The winter is definitely upon us in the past week with falls of sleet and cold, blustery, damp weather on a daily basis around the country. As I have said on many occasions in the past, anglers are a hardy bunch and it would nearly take a hurricane to halt some fishing around Ireland. The year’s end draws close and it is now only a few short weeks until the salmon fishing season starts again!
Coarse angling continues all year and last weekend, the fifth round of the Erne Anglers Float only league took place on the Roslea loughs in Fermanagh and small catches of small roach and the occasional bonus bream were recorded. Tommy Dowd from Virginia took the honours at Inver catching 5.750 kgs. using pole. The final match takes place in two weeks time. The cold weather did not put off the fish at the latest South Munster match at Inniscarra where the winner Pawel Swistun won the day with a catch of 20 lb. 12 oz. narrowly beating Peter Jones with 20 lb. 7 oz. Full list of coarse angling events for next year are published on our website this week.
Pike anglers have been out in force throughout the country also and on Lough Derravarragh where the local anglers were taking part in their winter competitions. A party of Russian anglers were out with angling guide Tom Cogan and enjoyed good pike fishing on a number of loughs in the Carrickmacross area.
There are some very hardy sea anglers out fishing around the coast and fishing is quite good in the past week. Down in Waterville, local tackle dealer, Kevin Brain used worm baits to catch some fine bass including our Catch of the Week. In the Cork Harbour area and at Youghal the run of the winter cod has brought many anglers out shore fishing with some nice fish recorded. Reports from the east coast are quite good too with a recent South Shore SAC Christmas competition producing some very good fishing with whiting, dabs, rockling and dogfish. Coalfish were also reported at several locations on the east coast.
The weather might be poor but the rainbow trout fishing is excellent at most of our put and take fisheries and there is a full list of them on our website at: https://www.fishinginireland.info/trout/putandtake.htm
It is only three weeks before the start of the salmon season on the rivers Drowes and Leannan and there are reports from Blackwater Lodge on the season ahead.
As usual there is plenty of news items and other news in this week’s angling update. Finally be careful out in this cold weather and enjoy the wonderful fishing on offer even in the middle of winter.
Tight lines especially in Ireland,
Paul Bourke
Catch, Photo, Release
If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to contact@fisheriesireland.ie.
Headlines
Coarse angling reports
- Cold weather last weekend for Erne Anglers Float Only League
- Inniscarra continues to provide great winter weights
Pike fishing reports
Sea angling reports
- Waterville bass still biting, baits best bet
- Good codling from south coast venues
- Plenty of fish for South Shore Christmas anglers on Arklow beach.
Trout fishing reports
Salmon fishing reports
- 3 weeks to start of 2015 salmon season – Rivers Drowes, Leannan
- Blackwater Lodge looking forward to 2015 season
News clippings
- Children’s book on dangers of fishing sector – Irish Examiner
- Detailed geological survey chart of Ireland’s seabed in Irish language should prove beneficial in schools, Irish Times
- Anglers bank on success after council breakthrough, Belfast Telegraph
- Alien invader: It may look harmless, but this tiny clam has a LOT of state agencies worried, TheJournal.ie
- Environmentalists in court bid for release of report into salmon escape, Irish Examiner
Other news
