Plenty of salmon and sea trout still to be had at the Erriff

Fishery Manager Jim Stafford reports on the past two weeks on the Erriff. Water levels were recorded at 1.2m on the Aasleagh Guage on Sunday 14th, with further spates of 1.5m on the 17th and 2.0m on Saturday 18th.  Dirk Odemann, Germany, landed two, with one from the Upper Garden Pool on Beat 9 and the other from the Cottage Pool on Beat 4, both fish taken on an Ally’s Shrimp.  Enda O’Connell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  and son Hugh, had two salmon and two sea trout, their best was a 5lbs fish taken on a Cascade in the Falls Pool. Jeremie Abgrall, Brittany, France landed a grilse in the Coronation Pool on Beat 8 on a Black Tube fly.  Albert Caffrey, Athy, Co. Kildare caught one of 6.5lbs on a Willie Gunn in the Falls Pool on Beat 9.  Arthur Muckian, Dundalk, and son James, landed one each in the Falls Pool and Garden Pool on Cascades.  Martin Davison, N. Ireland, had one in Joyce’s Sand Hill on Beat 5 on a Munroe.

Water levels had fallen to 0.9m on the Aasleagh Guage by Tuesday the 21st.  However, with a week of almost continuous heavy downpours the river level never really settled yet, surprisingly, the water remained remarkably clear.  Spates were recorded at 1.3m on the 22nd, 1.7m on the 23rd and 1.5m on the 24th, falling to 1.25m by the 25th.  Fishing a Pearly Dabbler in Yellow Banks, Patrick Norton, Co. Dublin, caught two salmon, his best 7lbs, and three sea trout which took a Silver Doctor in Jenkin’s Pool on Beat 5.  Local angler Stuart Fleming also caught a grilse in Jenkin’s Pool on a Shrimp fly.

Stephen Jones, Co. Dublin, had a grilse in the Falls Pool on Beat 9 on an Ally Shrimp, while Martin Witort, Tourmakeady, caught a 6lbs fish in the Hawthorn Run on a Yellow Shrimp Fly.  Samuel Wallace, N.Ireland, landed a 5lbs fish on Beat 4 to a Bann Special.  Robin Adams, Co. Dublin, and Nick Fenton, N.Ireland, caught one each in Doyle’s and Colonel’s Run, Beat 6, on a Yellow and Orange Shrimp pattern.  John McCullough, Co. Dublin, caught two on a Black Pennell and Cascade in Yellow Banks and Nees Run on Beats 5 and 6.

Junior angler Alex Dinn, France, fishing with Louis Bouillon’s party, caught his first Erriff salmon on an Alexander in Joyce’s Sand Hill on Beat 5 – the party also caught 9 sea trout on Beats 3 and 4 that day.

Fish of the week goes to John Curran, Co. Dublin, who landed a fresh run 8lbs fish in the Holly Pool, Beat 8, on a Cascade.

To book fishing on the Erriff or accommodation in Aasleagh Lodge, contact fishery manager Jim Stafford on 095 42252, or visit www.aasleaghlodge.ie for details. The lodge and fishery also have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AasleaghLodge.