It might be getting near Christmas but the weather in the past week has been so nice and mild for this time of year with average day time temperatures well above 10 degrees Celsius.  There was less angling activity however this week with people preparing for Christmas but the few anglers who did make the effort there was some fine fishing.

Daniel's 22lb beauty
Daniel’s 22lb pike is this week’s Catch of the Week

There was plenty of pike action to report and Josie Mahon and David Byrne from Inland Fisheries Ireland enjoyed a nice days fishing on Lough Ramor and landed some nice jack pike on float trolled deadbaits and lures.  No big fish were encountered but it was enjoyable day nonetheless.  Angling guide Richie Johnson had Daniel, a Canadian guest out on the River Shannon at the weekend and he landed a beautiful pike of 22 lb. on a float fished herring and this wins our “Catch of the Week”.  Angling guide and journalist Mick Flanagan reported some very good pike fishing on Lough Derravarragh and on the nearby River Inny at the weekend with several double figure fish taken.  The perch on the River were not as obliging as the pike were unfortunately.  Mick also reported that fishing for pike on Slevins Lake in Mullingar was equally tough with only one pike reported to a number of local rods.  Mick also reports that there will be a Christmas competition on Lough Ree next Sunday and details are in the update.  Another boat pike competition will be held on Sunday next on Lough Boderg and details are in the update. Ten anglers fished the Newgrange Winter pike league on a river in Monaghan and Darragh O’Neill was the winner and many nice pike were recorded on the day.  Also in Co. Monaghan angling guide Peadar O Brien and a client were in the thick of good pike action but while some fine fish were caught and released, there was some frustration with many fish taking deadbaits and lures and not hooking up properly.

51 anglers fished the Youghal beach in the inaugural “All Ireland Cod Championships” and fishing was very good with JP Molloy winning on the day with the heaviest Cod.  Guide Sean Jordan from Duncormick in Co. Wexford reported some nice bass from the shore with friends on surface lures.  A shore angling competition has been organised to raise funds in aid of St Catherines, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow next Sunday.  Details are in the update for a very good cause.

Our friends from St Joseph’s residential home for the deaf/blind in Stillorgan Co.Dublin enjoyed another day out at Rathbeggan Lakes near Dunshaughlin and many nice Rainbow Trout were captured.  Angling guide Damien Willis writes about the trout fishing in the Cavan area in the past year.

The good weather is promised to continue and while Christmas is around the corner, I expect many anglers out at the pike competitions in particular over the weekend.

Salmon licences

With only a few short weeks left to the opening of the 2014 salmon season anglers are reminded that salmon licences are available in shops and online in advance of the season.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke
Angling Information Officer

Catch, Photo, Release

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Muckross Lake
A Wintry scene at Muckross Lake in Co. Kerry