Shane Gallagher, fishery manager at the Drowes Salmon Fishery shakes off any superstitions about Friday 13th and  reports:

The old saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb is certainly ringing true so far this month. Since the start of the month on Sunday week there has been sleet, snow, heavy rain, gale force winds and generally very unsettled conditions. Last weekend was wet and windy until Sunday afternoon, when the sun made a welcome appearance. Sunday night was dry but very windy. So windy in fact that Melvin was churned up and the river was running very coloured on Monday. Tuesday was a beautiful, bright spring day with temperatures hitting the mid teens before a return to very wet and windy conditions yesterday and today.

Alan Kilgore
Alan Kilgore with his fish from the Boathouse on Saturday

Fishing remains very quiet. There were two fish landed at the weekend and more than half a dozen lost, including 2 lost at the net. On Saturday evening Alan Kilgore, from the visiting Kilkeel Angling Club had a well deserved 12lbs fish on worm from the Boathouse. On Sunday afternoon Tony Parker caught and released a fish estimated at 7lbs on a Williecade, a fly of his own tying which is a mixture of a Willie Gunn and a Green Butt Cascade.

Stakeys on Tuesday
Stakeys on Tuesday
Round Hole on Tuesday
Round Hole on Tuesday

 

The week since Sunday has been quiet with only the occasional fish being seen. The water which had been dropping, is on the rise again. The gauge is currently reading 0.790 metres but will most likely reach around 0.85 by tomorrow as Melvin rises following this mornings torrential rain.
Tides start to build again from Monday ahead of next Friday’s new moon and 4.6 metre tides.

Pauric Patton
Pauric with his Friday 13th Fish from the Upper Mill.
Pauric's fly
Pauric’s fly

Friday 13th – Lucky for some! Pauric Patton struck it lucky with a sea liced 7lbs fish on a green bodied Willie Gunn from the Upper Mill this morning. One to help anglers overcome their paraskevidekatriaphobia!

Shane Gallagher
Drowes Salmon Fishery
T: +353 (0) 71 98 41055
M: +353 (0) 87 8050806
http://www.drowessalmonfishery.ie/reports/

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For info/bookings etc on the Drowes Fishery & Lough Melvin see http://www.drowessalmonfishery.com/ or Tel: 071 9841055 (8am to 12 noon)

Drowes estuary
Big waves at the Drowes estuary at the start of the week.