Had my 1st few sea trout from the sea pool below the old bridge.
It was whilst over the water in July and I have been trying on and off for nearly 10 years for one.
Anyone else fished it and anyone get anything regularly out of the bay.
I know a lot of guys go out to the narrows under the shooting ranges, but thats another 15 minutes driving when i can fish instead.
I have seen Salmon in the pool and has any one had 1 out?
I mimmicked the fry that were in large shoals in the pool , used a Cascade size 10. had 3 sea trout of about 2lbs each, got broken twice and missed a lot of tugs. All this during the day, fantastic sport. i saw a couple of large salmon jumping in the pool but as usual they were where i wasn't.
Be interesting to see what anyone else has to say about what is my favourite fishing spot.
oh yes - happy new year and tight lines.

Hello there, your post certainly brought back memories of fishing in that magical estuary. The brown trout in that little stream above the little bridge were second to none and suprisingly good ones. We caught sea trout on sandeel dug from the coarse sand at the mouth of the estuary and when we ran out we used slices of sea trout belly to carry on catching. I never saw a salmon there but did see them jumping further down the estuary, at times the mullet were there in big numbers. A lovely place and fantastic memories of that and exploring the Spelga Dam complex of lakes and the others in the Mourne mountains. Great times. TC

Used to fish it all the time.

I think the secret is to fish small flies on it. Never had any big fish, but plenty about a 1lb.

Never had a salmon, but always saw plenty moving.

It's an interesting spot to fish.

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Yep the views seem to make it for me. oh and the fact that its free.
I only get to go over a couple of times a year and manageing to get some time away from the wife and inlaws is great. It fishes best at low tide but if you hit it at high water there are all the mullet with their arses in the air. Not got one yet but watching them bow wave away sure helps the hours go by.
I used to fish the Shimna in Newcastle but the prices went up and if I'm not gonna catch anything I would rather it was free in the tidal water.
If anyone fancys a great day in the salt then this is the place.

Haven't fished it in a while, but Ryan's correct, small flies work well in the Bay - TBS, Sailor Butcher and Watson's in size 8 always did well for me. The only exception would be any fly representing a small sand eel - Elver Fly and Parson Tom were brilliant at times. Lots of the guys I met there were experts with a free-lined natural sand eel. The 2 hours either side of low water was best for me. There was always a lot of floating seaweed around high water which screwed up the flyfishing.

I had several run-ins with the Redcaps, who got very exercised if you sneaked along the shoreline below the ranges when the red flags were up, indicating live firing I understand that the access road from the Commons Road is now permanently blocked.

Some very large autumn salmon would run the Moneycarragh, I've seen them to 20lb+ although most of those fell to the cleek rather than the rod The Maghera River estuary below the 12 Arches Bridge is best if you're chasing mullet although I've never actually landed one - foul-hooked a couple mind Maybe I'll have a trip down to The Bay again next season

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Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once - Lee Wulff

How close to the rivers can you fish before it becomes angling club property?

Also is the council car park at the seven arches still free fishing?

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Thats a box i need to ticket in 2012.
Salt water sea trout, i have a trip already planned

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Also another thought can you fish at the road bridge on the nature reserve side of the corrig river? (I think thats the name)

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You can still drive along the beach behind the camp I think.

I wouldn't try it, unless youre in a 4 x 4. Had an interesting day trying to dig a Fiat Punto out of the sand as the tide was coming in.

The fish are in really shallow water sometimes, less than 6 inches.

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Not a lot of the Moneycarragh can be fished free. The main road is the boundary, but there is a good deep pool there that screams "worm". I have seen a couple of nice sea trout lying in the depths but couldn't get down to them with a fly. Back casting is also challanging.
There is a small carpark on the Keel rd that i use (5 cars max) but as far as I know all the council car parks are free.
There are still people driving under the ranges to fish the narrows but you would need a 4x4. I walked it once and it is a long way.
If your a national trust member i beleive you can use the Murlough car park in the nature reserve.