Lough Currane and River Inny updates from Vincent Appleby and the Waterville Lakes and Trust…
27/6/18 Raging hot again this day on Lough Currane so as you can imagine the Currane Anglers were praying and hoping for a bit of Wild Atlantic action but sadly all wild fish were in deeper waters as the Currane anglers were sweating out above. Now an important Notice so please click this because it is very important for the Waterville Fishery.Wind light to calm NW. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 26.6c.
28/6/18 Straight to the action and we start at the Bungalow, Mr. Peter Thomson of the UK caught a fine 6 lbs. Salmon on the troll while fishing with his Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com Now we head for the evening shift, Swiss angler Mr. Markus Hodel and fishing out of http://www.butlerarms.com/ caught a fine Salmon / Grilse in the 3lbs. Class, while fishing with his Gillie. Considering the hot spell, one can say without any fear of contradiction the Currane Anglers did well. Wind SE. Yesterdays’ weather, maximum air temperature 28.2c.
29/6/18 All headlines come from http://www.butlerarms.com/ and their guest, Swiss angler Mr. Markus Hodel. Markus caught a fine 4 lbs. Grilse while trolling with his Gillie and at http://www.butlerarms.com/ and for the rest of the Currane anglers it was all quiet on the SW front on this hot blazing day. Wind W light to fresh and bright sunshine all day. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 28.4c.
30/6/18 The Lough Currane anglers are getting over heated as the heat wave takes control, now we look at the fishes point of view, as the Currane fish look up from the bottom, if to say you should be down here with us and you would know what it is like with the lack oxygen, at least you anglers drink your water to stop dehydration so you know what you can do with your flies and lours. Wind W light and very warm and in the shade about 26c ? taken with an old thermometer, with hazy sunshine. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 25.4c. On that note I will leave you with a few photo of fly anglers trying their luck on the World famous Butler Pool and at www.watervillegolflinks.ie
1/7/18 Hot weather set to continue as the Currane anglers get baked again and sadly there was no smoked Salmon today and as the water level is getting critical which is no surprising because amount of rainfall for June was 39.2mm, facts are from Met éireann. Wind E, strong, sunny and warm. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 22.1c.
2/7/18 Swiss angler, Mr. Markus Hodel and fishing out of http://www.butlerarms.com/ takes all the trolling headlines on Lough Currane today and for good reason, while trolling with his gillie, caught a fine 8 lbs. Salmon. Now for the rest of the angling news sadly it was all quiet on the SW front. Wind E light and very warm again this day. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 18.9.
3/7/18 All Quiet on a sweltering SW front on the early shift but it was a different story on the late night shift and again it’s Swiss Angler Mr. Markus Hodel and fishing out of http://www.butlerarms.com/ takes all the trolling headlines on Lough Currane this evening while fishing with his Gillie, caught a fine 4 lbs. Grilse. Wind SW light to fresh with bright sunshine all day. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 23.9.
Vincent Appleby
www.salmonandseatrout.com
The Trust report
A New €10 million project to reward farmers for environmental enhancement in priority river catchments has been announced.
The overall aim of the project is to reward farmers for improving the local environment with a view to ensuring the long term survival of freshwater pearl mussels in Ireland. The scheme will be open to farmers across eight priority catchments in counties Cork, Kerry, Galway, Mayo, and Donegal. Most of the Cummeragh catchment at Waterville has been designated one of the eight ‘priority’ catchments.
Why is this good news?
Freshwater pearl Mussels, one of our catchments Key Species, have until relatively recent years, maintained healthy populations, particularly in the Cummeragh river. Water Quality in the catchment has declined over the last few years largely from a combination of factors including; siltation of streams from changing land management practices, increased nutrient run off from the land resulting from increased stocking and climatic changes and lack of protection of riverside habitat among many more. All of these issues are to be addressed by the project.
It is not widely understood that there is an essential synergy between our key salmon and sea trout populations and the freshwater pearl mussel in our streams. The mussels, a long lived species often exceeding 100 years in age, spawn in the early summer each year and produce tiny larvae called ‘glochidia’, which are broadcast into the water column. These ‘glochidia’ find a host in the gill rakers of salmon and sea trout as they migrate up the catchment. As the salmonids eventually reach suitable spawning habitat far up the system, the ‘glochidia’ drop out of their gills and into the gravels to grow into Freshwater Pearl Mussels and start their downstream journey over again.
In short, the objective of improved in-stream habitat, with good, clean, silt-free water with low nutrients will be equally beneficial for our beleaguered salmonid species. What is not yet clear, however, is how the project will address the problem of the lack of sea trout ‘glochidia transporters’ migrating into the catchment. It cannot be ignored that the the year on year decline in the salmon and sea trout stocks migrating must surely be contributing to the lack of recruitment to the stocks of Pearl Mussels which has been noted in the catchment over the last few years. To put this into perspective: when the Fish Counter on the Butler Pool was first installed in 1994 it recorded over 35,000 (Marine Institute figures) sea trout entering the catchment. In 2017 just 2,862 (IFI figures) ran through the same counter.
We must not forget that the proposed habitat improvement for Freshwater Pearl Mussels should not just focus on the freshwater environment. There are also very serious related problems to be addressed in our inshore saltwater environment!
Rod Robinson
Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust
Go fishing…
Vincent Appleby
Eureka Lodge, Caherdaniel West, Co. Kerry.
Telephone: +353 (0)66 9475248
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.salmonandseatrout.com
Waterville Lakes and Rivers Trust
The Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust, formed by concerned volunteers in 2016, is one of the new Rivers Trusts to be set up in Ireland and is currently aspiring to Charitable Status. Its remit is to protect the fresh and coastal waters of the Iveragh Peninsula.
Find out more and how you can contribute at
Find out more about Lough Currane…
The rivers and lakes of Waterville drain a large catchment and are regarded by many as the foremost Salmon and Sea-Trout fishery in the country. The lake system is well developed with access to boats and guides being readily available to the tourist angler. The Sea-Trout caught here are renowned for their size and quantity. For more details see
