Lindsey Clarke reports from the RIVER DROWES – Monday 16th May to Sunday 5th June 2016 (3 weeks).
Low water conditions have prevailed for the last 3 weeks on the Drowes. The gauge read 0.40m on the 16th. There was a rise in levels slightly from the 22nd to the 26th when the gauge at its maximum read 0.43 but levels them fell to very low summer levels and on the 5th June the gauge read only 0.35m. The weather has been very hot and sunny with daytime air temperatures rising to 23°C. Despite conditions being distinctly against salmon angling, the Drowes fished surprisingly well due to a good run of grilse. Over the 3 week period there were some 76 salmon caught!
Given here are some of the catches taken from the register at the fishery office. On the 17th May, Tom Colgan recorded 2 grilse weighing 4 and 6½lb caught on worm from the Red Roof and Island Pool. David McKillan reported 3 salmon weighing 3½, 6 and 8lb caught on prawn from Money Hole with 2 of these being released again and Patrice Labaile accounted for a 5½lb grilse caught on a fly from Lennox’s Bridge. On the 18th, John Ford recorded a 6lb grilse caught on prawn from the Sea Pools. Chris McDaid registered a 5lb grilse caught on a spinner from the Mill Pool and John Gill accounted for a 4lb grilse also caught on a spinner from the Mill Pool. On the 20th, John O’Neill recorded 2 grilse weighing 4 & 6lb caught on fly from the Mill Pool and the Crooked Hole. On The 21st, Eamon McCallion reported a 4lb grilse caught on a fly from the Mill Pool. On the 22nd, P.J. Bailey registered a 4lb grilse caught on worm from the Crooked Hole and Nigel Abrahams accounted for a 3lb grilse caught on a spinner from the Crooked Hole. On the 23rd, Jim Logan registered a 4lb grilse caught on worm from the Mill Pool. Richard Evans reported 2 grilse weighing 4½ & 5lb also caught on worm from the Mill Pool and John Gill accounted for 3 grilse weighing 4, 5 & 6lb caught and released again on a spinner from between the Fours Masters Bridge and Lennox’s Bridge. On the 24th, Johnny McBrearty logged an 8lb salmon caught on fly from the Island Pool. On the 25th, Mirec Turczmowicz recorded a 3lb grilse caught on a spinner from Briney’s. Eoin McManus reported a 4lb grilse caught on fly from the Sea Pools and John Gill caught and released 3 grilse all weighing around 3lb on a spinner from Black Hole & Red Roof. On the 26th, Simaon Cassidy registered a 5lb grilse caught on a fly from Corry. On the 27th Patrick O’Malley recorded 4lb grilse caught on a fly from Briney’s and Leon Penmings registered a 4½lb grilse caught on a fly from Briney’s. On the 28th, Alain Colomval recorded a 3½lb grilse caught on worm from the Blackwater. Nash McDaid reported a 4½lb grilse caught on a Flying ‘C’ lure from Lennox’s. Joe Broderick, registered a 3lb grilse caught on a fly from the Sea Pools and John Wiley accounted for a 4lb grilse caught on a fly from the Salmon Leap. On the 30th, Niall McIntyre recorded a 4lb grilse caught on a Flying ‘C’ lure from the Black Hole. Kieran Kelly logged 2 fish weighing 3 & 7½lb on shrimp from the Black Hole and Walter Huldi accounted for 2 grilse weighing 3½ & 5½lb caught on a fly from the Eel Weir. The Patrick Bigeyre party of 6 rods recorded 6 salmon caught for the week. On the 1st June, Rodero Sose registered a 3½lb grilse caught on fly from Lareen. On the 2nd, Stanley Kingham recorded a 4lb grilse caught on shrimp from the Sea Pools. Walter Huldi reported a 4lb grilse caught on fly from Red Roof and William Marshall accounted for 3 grilse weighing 3, 4½ & 5lb caught on shrimp from the Sea Pools. On the 3rd, Gary Piggot logged 2 grilse weighing 3½ & 4lb caught on prawn from the Sea Pools and Jean Luc Barzic accounted for a 5lb grilse caught on a Flying ‘C’ lure from the Blackwater. On the 4th, Father and Son team Duncan and William Rainey reported a fish apiece weighing 4 & 7lb caught on prawn from the Sea Pools.
The dry, hot and sunny weather continues here but given the Drowes Grilse’s disregard of the same, prospects remain 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)
