Lough Sheelin Angling Report By Brenda Montgomery, IFI – May 19th to May 25th, 2014
The pulses fly again when the hooked trout is felt, and the tightening line curves the rod from point to hand …
William Senior
‘The Bend of The Rod’ – Ruairi Coleman playing a trout this week on Sheelin
Lough Sheelin consistently attracted large numbers of anglers to its waters throughout the week with a doubling of figures at the weekends and ‘the after work’ hours. There were times, looking out from the highest vantage point over this great lake, that it looked
somewhat like the Spanish Armada had arrived, with the water dotted with boats alternatively clumping in groups of perhaps twenty to thirty and then there were sections were the lake coverage was much more scattered. Anglers joked that soon the trout wouldn’t have any space to rise because of the closeness of the boats – somewhat of an exaggeration but still Sheelin was very busy this week with an average of over eighty boats out there every day. There is however, no need any angler to be deterred by this as here we have 4500 acres of water, almost up to its peak trout holding capacity and undoubtedly this trout anglers dream of a lake is more than able to cope with the recent onslaught of visiting anglers and can easily and effortlessly cope with a lot more trout enthusiasts. Sheelin fishes well all over but because anglers are notorious at watching other anglers, they are inclined to group together when they see a fish being landed.
Thomas Lynch of Lough Sheelin Guiding with his impressive 10 lb 27” trout caught May 20th
The weather as always dictates the pace of fishing on Sheelin, when the weather was conducive to fishing (good cloud cover, a slight breeze and mild temperatures) which was the case right up to Thursday, the mayfly hatches although at times scattered were fantastic when they did happen and we were treated sporadically to those magical spiral like twists of smoke as the spinners preformed their mating dances. There were good falls of spent at varying times during the evening depending on temperatures and there could as was the case on some days be actually two falls, for instance on Monday last spent went out at 6pm and again at 8pm. and then on Tuesday it was 6pm and 11pm. Most anglers are catching fish (and releasing them) but if winds are wrong and temperatures drop, the lake can mysteriously go quiet leaving some anglers disappointed, frustrated and wondering where all the good fishing has gone, bring to mind that somewhat annoying but truthful phrase ‘ it’s called fishing and not catching’. On Friday a cold north wind swept across the lake which slowed things down on the fishing front but didn’t slow the numbers of enthusiast trout anglers taking to the water, although there was a noticeable drop in catches for that day. Nature has full control over this lake’s fishing and we should be glad of that as it keeps our wits about us and makes everything a lot more challenging and interesting as the angler tries to outwit the elements and figure out the feeding moods of those trout.
It was easy to see where the most popular areas of fishing were this week, just climb to the highest point over looking this ‘fairy pool’ and the congregation of boats give it all away but for those who are new comers to the lake taking into account of course wind direction – Chambers Bay down to Holywell and around by Arley into Merry pt., the back of Church Island for great falls of spent in the evening, the western shore around Orangefield and Plunketts point and for evening time fishing the Bog Bay and Sailors Garden (and by evening it’s from 6pm up to midnight and beyond in many anglers timetable).
Gently does it – Paul O’Reilly, Dublin releasing his Sheelin beauty
There were some beautiful fish landed this week and it was more than difficult to find the trout of the week as the final count produced an impressive tally of five trout at over 9 one beautiful 8 ½ pounder and six 8 pounders. Along with these heavy weights there were numerous fish from 4 to 7 lbs recorded along with hundreds of trout around the 2 to 3 ½ lb mark.
This lake is fishing like a dream but in order to keep this dream alive and to think of the future, a catch and release policy is very much encouraged and in fairness most of the Sheelin anglers have vision and see the importance in letting the fish back – ‘ a gift for another on another day’.
Some of the successful flies for the week were fishing the dry and wet mayfly – Dennis Mosses Ginger Mayfly, the Mosley Mayfly, the Green Mayfly, the Lough Arrow Mayfly, Mick Kelly’s Mayfly, a dry Mayfly with a yellow tail, the Spent Gnat, the Murrough, the red tailed Green Peter, a selection of Dabblers – Claret, Golden, Green and Peter Ross, a small Sooty Olive, the Golden Olive Bumble, Bibios, Klinkhammers and Mick Kelly’s Stimulator.
Finney’s Spent The Golden Olive Octopus
Also coming into their own and featuring heavily with substantial catches are the Wulffs namely the Grey and Green but particularly a Grey Wulff with a small amount of green at the back.
