It was a great week for pike angling as the weather has suited both angler and fish for the most part. The windy weather made it hard to get to sea at times, and coarse anglers fished through some real wet stuff at the weekend but not enough to stop them thinking about getting out again the day after tomorrow…

Over the weekend there was a real buzz of activity from the pike anglers and we have reports from West Cork to the upper Shannon area. Enjoyable fishing was reported from Dunmanway where in one productive 2 hour trip just about every lure in the box caught a fish, not all big but fast and furious. Lures are also doing the business on Lough Derg where a few really good fish over the metre mark were taken at the weekend. Lough Ennel might be closed for trout, but it’s not closed for business and good pike are being taken on the troll. Lough Lene is also still open for pike fishing and it can a very productive fishery. It’s not unknown for big trout to hit pike baits at this time of year. If this happens to you just unhook it carefully and release it safely. In the Longford area German and Swiss anglers have been getting some good fishing too, landing a number of pike over 100cm, the biggest weighing around 24lb. The pike there are taking a mix of lures and baits, but the deadbaits were producing the better fish.

Dave Stewart from Warrington won the Carrigallen Festival last week with 45.24kg. The highest daily weight, 12.10kg of roach, was caught by Dutch angler Piet Van Lieshout from Tully. Perseverance was needed by the FishManiak’s as they fished through the wind and rain at the weekend on Glasshouse.  Tomasz Bartoszko was the winner of their competition with 5,07 kg. The Go and Catch Feeder Team fished a competition on Lough Muckno at the weekend. It was miserable enough there too, and Robertas Zilaitis did well to land 6.830 kg for first place. Anglers from Killinarden Angling Initiative at a 24 hour fish in at Lanesborough had great fishing while managing to raise some money for the club.  Well done to all the Juniors who fished the All Ireland Feeder Championships on Lough Sillan where every angler caught fish. The last day of the Autumn League at Tooman Fisheries was a cold and wet affair, but Shaun Keenan emerged from the freezing wind and rain with a combined catch of 196lb 8oz to win first place . Finally, Catch of the Week goes to Amy Kennedy for her 12lb 12oz carp from the Lough in Cork. This 4 year old is already an angling superstar with more than one specimen under her belt.

Amy with her Catch of the Week carp
Amy with her Catch of the Week carp

The fourth and final leg of the Munster Shore Championships took place on Sunday in Lahinch. After a gruelling four hours in wind rain and hail it emerged that Jordan Muir won the U-21s, Eoin Foley took gold in the U-16s and Nikki Foley won the Ladies competition. Bass reports are still coming in from Cork Harbour, and with them we hear of the first winter cod catches from Monkstown. Kyle O’Donovan had a lovely bass of 9.5lb and another angler fishing later in the evening had half a dozen fish, all cod bar one 5lb bass. Ballycotton is also fishing well enough, no cod reported, but plenty of dogfish and some small congers.

Trout anglers either turn to pike fishing at this time of year or start the winter league circuit at various rainbow trout fisheries. Last weekend saw the first leg of the Annamoe Winter League won by Huber Smith with 10 trout for 464cm.

Salmon anglers are reminded that their logbook and any unused tags must be returned to IFI before 19 October. If you have not returned yours please do so immediately.

A new fund to support projects that will contribute to the delivery of an accessible and sustainable, world class inland fisheries resource has been established. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has announced an overall Capital Works Fund of €500,000 available for angling groups and clubs who are looking to improve access and infrastructure for angling.

The fund is aimed specifically at capital improvement works with grants available to all groups and individuals including local development associations, tidy towns, angling clubs and others looking to improve access to angling. The types of projects eligible for funding must provide for public access and include the following:

  • Clearing and fencing along rivers/ lakes to allow access for angling
  • Abled and disabled friendly angling stands
  • Car parks to improve access for anglers (new car parks and upgrades to existing carparks)
  • Walkways to improve access for anglers
  • Stands, styles, footbridges and boat slips
  • Accessible angling boats / angling boats

For more information on the scheme, guidelines for applicants and to express interest in project funding for 2017 please see National Strategy for Angling Development – Capital Grants Scheme 2016

It looks like it’s going to be a mostly dry and sunny Friday and though there will be more sunny spells over the weekend it will feel a bit cooler as the winds from the south east and east freshen. It looks like there’ll be some rain from Monday afternoon, spreading from the south west, but from Wednesday the forecast is for drier and milder weather again.

Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Myles Kelly

Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].

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Releasing a pike on Derg
Releasing a pike on Derg