Lough Sheelin’s ‘Pink Moon’
‘Pink Moon’: Bitter winds, frustrated anglers, beautiful trout – Moody Sheelin

In between hiding chocolate eggs, eating them, then finding forgotten and lost eggs and eating them too, anglers found the time to get out on the water at venues from north to south. There were a few coarse angling festivals which fished well enough considering the sometimes windy conditions and spawning activity. The same easterlies did for other anglers at sea and inland at times too, but good fishing was had when the winds blew in from other quarters of the compass…

The first fly caught salmon on Lough Melvin was caught on 13th April, by Irish Ladies international Liz Dermott in Garrison Bay. The fish is estimated around 10-12lb and was returned safely to fight another day.

Angler poses in a boat with a salmon
Liz Dermott with the season’s first fly caught salmon from Melvin, released

Moving south we learn that the Moy returned a better catch last week, due in part to dropping water levels and the Easter break bringing out more anglers. In the end 48 salmon were reported to the office including a few double figure fish. There was one salmon reported from the Laune last week and a few sea trout. Anglers saw good numbers of fish run the system over the weekend. Currane also saw an upswing in reported catches as 7 salmon were landed last week. The River Suir is not turning out many salmon yet, but a couple of good looking fish were landed by Carrick on Suir and District Anglers club secretary Tommy O’Keefe, fishing the fly.

There was mixed fishing on the Midlands loughs last week. Olives were hatching on Ennell and as trout started rising some great fish to over 5lb were landed. On Derravaragh trout were rising despite the lack of any visible hatch – fry were thought to be the culprits. Lough Lene has been fishing well recently and some good rainbows and browns were taken at the Paddy Caffrey Cup. The last week on Sheelin was a tough one. The lake remains a cold place especially in the bitter winds that accosted the anglers for much of the week. Water temperatures are only 9C, about 3C less than normal for the time of year. Despite the elements working against the anglers there was a steady number fishing this lake during the week and at the weekend, and 27 trout to 6lb were reported to the office. There were some decent hatches of Olives on Lough Corrib, but for the most part the trout were not easily had even where they were rising. Some anglers did well and met good trout of 4, 5 and even 6lb. Lough Mask also saw some decent fishing at times, but mostly for smaller fish. On Lough Melvin anglers did well fishing wets during the hatches of buzzer and early sedges.

After three days of fishing the Erne Anglers Easter Festival the 19 competitors had caught and released over 422kg of roach, bream and hybrids. Simon Huthwaite was the winner on 51.700kg. Cathal Hughes did well to fight off the competition at the 3 day Easter One Festival fished on Lough Muckno. Bitter easterlies challenged the anglers, but overall catches were up 25% over last year. Cathal’s win makes for him a hat trick at this popular event. The CM Lakelands Easter Festival is a 2 day event and it was won by Alan Larkin whose 12.620kg catch on Day 1 gave him a strong lead. Pleasure anglers also had good fishing, particularly at Lanesborough where roach to over 1lb, bream to around 6lb and good hybrids are being reported. One angler had a 40lb bag of fish and others are managing nets to double figures in short 2 hour sessions.

Some good pike reports came into us over the last week. On Lough Ree fish to 22lb have been landed. Hopefully the lake will continue to produce pike like this for the International Pike Festival and World Cup being fished at the end of the month. Great fishing was enjoyed by tourist anglers staying at Melview Lodge in Longford last week. A group of Belgian anglers ahd 151 pike for their week’s fishing while 3 French anglers had 122 pike over 6 days.

Angler poses with a large bass
Glen with his 87cm bass. A catch of a life time for Catch of the Week

Finally we get to sea angling reports and our Catch of the Week. Glen Wightman had a bass of a lifetime on a North Kerry beach towards the end of last week. Fishing a small plug he caught and released a beautiful 87cm bass. Staying in Kerry, Tralee Bay SAC had good flattie fishing at Cashen with flounders to over 4ocm landed and charter boats in Dingle and Valentia Island are also reporting good fishing. There was also a report of good charter boat fishing from the Clare coast last week while up in Donegal Bay shore anglers had some excellent sport as the predators binged on abundant fry.

Waterville Lakes and Rivers Trust is hosting an information event for business owners and members of the public in Waterville and the surrounding areas. The event, which will take place at The Sea Lodge, Waterville, on Thursday 27th April at 7.30pm, will focus on sharing results from a recent economic survey carried out in Waterville among angling tourists to the area. The research reveals some key opportunities for business and service providers in the locality. For more information see: http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/

Dry in many places on Friday also but scatted outbreaks of rain in northern parts. Rather cloudy overall. Highest temperatures  from 11C in northern counties to 16C in southern areas and winds will be light northwesterly. The outlook is for mainly dry settled weather continuing over the weekend but more unsettled and rather cold conditions developing during the early days of next week with northerly breezes developing. Not the best forecast but at least the easterlies have moved on…

Safe fishing to all this Easter 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

Salmon fishing reports

Trout fishing reports

Coarse angling reports

Pike fishing reports

Sea angling reports

Other news

News clippings