Another photo of Stephen and his incredible smoothhound
Stephen Colgan and his 21lb 3oz smoothhound. A record breaking fish and Catch of the Week.

Anglers have enjoyed some super fishing in past week in Ireland just before the huge low pressure weather systems hit the country this week.  This has certainly changed things particularly for freshwater anglers in the next few days but I am sure salmon anglers won’t mind having some floods bringing bigger runs of salmon and sea trout into rivers and loughs throughout the country.

The mayfly season is coming to an end on most trout fisheries but there is some spent fishing on some loughs.  There was some wonderful fishing particularly in the evenings on Emy Lough in Co. Monaghan. A group of Ladies enjoyed the fly fishing in Lough Ashling near Edenderry.  Down south, there were reports of good trout fishing coming to the nymph and dry fly on the Suir and the Anner.  The midland trout loughs are fishing well and there was mesmerizing mayflies still hatching on Lough Sheelin.  On Lough Owel, Trout were feeding on fry, hard on the shallows.  Regular visitor, Bill Holmes had terrific trout fishing on Lough Ree fishing with angling guide, Marc O’Regan.  In the west, Lough Corrib was quieter after the Mayfly season.  Over on Lough Arrow, Murrough patterns were working on Lough Arrow, while dry Wulffs were producing trout on Conn and Cullin.  THE annual All-Ireland Trout Angling Competition for anglers with special needs took place at Loch an Dochais, near Kilcormac and anglers netted 35 trout on the day.  Up north, Buzzers and dry flies were best for the good rainbows at the Cashel Trout Fishery.

There were reports of some salmon and sea trout fishing on the River Slaney. A fine 12 lb. salmon was the highlight of improving salmon fishing on the Cork Blackwater at the Ballyvolane House Fishery. There was a good start to the week for two anglers catching salmon at Fort William Fishery. At Blackwater Lodge, a lovely 10.3 lb. fish for Jim Shanahan as the Munster Blackwater fishes well on all beats. On the River Lee, a total of 30 fish were caught in the past week.  There was some good fishing on the River Bandon also. There was plenty of salmon and sea trout action on Lough Currane.  Nearby, Bass angling guide, John Quinlan took his guests for a spot of fishing of sea trout on the River Inny during the close season for bass. There was great salmon fishing reported at the Galway Fishery.  Salmon fishing is improving on the Erriff and Kylemore Fishery and at Lough Inagh. Delphi needs the rain to raise the river and draw the springers and grilse into the system. Salmon were slow to take on Lough Beltra & Newport River this week.  It was a Red “letter week” for anglers on Carrowmore Lake where some incredible salmon fishing was enjoyed by many anglers.  It was also the best week so far on the River Moy where 242 fish were recorded for the week. 67salmon were reported on the Ballisodare River.

Young anglers enjoyed professional tuition on coarse angling at Brother’s Lake by members of IADA.  A group of Disabled Anglers had a great day on the River Barrow with the Carlow CAC.  A group of Belfast anglers from the Lazy River Cafe Cross Border had a match on the River Barrow with Carlow CAC.    Small fish dominated the latest Waterways Ireland NCFFI qualifier at Lough Bridget in Co. Clare. Coarse catches on Derg are down but bags to 50 lb. are still possible on the River Shannon at Portumna.  In the midlands, there was super tench fishing for parties of anglers from the UK and Belgium while fishing at a variety of waters near Melview Lodge in Longford.  David Warrington reports that the Cavan venues were producing good catches of bream.  His friend, John Rigney was fishing on venues in the Leitrim area searching for tench. Fishing on the lift method he secured 20 tench for 74 lb.

A group of American and French anglers enjoyed outstanding fly fishing for big Pike at several venues while fishing with angling guide Marc O’Regan.  Donal and Peadar O’Brien took nineteen Pike in a day in Co. Monaghan.  A group of Dublin Pike anglers recorded 30 pike to 19 lb. on a stretch on the River Shannon. Plenty of pike were taken on a great day out for junior pike anglers at Keady qualifier.  There was hard fighting pike for the two French anglers in Westmeath with the best fish weighing 26 lb.  Angling guide, Mick Flanagan reports great fishing for pike and some lovely perch on a number of midland venues.  Recently Pirate Pike Anglers from Trim spent a cracking weekend down the west, and the club members produced some good pike. Top Rod was Jason Keogh who rattled the scales with a fine pike of 22 lbs.

It was a wonderful week for sea angling and in Dublin Bay a group of small boat anglers who recorded 12 species in a day. Stephen Colgan was shore fishing on a Wexford beach last week and recorded a massive smoothhound of 21 lb. 3oz well over the Irish record. He tagged the fish and carefully returned it and other fish.  He wins our Catch of the Week for this great fish. There was also some great mullet reported at Arklow last week. It was a good weekend for Cork charter boats with catches of Mackerel, Cod and lots more to whet the appetite.  Boat Angling Ireland had a great event at the Commodore Hotel Cobh Meet 2012 and recorded a huge array of species over the last weekend. Specimen Ling along with a huge range of species were taken wreck fishing at Courtmacsherry. There was excellent pollack fishing for French guests fishing with angling guide John Quinlan in Kerry. Bill Ryan reported good wrasse fishing in his West Clare shore report along with great photos of fish and rigs. 16 species were recorded at the successful Belmullet Sea Angling Competition.  There is a great story of a Spurdog frenzy for a Donegal kayak angler. There was great weather, great fishing, specimens and tope galore on the charter boat Rosguill at Downings last week.  At nearby Lough Swilly plenty of tope were reported.  Over at Red Bay, skipper Hamish Currie reported that Skate were keeping spurdogs off the Red Bay feeding grounds but more packs were expected.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke

Catch, Photo, Release

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