It has been quite a busy start to the New Year angling season here in Ireland despite the many wintry harsh days but sometimes interspersed by periods of very mild weather and the occasional stormy days.  At the time of writing we are still waiting for news of the first salmon of the new season with the anglers trying hard to catch the first salmon of the year particularly on the River Drowes. Late next week, the salmon season opens on Lough Currane and the River Laune so if the Drowes does not produce the first salmon of this year maybe it will happen in Co. Kerry.  If a salmon is caught in the meantime, we will have that story for you here on the daily updated angling report pages on our website.

Angling guide Jason O’Riordan used bloodworm patterns to coax some lovely rainbow trout at the Ardaire Fishery in Kilkenny.  Brenda Montgomery writes that anglers in the Cavan area are anxiously waiting for the angling to open on Lough Sheelin but my advice is to tie more flies in the interim as the season starts on the 1st of March.

On 30 December Paul Bourke landed his biggest pike of the season with Pierre Montjarret. This fine fish wins Catch of the Week
On 30 December Paul Bourke landed his biggest pike of the season with Pierre Montjarret. This fine fish wins Catch of the Week

In the Christmas – New year period there was plenty of pike anglers out on many waters.  In recent days there were reports of some very big pike recorded on Lough Derg.  The largest of these a fish of 1.16 metres (Possibly over 30 lb.) was captured by angling guide Paul Bourke fishing with another angling guide Pierre Monjarret in lower Lough Derg.  This fantastic fish wins our Catch of the Week. Miko Wynne, Eslin, Mohill captured a fine pike of 25 lb. on Lough Rowan in the upper Shannon area. Not far away there was some nice pike reported from Garadice Lake.  Over in the in the east there was improvement for pike fishing on Lough Muckno at Castleblayney and on Lough Ramor at Virginia.  Just before Christmas well known pike angler, John McDonagh fishing with Pat Byrne on a lough in Cavan used his Grandson’s lure choice for him to catch a fine 24 lb. pike. Anglers lure fishing hooked some nice pike on Lough Derravarragh around Christmas.

A fine skate of 209 lb. was recently captured and released by Darren McMaw along with another fish over 100 lb. and some ling and conger while deep sea fishing off the Co. Antrim coast with skipper Hamish Currie.  Jim Clohessy from TopFisher.eu reports that there is plenty of Codling and pollack to be caught in the Cork Harbour area at the moment when the weather conditions allow.

It is nice to report that there was plenty of good coarse fishing all over the country and despite high water levels and inclement weather catches were really very good for this time of year.  The Oaklands fishery in New Ross continues to fish well producing some fine carp fishing along with some silver fish. The cold weather did not deter the newly formed Go & Catch Feeder club fishing on many venues in the Co. Monaghan area and good nets of fish were reported from several venues.  Matches and pleasure fishing continue to produce good catches at many venues in Inniscarra in Co. Cork.  Juniors are encouraged to fish for free at the forthcoming Erne Anglers Winter League 2015 which starts on the 25th of January.  The Ballybay anglers had nice weights at recent matches at Lough Muckno and at Annagheirin.  It was chilly for anglers fishing the Munster Fur & Feather competition at Clondorny Lake near Tulla in Co. Clare and small nets of mainly roach and perch were recorded on the day.

There is a huge number of competition notices in this week’s update along with good safety advise for anglers fishing in the cold conditions.  There are many AGMs and other news and news clippings.  We are waiting for the hard copies of the Irish Specimen Fish Committee report which should be here in the Citywest offices by this weekend.  Ring us next week if you like a copy.  The report is on our website and on the Irish specimen fish website at http://irish-trophy-fish.com/

Take care and fish safely!

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 [email protected].

Headlines

Salmon fishing reports

Trout fishing reports

Pike fishing reports

Sea angling reports

Coarse angling reports

News clippings

Other news

Island Pool
Fishing the Island Pool on January 3rd at the Drowes