This week saw a change in our weather with some very cold nights bringing water temperatures down, but day time temperatures are still unseasonably mild for this time of year.  This change however meant there were fewer anglers out fishing in the past week and most of those were pike fishing.

There was little coarse fishing to report last week but there was some excellent sport for good sized perch at several venues mainly on lures.  Anglers pike fishing on Lough Ennell caught very good perch on a variety of lures fishing with angling guide Michael Flanagan.

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Rudy Heymans from Belgium wins Catch of the Week with a nice pike over a metre

There were reports of some good pike along with Perch reported from the section sections of the canal in the midlands taken on lures.  On Lough Derravarragh the local club had a competition for the Murtagh Cup and Liam Gilsenan caught a lovely fish of 15 lb. 6 oz. on a lure to win the trophy.  The Newgrange anglers were out on venues in Monaghan at the weekend and they enjoyed plenty of sport with Darragh O’ Nell winning the day with four pike. Stephen from France had a cracking good day’s fishing with angling guide Richie Johnson on a midland lough taking some lovely pike on lures. Parties of Dutch and Belgium anglers fished with Kevin Lyons at Melview Lodge during the week on the River Shannon and several loughs.  The fishing was superb with anglers landing fish on lures, Jerk baits and deadbaits and Rudi Heymans from Belgium caught a great pike of 106 cms. (well over 20 lb.) which was released after a quick photo.  Ronny wins our Catch of the Week for the best pike reported this week.  In this week’s update there are details of upcoming pike competitions held this weekend and indeed most weekends during the winter season.

Bass fishing is still going well mainly in the south east of the country and Tomasz Ekert certainly caught some lovely fish along with Pollack while fishing off the shore.   Along the east coast in the Drogheda area, there was some more bass recorded along with some nice turbot and rockling.  There was good news for boat anglers fishing the east where charter skipper Kit Dunne took possession an Offshore 105 to go along with his other boat Lisin.  Kit is available all year round for a trip out from Wicklow as the weather allows.

There was some fine rainbow trout reported in the last week at Carrigavantry in Co. Waterford all on fly.  At the Carton House Fisheries, there was good sport for young anglers fishing for rainbow trout on the Sheet of Water.  There were similar reports of good rainbow fishing at the Curragh Springs Fishery near Newbridge.

In coming weeks when water temperatures will decline further, I expect the pike fishing in particular to get even better on many of our fisheries.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke
Angling Information Officer

Catch, Photo, Release

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The unmistakable profile of a pike