Declan Gibbons reports from Lough Corrib, where despite sporadic hatches, many anglers enjoyed excellent fishing. Mayfly hatches have been good in some parts of the lake and patchy in others, while Campto buzzer have hatched consistently in some bays and buzzer fishing has produced some great trout this week as conditions were ideal for it on several days. Dappin natural mayfly has also been productive, although getting enough fly for the day has been challenging on some occasions.
In the Cornamona area on Sunday last Cornamona & District Anglers hosted their Mayfly Competition with 45 anglers catching 37 trout for 25.78kgs. In 1st place was Tom Doc Sullivan with 3 fish for 3.245kgs (Tom was presented with the Dr Eamon Sullivan Cup, named after his father, by his sister Elizabeth). In 2nd place was Gerry Dixon with 4 fish for 2.695kgs, and 3rd place went to Gerry McDonnell with 4 fish for 2.600kgs. Best Lady Angler was Eileen Dixon with 2 fish for 1.490kgs, and Tom Doc Sullivan also won the Heaviest Fish prize with a fine trout of 1.835kgs.
Cork angler Billy O’Brien, staying at Lakeshore House B&B for nine days reported having had his best season on Corrib for the last 15 years – he averaged 4 to 5 trout per day with a fish of 4lbs on Saturday being his best fish. Richard Molloy of Ballard Shore Boat Hire & Self-Catering (tel. 087-2879339) reports good fishing in the area with most anglers enjoying great sport on wet mayfly and dapping; Aidan Spooner from Limerick had a trout of 3lbs on Wednesday last dapping.
Tom Ormond had 3 trout for his day’s fishing on Thursday last. Enda Brown on Tuesday last had 4 fish dapping with the best being 4.5lbs, and on Thursday he had a trout of 2.5lbs. Tom Doc Sullivan (www.tomdoc.com) guided Mark Conroy and a party of three from England for 6 days, landing between 40 and 50 fish on dry Wulffs and buzzer with the best fish being 4lbs. Jason O’Riordan and Dave Burke fished for two days and had 12 fish with the best fish caught by Dave being just under 4lbs.
In the Oughterard area Basil Shields of Ardnasillagh Lodge (tel. 091-552550) reports excellent fishing to buzzer and mayfly; Billy Stinson had 17 fish for one day, all on buzzer with the best fish 5lbs. John Jacks, Scotland & Larry Kelly, Dublin had 38 fish for one week with the best fish being 5lbs. On Monday last Glen O’Connell and Ger Carraig had 8 fish with the best being 4.75lbs. John Gallagher had a super day’s angling landing 5 fish with the best being 7lbs. Joe Johnson & partner had 15 fish all on buzzer for their day on Corrib with the best being 4.75lbs. John O’Mahony and Eamon O’Nualain had 6 fish for their day with the best fish being 2.75lbs. Colman Counihan and Lal Gilligan had 7 fish for their day, all on Mayfly and the best fish being 4.5lbs. On Saturday last David Hynes and Mick Kelleher had 8 fish, all on buzzer with the best fish being 4.5lbs.
Kevin Molloy (tel. 087- 9604170) reports from the Oughterard area of improving hatches in the area and angling to match it; John & Robert Broadbend from Donegal had 37 trout for 4 days from 1.5-3.5lbs, all on wet flies. Cork angler Harry Couch & family had 90 fish for 7 days dapping, with fish varying in size from 1 – 3.5lbs.
Larry McCarthy of Corrib View Lodge, Glencorrib reported enthusiastically about the quality of Lough Corrib as Europe’s premier wild trout fishery. With ten personal bests landed at the lodge for the week gone by, guests are well and truly satisfied with the quality and quantity of trout Corrib is producing at present, with 9 fish over 5lbs, 3 fish over 6lbs and 1 fish over 9lbs. First of all Bob Clark and his friend Jonathan Lee guided by Frank Reilly caught a magnificent 9lb 3oz trout which was weighed and released. Bob wins Catch of the Week for this smashing trout.
Malcolm Patrick guided from the lodge by Andrew Boyd caught his PB of 6lb 2oz also released. Tony Ling guided by Larry had his PB weighed and released at 6lb.
And in a week when Larry himself boated 48 trout of a very big average size which all swam away, he had his own PB which was weighed and released at 6lb 10oz. Larry says Mayfly fishing has started producing good bags the last few days and big lumps are still coming out on buzzer so the week ahead looks promising.
Ted Wherry of Mayfly Lodge Ballynalty (tel. 087-4305957) reports good action in the area with visiting UK angler Andrew Wain in the Ballycurrin and Black Rocks area with 22 fish for his trip with the best fish being 3.5lbs. Tourmakeady angler Mick Dunne and Shane McGowan from the UK had 3 fish for their day on Corrib with the best fish being 4lbs. In the Inchiquinn area on Friday last Howard Smith and boat partner Mike had 6 fish all on wetflies with the best fish being 2.25lbs.
On Sunday last Annaghdown Anglers hosted The Paddy Fahy Cup with 22 anglers participating – 14 fish were weighed in with 1st place going to Mike Sullivan & Graham Landy. 2nd place went to Adrian Lynch & James Sexton, while 3rd place went to Pat Bennett & Billy Kavanagh. The Heaviest Fish went to Graham Landy with a fish of 3lbs.
David Egan from Clare, recent Brown Bowl winning angler on the winning Irish team on L. Mask enjoyed a day’s fishing in the Ballindiff area with excellent sport on buzzer, as did fellow Clare angler Brian Madden, both pictured with Fantastic Corrrib Trout. Also in the Ballindiff area on Thursday last Shannon Angler Glen O’Connell & friend had 5 fish on buzzer for their day on Corrib. In the Cong area Stephen Lydon of Lydon’s Lodge Cong (tel. 094-9546053) reports on regulars from Cavan to the area enjoying great action on mayfly in the Inchagoill area from Wednesday last to Friday last mainly on wetfly fishing.
The Collinamuck Angling Club held the Halloran Cup on Sunday, a team event with a total of 40 anglers taking part in 17 teams, landing a total of 30 fish over the limit.
The winning team was Mike Keady, Barry Molloy and Mike Hambleton with 12 fish for 23.14lbs. In second place were Daragh Noone and Fred Martin with 4 fish for 12.92lbs, and third place went to the team of Paddy O’Farrell, Noel Carter and Gay Fleming with 4 fish 7.48lbs. The Heaviest Fish prize went to Fred Martin with a trout of 4.63lbs, and the best Lady Angler was Dolores Walsh.
Corrib has been extremely busy over the last week, with every pier packed with anglers morning and evening, and boats dotted everywhere on popular drifts. Anglers are reminded to only take what fish you will eat, with a daily limit of 4 trout and a minimum size of 13 inches/33cm (fork length). Also be mindful of other boats on your drift, and when driving to give drifting boats plenty of room. Operation Ephemera is in action, and fishery officers are checking for compliance with size and bag limits.
Remember, every trout that goes back alive is one that may be caught again by another angler, or one that will spawn the next generation. The catch limit is not a target!
