Shane Gallagher reports on the capture of the Drowes’s first salmon of 2017, the water levels and angling conditions…
The first salmon from the river Drowes of 2017 was caught yesterday morning from the Mill Pool by Bangor angler William Rainey. The 8lbs sea liced fish was taken on William’s first day fishing this season on worm.
This is the latest a first salmon of the season has been taken from the river and also the lowest water level in which a first salmon has been caught at just 0.488 metres on the gauge, summer levels.
Fishing prospects looked poor this morning with very low water levels and a biting north east wind. However William and his fishing friend Karl saw a number of fresh running fish which may signal an improvement in what has been a worryingly slow start to the salmon season throughout the country.
As a measure to encourage the catch and release of more spring fish, the fishery will offer a free days fishing to all anglers who catch and release a fresh wild salmon and verify it with photo or video from now until 1st May.
So anglers who release a fish will fish for free on their next visit to the fishery. Season ticket holders will receive a voucher equivalent to the cost of a days fishing per verified C&R fish up to May 1st.
Multi sea winter fish are vital to all fisheries even to systems which comfortably meet their conservation limits and where a “harvestable surplus” exists such as the Drowes. Multi sea winter fish are predominately female and have more and larger eggs and thus greater spawning potential and egg viability.
The state is the largest owner of fisheries in Ireland, including some of the most prolific spring rivers. It would be welcome to see the state implement some conservation incentives for multi sea winter fish in the waters under its control.
Lost & Found
A box of flying cs has been lost around Lennox’s Bridge. If anyone comes across it could they leave it in the tackle shop at Lareen to be reunited with its owner.
Weather
Cold, windy and dry, staying mainly dry until midweek.
Water level 0.488 metres
Water Temperature 6 Celsius
A word of thanks to all the anglers who have fished since the start of the season. Lets hope 2017 is a good year for anglers and fish alike
Tight Lines
Shane Gallagher
Drowes Salmon Fishery
Lough Melvin
Lindsey Clarke reports
Lough Melvin opened on the 1st of February for salmon angling. A fair number of boats ventured out on the 1st day but no salmon were reported with a 3½ lb brown trout being the best fish reported. Melvin does not open for brown trout fishing until the 15th February and all brown trout caught by accident must be released. The following few days saw poor conditions which were not favourable angling conditions and the lough was quiet. We await news of the 1st Melvin salmon of 2017.
Make a booking
The Drowes Fishery is one of Ireland’s premier spring salmon and grilse fisheries. The river is some 5 miles in length, with over 70 named pools, flowing from Lough Melvin at Lareen Bay and entering the sea at Tullaghan, just outside Bundoran. The Drowes has a wide variety of water suitable for all fishing methods, including several miles of good fly water and deeper slower moving pools suitable for spinning and bait fishing.
For information and bookings on the Drowes Fishery & Lough Melvin see http://www.drowessalmonfishery.com
Tel: 071 9841055 (8am to 12 noon).
Mob: +353 (0) 87 8050806
