Lough Derravaragh Angling Report By Brenda Montgomery, IFI – November 16th to November 22nd 2015
A small Jack pike from Lough Derravaragh
It has been another tough week on Lough Derravaragh with heavy rain fall and a polar edge indelibly marking winter firmly on our angling souls. Water levels have increased dramatically on this lake and angling numbers over the past seven days have been scattered, most heading out from Donore shore. At the narrow Crookedwood end of the lake the shore falls away steeply allowing for excellent bank fishing. This is a unique feature rarely if ever found in large lakes and was readily availed of by anglers due to the week’s turbulent weather. Trent Marques, Dublin and his fishing partner Paul Michels, shore fished and landed themselves 4 pike heaviest at 6lb using spoons and dead bait.
Derravaragh pike fight hard and there is no such thing as an ‘easy catch’
For Ireland November, December and January are the winter months and for most this goes hand in hand with short, miserably cold days with plenty of wind and rain. But it’s not like this all the time and there are always a few reprieve days during a week.
Lough Derravaragh is primarily an angler’s paradise but it also has much to offer the coarse fisherman. There are large stocks of coarse fish here specifically roach, hybrids, bream and pike.
For this week our’ reprieve days’ were Friday, Saturday and Sunday but the pike, our Irish water wolf has its own oddities which are worth remembering when taking to the water even in good winter weather. No matter whether you fish from the boat or shore, full moon phases should be avoided, for some inexplicable reason pike just don’t take and we have a moon at the moment steadily working its way towards full moon status. Another more important point is that discoloured water is another deterrent to good fishing and with all the heavy rainfall during the week, Derravaragh’s water was far from clear.
The lures that worked were the brightly coloured ones – The Pheasants Eye and the Copper spoons, also the Bulldogs in a variety of colours. Dead baiting also landed a few jacks but in general fishing was slow. I was reliably informed that the Voblex 8 was a ‘terrific’ lure but after much searching around various tackle shops, I drew a blank and it appears this lure ‘went out with the arc’ and the Voblex 12 is the only one on the market with the old handers in the pike fishing world a little dubious about its success rate. Trolling large lures brought a moderate degree of success for polish anglers Mateusz Balicki and Karol Dykas when they landed 8 pike between them, the heaviest at 7lbs. It is interesting to note that Lough Derravaragh seems to be a popular lake for our polish anglers who fish it fearlessly regardless of inclement weather. These anglers are full of helpful angling feedback but their names particularly the spelling of them are still abit of a handful to those of us trying to collect that valuable fishing information.
Rosie Moffatt presenting the winner of the Moffatt Cup – Kevin Keogh, Lough Derravaragh, November 22nd, 2015
On Sunday, November 22nd the Moffatt Cup (now in its 21st year) was fished on Derravaragh. Sixteen anglers took part with Kevin Keogh, Multyfarnham taking the cup with 2 pike both caught using small lures.
Fly fishing for pike on this lake has increased in popularity which reminds me of a piece from David Foster’s ‘The Essential Angler’ which reads;
‘The greedy, ferocious and excessively gluttonous nature of this ‘the fell tyrant of the liquid plain’ has been pointed out by angling authors both ancient and modern. That these fish (pike) would take a natural fly is even less probable than is the case of salmon. A jack will come with evident gusto at a bird, just as he would a rat, therefore it is essential that the artificial should be of very unusual proportions. Discarded salmon flies, of large size, rend good account amongst pike, a regular pike fly, generally is a clumsy combination of peacock-eye or sword feathers, cock pheasant’s hackles, gaudy Berlin wool or worsted, gilt or silver tinsel and glass beads; the peacock doing service for wings, pheasant of legs, beads for eyes and the remainder forming the body. The largest fish seem most partial to the fly, whether it is that they are hunger-bitten or whether they rise in the spirit of wantonness we cannot pretend to say. From the position of the eyes, situated as they are upon the top of the head he naturally sees more directly above than around’.
Pike fishing on a clear crisp winter day can be very rewarding, not only for the lungs but also for the angler’s ego and spirit.
Lough Derravarragh, November 20th
There are good stocks of perch in the lake for the coarse angler
Mike Flanaghan with a Derravaragh pike
With Christmas just around the corner and the often frequent difficulty in buying for that person who seems to have everything or wants nothing, what about booking a day’s fishing on this braising and magical lake? The best man for the job would be Mullingar man Michael Flanagan whose knowledge of this lake and indeed all the midland water ways is second to none. It would be a unique present, getting back to nature and waking the ‘hunter/gather’ instinct that may have got buried somewhere beneath work, deadlines, shopping and the pressures of everyday life.
Just a suggestion.
Mick (who can supply all fishing gear and life jackets just bring yourself) can be contacted at 087-2797270. E- mail [email protected] web- sitewww.midlandangling.com
The Lough Derravaragh Angling Association will be holding their AGM in February 2016 and all are welcome (date to be decided later). This progressive club promotes and encourages angling – trout, pike and coarse fishing in the Lough Derravaragh system and assists in the protection of the waters from pollution and illegal fishing with a view to improving wild brown trout stocks within the system. Membership levels for 2014 stand at 46 senior anglers and 13 juveniles. Anyone interested in joining should contact Joe Keena at 086 8722449.
Please remember All anglers are required to have a Fishery Permit to fish Lough Derravaragh which must be purchased before going out on the lake.
The Weir Cup or Christmas Pike Competition will be fished on Lough Derravaragh on Sunday November 29th, 11am – 4pm from Donore. This popular annual competition is run in memory of the late and great Sean Weir, Multyfarnham who was a member of the Derravaragh angling club and whose passion and love for fishing this lake will be forever remembered.
For further information please contact Joe Keena at 086 8722449.
Brenda Montgomery IFI
