Colder weather has arrived but despite frosty mornings there is still plenty of growth out there. Coarse, pike and sea anglers are getting some good fishing at the moment and trout anglers are enjoying themselves on stocked rainbow trout lakes…
There was some great river fishing reported from the Bann last week. In a close run competition Johnny Keith amassed a 5 day weight of 60.725kg. His best catch was 25.375kg made possible by good numbers of 750g roach. There was also good river fishing on the Barrow at Bagnelstown. At a NADA Winter League match roach and hybrids saw weights to 9.6kg recorded on the day. The Shannon at Portumna fished less well on Sunday as a stiff northerly breeze whipped the anglers. Catches to 10lb 13oz were recorded and the Town section outfished Stick-Ups.
Big pike have featured in competition catches on a number of lakes recently. St Johns Lake near Ballinamore produced an 18lb 8oz pike for one angler in the Co Hire National Pike Championships Qualifier. Although the fishing at the recent King of the Corrib was not easy on the day there were good fish landed and the longest of these was 103cm. Pleasure anglers are also getting good pike and a pair of French anglers had very enjoyable stay in the Longford area with Melview Lodge.
At this time of year shore anglers are all thinking about cod. It’s probably not cold enough yet for the real run of fish to hit our shores and hopes are high it will be a good winter for them. In the meantime bass are still showing in Waterford, Cork and Kerry in the south and there were even reports of some Donegal bass in the last week. Charter fishing is also going well just now. On the east coast spurdogs are proving plenty of sport for Wicklow Boat Charters and in Cork Harbour there were over 3,700 fish caught and released by 55 anglers fishing the Munster League there.
The Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations, 2017 to provide for the management of the wild salmon and sea trout fishery by Inland Fisheries Ireland in 2018 have been drafted and are available online. For more information see:
Met Eireann tell us that Saturday will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle, mainly in Connacht, Munster and south Leinster, but extending further north at times. The best of any brighter intervals will be in Ulster and north Leinster. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9C for most areas with light breezes and reaching 12 or 13C in Munster. Sunday will continue mostly cloudy with a fair amount of dry weather and some patchy light rain or drizzle at times. More persistent rain will spread eastwards in the evening and early night. Highest temperatures of 7 to 12C with light breezes. the rest of the week will be wet it seems, but it should clear by Thursday.
Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.
Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release
If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].
Headlines
Coarse angling reports
- Munster CA Winter League at Portumna
- Barrow produces up to 20lb for anglers fishing NADA winter league
- A Bonanza of Roach on the River Bann for the festival anglers
Pike angling reports
- Mostly jacks for OCaseys anglers with one match left in league
- French Pike Anglers Enjoy Their Week at Melview Fishing Lodge
- Tullamore and District Angling Club report challenging condition on the Grand Canal
- King of the Corrib a resounding success
Sea angling reports
- November Spurfest for Wicklow boat Charters
- Kerry beach and rock marks producing bass on lures
- Donegal Bay fishing well ahead of Mariners Winter League
- Paul O’Callaghan wins first round of Munster League
- Schoolie bass on fly and lure in Cork Harbour
- Thomas Keogh leads South Shore league with just one match left to fish
