David McEvoy reports from the Delphi Fishery :
It’s been a great start to May here at Delphi but all other fish pail into insignificance when compared to the magnificent specimen that Anthony Barrett Jolley (or just Tony to his friends) caught on Tuesday, 12 May. The fish was sea liced and weighed in at a staggering 20lbs11ozs. The fish was hooked in the Rock Pool at 5pm and landed at 5.30pm. The pool had already been well fished by a number of experienced anglers who shall remain nameless. Tony was the fourth person to fish the pool in the afternoon. He was using one of our small double handed 12’9” house rods with a sinking tip line. The fly was very traditional, a size 6 Gary Dog double. Tony hooked the fish fairly high up in the pool just at the tail end of the white water, even though the gauge was at 50. The fish was netted by Christopher Jarman and Tony was completely shattered afterwards but he soon overcame this to have the look of a man that had just achieved something great.
On the 9th Jens Kober had his second of the week, a fish of 8lbs10ozs from the Turn pool on a Collie Dog. Heribert also had one from the Rock pool on a Willie Gunn of 9lbs5ozs. Paul Shalvey started his week in fine style with a sea liced fish of approx. 9lbs from the Sluice at Doolough.
Sunday was a total wash out with over 51mms (2”) of rain, with the river rising to 90. Water conditions were excellent on Monday but Finlough was unfishable in the morning due to strong gales. Tony Barrett Jolley had a lovely fish of 9lbs off the Rock pool in the morning on a Cascade conehead. In the afternoon Paul Shalvey did extremely well to land a fish of 8lbs1oz off Fin in difficult conditions. The fish was taken on a Collie variant. Finally Ronan Murphy had a fish of 7lbs2ozs from the Whin pool on a Willie Gunn.
Besides Tony’s fish yesterday we did actually land another. Ronan Murphy had a fish off Finlough of 7lbs8.5ozs on a Willie Gunn. One of the photos shows the two fish together which gives one some idea of the size of Tony’s fish.
Catches last week have been very diplomatically spread amongst our anglers. Nearly all those who fished managed to catch so all I can say is hard luck to those who didn’t.
There were three landed on Monday. Heribert had a fish of 9lbs on a Collie Dog off Fin. Paul Duffy and Angus Sutherland both had fish off the Whin pool. Paul’s was taken on a Hairy Mary and weighed 8lbs1.5ozs and Angus’ was on a Sunrae Shadow and weighed 8lbs14ozs.
Paul Duffy had another fish on Tuesday, this time from the Rock pool on a Delphi Collie. The fish weighed in at 7lbs9ozs.
There were three landed on Wednesday. Jacob had a cracking fish from the Rock pool of 12lbs12ozs on a Willie Gunn. Heribert had one from the New Island pool on a Collie Dog of 7lbs2ozs and Peter O’Reilly the famous APAGI instructor had a lovely fish from the Turn pool on a Felix Dolan of 11lbs9ozs. (If you want to live up to Peter’s standards you could also join him on one of his courses here)
On Thursday Paul Duffy’s son Ben managed to land his first ever salmon. The fish was taken in the Rock pool on a Willie Gunn and weighed in at 6lbs6ozs.
So far today we have had two fish. Jens had one earlier of 6lbs15ozs, again from the Rock pool on a Collie Dog. Ken Williams who was the only one of a group from Munich not to have caught managed to land a fish of 8lbs5ozs in the Waterfall on a Willie Gunn.
There are still plenty of fish entering the system so hopefully the fish will start to be a little more co-operative in the next weeks.
If you were interested in a spot of trout fishing to coincide with Mayfly time, we have a special offer at the moment of;
2 nights B+B plus 1 evening meal, plus boat, picnic lunch and experienced ghillie for a day on the beautiful Lough Carra for 425 euros per person,
Or
3 nights B+B plus 2 evening meals, plus boat, picnic lunch and experienced ghillie on Carra for 2 days for 745 euros per person.
If interested please contact the office
David McEvoy
Delphi Fishery
Go fishing…
At Delphi Lodge, with many years of experience with the timing of the best runs of fish, we have in place a price system that offers both great value fishing and lets our anglers know when they have the best chance to catch a fresh run spring salmon or a summer grilse or Delphi sea trout.
Delphi Fishery
Delphi Lodge, Leenane, Co. Galway.
Tel: +353 (0)95-42222 Fax +353-95-42296
Web: www.delphilodge.ie
