It’s been a strange season this year, with growth of many species several weeks behind, and the sparser than usual mayfly hatches have been frustrating anglers no end. Weather conditions haven’t helped, with northerly and easterly winds (or no wind at all!) and bright sunshine hampering traditional mayfly fishing. Buzzer fishing is producing the odd good fish at the moment, but overall the mayfly fishing is poor.
Declan Gibbons reports that in the Cornamona area fishing has been poor overall during the past week, with no significant hatches of mayfly. Many anglers were left frustrated having spent many hours fishing without even seeing any fish.
Patrick Brown, Cornamona had 3 trout , best was just over 3lbs on Saturday. Sean and Cillian Breathnach along with their father Paraic, from Cornamona fished for a few hours on Sunday and landed 5 fish, with 4 released.
Padraic O’ Malley and two friends from Maam had great action on one evening during the week, boating 5 fish in the space of half an hour at Corrnamona Bay. Of the three, Peter Robinson came out best with a fine fish of just over 5lbs.
Richard Molloy of Ballard Shore Boat Hire and Self catering (087-2879339) reports on some visitors having mixed fortunes on the lake. Those who had fish included father and son duo Matt and Paul Geraghty from Ashbourne Co.,Meath who had 16 trout on the dap for their visit, with 12 of them sportingly released and 6 of them around the 2.5lbs mark. Paul also had a cracking trout of 13Lbs trolling which he sportingly released. Local man Patsy Coyne, Cornamona had a fine fish on the dap of over 6lbs. Cork angler Cal Healy had some mixed fishing when hatches were moderate to good – the fishing matched the hatch.
Stephen Lydon of Lydons Lodge Cong ([email protected]; 094-9546053) says some of their visitors enjoyed some sport for their efforts. Cavan men Cian Murtagh and Vincent Kelly had 13 trout for two days last week with the best fish being 2.5lbs on wet mayfly patterns, and many more undersize fish. Also staying at Lydons for fishing were Tim O’Donnell and David Plumpton, who had 6 trout from 1-2.5lbs in the Dooras area. Steve Palmer had 6 fish from 1.5-3lbs, returning three, all on the dap. John Lydon also boated guests in the Castletown area on Saturday last with several fish caught fish ranging in size from 1.25-2.5lbs.
Mike Holian from Bayview Lodge, near Cong (www.bayviewangling.com, tel. +353 (0)94 95 46385) was in touch to report on mayfly fishing for guests staying at the lodge, and fishing with guide Robert Holian, over the last few weeks. Mayfly fishing was late starting in the Salthouse Bay area. Dietmar Tiefenhaler, Austria and three friends had 27 trout for one week trolling on Corrib & Mask, keeping 3 for the table for 8.5lbs.
Rolf and Walter Bucher from Switzerland spent 18 days trolling on Corrib and Mask, landing 46 trout, releasing all but 5, best 7.5lbs, two of 5.5lbs and two of 4lbs each.
Paul Ramsey, Cross, had one trout of 4 lbs on dry fly. Robert Holian and David Ryan, Cong, had 6 trout on wet fly. Sean Keenan, Dublin, landed 6 trout over 2 days on wetfly. Simon Williams, Dublin, had 6 trout over 3 days on mayfly. Rory and Cormac Nicholson, Galway, had 5 trout over the weekend on mayflies, including one for Rory of 3.5lbs. Aiden Glynn, Galway, landed 2 trout on wetfly.
Mark Husson’s party from England, guided by Robert Holian and Pat Egan, had a total of 70 trout over 4 days dapping mayfly, with most of the fish released. Philip Bowman and friend from Belfast landed 5 trout over 2 days, best 2lbs, all released.
