Another St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone and more and more anglers are getting out to the water now that for many the official start of the angling year has passed. I can’t truthfully say that it’s the warming of the weather, so it must be the progression of the seasons that has encouraged so many anglers to get out and wet a line, as we have a busy enough week to report on…

We have 7 salmon fisheries reporting fish caught in the last week. A few “firsts” feature amongst these; the Suir, the Feale and the Moy have al officially reported salmon landed. Well done to all the anglers in volved, but particular congratulations go to James Byrne who for the second year running has caught the first springer of the season on the River Suir. His 14 pounder took a Flying C and went off none the worse for its ordeal. James wins our Catch of the Week for his achievement.

James Byrne wins Catch of the Week for his River Suir Springer - the first of the season
James Byrne wins Catch of the Week for his River Suir Springer – the first of the season

The Drowes, Delphi and Lough Melvin each had a few salmon to report and it was great to see the Lough Currane has finally began to produce some salmon after a long lull.

Lough Melvin has not seen many trout anglers out this season but 1 boat reported 11 trout caught on wet flies with 4 of these of a decent size with the best being a 1½lb Gillaroo. Heading south to Lough Mask, there were reports of good Duckfly and cinnamon sedge hatches on some of the warmer days this week, which resulted in plenty of surface activity. Meanwhile on Lough Corrib the conditions conspired against decent hatches of fly, but some good trout were landed all the same. The midlands lakes fished well enough given the time of year and on Sheelin trout to 6lb were landed. Lures are fishing best at the moment but many anglers are holding their own with traditional wet fly patterns. Lough Owel and even Lough Ennell are also turning out a few fish to persistent anglers. The Lough Lene Cup was fished at the weekend and some lovely trout to over 1.6kg were landed.

St. Patrick’s Day marks the start of the coarse fishing festival season and at Inniscarra the St. Patricks Day Open was followed by a 3 day competition. The Open was won by Peter Jones with 11.320kg and The Paddy’s Weekend Festival has been won by Julian Kendrick with a fantastic 3-day weight of 42.620kg! Lough Muckno fished a 2 day festival at the weekend and top weight was that of Piotr Horbinski on 14kg. Reports from O’Brien’s Bridge in Co. Clare are that the venue is fishing well, producing bags to over 15lb even when the weather is not all that pleasant. Anyone into big weights will be interested to hear that Oaklands Fishery produced 84kg of carp for one angler on Sunday. Pellet waggler did the damage here, but the odd fish was also taken on bread flake.

Dublin Pike Anglers fished the first competition of the 2017 season at a Roscommon venue. Although the floods were still in the fields the anglers who took to wobbling did best and the winner, Dave Murphy, had 18 fish for a total bag weight of 48lb 8oz. The Lough Gowna and Upper Erne Anglers Association were also out on Sunday. Joe McDermott was the winner with two fine pike of over 16 and 17lb assuring him of a podium finish.

There were more specimen spurdogs for anglers fishing with Wicklow Boat Charters in the last few days. A small window in the weather seems to be all Kit Dunne needs to lead his crews to success. Ardmore SAC report excellent fishing at the weekend where coalfish dominated the catches but some good flounders and bass to 62cm were also landed. Staying with shore angling, the Killybegs Mariners once again report some great fishing from Donegal Bay. A nice surf saw plenty of turbot and flounders coming to the shore. Best fish was a 39cm flounder and one angler had 16 turbot.

Inland Fisheries Ireland is delighted to announce the recipients of its 2017 Sponsorship Scheme which supports angling events and initiatives across the country. The scheme will support 79 initiatives to the overall tune of €30,000 with a focus on those which help grow Ireland’s angling tourism product and support novice anglers.

This year, Inland Fisheries Ireland Sponsorship Scheme will support:

  • 19 international angling events which will be held in Ireland
  • 15 Irish angling teams travelling overseas to international angling events
  • 28 Coaching/ Juvenile events aimed at novice and young anglers
  • 16 national angling events held in Ireland for domestic participants
  • 1 seminar which will help the exchange of information, ideas and practical experiences on fisheries management

The angling groups, located in 19 counties across the country, will be supported through financial aid and where possible, through resource support from Inland Fisheries Ireland staff members. For more information on the initiatives awarded funding under the 2017 Sponsorship Scheme, visit: http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Angling-Information/sponsorship-programme.html .

Tomorrow is supposed to be mild, highs of 10 to 14 degrees, followed by a cold night.  The weather will become dry and settled for the weekend and for the extended outlook period. Good sunshine is indicated for most days and the nights will be generally clear, but there will be cloud at times, with maybe a little patchy light rain or drizzle on Monday.  Mild by day, with afternoon temperatures of between 11 and 16 degrees, the highest temperatures expected further west given the flow. It’ll be coolest along east and south coasts due to the moderate easterly breezes at the coasts, but still very pleasant.  Anyone looking for an excuse to go fishing just found it…

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 contact@fisheriesireland.ie.

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Dawn over Lough Sheelin
Dawn over Lough Sheelin