After 3 weeks of heavy water, the OPW finally closed 10 sluice gates on the weir, and with 4 gates open the river came into fishable level again on Monday. The river is still a little high for the fly to be effective, and most of the fish have been taken on shrimp. Since then 7 fish have been landed, with Ray Foster from Dublin the first to score, taking a 10.5lbs fish on shrimp. French visitor Jean le Moal landed the first grilse, a 4lbs fish taken on spinner, while Tuam angler Louis Brennan had 2 grilse of 5lbs and 5.5lbs on shrimp. Local angler Bert Lynch took a 10lbs fish on shrimp, and Sean O’Toole had a 4lbs grilse, also on shrimp. Finally UK visitor Steve Turner had a 5lbs fish on shrimp.
Given the relatively dry forecast and falling lake levels, I would hope that more gates will be closed soon, and we will see decent fly conditions. With grilse arriving on time and fresh spring fish being taken in good numbers upstream, prospects here look very good for the next couple of weeks.
