In a reversal of usual weather patterns, the west of the country has seen the driest weather lately, while Dublin and the east have received biblical quantities of rainfall (or so they would have you believe – we only ever hear about bad weather on the news when it hits Dublin!). While Lough Corrib is now at a low level, the strong northerly winds helped to push water over the gates on the weir, so while we have had just one gate open all week, water levels were quite high and water clarity was also affected. Despite this, good numbers of spring salmon are running the river every day now, and anglers are beginning to enjoy good sport at Galway.
There were 9 fish landed for the week, including 7 to the fly, and many more fish hooked and lost. It was a bumper day for the Ryan and Carroll party on Monday, with John Carroll taking a 7lbs fish on fly, while father and son John and Jim Ryan both landed 2 fish, with John having two fish of 6 and 8lbs, and Jim taking two fine fish of 9lbs and 11.5lbs, all on fly, with 2 of the fish released.
Spanish angler Carlos Garza Fernandez fished the weir for the first time on Wednesday, and landed a nice 7lbs fish on fly, while Eugene Murphy from Galway took a 9lbs salmon, also on fly. Offaly man Liam Dunne, who is a regular visitor to Galway, landed an 11.5lbs salmon on spinner, while the fish of the week went to Kildare angler Sean McManmon, with a cracking 16lbs spring salmon, taken on spinner.
The strong northerly winds have abated now, and as a result, with water levels at one sluice gate open on the weir, conditions are absolutely perfect for flyfishing. With no significant change forecast, conditions should remain good and fishing prospects are very good for the coming week.
