It was another week of historic catches for Irish anglers. The rain saw salmon fishing improve on many rivers and the cloudy, cooler conditions were a help to coarse anglers too, with good bream and tench at a number of venues. At sea there were some exciting reports from boat and shore, but it was a kayak that provided some of the most stunning thrills…

We’ll get straight to the business of Catch of the Week. Graham Smyth has this honour more than once and this week is perhaps one of his finest moments yet. Graham has continuously pushed the bounds of what is possible for a kayak angler and his catch of a porbeagle shark at the weekend is is one of the most exciting winners of the Catch of the Week we have featured.

Graham Smith with super porbeagle shark Photo: Martin Maloney
Graham Smith with a super porbeagle shark from a kayak is Catch of the Week winner. Photo: Martin Maloney

Charter boat anglers fishing from Union Hall were also getting shark and other big fish with skate to an estimated 196lb landed. There were also plenty of blue sharks for boats out of Courtmacsherry where specimen whiting and even hake were recorded. The change in weather has limited fishing on the more exposed coasts of the west but building shoals of mackerel are a good sign. At Killala Bay anglers enjoyed catching a range of species with cod, pollack and ling all taken in double figures.

The unsettled weather saw quite a bit of rain in different parts of the country. Where it fell over the headwaters of our salmon rivers there was usually a good run of salmon. Chief amongst these was the Moy which saw 645 salmon landed last week. Other rivers in the area also showed an improvement and there were 215 salmon at Ballisodare and good fishing on Carrowmore Lake, the Owenmore and the Garavogue. Fishing picked up on the Erriff too and a run of decent sea trout was welcomed by anglers. The Galway Fishery had a great week with almost 100 salmon caught. In Kerry and Cork, the Laune, Lough Currane, Owenmore Fishery, Ilen, Lee and Munster Blackwater all produced good fishing following the rains.

Congratulations to Italy, not for last nights soccer result, but for their win in the World Master’s Fly Fishing Championships fished on Loughs Corrib, Inagh, Fee and Muck last week. On the individual front, it was celebrations all round for well-known Renvyle man Jackie Coyne, who won the gold medal for top angler. On Corrib the settled weather continued up to the weekend, making for ideal conditions for Caenis fishing in the mornings, but the weather has turned more unsettled and breezy now, giving better daytime fishing. Sheelin anglers are starting to turn their attention to Sedges although there are still fish being taken on Spent Gnat. Last week there were much fewer anglers on the lake and only 43 trout were reported, the best a fish estimated to weigh 8lb. The Fane was one of the rivers that did not get much in the way of rain and the river is still very low. Small dries are working well with light tippet and long leaders but the trout are very spooky due to the conditions.

The Farney Festival is being fished at venues around Carrickmacross. So far there have been a few good bags in excess of 10kg. Good bream and tench are showing in the catches which are expected to continue to improve over this 5 day event. There were also catches of good bream in the Shannon at Athlone. Daily weights in the 10kg class were reported at Daingean – serious fishing for a canal venue. Other venues that are fishing well include Lough Egish and Lough Ramor.

As always summer sees many pike angler down rods, but that’s not to say there is not some great sport to be had. Lough Derg’s pike angling guides continue to produce the goods for their clients and some good fish up to and over 100cm have been reported in the last week. Midlands venues are also fishing well and American anglers fishing with Michael Flanagan had some lovely fish as part of their angling holiday.

IFI would like to thank all of the bass and sea anglers who participated in the Irish Bass Survey which had been running since early April. The survey has now closed and with over 200 anglers submitting complete responses we should get some really interesting and important information back on all aspects of bass angling and the bass fishery in Ireland. Results of the survey are expected to be published and posted on the IFI website towards the end of August so watch this space.

Met Eireann tells us that over the coming weekend, Saturday will have scattered showers for a time but they will be much lighter and not as prolonged as those of the previous two days. Sunday will start mainly dry and bright but it will cloud over as the day goes on, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing in the north and west through the afternoon and evening. On both days highest temperatures will range from 15C on northwest coasts to 20c in the southeast. Winds will be light to moderate, mainly westerly.  The weather will stay slightly unsettled early next week with a westerly Atlantic flow continuing, though many areas will see a lot of dry weather and temperatures will be around normal for the end of June.

Not a bad fishing forecast for anglers on holiday or looking forward to getting out in the next few days.

All that’s left to say is Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Myles Kelly

Catch, Photo, Release

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Catch Photo Release
Releasing a trout on the River Suir