Declan Cooke, IFI Ballina, reports on the last days of the trout season on Loughs Conn and Cullen…

With the 2015 angling season now drawing to a close, it is probably fair to say that it has been one of the best for many years. Even though the weather was, generally, pretty cold and wet, trout fishing on both Loughs Conn & Cullin was excellent from April right through to September. The “Olives” provided exceptionally good sport from early April well into June and there were some reports of trout happily taking dry olives even into the month of July. Mayfly hatches were patchy and somewhat disappointing in the usual hot-spots (i.e. Castlehill, Tolan’s etc.) but small hatches persisted well into the month of August and, once again, the trout happily fed on these too. Late August and early September saw hatches of sedge and falls of daddy long legs which kept the trout feeding consistently at the surface and, although the number of anglers declined a bit during this period, some super catches were reported.

Many of the Conn regulars reported that water quality appears to have returned to pre- eutrophication standards and, consequently, the trout fishing is more akin to the “good old days”, where average size is about 1lb but numbers appear to be increasing. However, the chance of a 3 – 4 pounder is always on the cards.

It has been another successful week on L. Conn. Stephen Browne & Joe Ferguson had 5 trout for 8lbs, best fish was 2 lb, all on dry sedge and daddy long legs. Their most successful drift was off The Errew shore.

Padraig Traynor and Orla Walsh also had a great day on Saturday last, with 7 trout including a beauty of 3 lbs caught at Brackwansha.

Gerry Corcorcan from Kildare 3 trout for 5 lbs in Massbrook bay on a green peter and Michael Noone From Laharadane 3 trout best 1.5 lbs all around Victoria bay.

As if to prove that trout are always ready to take a mayfly, Peter Roche from Ballina had 3 trout, the best of which was 2 lbs. All on dry wullfs.

Vincent Roche from Ballina also had 3 good trout on green peter in Massbrook bay and Harry Mc Cafferty had 2 trout off The Brackwansha shore on Bibio.

Paul Caslin and Peter Grey had another excellent outing on L. Conn with a few real beauties to over 3lb caught around Coleman’s shallows on dry daddys.

John warren and Ian wise from Crossmolina had 3 trout and  2 trout respectively of Jurogue Island. Their best fish was one of 4 lbs caught on a  Peter Ross.

There was another local competition held last Saturday from Murphy’s boat hire Massbrook. This was a “best fish2 competition so each angler could only weigh in one trout

A total of 16 fish were weighed in and numerous other trout were caught and released. It was reported as a great fishing day with dinner and prize giving in Murphy’s boat house restruant.

  • 1 st Padraig Traynor 1 trout. 3.05 lbs caught off Brackwansha on green peter.
  • 2 nd. Ian wise. 1 trout heaviest 2.85 lbs
  • 3 rd. Billy mc ghee Foxford. 1 trout for 1.76lbs.

That’s it for the 2015 season, a lot of happy angling memories for both local and visiting anglers. Lets hope the 2016 season proves as good!

Tight lines.