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Discover everything to fish in Carlow

Discover the most caught species in Carlow, the techniques used, events in the area, find a fishing charter or fishing shop near you.

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N°1 | The Blackfin Snapper

The Blackfin Snapper belongs to the Lutjanidae family. Its average size is 40 cm but some individuals can reach 75 cm. The biggest blackfin snapper recorded weighted 14 kg. It has an average lifespan of 10 years old. It spawns most of the year with a peak of activity from April to September. It can be fished all year round. This snapper is similar to other members of the Lutjanidae family, as it has the same deep body and double dorsal fin. Its caudal fin is rather truncated and its pectoral fin is long. The anal fin is rounded. This snapper is often confused with the northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), but the black comma-shaped mark at the base of the pectoral fins is a distinctive feature of the black fin snapper. In addition, the blackfin snapper has a rounded anal fin that contrasts with the pointed anal fin of the red snapper. The black-finned snapper is usually red, silvery red below, with yellowish caudal, anal and pelvic fins. There is a distinct dark comma-shaped mark at the base of the pectoral fins, giving this fish its common name. Juveniles resemble adults, but have a large bright yellow area on the upper part of the caudal pendulum. The canines of the upper jaw are larger than those of the lower jaw.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 31 cm

Difficulty :

N°2 | The Sailfish

The Sailfish belongs to the Istiophoridae family. The maximum size of the sailfish is 340 cm in total length and about 100 kg. The average life span of 4 years. Spawning usually takes place in summer. It can be fished all year round. The upper jaw is modified into a long beak with a circular cross-section. The upper jaw is about twice the length of the lower jaw. Two dorsal and anal fins are present. The first dorsal fin is large, much higher than the width of the body. This large fin extends almost the entire length of the body, the longest radius being the 20th. The first anal fin is very far from the body. The second dorsal and anal fins are approximately similar in size and shape. Both are short and concave. The pectoral and pelvic fins are long. Pelvic fins are almost twice as long and almost reach the origin of the first anal fin. Pelvic fins have a spinal column and several fused soft rays. A pair of grooves extend along the ventral surface of the body into which the pelvic fins can be inserted. The caudal peduncle has double pins and caudal notches on the upper and lower surfaces. The lateral line is easily visible. The body color varies according to the level of excitement. The body is dark blue on the back and white with brown spots on the belly. About 20 bars, each composed of many light blue dots, are present on each side. The fins are generally blackish blue. The base of the anal fin is white. The first dorsal fin contains many small black spots, which are more

Fishing period : All year round

Minimum size : 160 cm

Difficulty :

N°3 | The Gafftopsail Catfish

The Gafftopsail catfish belongs to the Ariidae Family. The typical length of an adult gafftopsail catfish is about 43 cm and it has an average weight of 910 g. It has a lifetime of 5 to 8 years. They breed from May to August. It can be fished all year round. The Gafftopsail catfish are blue-grey to dark brown with a light grey belly. Its appearance is typical of a catfish, except for its deeply forked tail and poisonous, serrated spines. It also has a small hump that looks like a wave. The anal fin is white or pale blue a few centimeters from the tail, with 22-28 rays and a high anterior lobe. The pelvic fin is between 15 and 30 cm in front of the caudal fin. The Gafftopsail catfish has maxillary barbells and a pair of barbells on its chin. It resembles the hardheaded catfish, but its backbone has a distinct fleshy extension (such as a ship's fore and aft topsail).

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : no restriction

Difficulty :

N°4 | The Great Barracuda

The Great Barracuda belongs to the Sphyraenidae family. Adult specimens are generally between 60 and 100 cm long and weigh between 2.5 and 9.0 kg. It has a life span of 14 years. They are thought to spawn in the spring. It can be fished all year round. The large barracuda has a slim, streamlined body that is round in the middle. The top of the head between the eyes is almost flat and the mouth is large. It contains many large pointed teeth and a protruding lower jaw. The ends of the pectoral fins extend to the origin of the pelvic fins. The spiny and soft dorsal fins are largely separated and the double emarginated caudal fin has pale tips on each lobe. The body color of the great barracuda is brownish grey or bluish on the back and top, with a dominant greenish-green color ranging from grey to silver on the sides and a white belly. The upper surface can have between 18 and 23 dark bars, most often observed when the fish is resting or on a mixed substrate. The black spots on the lower sides of the great barracuda distinguish it from other barracuda species. The second dorsal fin, anal fin and caudal fin are purple to black with whitish tips.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 91 cm

Difficulty :

N°5 | The Weakfish

The Weakfish belongs to the Scianidae family. The weight reaches 1 m long and 9 kg of weight. It has an average life span of 12 years. It spawns from April to August. It can be fished from mid-April to the end of May, then again in August and September. Weakfish differs from other species in its genus by several meritorious characteristics: the anal fin on Weakfish has 11 or 12 soft rays, 11 to 13 gills, and the lateral line scales are between 76 and 86. In adults, the coloration of the dorsal scales is dark green and blends into the silvery underside. The coloring of the sides can range from purple, green, blue and gold spots that are usually found on the upper half of the fish. The fins are yellowish in color. The basic shape of the child's head is elongated and ends at a sharp point. The mouth is wide and oblique, with the lower jaw projecting beyond the upper jaw. The dorsal fin of fish is thorny, but the spines are flexible and usually the third or fourth spine is the longest. The anal fin is comparatively smaller than other fish in the same family as the white fish; its base ends slightly before the dorsal fin.

