Ronan Cusack reports from Lough Mask on late season fishing there.
Last Tue/Wed saw 131 anglers from all across the country compete in the Licenced Vintners Fly Fishing Competition on Lough Mask. This is the 17th year running of this hugely successful competition. Patrick McCarthy from Cork took first prize with a weight of 2.63kg. Billy Kavanagh, also from Cork was in second place with a total weight of 2.59kg. Local man Declan Gibbons from Cong took third position, with a weight of 2.55kg. Heaviest fish prize went to Kevin Cremin from Cork with a fine trout weighing 2.09kg.
Mick Dunne from Tourmakeady said fishing on Mask was tough this week and after spending two days pulling wets he finished with 4 trout (best fish 2.25lbs). Richard Cameron from Ballinrobe fished on Sunday with regular UK visitor Phil Brooks and they had 2 fish, both 1.5lbs. Ballinrobe anglers Tommy Foley and Sean Maloney had 3 fish in the deep on Friday and a further 5 on Sunday (best fish 2lbs) all on wets. Ronan Cusack and Willie Cullinane fished wets over the deeps and shallows on Monday last and they finished with 5 (best fish 2.25lbs, all released)
Temperatures are beginning to drop as water levels rise over the past couple of days, so hopefully we should see an improvement in fishing before the season ends.
