Lough Sheelin Angling Report By Brenda Montgomery, IFI – October 7th – October 12th 2013
“Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.”
~ Chuck Clark
Joe O’Connor playing his 3lb trout on Sheelin – October 9th
Saturday October 12th at 12 midnight saw the close of Lough Sheelin’s fishing season for another year and this special lake both tantalized and enthralled its anglers throughout the week by producing a mixture of pitching fish and mesmerizing catches of beautiful wild trout – ‘thick from nose to tail with clear dark spots on glistening bodies’. A number of anglers both local and from other parts of Ireland fished the lake and despite the first real frost hitting in at the later part of the week and cold bright conditions, this lake produced consistent catches of trout, averaging 2 ½ – 8lbs most of which were released unharmed back into the water.
On October 12th the Cavan/Monaghan Garda Divisional Fly Fishing Championship and Open Competition was held on the lake. The morning was cold and overcast with a sharp North wind but as the day progressed, things heated up and conditions improved making this event a great success for its 124 participants, with a weigh in of over 20 good sized trout, some of which were later released.
The winner of the Garda Section was Ballinagh Garda Joe O’Connor with a 1.14lb trout, this was only the start of Joe’s winning as Ballinagh for the first time in history beat the Cavan Gaels in Breffni Park the following day!
The winner of the Visitors Section was won by Kildare man – Declan Conlon with a 6lb 1oz trout caught on a Pearly Claret Dabbler between Church Island and Kilnahard.
It was a rare honour to have two women – Irish Fly Fishing Champions Stella and Mary from Leitrim, fishing this competition and indeed Sheelin and although neither women struck lucky both were impressed by the lake and have good intentions to return.
The best flies for this week were the Golden Olive Bumble, Mallard & Claret, Green Peter, Claret Stimulator, sedges – brown and chocolate drop, the Octopus, the Cock Robin, the Sooty Olive, The Dabblers – Claret, Silver and Golden Olive, the Silver Invicta, Gorgeous George, Humpies, the Terminator, the Chernobyll, the Raymond, the Alexandra, the Red Tailed Green Peter, , a Claret Snatcher, a Claret Hopper, Klinkhammers, Stimulators, the Watsun’s Fancy, Bumbles, Hoppers and a Red Ended Peter type Sedge fished wet style on a floating line.
Lough Sheelin, October 2013
As October progresses onwards Sheelin trout have darkened to a rich golden colour (for better river camouflage) and the bigger fish are now gradually moving towards the 8 feeder rivers to eventually swim to their spawning grounds high upstream within the catchment. As the final hour of the fishing season approached here, calm descended over the lake and as the clouds parted a chunk of a moon appeared to produce a seemingly silver pathway across the lake to Church Island. Besides the lapping of water on the shoreline the silence was palatable and stepping on the dried out sycamore leaves which had collected at the edges of the pier at Kilnahard produced the only noise to break this restful calm.
Sheelin is now closed till March 1st 2014 and after a very busy and exciting fishing season it is time now to let this lake once again be left in the hands of nature with no human intervention if only for a few months. Throughout the season this lake and the weather conditions were always in the control seat and it felt at times that we were being laughed at in the struggle and frustration of seeing large quantities of fish but being unable to identify the correct ‘killer’ fly.
Resting in Ross – October 12th, 2013
The magnetism of Sheelin creeps only into the most fully awakened soul and although this ‘jewel’ in Ireland’s fishing crown can look after itself it is the anglers that are its heart beat and by next March it will be ready once again to embrace the people who are addicted to its beauty and challenge – venisti remanebis donec denuo completus sis.
Declan Conlon, Kildare with his winning 6lbs 1oz trout at the Cavan/Monaghan Garda Divisional Fly Fishing Championship on Lough Sheelin 12/10/13
62 boats head out on to Lough Sheelin at the start of the Garda competitionOn Saturday October 12th.
John Cosgrove, Leitrim ready for action at the start of the Garda Fly Fishing competition on Saturday October 12th.
Gary McKiernan (loughsheelinguidingservices) with his 2 ¾ lb trout – October 8th (released).
Eoghan Concannon, Derry with his 3lb fishTony Harten, Cavan making it look easy with his impressive catch of trout
Happiness is a Sheelin trout – 11 year old Shane with his trout
Tony Harten, Cavan making it look easy with his impressive catch of trout
The Claret Stimulator – a good fly in the right light
Gary of Lough Sheelin Guiding Services with his 6 lb Sheelin trout
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times
Game fish are too valuable to be only caught the one – Lee Wulff
Please remember anglers to abide by BYE-LAW 790 – we need to keep our small fish alive……………
Dominic Concannon, Derry (ghillied by loughsheelinguiding) with his last day of the season 6 ½ lb beauty (released)
The heaviest fish for the week was landed by Martin Donnovan, Sligo with a trout at 8lbs using a Claret Dabbler on October 9th.
Total number of trout recorded: 84
Selection of Catches Gary McKiernan (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com) – 9 trout 6, 5, 4, 3 ¼ 2 @ 2 ¾ , 2 ¼ and 2 @ 1 ½ lbs. All released.
Oliver McCormack, Ashbourne – on October 6th 2 trout weighing in at 3 ½ and 2 ½ lbs, both caught using a Claret Stimulator around Lynch’s Pt.
Joe O’Connor, Cavan – ghillied by loughsheelinguidingservices – 2 trout heaviest was 3lbs, both released, October 9th
Dominic Concannon, Derry – ghillied by loughsheelinguiding services – October 12th 3 trout, heaviest was 6 ½ lbs – all released.
Eoghan Concannon, Derry – 3 trout weighing in at 1 ½ – 3 lbs on October 12th, all released.
Joey Casey, Athlone – 2 trout at 1 ½ to 1 ¾ lbs wet fly fishing.Gerry Doyle, Dublin – 4 trout, heaviest was 2 ¼ lbs.
Des Elliott, Dublin – 3rd October to 11th October 24 trout averaging between 1 ¼ – 5 ½ lbs caught on mixture of Golden Olive Bumble, Claret & Mallard and Green Peter, all released.
Ronnie Law – October 12th 1 trout at 3 lbs 13ozs.
Tony Greham, Dublin – October 12th 1 trout at 3lbsTony Harton, Cavan – October 12th 1 trout at 2lbs
The last boat on the last day
Brenda Montgomery IFI
