Dugort Pier, Achill Island, Co Mayo

A small pier with enough room on the end for just two anglers to fish from. There are patches of weed that can claim the odd set of end gear, but it's mostly clean sand, especially at range. It faces roughly north and is sheltered from the worst of the prevailing Atlantic winds, making it fishable when many other marks are too rough.

It fishes best at night, as it's relatively shallow, but can produce well, especially if there is a touch of north in the wind to lump the sea up.

SPECIES
Summer months are good for plaice, dabs, dogfish, gurnards, turbot, huss, rays and garfish. Winter sees coalfish, codling, dabs, dogfish and whiting. Huss occasionally show too.

BEST BAITS
Ragworm or lug is the top place bait fished with a tippet of squid. Worm baits tipped with mackerel or sandeel are good for the dabs and whiting, with mackerel strips or sandeel taking the rays, gurnards, turbot and huss. Codling and coalfish go for lug tipped with mussel.

TACKLE
Standard 5-6oz rods with 15 to 18lb mainline and a 60lb shock leader are ideal. Use grip leads as there can be a left to right tide run during the bigger spring tides.

Top rigs are three hook flappers close in for the flatties and coalfish, but go for a one up, one down rig at range for the bigger flats, turbot, gurnards and codling. To target the rays, use a one-hook clipped down rig with a 2/0 to 3/0 pennel hook rig. A wishbone rig with beads and sequins is very effective for the plaice, especially if you add a small spinner blade between the beads.

GETTING THERE
Take the R319 from Mulraney on to Achill Island. Stay on the R319 past Cashel, then take the right turn at Bunacurry for Bulls Mouth and Dugort, which is signposted from here. You can also stay on the R319 heading on for Keel, then take the right turn just before Lough Annascaddy for Dugort. You can park just above the pier, but leave room for other vehicle access.