CDC Klinkhammers are also ‘pulling them in’. This is a twist on the original Klinkhammer special. Both the post and hackle are made from cdc. This pattern sits nicely on the water’s surface and as the cdc hackle undulates it will add a tempting movement to the pro-offered fly.
Both the bloom of the may blossom and the appearance of the mayfly are magically and intrinsically interwoven
Traditionally according to the anglers who have lifetime fishing on this lake, the peak of the mayfly is May 23rd and this date was marked as being the poorest on the lake courtesy of that north wind. It is important to listen to the ‘old timers’, most of whom have seen Sheelin through generations of fishing – the good and the bad times, they are relaxed and happy and you’ll generally find them in some little sheltered bay, away from the crowds, landing themselves a few impressive heavy weights and watching with a certain amount of amusement the frenzy of fishing activity stretched out before them in the form of younger less experienced anglers. They seem contented and philosophical and we could all learn something from them.
“We fish for pleasure, I for Mine, you for yours” Leisenring’s Notebooks.
Some shoreline fishing at Sheelin
Sheelin is alive and bursting with life and activity, it’s a special time, full of the excitement of new beginnings as Spring gradually moves into Summer. But on Tuesday last, May 20th a shadow fell across this lake and its catchment with the unbelievable announcement of the sudden and untimely death of a young local woman – Elaine Brady, a front house employee of Crover House Hotel, Lough Sheelin.
For everything to run smoothly in a place like Lough Sheelin there are many cogs in the wheel and in a fast moving world a lot of those cogs go unnoticed and unintentionally unappreciated. Elaine was an integral part of Lough Sheelin and many people will remember her for her consistent good humour, helpfulness and cheerfulness.
She was a work associate and good friend and the gap she leaves could never be filled. And so on May 23rd, at the peak of Sheelin’s mayfly season, to the lonely strains of Sean McCarthy’s ballad ‘Shanagolden’ Elaine was laid to rest.
‘The wild and lonely eagle up in the summer sky…..
We’ll place a red rose on your grave by the silvery pale moonlight…..’
‘Ar dheis do go raibh anam dilis’
Liam Faulkner’s ‘gold’ Sheelin trout caught May 20th on a spent
Barry Fox, Ratoath had great fishing on Monday last with superb catches up and beyond the 6lb mark
Jim Crawford, Scotland with his Sheelin catch ready to be released
Jonathan Kerr’s Mayfly on Church Island
The dance of the mayfly above Church Island – ‘for a moment all the world was right’ – Gareth Brooks The Dance
Terry Sheridan with his Sheelin 3 pounder
Bring in the youth – 14 yr old Aaron Considine’s, Naas with his 4 ¾ trout caught on the fly on May 17th and 5yr old Caoimhe Sheridan with dad Kevin heading out for some fishing on Sheelin
Stevie Munn’s Sheelin wulff
The Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association will be hosting a Youth angling day in July. This popular event will include fly tying, fly casting and trout fishing followed by a Bar B Q. For further details contact Thomas Lynch @ 087 9132033
Please remember anglers to abide by BYE-LAW 790 which strictly prohibits
• All trolling on the lake from March 1st to April 30th (inclusive).
• From May 1st to June 15th – no trolling between 7pm –6am and no trolling under engine between 6am – 7pm and
• June 16th – October 12th – no trolling under engine between 7pm – 6am.
• No trout less than 14 inches should be taken from the lake
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times
Most of the fish featured in these angling reports are returned carefully and safely to the lake
‘A gift for another day for another angler’
It won’t work if you are not wearing it
Water rarely gives second chances and a life jacket is just that – it saves your life, so we would implore anglers and all other users for their own safety as well as it being the law under
SI No 921 of 2005 – Pleasure Craft (Personal Flotation Devices and Operation) (Safety) Regulations 2005
To please put on and keep on that life jacket until you are back on dry land.
There are a good selection of Sheelin ghillies/guides available and they are well worth investing in if angling visitors are unfamiliar with the lake, or perhaps haven’t that much fly fishing experience or maybe are a little ‘cut for time’ due to work or other commitments. If one guide is unavailable it’s an absolute certainty that there will always another capable one to step into the breach.
Lough Sheelin Guiding Services (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com) 087 1245927
Michael Farrell @ 087 4194156Telephone: +353 43 6681298 Email: [email protected]
Rising Trout Photography by Oystein Rossebo
Please remember All anglers are required to have a Fishery Permit to fish Lough Sheelin which must be purchased before going out on the lake.
The heaviest fish for the week was a 69cm 10lb trout was caught by Thomas Lynch of Lough Sheelin Guiding on Tuesday May 20th.
