Ian Powell reports that June started off wet and windy, but the salmon fishing was far from miserable…

Salmon
Colm Dooly (Mallow) had a 4lb. grilse on Killavullen
followed by an 8½lb. on Ballygarrett

June 1st was a miserable day with heavy rain and very high winds. 12 anglers ventured out for a total of just 7 full rod days. But it turned out to be very well worthwhile as they caught ten fish for the day, which completely eclipsed
the fishery’s previous Best Day this year which was just three fish. All but one fell to spinner as fly-fishing was next to impossible.

Guide Conor Arnold caught the biggest so far this year which was 12½lb. He released it and another fish of 7lb on the day.

Fish were taken all the way through the fishery from top to bottom. By beat the catches were:

  • Ballinaroone: Dave Sheehan – 10lb.
  • Lower Kilmurry: Vaidas Tiskus – 9lb. on fly (his  first ever Blackwater salmon), Dave Sheehan  –   9lb. (sealiced)
  • Woodstream: Mick Kennedy – 4lb.
  • Kilcanwy: Conor Arnold – 7lb. & 12½lb.
  • Killavullen: Colm Dooly – 4lb.
  • Carrig: Dave Walsh – 4lb. & 7lb.
  • Ballygarrett: Colm Dooly – 8½lb.

One fish had been in a couple of weeks. All the others were very fresh indeed & one was sea-liced.

On 31 May Etienne Hubert – a Frenchman living in Dublin – caught a beautiful very fresh fish of 9lb. on fly on the Island Stream on Lower Kilmurry in the morning . Acracking fresh fish of 14/15lb. lost by guide Kieran Conlon in the same pool in the evening.

9lb salmon
A 9lb. bar of silver for Etienne Hubert on fly from Lower Kilmurry 

Prospects

Looking absolutely excellent for the coming weeks as fish are moving in in good numbers and the forecast is pretty good for the next week or so.

Availability

There is no problem for fishing & accommodation availability in the coming weeks at the moment.

Now is also the time to think about booking your fishing break for the prime times in the coming season before it’s too late.

Tuition

Need to brush up on your fly-casting? Contact Glenda on glenda @ ireland-salmon-fishing.net  to book some tuition as well.

Ian Powell
Blackwater Lodge

Go fishing…

Blackwater Lodge & Salmon Fishery
Upper Ballyduff, Co. Waterford.
Tel: 00 353 58 60235     From UK: 0871 474 0135  (10p/min any time!)
Mobile: 00 353 87 235 21 20
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.ireland-salmon-fishing.net

For more information about salmon fishing on the Munster Blackwater please see the following page with a list of all the fisheries