Duncan Cole in a email to angling journalist Liam Kane sent in a report of some recent Shad fishing from the River Barrow at St. Mullins
Just to update you on how the fishing went after we met on Saturday morning at St Mullins.
We caught no Shad at all on Saturday and after chatting to everyone up and down the river we only heard of three Shad caught that day. I did have a consolation prize of a 4lb trout though.
On Sunday we were on the river for 8:00am with my keen apprentice trying to catch his first Shad.
The river bank was empty so I wasn’t too optimistic but we had only been fishing for a few minutes when Joshua hooked his first Shad which put up a superb fight and was weighed and witnessed at 1.35 kg – a very happy young angler. I caught only 2 shad and another trout of 2 ½ lb.
In the afternoon we entered the Annual Shad completion which had 53 entrants this year. Only 3 fish were caught in the four hours but fortunately mine was heaviest at 1.15 kg
Although no fish were caught in the junior section, all at the prize giving were given a collection of coarse tackle donated by the late Jim Sloan who recently past away.
On Monday we were on the river for 8:00am again but the fishing was very slow and after 4 hours i had only three shad and Josh had one, which were all very small ( one was only 0.35 kg )
Headed off at 1:30pm for the 4 ½ hour drive home. So despite the lack of Shad we had an excellent weekend and will be back next year.
Hope you get back to get a few Shad if they eventually turn up this year.
I’ve attached a few pictures you might like for the magazine.
Cheers – Duncan
