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[RedLeader]

Is this trip doable on sit on top double kayaks? I could prob get my hands on 15 of these at a small rental price including paddels and bouyancy aids........... 

If the wind wasn't too bad sit-ons would be fine. If you could find us somewhere to rent a few our options would open up nicely!

[666_pack]

Hi Marko I'll take you up on that offer of a lift.

[Spark]

Is this trip doable on sit on top double kayaks? I could prob get my hands on 15 of these at a small rental price including paddels and bouyancy aids........... 

If the wind wasn't too bad sit-ons would be fine. If you could find us somewhere to rent a few our options would open up nicely!

Should not be a problem to get them as long as dates are not clashing with other events that they are used for these boat are Bic 2 man sit on tops...........

[Paul]

So is this trip happening or not??

[RedLeader]

I'm still game but as the year wears on it gets harder to get the weather. Can be well choppy in Strangford Lough.

[RedLeader]

There's a potential family trip this weekend. See here for details:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=567.0

[indianian]

Hi Jonno,  was reading about this trip on SOTP,  im peterpan there,  its a nice paddle over and around the island and a night paddle is a good experience as well. just be careful of nesting birds on neighbouring islands.   an other option depending on the wind is to launch at Strangford, a little longer of a paddle but you can stay close to the shore for most of the trip..    and it may be best to take some wood to burn, incase all the dead wood around the bothy has been collected and used..

    have fun,
        Ian

[RedLeader]

Hi Jonno,  was reading about this trip on SOTP,  im peterpan there,  its a nice paddle over and around the island and a night paddle is a good experience as well. just be careful of nesting birds on neighbouring islands.   an other option depending on the wind is to launch at Strangford, a little longer of a paddle but you can stay close to the shore for most of the trip..    and it may be best to take some wood to burn, incase all the dead wood around the bothy has been collected and used..

    have fun,
        Ian

Hi Ian,

The weather looks settled but to be honest, with an 11 year old in tow, if there was any doubt about paddling from Killyleagh I'd not go just in case. I was on Salt Island a few weeks back and they had pruned slot of the trees and there was loads of wood. It was a little green then but hopefully it's died since then.

[indianian]

wish i was going,  my boats got grass growing out of it,,     but a couple more weeks i will be fixed enough to get out again..

[Damp Colin]

Action outdoors are doing a bush craft chrismas weekend over to salt island, everythings provided boats and all the cost is £100 for the two days saw it on their web site if anyones interested.

[pablo]

the trip to salt island is easy!! almost too easy lol. ok sorry im being cheeky but really theres nothing to it if you paddle from killyleigh.

a few weeks me and Boogs paddled over to fish for sea-trout at night. camped on the side of the island facing the town. weather was calm on the friday night , flat calm and we paddled round the island looking for those elusive sea-trout.
sky was clear and full of stars with little light pollution,watched a satelite way up pass by too.lovely night.

theres a report on kayakanglingireland.com with pics .

its the sort of camp youd do if you were bored some evening. you can light a fire and its free. no need for the bothy id say but it would be nice if you COULD get access to it i spose.

and dont forget your paddling safety gear .

[indianian]

Hi pablo,   i agree with you about it being an easy paddle,  though it is a handy location and wont streatch the novice too much,,  interested in some information about fishing for sea trout,,  as in do you spin or bait, and when is the best times.

    cheers
         Ian

[pablo]

hi Ian, you want to ask Boogaloo about the sea-trout mate.though i believe you might get `generalities ` regarding locations and times. these guys are fiercly secretive about things like this so that the stocks dont get wiped out by unscruplous  netters and fish-takers.

we practice catch and release,we dont even allow pics of dead fish on the kayak forum. also,flyfishing is the only way to chase em from a sporting point of view.gets all technical regarding flies,lines and rod weight.

im sure he`ll help you out to some degree though lol but i dare not betray any confidences 

[b0ogaloo]

First thing  - you need a game angling license and tags if you intend to retain any fish , I think its 16 quid .  Can never remember how much it is . at the start of every season I buy a game angling license and a DCAL angling permit . the permit covers me for the ministry waters like Woodburn , The Erne etc etc

Next - there is a season for game angling  1st March to the 31st of October  this applies anywhere you fish for Salmonoids or Trout .. seems to be a lot of confusion about sea angling for them. the season and the license applies to the sea as well . I have this in writing from the FCB


Methods - Spinning, Bait fishing or Flyfishing , spinning is without doubt the easiest way to catch a sea trout, a small silver spinner is the only one you'll need , Abu Krills used to be my favourite , Now I exclusively fly fish for everything

If bait fishing the belly strip of a mackerel or a sandeel float fished would be the most successful method

Fly fishing .. unless your a competent fly angler.. don't even go there

Locations .. . Strangford lough is full of them  the problem lies in catching them . they are hard to catch especially on the fly . anywhere that fresh water runs into the lough there'll be seatrout about

My last seven sessions have resulted in zero fish , although I had good success early on in the season

Catch and release may seem an alien concept to bushcrafters , I don't kill any fish unless its badly hooked and won't survive .  I don't eat fish anymore, its not that I don't like fish .. I do , I love it , however If I was to take Strangford lough as an example you might understand

I grew up just outside Ballynahinch. The lough was only 20 minutes drive away ..  25 years ago the lough used to be one of the best angling locations in the North of Ireland , plentiful supplies of fish and numerous species

When the trawlers moved in they decimated the place , same as Belfast Lough
The trawls destroyed the sea bed . leaving it barren like the surface of the moon  resulting in no habitat for the fish to live in.

Now the Lough is an area of special scientific interest and a no trawl zone . but its still barren and may never recover , there's still a commercial shrimp and whelk fishery, however they are not allowed to trawl and must set pots instead


The only fish you'll catch inside the lough now are Mullet , Sea Trout and the occasional flounder
As a sports angler although I could never in a lifetime catch as many fish as one trawl from a commercial . I still believe in putting them back . I get far greater pleasure watching a fish swim off than I ever would from eating it

Don't gt me wrong .. if I was in a survival situation then I would without doubt kill and eat any fish that I could catch


Andy










 

[RedLeader]

the trip to salt island is easy!! almost too easy lol. ok sorry im being cheeky but really theres nothing to it if you paddle from killyleigh.

a few weeks me and Boogs paddled over to fish for sea-trout at night. camped on the side of the island facing the town. weather was calm on the friday night , flat calm and we paddled round the island looking for those elusive sea-trout.
sky was clear and full of stars with little light pollution,watched a satelite way up pass by too.lovely night.

theres a report on kayakanglingireland.com with pics .

its the sort of camp youd do if you were bored some evening. you can light a fire and its free. no need for the bothy id say but it would be nice if you COULD get access to it i spose.

and dont forget your paddling safety gear .

It can get very windy down the lough and when it is the sea state can be quite treacherous. We've had problems getting back from Salt Island before. That was in a Canadian though.

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