Lough Currane and River Inny updates from Vincent Appleby and the Waterville Lakes and Trust…
21/6/18 We Start with the action on the South side and at www.lakelandshouse.com Luxemburg Angler Ernie, fishing out of Lakeland’s Holliday Homes and at www.lakelandshouse.com caught a fine 5 lbs. Salmon / Grilse, while trolling with his Gillie Mr. Frank Donnelly and at www.lakelandshouse.com Now we head to the North Side and the Bungalow, Mr. Peter Liddel and Mr. Alex Muir from Newcastle caught two fine Salmon in the 9 lbs. class and just for the record their Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com reported to me that one of their Salmon was sportingly put back to fight another day. For the rest of the Currane Anglers it was all quiet on the SW front. Wind NE light and bright and sunny. Yesterdays weather 0.3mm.Maxumum air temperature 15.2c. Just for the record I will put Ernie’s Photo up tomorrow when I will get it.
22/6/18 Straight to the Grilse department, an angler fishing on his own, caught 2 while trolling and released the second, ranging 4 lbs. up to 5lbs. On that Note we will head for the C&R Video of Andrew Mcgall and Screaming Reels, take note you Currane Anglers and even if you don’t take note its definitely worth watching. Wind W then veered N and bright and sunny all day. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 15.4c.
23/6/18 Lough Currane was all quiet on all fronts as the Currane Anglers looked up to clear blue sky and the sun blazing down and in the words of an angler or to be more precise Killarney Angler Mr. Ed Kelly who puts it beautifully on his fishing trip today on Lough Curran , so Ed take it away, I and my Daughter, went for a troll early, nothing doing, few salmon showing here and there, but it’s not about the fishing it’s about the company, although an aul salmon would help and as you can see by the picture the fly fishing is out and just to let you know My daughters name is Alana avid fisher….. starting her fly fishing this year, lessons in the garden, this afternoon as it’s so bright we’ll be out again early tomorrow I’ll let you know how we get on. All I can say is great to see youngsters taking up the art of fly fishing. No wind this morning come afternoon there was a fine breeze from the NW. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 17.0c.
24/6/18 Lough Currane anglers are heading out early in the morning hoping for an early rise before the blazing sun shines down on them and as you can see by the photo of the Big Lake / Lough Currane, hardly a cloud in site this day and the same could be said for the Salmon and the Sea Trout and not forgetting the most important of the lot the Currane Angler and for good reason, its mighty hot and slack winds and talking of wind it was flat calm this morning, come afternoon there was a gentle breeze W. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 17.3c.
25/6/18 Ireland is on a yellow heat wave warning but this didn’t deter UK angler Mr. Peter Thomson catching and releasing two Sea Trout, while fishing with his Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com. On the evening shift one local angler kicked the heat wave into touch and caught a fine 5 lbs. Grilse on the troll and for the rest of the Currane anglers it was all quiet on the SW front. Wind flat calm this morning and come afternoon a light wind from the West, bright and sunny. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 21.2c.
26/6/18 Another blazing saddles day, the only break we anglers got on the day shift that there was a nice fresh wind from the SE so on that note we head for the night shift, again the quiet angler, as he calls himself was in good form again this evening, while trolling caught a fine 5lbs. Grilse. Wind on the evening shift was S light. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 20.2c.
Vincent Appleby
www.salmonandseatrout.com
The Trust report
It’s Foxglove time in Waterville!
It’s surprising how often we have come to associate the seasonal blooming of our myriad wild flowers with various events in the anglers calendar! This last week has seen an unusually prolific blooming of Foxgloves on the banks of our small streams, highways and byways, a riot of purple flowers everywhere! Here in Waterville this annual show of foxgloves has become the herald for the summer runs of sea trout into the catchment.
In the spring we now associate the brightest yellows of the gorse blooms with the arrival of our runs of ‘spring salmon’, the Multi Sea Winter (MSW) fish which are the focus of much of the early trolling activity on Lough Currane. And in the Autumn we look for the bright orange fronds of montbretia sweeping the water above the salmon lies in the Inny River, a color which is often reflected in our favorite salmon fly patterns for that time of the year!
Although its foxglove time and we are anxiously waiting and watching for our sea trout to return, very few have been making it back into the system so far. Just three ‘juners’ have been caught to date, one of which was noted to be particularly burdened with sea lice. On a more positive note a couple of grilse, in excellent condition have also been recorded this week. Lets hope there are more, and healthy, ones to come!
If you are fishing our Upper Lakes at this time of the year, particularly on Namona and Cloonaghlin and you step out of the boat onto the bogland, do be careful where you tread, because under foot are many plants and flowers, some of which are very vulnerable. Do enjoy the cotton grass blowing in the wind and the tiny yellow tormentil carpeting some of the drier areas of the bog. Look out also for Drosera, commonly known as Sundews, which are common on this undisturbed land. These are carnivorous plants which feed on flies trapped in their sticky, mucus covered, tendrils. Unpleasant but quite fascinating!
So next time you are faced with wall to wall sunshine and high temperatures whilst out on the Upper Lakes, remember that there is so much more to see and enjoy.
These high temperature also make life difficult for our hatchery conservation programme, with water temperatures in the rearing tanks hovering at 21 degrees. Much too high for the the juvenile salmon to thrive for very long. Nevertheless our losses are slight, largely as a result of our spreading out the fry to reduce the density in each tank. This, with a reduction in feeding, should see us through this period!
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
