The Old Road Bridge, Ballinspittle, Kinsale

From Kinsale, take the Ballinspittle road and then the right turn towards Ballinadee. Look for another right turn towards the River Bandon and the old bridge which is sing-posted. There is ample easy parking right by the mark.

This mark is the western end of the original road bridge crossing the River Bandon. The bridge itself has long since been demolished, but there's a reef of mussel covered rock running out directly in front of the old stone bridge support where the road now ends. Fish the bank either side of this.

Bass are the main species and work the channels close in to the bank and reef itself. Cleaner ground exists above and below the reef where flounder and eels can be taken. Big mullet also work this area.

Fish a 1-3ozs bass rod with 2ozs of lead, cast down tide below the reef on a flooding tide and let the tide bounce the bait along until it rests against the edge of the reef.

Alternatively, either side of high water, try spinners or a redgill cast downtide and worked across the reef in an arc.

The preferred method though, is to float fish a live sandeel and trot this over the reef using the tidal current. This has accounted for bass well over ten pounds.

Two hook rigs with size 2 hooks cast in to the channels close in to the bank locate large flounders and eels. Float fishing with bread close in along the banks finds mullet, but you'll need to pre-bait these for the best results.

Bass show best from May through to November with September and October being the best time for big fish. Eels and mullet occur from May to September, with the flounder pretty much year round residents.

For bass, there's an advantage in fishing the spring tides, but for the eels, flounders and mullet the neaps can be just as good.

The eels, mullet and flounders take best from low water to high water and the first hour back. Bass show during the middle hour of the flood which is the peak period, but odd fish take after this until high water. Fishing on the ebb is poor.

Peeler crab can be collected along the banks and is best when ledgering for the bass, flounders and eels. Frozen, or preferably live sandeels are the top bait for float fishing, but also try a live king ragworm hooked just once through the head. Worm baits are ineffective and quickly get stripped by the crabs. Mullet take float fished bread, or small bits of mackerel flesh with the skin removed.

Where the old bridge support legs used to be the reef has built up higher leaving slightly deeper channels in between. These uplifts are seen in the surface water as big boils as the tide passes over them. Cast into these deeper water channels either side of the boils to locate the better bass.

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