2016 season started with super fishing – as good as ever I remember it over this past 30 years. And it stayed that way right through middle August, when after a few weeks with divers into September, the fishing had turned not so great. However, by end September and into October the fishing was reasonable.

Of note was the exceptional fishing on the Limeburner grounds for mixed species. Tory fished good for both Pollack and the sand.

Notable poor fishing was Tope, which were hard to come by at Malin Head in mid season.

Blue Sharks were OK in 2016.

Porbeagle Sharks have been effectively absent on the Blue Shark grounds during the July – October period since the Bluefin Tuna returned in 2012 and it is my belief that these occurrences are correlated.

Conger could have been better.

Wrecks a bit inconsistent and of note is the gradual transformation of HMS Audacious into a Ling wreck as the wreck continues to collapse.

Mackeral which have been very difficult since the “Mother of Red Tides” in 2012 remained scarce.

Common Skate – It is starting to look like I shall have to stop calling them Uncommon Skate.

Bluefin Tuna, for the 4th year, have been extremely plentiful with early sightings in first week of August and assume they will remain into December as previous years. Anyone wishing to avail of my emailed reports on BFT (Tuna Enews) – just email me for inclusion on the report elist.

Rosguill ended up with 34 different species for the year – down a little, but since I now have quite a proportion of days diving, that accounts for the deficit.

I look forward to 2017 with curiosity & interest.