After the brief cold snap of late last week, this week has seen a return to much milder conditions, with temperatures up to 12C at times. Unseasonably mild for January, and it saw fish on the feed in many fisheries.

Pike anglers had some great sport, with the Dublin Pike Anglers enjoying a day out in Roscommon, and two 20lbs+ pike caught in a Tullamore & District Anglers competition. The Shannon in Co. Roscommon has also been producing some good pike recently, with a 21lbs 7oz fish winning the recent Camlin Anglers competition for local man Joe McDermott. Pike were sulking on Lough Ennell, according to Mick Flanagan, but the perch provided alternative sport, while a change of venue to Lough Derravaragh saw Mick land a cracking pike not far short of 30lbs, our Catch of the Week!

 

A high 20 pike for Mick Flanagan and our Catch of the Week
A high 20 pike for Mick Flanagan and our Catch of the Week

The River Suck is producing good roach fishing at the moment, with the new match stretch at Emlagh providing good fishing for the Sensas Connacht match last Sunday. Good numbers of small roach kept anglers busy for the four hour competition.

The salmon season has opened on Lough Currane, in the beautiful County Kerry. Calm settled conditions for the opening day proved a hindrance to angling, and the 9 boats who ventured out failed to encounter any fresh salmon, although one or two kelts were recorded. We look forward to Vincent Appleby’s “No spin, no fly, just facts” regular updates throughout the season. Meanwhile, Shane Gallagher reports that while fresh salmon were seen this week, anglers have not yet managed to tempt one to the bank, although a number of kelts were caught. Water conditions are excellent, with water level just below 0.6 on the gauge.

Cork Harbour and surrounding area is providing good sea angling sport at the moment, with literally thousands of whiting and dab caught in the Munster League competition held last Sunday. 13 species were caught in the competition, won by Pat Condon with an incredible 135 fish. Small boat fishing is also worth braving the cold, as Krzysztof Walczak and Robert Dyjasek discovered last week, small plastics providing them with excellent sport including pollack to 5kgs, as well as good coalfish and ling. Nearby, Mick Dennehy of Kinsale Charters reports unusual numbers of mackerel for so early in the year. Mick has also been catching good numbers of haddock and hake over the last week. Further west, Mark Gannon reported good bull huss, cod, ling, coalfish and pollack over the weekend, with good flounder fishing and still a few bass inshore taking peeler crab.

Further afield, the very active Killybegs SAC have been on the beaches, where sea trout have been feeding hard on sandeel and providing good sport, as well as coalfish and flounder. The mild conditions are definitely more conducive to shore fishing, but wrap up warm regardless! Anglers in Galway who are interested in taking up sea angling might do well to head along to Silverstrand beach this evening (19th, 7.30p.m.) where Galway Bay SAC are holding an introductory meet to show anglers the basics of shore fishing.

The forecast for the rest of the week is settled weather up to and including the weekend, colder than the last few days with night frosts, but changing to a more southwesterly airflow with rain in the early days of next week. SW winds will kick up the surf on the west coast beaches, which could provide great conditions for shore fishing next week.

Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Kevin Crowley

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

Pike angling reports

Salmon angling reports

Sea angling reports

News clippings

Other news

The sea trout are most definitely on sand eels
The sea trout are most definitely on sand eels