel and line, which I hadn't used since I was a beginner. It's a Matt Hayes TF Gear rod, and it really is a decent wee rod. Probably the fact that I can cast it a lot better than I used to has something to do with it!

Cheers,

Keith

I go swimming along there off the rocks (some nice but small wrasse along there) and I don't think it is deep enough for the mackerel from the shore as even at the rocks it is only 1-3 m deep and for mackerel you really need 5 +.

The only place there is the rock point that goes out, if you go out to the end (you will have to swim the last 5 yards to get to the furthest rocks but only 5feet deep), the bottom depth goes to 5m + on the end of the rock shelf.

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Just My Tuppenceworth!!