Ronan Cusack says there are mixed reports from Mask this week, as our mayfly season should be in full swing. Sparse hatches of fly, coupled with bright sunshine and a constant change in wind direction, has made traditional mayfly fishing very difficult. Conditions for the latter half of last week suited wets and dries; unfortunately an easterly wind took hold over the weekend and made angling a bit more challenging.
Local anglers Kevin Egan and Michael Vahey had 5 for an afternoon on Friday last on a combination of wets and dries (best fish 1.75lbs, all returned). Ballinrobe anglers Philip McGoldrick and Kieran Biggins fished wet flies for a day over the weekend and they finished with 7 (best fish 2lbs, all returned). Conor Ledwith and fishing partner Kevin Crowley (not your correspondent!) from Headford fished dries for a few hours on Monday evening in Caher Bay and Kevin landed a lovely 3.5lbs trout on a Klinkhamer.
Ken McCarthy from Dublin had 3 on wets on Monday last (best fish 1.5lbs, all returned). Danny Joyce from Ballinrobe also had 3 on Sunday on wet flies (best fish 1.5lbs, all returned). UK angler and regular visitor to Lough Mask, John Young fished with Ronan Cusack on Sunday last and they had 9 trout on a combination of wets and buzzer (best fish 5.5lbs, all returned).
The wind is to shift back to a northerly direction towards the end of the week which is good news for Mask anglers.