Fishing period : mid-April to the end of May, then again in August

Minimum size : 38 cm

Difficulty :

N°6 | The Lane Snapper

The Lane Snapper belongs to the Lutjanidae family. Lane snappers have an average length of 36 cm and a maximum length of 50 cm. Sexual maturity is achieved at lengths of 10 to 23 cm. The maximum estimated age of the snapper is 10 years. Their spawning period depends on the location. It can be fished in late spring and early summer. The snapper has a deep body and a pointed snout. It has a double dorsal fin, with a curved anal fin and short pectoral fins. The caudal fin is emarginated to slightly forked. Lane snapper has two color phases. The coloring of the deep water phase is darker and more pronounced than that of the resting phase in shallow water. The two color phases have the upper sides and the backs pink to red with a green shade. The lower sides and belly are silvered with a yellow shade. The head has 3 or 4 yellow bands from the snout to the eye, the lower jaw slightly protrudes. There are eight to ten horizontal yellow to pink stripes on their sides and three or four stripes below their anterior dorsal radius. There is a diffuse black spot under the soft part of the dorsal fin. All fins range from yellow to red.

Fishing period : late spring to early summer

Minimum size : 20 cm

Difficulty :

N°7 | The Florida Pompano

The Florida Pompano belongs to the Carangidae Family. They weigh less than 1.4 kg and are less than 43 cm long, although the largest individuals weigh between 3.6 and 4.1 kg and reach lengths of up to 66 cm. They have an average life span of 4 years. They breed from March to September. They are abundant and can be fished from October to January. Florida Pompano has an extended, oblong and flattened body with similar upper and lower profiles. They are generally silvery and turn ventrally yellow without any distinctive marks. Their fins are yellow except for their dorsal fin, which is dark. Their head has a very rounded and extensible snout. Their mouth reaches the eyes and has small conical teeth that disappear in large fish. Their anal fin has 2 detached spines, followed by a spine and 20 to 24 rays; their caudal fin has a fine base and is deeply forked; their dorsal fin has 6 strong and short spines and 22 to 27 rays; and, their pectoral fins are short. Their anal fin and soft dorsal fin have similar bases with raised but not very elongated frontal lobes. They have 5 to 7 gills on the upper part of the arch and 8 to 14 gills on the lower part of the arch. Their lateral line is straight and has no scutes. Their bodies are covered with oval scales.

Fishing period : October to January

Minimum size : 27 cm

Difficulty :

N°8 | The Spanish Mackerel

The Spanish Mackerel belongs to the Scombridae family. It has an average length of 50 to 80 cm for 3.2 kg. The maximum length recorded is 120 cm. Its maximum lifespan is about 20 years. They spawn from April to September. It is fished from March to September. Spanish mackerel has the contours of slender mackerel rather than bonito, its body being nearly 4½ at 5 times longer than depth. its two dorsal fins (like those of bonitoes) are barely separated, and secondly, because of its colorful pattern, its high slender dorsal shape and spotted sides distinguish it at first sight from our bonitoes, while its thin shape, long first dorsal fin and second dorsal fin contour distinguish it from the small tuna. Spanish mackerel is dark blue-green or blue-green above, pale below, like all Scombridae, and silvery, with many small oblong oval, dull orange or yellowish spots on its sides above the lateral line and below, which are highly diagnostic in nature. The fact that the membrane of the front third of its first dorsal fin is black, while its back part is greenish white, is also useful. The second dorsal and pectoral fins are pale yellowish with dark margins; the anal and ventral fins are white.

Fishing period : March to September

Minimum size : 30 cm

Difficulty :

N°9 | The Paddlefish

The Paddlefish belongs to the Polyodontidae family. The adult size is between 1.2 m to 1.8 m. It has a lifespan of 20 to 30 years. They spawn in April to May. It can be fished from mid-May to June. The long paddle-shaped snout of this fish represents about one-third of its total body length. The snout helps stabilize fish as they swim and also contains specialized cells that help detect swarms of plankton that this species feeds on. The skin is smooth. Small individuals are pink at the back and white at the base; for older people, around 25 à 30 cm, the body color changes to bluish grey on the back and cream on the vent. The eyes are small compared to the rest of the head and body. On the underside of the snout are two little barbells in front of a large, toothless mouth. When seen through the mouth, the gills are large and show the many closely spaced filaments that trap microscopic food. On each side, a gill cover extends backwards, ending with a long pointed flap. The skeleton is composed of cartilage rather than bone. The tip of the spine extends into the upper lobe of the heterrorcercal tail, much like a shark does.

Fishing period : mid-May to June

Minimum size : 60 cm

Difficulty :

N°10 | Wahoo

Wahoo (acanthocybium solandri) is a scombrid fish you can find in all tropical and subtropical seas. It is also known as “peto” in many Hispanic areas of the Caribbean and in Central America. A lot of sports fishermen make it a prize game fish because of its speed and high-quality flesh

Fishing period : All the year

Minimum size : No restrictions

Difficulty :

7.6

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This is a score of 1 to 10 calculated city by city according to some forty criteria affecting fishing: moon, weather conditions, atmospheric pressure, sunrise / sunset. sun, tides, swell etc .