Rusheen Bay, Lough Sheelin

The weather has moderated slightly, with a drop of rain over the last week and less intense heat, although drought conditions still prevail for most of the country and rivers remain low in most areas. Some spate rivers did see temporary improvements with the rain, and salmon have been running a number of rivers. Fishery manager Nigel Rush surely had the pick of the fishing, landing a 19lbs 12oz salmon from Kylemore. The Owenea has also seen fish caught when rain fell, while fish are being taken at the Sea Pools on the Drowes, and the Moy saw a fall in catches but still recorded 251 fish, the best of the fishing in the lower and tidal reaches.

Nigel Rish with a 19lbs 12oz salmon from Kylemore Abbey Fishery
Nigel Rish with a 19lbs 12oz salmon from Kylemore Abbey Fishery

 

Sea angling has been nothing short of spectacular recently, with the prolonged good weather increasing sea temperatures and even bringing an influx of warmer water species not commonly caught in Ireland. Black bream are a fairly recent arrival in Irish waters, but this year is seeing good numbers caught, and Wexford anglers have been catching specimen sized fish. Charter skipper is reporting this summer as the best for tope fishing in years, and across the country are similar reports, with spurdogs in great numbers in Killala Bay, superb shore fishing in Donegal, and excellent shark fishing along the west coast, where a specimen blue shark cauught on the Deora Dé is our Catch of the Week.

Specimen blue shark and Catch of the Week
Specimen blue shark and Catch of the Week

 

While coarse fishing has been hit with the high temperatures recently, cooler early mornings have been productive in Longford, and anglers have reported good roach, bream and hybrids from the Barrow also. Young anglers in the Junior All Ireland Canal Championships enjoyed some great fishing, with bags up to 15lbs and bream up to nearly 4lbs, as well as a few tench. Pike anglers continue to concentrate on other pursuits, as the high water temperatures are unsuitable.

Elsewhere, trout fishing has picked up on Lough Corrib, with milder conditions and a drop of rain contributing to the improvement, with mayfly, sedges and dapped crickets all taking fish. The “on” switch was flicked on Sheelin too, where the lake came alive with hatches of sedge and rising fish, and great fishing was reported.

Thomas Walsh, Naas with Lough Sheelin’s weight of the week, a beautiful 7 pounder caught on a Green Peter pattern at almost midnight on July 18th
Thomas Walsh, Naas with Lough Sheelin’s weight of the week, a beautiful 7 pounder caught on a Green Peter pattern at almost midnight on July 18th

 

And now the weather…

The weather is looking a bit more mixed over the next few days, with rain falling as I write here in the west, and some more forecast tomorrow. There will finally be a marked change to a more mobile Atlantic regime in the coming days, with low pressure dominating conditions over the weekend, and cooler temperatures will be welcomed by many anglers. Warm again on Sunday, but reverting to fresher conditions for the early part of next week, with some rain, mainly in the west and north which should bring relief to many spate rivers.

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

Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release

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