The last week has felt unseasonably warm at times though in the last few days we had the first frosts of the year. Early long range forecasts are giving some hard weather in November, but we’ll see how that plays out. This week the reports are all pike, coarse and sea – though there are a few late entries from the game fishing fraternity.

Pike fishing is really warming up now that the days are drawing shorter. Despite high water temperatures on the river Erne competitors at the Waterways Ireland Erne World Open Pike Fishing Classic caught a record number of 239 Pike during the event; with four fish over 15lbs being caught over the weekend which included a fish of 21lbs which won the event. All fish were weighed and released unharmed. Austrian angler Manfred Baumgartner celebrated his birthday in style on Lough Ree by catching a 110 cm pike weighing 28.6 lb, his biggest fish ever. Bank and boat are common approaches to pike but kayak anglers are also getting in on the action as Bass Angling Cork’s YouTube video shows. Galway ladies Kate Rodgers and Thresa Rodgers enjoyed a day out pike fishing recently with guide Kenny Sloan, fishing the lakes of the Foxford area and had some good pike on bait and lure. Lough Lene is also fishing well with pike into high double figures reported and Carton House also reports pike over 10lb, on fly.

Catch of the week goes to Ties Ittman for his specimen pollack, one of which made up this impressive brace.
Catch of the week goes to Ties Ittman for his specimen pollack, one of which made up this impressive brace.

Looking after pike

As more people take up the pursuit of this exciting quarry we’d like to remind anglers that just because pike look big and mean does not mean that they are invulnerable. Mishandling pike of any size can really have a negative impact on that fish’s chance of surviving being caught and released so remember these pointers –

  • Be prepared with a long handled pliers or other tool for unhooking
  • Use an unhooking mat to protect the fish’s skin and protective slime both in a boat and on the bank
  • Minimise the time out of the water
  • When weighing and photographing fish, the pike should be cradled and supported properly to avoid injuring the fish
  • Whenreleasing a pike, give it a chance to recover by holding it gently in the water until it swims away by itself

Pike a native species

Pike is a species that was thought to have been introduced by man in the last few hundred years. Results from new informative research have shown that the colonisation history is more complex, with an indication that they may have colonised naturally some thousands of years ago.

Upcoming competitions

The overall winner of the Carrigallen Festival was English Angler Keith Murphy who put in a superb, consistent performance on both tip and pole for 40.4 kg and three 1sts  and a 2nd on his lakes.  Mick Taylor (York) with 36.98 kg was second, closely followed by Francis McGoldrick (Ballyconnell) on 36.66 kg. Good bags of bream, hybrids, roach along with some good bonus tench are still possible in the Longford area – particularly if time is taken to prebait a venue.

Shore anglers reported some good fishing from the Beara Peninsula recently with double figure pollack along with good ray, wrasse, bull huss and conger landed. East coast venues can be productive too with good flounders, some whiting, mullet and bass reported. Its been an odd season for bass so far with highs and lows, but the fish are still there to be caught. Over the last few days we have reports from Louth, Wicklow, Wexford, Cork and Kerry so if you’ve not been lucky yet this year there is still time to get your bass. Mullet fishing is not over yet either as our own Josie Coleman proved in Wicklow with a specimen fish last week. Charter boat fishing will continue at many sea angling centres until the winter storms kick up and over the last few days some good fishing was had by boats from Kilmore Quay and Cork Harbour.

The trout season closed everywhere on Saturday and a number of anglers were out to mark the day. Sheelin fished well coming up to closing day and fish to 8lb were landed over the week. Trout to almost 5lb featured in the end of season  competition fished on Derravaragh and Ennel held back its best til last with a trout of 6.982lb winning the competition there. At a recent TAFI Senior Rivers Interprovincial Championship on the River Fane a staggering total of 835 trout were caught averaging 29 trout per angler. Campbell Baird topped the results with 62 trout, second was Shane Callan with 47 and third Damian Walsh with 42.

Salmon anglers – please remember to return your logbook and unused tags

IFI would like to remind all salmon & sea trout anglers who have not sent in their 2012 logbooks & gill tags that they are now due for return. If you have not returned them already please send them back now using the pre-printed envelope. In the event that you have lost or misplaced your pre-printed envelope you will find the address for return near the top left corner of your salmon licence.

 Forecast

Wet and windy at times across all areas on Friday with spot flooding likely, especially in the east. Dry across much of the north and east to begin, however rain elsewhere will become widespread by early afternoon. Some heavy pulses are likely, along with fresh to strong southeast winds. Whilst a clearance to brighter weather will develop over much of Connacht and Munster through the afternoon; rain will be slow to clear northern and eastern counties, with further spells of heavy into the early night time hours.

The weather will be mild and unsettled over the weekend and next week with rain or showers in all areas and significant accumulations in many places, especially in Munster.

Tight lines,

Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].

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winter-pike-fishing-Co.Monaghan-Rahans lake-flyfishing-boat-angl
Pike fishing on Rahans Lake, Co. Monaghan