David McEvoy reports from Delphi:
July 14th:
Part 1 – Week 28 Usual Suspects: We had a good mixture of anglers this week, with some hardened veterans and some who were still trying to catch that elusive first ever salmon. It was the hardened veterans who featured strongly on the catch sheets with Urs and Ciaran Boland to the fore.
Urs landed 5 more fish for his stay. He managed to land the biggest fish last year and so far this year he has landed the smallest of approx. 1lb8ozs in the Meadow pool on a Gaula Temple Dog. He had another off Cooleen’s of approx. 2lbs8ozs on a Silver Stoat, one off the Rock pool of 3lbs8.5ozs on an Ally and one off the Meadow of 3lbs2ozs on a Delphi Collie.
He also had a springer off Finlough of 7lbs13.5ozs on a Silver Stoat.
Ciaran Boland had two off Finlough, one of 2lbs14ozs and one of 3lbs, both on a Gaula Temple Dog, for his short visit.
Klaus Buening had a lovely fish of approx. 5lbs off the Rock pool on a Silver Stoat.
I myself finally pulled the finger out and landed two, one off the New Island of approx. 4lbs12ozs on a Willie Gunn needle tube tied by Barbara Ceillier and the other off the Turn pool on a Delphi Collie of approx. 5lbs.
Part 1’s fish of the week must go to Ted Maxted who has been coming for 19 years as a member of the Faith party. Ted is now in his 85th year and had just managed to lose a fish at the bottom of the Meadow pool while I was there to assist. He then managed to land a fish of approx. 7lbs on his own on a Mini tube. He was a happy man and when he said to me; “It was a close call”, I replied by saying; “For who, you or the fish” and he just walked away shaking his head in laughter.
Well done Ted.
Part 2 – Mary reaches the promised land !
There often comes a time in this business when you wonder whether a person will ever catch that elusive first ever salmon.
Mary Martha Waltz from California came to Delphi for a short visit in 2006. During that visit I gave Mary Martha a fly fishing lesson, which she thoroughly enjoyed and was bitten either by the fly fishing bug or my charm!! As a result of this Mary Martha has been back to us on 6 occasions. During these visits she has witnessed many fish been caught and has also lost her fair share. This as I always stressed to her was through no fault of her own, but just shear bad luck.
As with all anglers she started the week full of hope that she would finally reach the promised land. As the week wore on it seemed like the same old story all over again.
Finally, Friday her last session on the river. She is guided by one of the great fishing guru’s and gentlemen, Peter Joyce. Fishing systematically downstream they come to Cooleens where Mary had one of her mishaps with salmon before. The fly, a size 12 Ally Shrimp. Mary Martha hooks and finally lands her first ever Atlantic salmon, a sea liced 4lbs13ozs fish. She walked on air for the rest of the day and I don’t know if she’s come back down to earth yet.
All I can is congratulations and well done Mary from all at Delphi and all those fellow anglers who were not with you to celebrate the event.
I duly presented Mary with the 12th of July Cup yesterday. This cup has been held in the past by Urs, Hans Peter Thalmann, Bill Jarratt, Richard Yardley, Chris Jarman, Roger Watkins, Oli Watkins and Tiger Woods. Mary, it was well deserved and congratulations again.
Last but by no means least our second fish yesterday was also a first ever, Charmaine Reynolds (John Faith’s sister) landed her fish at Paddy’s Point on Doolough. The fish weighed in at 4lbs and half an ounce and was taken on a Copper and Orange tube.
With the water still holding above 20, there are still fish running but they are proving difficult to catch.
David McEvoy
Delphi Fishery
Delphi Lodge, Leenane, Co. Galway.
Tel: +353 (0)95-42222 Fax +353-95-42296
Web: www.delphi-salmon.com
