Angling guide and journalist Mick Flanagan reports on pike and perch fishing in the midlands area near Mullingar.
MIDLAND PIKE ANGLERS. Last Sunday Midland Pike Anglers hosted a club competition on Lough Ree. All boats fished out of Barley Harbour, and it was tough going as Ree is very high after all the recent rain. Certain parts of Ree were very discolored with floodwater, and the pike were reluctant to take our lures. Still you needed a pike up on 10lbs to get into the prizes. I teamed up with Marty Smith from England who is over on one of his regular angling adventures here in Westmeath. We trolled quite a selection of colorful Lures, and eventually Marty got stuck into a nice pike of 10lbs 12oz to take Top Rod.
Athlone angler Eamon Craven was 2nd with 10lbs 5oz, and Joe McDermott 3rd with 10lbs.The “Bug” Tommy Buggy was up from Kilkenny and could not get a handle on the Ree pike. Barry Darby was very unlucky on the competition day, and lost a good fish estimated at 17-18lbs as it came near the boat. Barry was fishing with Des Powel land the lads had a great day on Ree last week with pike to 27lbs in weight.
MACKLESFIELD MAGICAN. “O THE PAIN OF IT”. It was a hard pill to swallow last Sunday as my good pal Marty Smith dropped over from England and hammered us local pike experts on our own waters. Marty was in cracking form and had some lovely perch and pike on Ennell earlier in the week. As mentioned above he also done the business on Ree during the Midland Pike Anglers competition. Marty has fished in many Countries, but has a real soft spot for Mullingar, and loves the fishing game.
CATTLE ON THE MOVE. It’s a fact you just never know what you will see happening on our waterways. As we trolled out from Inishcleraun Island on Ree, which is better known to anglers as Quaker Island I watched a strange barge type vessel crossing the lake. As it came closer I could see it was local farmers moving cattle from the Island back onto the mainland. The cattle really seemed to enjoy their boat trip, and its not two often I get the chance to photograph cattle being moved from the Islands on Ree.
Michael Flanagan
Pike and Trout angling guide.
Telephone: +353 (0)44 9348969 or +353 (0)87 2797270
Fax: +353 (0)44 9342781
Email: [email protected] Web: www.midlandangling.com
