It was another week of very good spring weather with very small rainfall amounts around the country.  There were cool easterly winds at times but generally conditions were ideal for most angling activity although some salmon waters could now do with some rain to freshen up conditions and bring some more salmon into the systems.  Despite the pleasant weather it is cool so keep warm out fishing this Easter weekend.  It has been just reported that a few Mayfly were seen hatching up on a small lough in Co. Leitrim.

Up in Monaghan, angling guide Peadar O’Brien reported that his Dutch clients enjoyed some great pike fishing on loughs with many good double figure fish mainly on lures. Over in Co. Cavan, a Dublin duo had great fishing for pike taking some nice double figure fish.  Nine anglers from the Fishmaniak club fished a pike competition on Lough Kinale and enjoyed a great day’s sport recording 44 pike up to 80 cms.   Angling guide Kenny Sloan had another group of American visitors in fly fishing for pike in the Foxford area and they enjoyed good sport with fish up to 87 cms. recorded.  Up in Upper Lough Erne the new Lough Erne Pike Classic attracted 164 anglers and they enjoyed some very good fishing and Robert Storey from Co. Antrim was the winner with a fine fish of 16 lb. 12 oz.

The best salmon of the year so far reported to us was captured on the River Drowes at 18 lb. 4 oz. in a fairly good week for anglers fishing on the river in the past week.

Eric Jouen - with the French Connection
Eric Jouen with his 9lb Sea Trout is our ‘Catch of the Week’ winner

Salmon fishing has improved on the River Boyne at Navan and several double figure fish were recorded and permits are available.  A few more nice salmon were reported from various sections of the River Slaney where there was an unconfirmed report of a 20 lb. salmon from the Bunclody area. Fishing is improving on the Cork Blackwater where some nice salmon were reported from the Blackwater Lodge beats.  It was another good week on Lough Currane where salmon, sea trout and brown trout from Lough Derriana were all in the news but Eric Jouen from France and Waterville landed himself a fine specimen sea trout of 9 lb. and is our ‘Catch of the Week’.  With water levels down on the Corrib, salmon anglers are now starting to catch fish regularly on shrimp and spinning but it won’t be long before fly anglers will get a chance. Out in Delphi there was some nice salmon reported this week with fish to just 14 lb. taken on fly.  Double figure salmon up to 15 lb. were taken on Beltra Lough on fly. It was another good week on Carrowmore Lake where 14 salmon up to 13 lb. were captured on fly.  Water conditions on the River Moy were described as perfect for all methods and fish were reported taken on most fisheries but fishing should get better in coming weeks. There was salmon up to 12 lb. reported from the Ballisodare River where ten fish were recorded for the week.

With the Duckfly fishing over on Lough Corrib, olives have started to hatch on the lough and it won’t be long before the Mayfly is up. Wet and dry flies are bringing plenty of trout to the rod on Lough Mask in the past week. There was an improvement in trout fishing on Loughs Conn and Cullin where there was good catches of trout averaging 1.5 lb. on fly reported.  67 anglers fished the ITFFA Connaught Cup on Lough Arrow and recorded 42 brown trout with Basil Shields coming out on top with a fine trout of 5.02 lb. The good trout fishing continued on Lough Sheelin despite the cold easterly winds and more big trout were captured in the past week.  The Waterford reservoirs fished well again this week with one British visitor enjoying some excellent sport on fly at Carrigavantry.

There was a good coarse angling match held on Lough Egish in Ballybay and well known Dublin angler Alan Larkin won the day with a lovely 44 lb. bag of roach.  Town Lake in Baileborough in Co. Cavan produced some nice roach fishing for a party of Dublin anglers at the weekend.

A party of five anglers from Dusseldorf enjoyed good deep sea fishing for a good range of species while fishing out in Killala Bay with charter skipper Donal Kennedy. Down in Kerry, there was some wonderful big flounders reported taken on the shore but Troy Francis landed a beautiful specimen Ballan Wrasse of 4 lb. 12 oz.  Also from the shore there was good flounders and sea trout up to 3.5 lb. reported from the Mermaid’s Cove, Tullan Strand and Moneygold.  In the Cork Harbour, there were some lovely bass and mullet reported in the past week.  Over in Kerry, charter skipper Siegy Grabher reports some excellent deep sea fishing for his clients including pollack, cod, ballan wrasse and many other species.(The banner image this week features a brightly coloured ballan wrasse caught on board Sioux out of Valentia, courtesy of skipper Siegy Grabher.)

I hope all anglers do take care out over the easter period and please wear a life jacket if going afloat.

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

Salmon fishing reports

Trout fishing reports

Sea angling reports

Pike fishing reports

Coarse angling reports

News clippings

Other news

Ballan wrasse
The banner image this week features a brightly coloured ballan wrasse caught on board Sioux out of Valentia, courtesy of skipper Siegy Grabher