Ronan Cusack reports from Lough Mask on recent fishing.
There has been lots of secrecy and tight lipped anglers around the shores of Lough Mask over the past week as the ITFFA Spring International approaches. This year’s International will be held on Lough Mask under the host club, Ballinrobe & District Anglers. Top Irish rods have been practising hard over the past few weeks, working on a strategy for the big day on May 11th.
Reports from the lake this week have been mixed as the weather changes on a daily basis. A group of UK and Northern Ireland anglers fished from Hall’s Angling Centre over the weekend and they had mixed success. On the calmer days nymphs and buzzer were working and produced some good fish up to 3.5lbs. Wet-flies pulled on intermediate lines were the preferred method when the wind was up.
Local anglers Sean McAvoy and Declan Murphy fished for a day earlier this week and Sean landed a magnificent trout of just over 5lbs on wets. John Munroe and Joe Fitzharris spent a day on buzzers yesterday in difficult conditions and finished with 2 (best fish 2lbs). Visiting anglers from Wales, Nick and Andrew had three days on Mask this week and they had 11 fish over the legal limit on a combination of dries and buzzer (2 fish over 4lbs, all returned) The lads reported some fantastic sport using dry olives on light tackle.
Fly hatches this week have been mainly buzzer and olives with the very odd mayfly making an appearance.
The outlook for the remainder of the week is less rain and a significant improvement in air temperatures, so the best is yet to come.
