For most anglers, coming towards the end of the trout and salmon seasons the past few days have shown us a touch of winter and that the summer is now over and the real autumn is upon us now.  Heavy rain on some days and a real decrease in temperatures are now a reality for all anglers now both in freshwater and at sea.  Neoprene Waders, thermal clothing and thermal gloves are the order of the day for all anglers fishing in the next few months.

Didier Martin with a fine pike of 118 cms from the Castle River (Erne) near Killeshandra

The last few weeks have not been kind to salmon anglers but there was an upturn generally in sport in the past week.  While the salmon fishing season is drawing to a close on most Irish fisheries, the Bann in the north remains open until the end of October and is producing fish regularly at present.  The season has now closed on the Foyle system but the fishing was quiet good in the last week.  There was excellent fishing also on the River Drowes in Donegal to go with the Sam Maguire Cup.  In the west there was an improvement in fishing on the Delphi and Kylemore Fisheries.  In Mayo, there was an improvement on the Moy with fish to 18 lb. reported.  A 20 lb. salmon was caught and released on the River Boyne at Navan.  Down in the south west, a fine specimen sea trout of 7 lb. 2 oz was caught on fly and there was some nice salmon fishing reported from the River Feale.

It is nearing the end of the season for trout anglers and most rivers and lakes will close on the 30th of September.  A few trout loughs like Sheelin, Ennell and Owel remain open until the 12th of October.  Peter Doherty from Clane won the ITFFA River championship held on the Annalee River in Co. Cavan. In Donegal, there was some good Sonaghan trout fishing reported from Lough Melvin. There was a few trout reported from Lough Conn but in the midlands there were several competitions on Loughs Owel and Ennell where there was some nice trout recorded.  On Lough Ree there were trout to 4 lb. 11 oz taken in competitions and midland angling guide Mick Flanagan had some good trout fishing on Lough Lene. Some nice trout were still being caught on Lough Sheelin.  The rivers Suir, Nire and Anner all produced some wonderful late season fishing for trout.  The Cusher River up north is producing good trout fishing and the season does not close until the end of October.  There was some good fishing reported from the river and the lake fisheries in the Carton estate and there was good rainbow trout fishing reported from the Cashel Trout Fishery up in Derry.

It was a good week for sea anglers with a 10 lb. bass reported from the Boyne estuary at Mornington. There was more bass action reported down in Cork Harbour where guide Richie Ryan had a party of Dutch anglers catching some beauties.  Good bass fishing was also reported from several venues in Co. Kerry.  At Courtmacsherry, there was some wonderful shark fishing reported and some big skate.  There was a report on the shark tagging programme in the Courtmacsherry angling report where two blue shark that were originally caught and tagged in Courtmacsherry were recaptured in the Azores and Newfoundland!  There was some excellent shore and deep sea fishing from most venues in Co. Clare.  A specimen ballan wrasse for Bill Ryan was the highlight.  Danny Sweeney claimed the Master Boat angler’s title in the Galway Buccaneers Sea Angling Club final boat competition in Galway Bay.  There was another enjoyable day out on Killala Bay on the Leah in Co. Mayo.  Up in Red Bay in Co Antrim, more Porbeagle Shark were encountered and released with skipper Hamish Currie.

The good coarse fishing continues in most parts of Ireland again this week and parties of English, Dutch and Irish anglers enjoyed more good festival fishing at Carrick on Shannon on the River Shannon and some adjacent lough fisheries.  In Longford there was some cracking catches of bream recorded by anglers fishing with Kevin Lyons.  Up in Lough Muckno, there was good roach fishing at the latest NCFFI qualifier on Lough Muckno.  On the same lough, an exciting 2012 Junior League started as the Castleblayney lads showed us how it’s done! A new winter league series is to start soon on the Roslea Lakes in Co. Fermanagh.  On Lough Derg there was some excellent bream fishing reported with great catches of bream at whitegate by an English visitor.  The Portumna festival is on this week and the reports to hand suggest excellent bream fishing particularly in the town stretch.

The real pike season has only started now and anglers fishing with angling guide Peadar O’Brien in Carrickmacross had a great day’s fishing with him recording 21 fish.  A group of English anglers fishing with Mick Flanagan in Mullingar had good fishing also.  This week’s Catch of the Week goes to a new French angling guide working with Castlehamilton in Killeshandra, Didier Martin.  He caught   a fine pike of 118 cms caught by who caught it on a lure near Killeshandra and of course after a quick photo, release this wonderful fish estimated to weigh over 25 lb.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,
Paul Bourke
Catch, Photo, Release

Headlines

Salmon fishing reports

Trout fishing reports

Sea angling reports

Coarse angling reports

Pike fishing reports

News clippings

Autumn equinox sunset over Lough Beltra
Autumn equinox sunset over Lough Beltra. Courtesy of Davy Patton