Ian Powell of the Blackwater Lodge reports:
Conditions.
There was more rain in the catchment overnight. I had 8mm on my gauge at the lodge by morning. Heavy showers continued all day in the upper catchment. The forecast is now dry right through until Sunday.
At Killavullen it was falling until midday but has since risen over 30cm by 22.00 to 1.70m. Clarity was ~ 1 foot & peaty through the day.
Ballyduff gauge is up to 0.62m by 22.00 this evening & still rising. Clarity is about 1-1½ feet – very peaty with a slight sediment colour.
Water temperature at Ballyduff: 12.8ºC / 55.0ºF.
Catches.
Even with very coloured water & only 8 rods for the day, three fish were caught today including a First Ever Salmon for Arthur Goonan – a 4lb. grilse he released on Woodstream on the upper river. A lot of fish were moving through the upper beats during the day.
Prospects.
With very dirty water coming down from above Millstreet, the river will be out of fly order tomorrow, but may barely be fishable with spinner or worms. The rise is bringing the large numbers of fish that were waiting in the tidal reaches into the main river. Plenty of fish are moving especially on our upper beats.
Fishing should be superb in the coming days once this latest flood drops and the river fines off.
Fort William’s Paul Whelan tells us they had a good month in July and reports on a cracking fish caught this week by 15 year Jack Hughes from the U.K. A super salmon weighing 18.5lbs. Jack also caught and released another fish of 4lbs all off the Castle beat.
Paul says July was a great month on the fishery with plenty of action being had. Glenmore is fishing very well after the work carried out last season. Bishops and Ellis beat also doing well. Castle beat is top beat at the moment.
August is off and running with 6 fish in the book so far!
River levels are dropping back nicely after our recent rise in water levels. Clarity is at 2.5ft+ and improving. This is just what is needed plenty of fresh water to keep fish on the move.
Jack Hughes from the U.K with his 18.5lb salmon
On Friday, also at Fort William, 13 year old Tommy Bell landed a 4lb grilse and lost another and Derek McGiveran landed a nice grilse of 6lbs off the Glenmore beat on the Monastery stream.
Fortwilliam Fishing would like to invite you to “Fortwilliam Making a Song and Dance for Barnados” on Thursday the 20th August at 7pm at Fortwillam, Glencairn. For more info call 058-54251.
At Ballyduff Bridge Salmon Fishery Brendan Peppard had a fine fish on the fly at Ballyduff Bridge on Friday morning. A dirty flood in the river during the early week but it should fish well when it clears off.
The River Man Trailer from RICHARD GORODECKY on Vimeo.
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
Ballyduff Bridge Salmon Fishery
Web: www.blackwatertroutandsalmon.ie
Fortwilliam Fishery & Self-Catering Cottages
Fortwilliam Fishery, Glencairn, Lismore, Co. Waterford, Ireland
Web: www.fortwilliamfishing.ie Email: [email protected]
Tel: (00353) 87 8292077 or 058 75299
The Munster Blackwater…
For more information about salmon fishing on the Munster Blackwater please see the following page with a list of all the fisheries
