A week of mixed and windy weather led to generally low temperatures on Lough na Leibe. However, there was good angling reported by a few brave individuals who made it out to fish. In total throughout the week, 20 fish were landed by six club anglers. All of the reported fish were caught with the fly. Despite the downturn in temperature small hatches of insects were again witnessed by anglers on the lough; these included some small duckfly, brown and dark olive buzzers and small lake olives. The first round of the Sunday Fly fishing competition took place on Sunday the 4th of March during which 10 more trout were caught. Conditions were difficult on the day, with the fish taking sporadically. First place was won by Francis Brady with 7 fish, second went to Anthony Walsh with 2 fish and Martin Lawrence took third with 1 trout. Congratulations to Francis who also won a fly rod, reel and line generously sponsored by Barton Smith Sports of Sligo.
Successful fly patterns on the lough included the Sooty Olive nymph, Duckfly emerger, Pheasant Tail nymph, Black Pennell, the Invicta and lure patterns such as the Nomad, the Orange Blob, the Booby and Woolly Bugger, orange or black with lime green tail.
