Kevin Lyons of Melview Lodge Guest house in Longford Ireland was guiding Mark Whiteside and Kerry Hardy from Northern Ireland last weekend around the upper river Shannon and what a few days it turned out to be for all concerned. Fly, jerk  and dead baits all produced fish.

Mark Whiteside 20lb 5oz (Pollen dead bait)
Mark Whiteside 20lb 5oz (Pollen dead bait)

The first day’s session produced fish to 16lb + and the second to 20lb+.

However the best was saved till last. Kevin tells us they started the session on the fly with the biggest fish falling to Kerry Hardy weighing in at 18lb.

An 18lb pike caught by Kevin Hardy on fly
An 18lb pike caught by Kerry Hardy on fly

They then started using dead baits from the boat and this produced fish up to 18+lb and a 20lb 5oz pike for Mark Whiteside.

Kevin Lyons 24lb 3oz ( Bull Dog)
Kevin Lyons 24lb 3oz ( Bull Dog)

While Kevin was waiting for a take on his dead bait he set up another rod and started casting around, bouncing a Bull Dog off the bottom that produced a nice fish of 24lb 3oz.

After that Kerry Hardy lost a good fish and 20 minutes later Kevin struck into sizeable pike. While unhooking the fish they found Kerry’s trace still in it’s jaws from 20 minutes earlier. We carefully took the fish to the bank for weighing,  and it came in at 32lb 8oz which is a personal best for Kevin who was over the moon and still shaking with excitement an hour later.

Kevin Lyons 32lb 8oz ( Mackerel dead bait)
Kevin Lyons 32lb 8oz ( Mackerel dead bait)

All fish were released unharmed.

Kevin Lyons
Melview Lodge
Drumlish Road, Clonrollagh, Longford, Co. Longford.
Tel : +353 (0)43-33-45061 Mobile : +353 (0)87-268-7441
Email: [email protected] Web: www.melviewlodge.com