Sunset from The Fishing Lodge at Clydagh on Lough Corrib (photo: Mary Miller)
Sunset from The Fishing Lodge at Clydagh on Lough Corrib (photo: Mary Miller)

Changeable weather is the best way to describe this week, with everything from warm, flat calm conditions to strong wind and rain in the past week, with some frosty nights thrown in for good measure. Water temperatures are still below normal for the time of year, and hatches of insects are at least a week or two behind. Fishing has started to pick up in many places though, and with good weather forecast for the bank holiday weekend, a lot more angling activity is expected.

The Drowes has had a good spring run this year, and this week was no different, with 24 fish caught. A few early grilse are starting to show up as well. Elsewhere, the first salmon off the Ridge Pool opened the account for the Moy Fishery, while the upper river produced the best week of the season so far, with over 70 salmon landed by anglers.

Spring fish continue to provide anglers with sport on the Feale, as well as Lough Currane, where the first sea trout was also recorded, while the Bandon had a good week as well as water levels suited angling.

Julian Ciconte with his fine 12lbs fish off the Drowes
Julian Ciconte with his fine 12lbs fish off the Drowes

Corrib has been fairly quiet on the fishing front, with the first mayfly still awaited, and sparse enough olive hatches, but the warmer weather coming should see a rise in water temperatures and get things moving. Despite the lull, some anglers had great fishing on buzzer patterns, with a cracking fish of 7lbs 10oz reported from the Luimnagh area. Lough Mask is producing great sport at the moment, although anglers with an eye on the international competition next week were remaining tight-lipped about sucessful patterns. The Scierra Pairs at Knockaderry was a great success, with plenty of good fish caught. River fishing is producing a few trout too, and anglers on the Ryewater had to produce exceptional fishing to make the podium in a club competition.

Paul Smithson with his 7lbs 10oz Corrib trout
Paul Smithson with his 7lbs 10oz Corrib trout

The hot water stretch at Lanesborough is starting to fire, with good bags of roach coming out, as well as some lovely hybrids and rudd showing up. A few tench have also been caught, and all this action has interested the pike, with at least three twenties caught recently. Competition fishing in Leitrim is also producing some good bags. Pike fishing should be picking up everywhere with spawning over, and Newbridge Anglers had good sport last weekend, while Italian anglers reported good piking on the Shannon.

Sea angling is also picking up, with good fishing reported from Clare and Galway Bay, with pollack, wrasse, ling, spurdog to specimen size and even a nice John Dory aboard Luke Aston’s boat in Clare. Despite tough conditions, some nice bass are showing up too.

John Dory
John Dory

And now the weather…

Finally the weather is picking up again, with temps up to 20 and even 21C in some places over the next few days. A positively pleasant bank holiday in store and let’s hope the fishing is good too!

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

Kevin Crowley
Catch, Photo, Release

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