The end of September sees most trout and salmon anglers hang up their rods for another year. But many trout fisheries and a few salmon rivers are still open, though these too will close on October 12 and of course the best of the pike fishing is yet to come. Sea anglers also still have a lot to look forward to and many charter boats will continue to operate as long as the weather allows.

Ross and his Stone Bass
This stone bass wins Ross Macklin Catch of the Week

Bass anglers had a great week especially those on the Copper Coast. The fishing in Waterford seems to be getting better week by week and the reports we feature this week really highlight just what a super destination the area is for the roving shore angler. Porbeagles continue to feature in catches off Co. Antrim and as do blue shark outside Cork Harbour. Charter Skipper Kit Dunne had a great day last week when his father had the honour of catching his boat’s first specimen tope. But the Catch of the Week goes to Ross Macklin for his stone Bass which took a whole mackerel on a 12/0 hook intended for blue shark while fishing out of Union Hall on Joree Jade.

Salmon anglers have a new destination this October.  The Munster Blackwater has been added to the list of rivers open until October 12, on a trial basis, and a number of the fisheries (Fishhunt, Blackwater Lodge and Fort William Estate) are offering special deals on the fishing there. In general the season finished rather quietly on those rivers that closed on Sunday but there was a good run of fresh fish on the Suir and anglers on the Moy also did well. The Fane is one of those rivers that stays open until October 12 every year and fishing there is reported as fishing well with salmon to 16lb landed.

While most trout rivers and loughs have closed there is still a chance to fish for wild brown trout at venues such as Loughs Ennell, Owel, Sheelin and O’Flynn as well as some lakes and rivers in Kerry, Donegal and the East. After October 12 many will turn to rainbow trout fisheries which are fishing well at the moment.

A group of French anglers fishing in Leitrim are having some of the best fishing in their lives at the moment. The group of four had 152 pike over the first 4 days of their holiday. Some good pike fishing has also been reported on the Suck with pike to 19.5lb landed by a visiting angler from Dublin.

Coarse anglers report good tench fishing in Leitrim and Roscommon. A group of UK anglers on Lough Derg had some really exciting bream fishing and reckon they could have done even better if they had come geared to fish through the night. Andy Pollard from Gloucester won the 32nd Cootehill Fesitval which was fished by 93 anglers and despite blustery conditions early in the week that made angling difficult the total catch reached 3040kg.

Probably the best all round report we got this week was from angling guide Pat McLoughlin, who, fishing with his son, had a memorable weekend which produced 10 river pike to 17lb, 6 trout to 8ozs, 1 1lb perch and 6 salmon between 5 and 8lb one 18lber lost.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,
Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release

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Coppe Coast
Steven Neely had great bass fishing on the Copper Coast last week