Salmon anglers have found what rain we’ve had to be very hit and miss. Many fisheries, like Lough Currane and the River Inny in Kerry have been missed again and again by the recent showers while over on the Dingle Peninsula, the Owenmore Fishery has done well and good water has seen fishing improve no end. Further north the Erriff was another river to benefit from the rain and some fine fish were caught including a good number of sea trout and one salmon of about 20lb (released). Good numbers of sea trout were also reported from Costello and Fermoyle. The rain over the Moy catchment was described as sporadic and while levels came up a bit over the weekend, the catch overall for the week was about 300 fish.
Water levels have hit trout fishing on the rivers pretty hard and while there is some sport to be had during the cooler periods, most of the bigger fish have remained sulky enough. The lakes have had it a little better and Lough Sheelin in particular has turned a corner in this regard. Some great fishing has been enjoyed by resident and visiting anglers and trout to over 8lb have been caught and released in the last couple of weeks.
In coarse angling new we have a couple of good reports from canal venues in Offaly as well as reports from Grantstown Lake in Laois and Ballyshunnock in Waterford, but the big news is from Northern Ireland. The NCFFI All-Ireland Club Championships were fished over two days on the Lower Bann at the weekend. There were some great performances by the anglers taking part but in the end East Belfast Coarse Angling Club took the honours and were crowned NCFFI All-Ireland Club Champions of 2018!
Winds were up a bit compared to recent weeks and choppy conditions were experienced by many boats taking to the sea for a bit of fishing. It wan’t enough to put off a group of German anglers fishing on the Leah out of Killala Bay and some great fish were landed including some lovely turbot, rays and gurnards. Neither were the shark anglers on Galway Bay put off by the breeze. John Fleming reports that the shark fishing has really taken off in the area after a slow start this year.
And now the weather…
Met Eireann tells us it will be dry in most areas on Saturday with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. However, there will be a few showers, mainly in Ulster, north Connacht and north Leinster in the afternoon. Top temperatures of 15 to 18 C in mostly light, variable winds. Mixed weather will follow on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Cooler, cloudier conditions will be welcomed by many but more rain is needed…
Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.
Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release
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Headlines
Salmon angling news
- Rain just right for Owenmore anglers, salmon, sea trout and grilse
- Currane anglers still waiting for rain
- Salmon to 20lb landed on the Erriff
- Good water and plenty of finnock at Costello & Fermoyle
- A bit of fresh water in the Moy over the weekend
- Low water, evenings fish best on Erriff
- Terrific fishing reported from Owenmore Fishery
Trout angling reports
- Trout anglers report mixed results on the Suir
- Fly fishing on the Nore – low levels and small fish
- Seamus O’Loughlin wins I.T.F.F.A. Interpro on Lough Lene
- Sheelin trout – “mad and brilliant, special and magical”
Coarse angling reports
- East Belfast are NCFFI All-Ireland Club Championships
- Grantstown Lake fishing well
- Junior anglers get good rudd fishing at Ballyshunnock
- Canal in Offaly is the place to be for tench and bream
- One match left in Tullamore and District Anglers junior league
- Denis Coyne wins Johnny Cunningham memorial at Whitehall
Sea angling reports
- Waterford shore angling update
- Good shark fishing in Galway Bay
- Enjoyable day out on Killala Bay for German fishing party