Other trout in the over 8lb club for this week were:
- Keith Lough, Glasgow – ghillied by Gary McKiernan, 1 trout at 9 ½ lbs on May 23rd.
- Mark Kinsale, England – on a Mosley Mayfly, May 20th 1 trout at 9lbs.
- Ken Kearns, Dundalk – on a Murrough 1 trout at 8 ½ lbs at 11pm on May 20th.
- Liam Faulkner, Navan – 1 trout at 8lbs on Tuesday May 20th on a spent gnat.
Gary McKiernan (www.loughsheelinguiding.com) – Tuesday May 20th 1 trout at 8lbs.
Total number of trout recorded for the week: 1680
Selection of Catches
Aaron Considine’s, Allenwood, Naas – May 17th 1 trout at 4 ¾ lbs on the fly.
Keith Lough and his son Max, Scotland – ghillied by Lough Sheelin Guiding landed 30 trout over 5 days, 6 of these trout tipped the scales at over 4lbs – definitely happy campers and two that will return to Sheelin.
Ramon O’Reilly, SIPTU fishing with friend Derry Ryan – Friday May 16th fishing afternoon and evening 7 trout between 1 ½ and 3 ½ lbs on wet and dry mayflies, most of the fish between 2 ½ – 3 ½ lbs. Saturday May 17th fishing late Ramon caught 2 trout on wet flies, heaviest was 2 ½ lbs.
Liam Faulkner, Navan – 5 trout on May 20th, using Bumbles and Spent Gnats – 1,3,4,4 ½ and 8lbs.
Barry Fox, Ratoath fishing with Jim Crawford, Seamus Kelly and William Leech – Monday May 19th fishing the dry mayfly and spent 40 trout (released) averaging 2 – 7lbs.
Cian Murtagh, Cavan – on Tuesday night, May 20th 2 trout at 4lbs and 3lbs both caught using the Royal Wulff.
Oliver McCormack fishing with Irish Times angling correspondent Derek Evans- 3 trout at 5 ½, 2 ½ and 2lbs all returned and according to Derek ‘I had mayflies flying around my kitchen for two days afterwards’.
David Wilson, Enniskellan – fishing the wet mayfly 1 trout touching 5lbs.
Tony Grehan, Rathfarnham – 4 trout fishing dry mays (all returned) 4 ½ , 4, 3 and 2 ¾ lbs, caught around Merry pt and the Sandy Bar.
Mick Devereaux, Navan – on the wet mayfly, 1 trout at 2lbs in Chambers Bay.
Paul Burke, Shane & Paul O’Reilly and John Coyne, IFI Citywest – May 17th fishing along the eastern shore from Gaffneys to Church island, 16 trout, heaviest two caught by Paul O’Reilly at just over 5lbs and 5lbs 13ozs with John Coyne on 6 for 11lbs. Flies were mainly Mayfly fished on the top dropper on a wet cast also fishing the spent gnat and the Claret Dabbler.
Dara Murtagh, Cavan – Dara had some great fishing on Friday evening May 23rd on a single drift from Crover over to the mouth of the Inny. 4 fantastic trout on the wets weighing in at 5, 3, 2 ½ and 1lb, three on a small Sooty Olive and one on a Lough Arrow Mayfly, he lost and turned many more fish on that same drift.
David Reilly, Tullynallen – evening fishing Monday May 19th 5 trout, best at 3 ½ on the dry mayfly.
Ruairi Coleman, Navan – fishing with a friend, 12 trout in total, most falling to CDC Klinkhammer Mayflies with a couple of Wulffs and Spent Gnats. Most fish weighed in at 2 – 3 lbs.
Trevor Doherty, Mullingar – 1 trout at 4lbs fishing the wet mayfly.
Returns from D.C angling & guiding services contact available on Facebook or (00353) 0873946989 for the weekend 24/5/14 – Brendan McKiernan 1 trout at 3lbs, John McKiernan 1 at 2 ½ lbs, Gary Connor, Armagh – 10 trout best weighed in at 4 ½ lbs. David Connor, Armagh 3 trout on Friday May 23rd best was 3lbs. Ciaran Comiskey 3 trout best weighed in at 7lbs. For May 19th David Connor had 1 trout at 3lbs and Martin Connor, Armagh had 4 fish best was 2 ½ lbs. David Connor also landed an impressive number of seven fish previously in the week, heaviest was 4 ½ with the lowest weigh being 2lbs.
Brenda Montgomery FIF
