Caoimhghin Phelan fished lower Lough Derg on March 1st and despite unfavourable conditions, managed to pull out four pike, including three doubles. The wind was probably 20km, air temperature was 6°c and the water was 6.5°c. Caoimhghin tells us:
I entered the lake at Holy Island slipway, north of Scarriff, and made my way south-east trolling the shore-line. The water was extremely high so I kept snagging up on buried weed. I decided to change my tactics and headed towards an old spot of mine and anchored up.
I rigged my spinning rod up to accommodate a deadbait rig and also had a second rod set up to double my chances. I had my first fish on a ledgered roach which I estimated to be 8lb. This fish, along with the following three certainly had their breakfast and were probably full of spawn. It probably would only have been a fish of 6-7lb in the summer time. Got a quick snap and off she swam. It got very windy at one stage and I had to consider calling it a day but i stuck it out. It was very tough for around two hours until I got a double hook-up! Typical, either famine or feast. This time on ledgered smelt and popped up roach. One was 14lb 6oz and the other 17lb 2oz, both on the scales. An hour later I had a 10lb+ (est.) on ledgered roach, a very healthy fish.
Caoimhghin Phelan.
