JERRY LOONEY from Killarney has taken Ireland’s first wild Atlantic salmon of 2015. Now aged 80, former fisheries’ officer Jerry caught his 10lb fish at the Long Range stretch, a channel leading from the Lower to Upper Killarney Lakes.

Spinning a Blue Toby, the Woodlawn man hooked up to his prize on a second cast at 8.35am, just 35 minutes into opening day in Kerry. The fish was tagged and verified by a fisheries officer.

Jerry also has the distinction of catching the first salmon in the Kerry region in 2009….

Irish Times 02/02/2015 Read the article ‘Former fisheries’ officer Jerry Looney (80) takes first wild Atlantic salmon of the year at Killarney Lakes