As every year me and my three mates headed over to Ireland to spend the Easter holidays in the Suck valley, fishing for pike. We stayed in Mary Doyle’s “Stable lodge”.
Water levels were quite nice, especially compared to the past two years, weather was typically Irish; wind, sun, rain all in a good and healthy mixture. The main problem was the dramatic decrease of temperature. From over 20 °C the week before to 7-5 °C and close to zero at night. Not really good for fishing and pike were not in a good biting and feeding mood as we got to know them in the past.
We just caught few and mainly male jacks. I think spawning was interrupted by the cold and dark period. We mainly fished ledgered deadbaits, small herring and smelt worked best.
Besides the toothy “hammerhandles” we managed to catch some nice colorful rudd.
Easter monday saw us sightseeing and beach-hiking in Galway due to the bad angling weather. Got the chance to listen to Ashley Tubridy there, who’s busking in Galway’s Shop Street, nice experience and worth every mile.
On the final day we visited Bodo Funke at Boyle who guided us to some nice pike in low double figures.
After all I must say: “It could be worse” and as every year we had some good craic.
Thanks to Shane O’Reilly, Michael Eagan and the officially retired John Ryan who supported us and made this trip a nice one.
Uwe Pinnau
