Vincent Appleby reports from lough Currane while Rod Robinson has all the latest from the Waterville Lakes and Rivers Trust:
1/8/18 There was some rain this day but sadly not enough to activate the Currane Anglers as well as the Wild Atlantic Game Fish. Wind SW strong and overcast. Yesterdays weather, amount of rainfall, 2.9 mm, maximum air temperature 18.0 c.
2/8/18 UK angler Mr. Tom Barnsley from North Wales caught and released a fine 1 ½ lbs. Sea Trout while fly-fishing with his Gillie Mr. Tom O’Shea of www.flyfishingatloughcurrane.com just for the record there were a few boats manipulating in all departments this day after yesterdays small amount of rainfall and sadly I haven’t got accurate data in this department, sorry for this, but I can tell you the total amount of rainfall for Kerry was 18.mm. My problem is out of the 18 mm of rainfall what was the percentage for Waterville? Wind light SW and overcast with showers and misty rain throughout the day. Maximum air temperature yesterday was 17. 2 c
3/8/18 Straight to the backdate department and catch of the week so far, yesterday Australian Angler Mr. John Purey, while fly fishing with his Gillie Mr. Frank Donnelly of www.lakelandshouse.com caught a fine 7 lbs. Salmon so congratulations on a fine Fish and finished his fly-fishing day off with a fine Sea Trout of 3 ½ lbs. Staying with www.lakelandshouse.com on the evening shift Frank went out for a few casts and caught himself two Grilse both in the 5 to 6 lbs. class and finished his evening off with two fine Sea Trout ranging from 2 ½ lbs up to 3 ½ lbs. so all in all yesterday wasn’t too bad. Now back to today and Lough Currane anglers thought they were in luck first thing this morning with good cloud cover plus a nice light breeze from the West. Sadly I can tell you it wasn’t long before they were disappointed because come midday it was bright and sunny, at least the Currane anglers battled it out to evening but to no avail and considering Lough Currane is still very low they deserve a medal. Wind as all ready stated, yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 18.4 c.
4/8/18 All the Salmon headlines come from the North Shore and the Bungalow and in the words of their Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com Caoimhe Collins from Dublin with a 7lb salmon which she caught on the troll today and which she released. She also caught a 2lb. Sea Trout which was also released, staying at the Bungalow, UK angler, Mr. Keith Francis caught one Junior on the drift while fishing with is gillie Mr. Tom O’Shea and of www.flyfishingatloughcurrane.com and for the rest of the Currane Anglers it was all quiet on the SW front. Wind NW reasonable cloud cover this morning, come afternoon there was bright sunshine for the rest of the day and evening. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 19. 2 c.
5/8/18 Lough Currane anglers were all quiet on SW front, so on that note we will head for some action downstream on the World famous Butler Pool and at www.watervillegolflinks.ie US angler Mr. David Dillmeier and his Son Luke are on a Golfing holiday at Waterville House and at www.watervillegolflinks.ie Well David took to the fly Rod today and within a few casts caught a fine Salmon and as his Gillie netted David’s fine Salmon, his Gillie said, all you need now is a hole in one this afternoon, well no news in that department, but I can say to all you golfers out their Waterville House and at www.watervillegolflinks.ie can give you that opportunity or as I would say a Waterville House Special. Wind West and overcast with sun breaking through at times. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 18. 4 c.
6/8/18 The Lough Currane anglers reels were all quiet on the SW Front this August Bank holiday Monday and the same goes for the Butlers Pool and the Inny river and I’m only saying this because my mobile was as quiet as the Fish. Wind W fresh and overcast. Yesterdays weather, maximum air temperature 17.5 c.
7/8/18 Straight to the backdate department and for good reason, I owe an apology to www.lakelandshouse.com because I failed miserably in my duties in reporting of a cracker of a 10 lbs. Salmon caught on the troll by Luxemburg angler Mr. Ben Degrand, while fishing with his Gillie Mr. Frank Donnelly of www.lakelandshouse.com and all because I didn’t check my email last night, so again I apologise to all concerned. Now back today’s action and all in the Trolling department, we start on the North side and Vincent’s harbour, local Gillie Mr. McGillicuddy and of www.fishingwithdom.com while fishing with his guest caught a fine Salmon on the troll. Now we head over to the South and www.lakelandshouse.com French Angler Mr. Francois Grenier and his Son Augustan caught a fine 5 lbs. Salmon / Grilse on the troll while fishing with their Gillie Mr. Frank Donnelly of www.lakelandshouse.com Wind West fresh and overcast with the sun breaking through at times. Yesterdays weather, Amount of rainfall 2.6 mm. Maximum air temperature 17.8 c.
The Trust Report
Last week we were in Cumbria UK, visiting the Eden Rivers Trust. The Eden Trust was formed over twenty years ago as one of the first “Rivers Trusts’ to be set up in the UK and continues to carry out sterling work in the River Eden catchment. The purpose of our ( self funded!) visit was to see first hand, how this long established Trust is tackling their major problem; the desperate decline in their Atlantic Salmon stocks, which they fear may well become extinct in our children’s lifetime.
Like the Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust, the Eden Trust recognizes that the problems facing the Atlantic Salmon are complex and mostly related to their ocean home but like us the Trust recognizes that, whilst understanding and improving the ocean habitat is a long term goal, much can be done immediately to assist these species in the freshwater environment during their spawning run.
It’s was heartening to see work to the small streams in the Eden catchment being carried out by volunteers, tackling the same problems of stream blockages, siltation from farming, flood damage and spawning habitat improvement programs. We very much felt very relieved that we are not alone ploughing these lonely furrows!
Of course, being a mature and well established Rivers Trust, the Eden Trust is able to raise funding for its projects much more easily and this year they even have one of the major UK supermarket chains donating to them as ‘their Local Charity of the Year’!! By comparison and perhaps because we have only been full established for just over a year, we move forward with our first major project; the ‘Lough Currane Small Streams Conservation Project’, continuing to struggle to raise the funding we need! Any help we can get will be very welcome. We are very grateful to the Water and Communities Office, who have made a small grant available to match fund the Leader Fund grant for which we have applied. We anxiously await the outcome!
In the meantime the Eden is sharing the same drought problems this summer as Waterville with similar deleterious effects on the small stream habitat. It was horrifying to see that some of their principle spawning streams were completely dry and the ‘Mighty Eden’ was reduced to a trickle!
Undoubtedly these conditions all relate to climate change and will, as in the past, fluctuate from year to year. The overall trend is plain to see, so we must continue to do whatever we are able to assist our salmon & sea trout in their struggle for survival.
Rod Robinson
Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust
