Lindsey Clarke reports from the RIVER DROWES – Monday 13th to Sunday 26th June 2016 (2 weeks).
Water levels were fairly low on the 13th with the gauge only reading 0.37m The river rose slightly the following day with the gauge reading 0.40m but the river gradually fell over the following 6 days but good rainfall on the 20th and 21st and showers thereafter meant the river began to rise rapidly and then more steadily. By the 26th the river had risen to 0.56m, a lovely height for angling. The Drowes had a very good run of grilse and fished very well over the fortnight with the average daily catch around 12 salmon! The greater part of the catch consisted of grilse in the 3 to 5lb size bracket. For the period to date, there are 88 salmon recorded in the catch register at the fishery office with many more records yet to be entered when visitors return and rods staying at the fishery accommodations tally their weekly catches. Grilse were caught from all areas of the river on fly, spinner worm & prawn/shrimp.
Space precludes giving all catch records but given here are a selection of some of the catches taken from the Catch Register at the fishery office. On the 14th, Dave Cox recorded a 6½lb grilse caught on a fly from Red Roof. Brendan Lyons reported a 10½lb salmon caught on a spinner from Black Hole and Brian McClintock accounted for 4 grilse weighing around 4lb each caught on worm & spinner from Black Hole & Red Roof with one of these being released again. On the 15th, William Rainey logged 2 grilse weighing 3 & 4lb caught on prawn from the Sea Pools. John Gallagher caught and released a 5lb grilse on fly from the Eel Weir and William Marshall registered 2 grilse weighing 4lb each caught on prawn from the Sea Pools. On the 16th, Patrick O’Malley recorded 3 grilse weighing 5, 5 & 7lb caught on shrimp from The Wash Stones and The Grazing’s. On the 18th, Brett McKee reported 2 grilse weighing 4 & 5lb caught on prawn and fly from the Sea Pools. Walter Demmer recorded 2 grilse weighing 4 & 5lb caught on prawn from the Wash Stones. Michael Maguire logged 2 grilse weighing 3½ & 4lbs caught on shrimp from the Eel Weir and the McCutcheon party accounted for 5 grilse weighing from 3 to 5lb all caught on fly from the Eel Weir. On the 20th, Barry Chew recorded 3 grilse weighing 3 & 7lbs caught on a Toby spinner from New Bridge and Carlos Marcos accounted for 2 grilse weighing 3 & 4lb caught on worm from Red Roof. On the 21st, Columba Fitzpatrick logged 2 grilse weighing 3 & 4lbs caught on worm from the Black Hole. On the 22nd, Nigel Abrahams recorded 3 grilse weighing 3, 3, & 3½lb caught on worm from Upper Mill and the Thierry Schwede party accounted for 5 grilse weighing from 3 to 4lb caught on spinner from Boat House. On the 23rd, William Rainey recorded 3 grilse weighing from 3 to 5lb caught on prawn from the Sea Pools with 2 of these being released again. On the 24th, the Thierry Schwede party landed another 3 grilse weighing from 3 to 4lb on worm and shrimp. On the 25th, William Rainey reported another 2 grilse weighing 3 & 4lb on prawn from the Sea Pools with one of these being released again and Calum Kettles logged 2 grilse weighing 3lb each caught on shrimp. On the 26th, Nigel Abrahams recorded a further 2 grilse weighing 3lb each caught on worm from the Blackwater. There were numerous records of single grilse catches over the 2 weeks that have not been included here.
With the good grilse run and the good water levels, prospects look extremely good for the coming week
Lindsey Clarke
IFI-Ballyshannon.
email: [email protected]
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For info/bookings etc on the Drowes Fishery & Lough Melvin see the website: http://www.drowessalmonfishery.com/ or Tel: +353 (0)71 9841055 (8 am to 12 noon)
