Waiting for ideal water conditions when salmon fishing can be a bit of a lottery. Getting that ideal water height and clarity and or colour is something that all anglers can only dream about and the required water level depends greatly on the fishing technique being used. When we want rain it has to be the just right amount, too much and the water rises and colours too quickly but too little and it has little or no effect. Salmon anglers know instinctively what is the ideal and they always try to be ready at the drop of a hat to take advantage of these windows of opportunity.
So it was over the weekend, when angling guide Peter Cunningham had mentioned that we needed rain. Enough to put the river up six to ten inches but it must stay clear he said. Over the weekend we got torrential downpours and it was expected that the River Boyne might be like chocolate after a few days of really heavy rain. However, Peter sensed that their might be an opportunity for a fish and made a visit to the Oldbridge fishery one of the mornings early in the week. His hunch was right and he found the levels in the Boyne has risen around 12″ but the water still remained clear. Conditions were ideal for the fly on the lower Boyne and better still the fish were on the move.
With his double handed rod Peter was able to cover all the available water and on his third cast he was into a nice fish of just over 10 lbs. The salmon had been in the river a short while and fought hard to gain its freedom. However, the fish was quickly subdued and Peter got the salmon to the net as speedily as possible to avoid overtiring the fish. After a quick photo the fish was assisted to recuperate before being released to continue its upstream journey.
On starting to fish again Peter noticed tinge of colour in the water where he was standing and within minutes the water around him was completely coloured. Happy with his short session Peter called it a day and headed off to wait for conditions to improve again.
Peter Cunningham is one of the North East’s top angling guides. If you fancy a days guided fishing for salmon, sea trout, wild brown trout, pike or bass, then why not give him a call or drop into him for a chat in the Drogheda Angling Centre, Boyne Shopping Centre, Drogheda.
Peter can be contacted by Tel: 00 353 86 4682516 or by email: [email protected]
