Perfect water levels on the Erriff

While high water levels still hamper salmon angling on some of the bigger rivers, most spate rivers fished very well this past week. On the Erriff, fishing has been excellent over the past ten days helped by regular rainfall to keep the river topped up at a good fishing height. However, salmon fishing also improved on the lower Boyne where water levels continued to drop over the last week, and as a result both salmon and grilse have been caught  up to the Navan area.

A Boyne fish ready for release

In the Southwest, reasonable sea trout angling was had on Lough Currane with the North Shore and the “Bungalow” producing most of the fish. However, the majority of the sea trout were in the junior class with the odd bigger fish also landed.

In river trout angling we have a report from Noel Molloy from the River Nore. Water levels on the Nore have been up and down but in general conditions have suited trout fishing. Fly hatches were often sparse but some blue winged olives continued to hatch and there was plenty of sedge about. Noel had a few nymph fishing sessions and although big fish were scarce there was plenty of action with smaller fish from 15cm to 20/25cm and an odd larger fish as well.

A Nore brownie comes to the net

While most trout loughs still suffer from the recent heavy rains, anglers on Lough Corrib reported some decent browns up to 5lbs. mostly on wet flies.

Robert Reilly from Loughrea with a nice Corrib brownie

Coarse and pike angling reports were in short supply this week as the high rainfall still seems to impact on angling conditions. However, the September edition of the Belturbet Festival was successfully held over five days producing some respectable overall weights. On the pike angling front, we received a report from angling guide Bodo Funke. Guests of Angling Services Ireland enjoyed some great fly fishing for pike in the Boyle area. More and more pike seem to have left the deeper areas and can now also be targeted in shallower parts or near drop offs which make them ideal targets for the fly angler.

Tony Ward from Scotland with a nice fly caught pike

While the unsettled weather impacted somewhat on freshwater fishing, sea anglers had a great week and some exceptional angling was enjoyed by local and visiting anglers alike. Along the south Co. Louth coast, there is still good sea bass fishing available with plenty schoolies and bait fish around. Over in the west, improved blue shark fishing has been reported from Galway Bay, while excellent skate angling was experienced by anglers fishing out of Courtmacsherry.

Danny Richard from the Netherlands with a fantastic Courtmacsherry skate

Dublin angler Gary Blake however, wins ‘Catch of the Week’ with his massive porbeagle shark from West Cork which was estimated at 326lbs. Gary caught this fish of a lifetime while fishing onboard ‘Loch an Iasc’ skippered by Tom Collins of SeaAnglingCharters.

Record porbeagle and our ‘Catch of the Week’ for Gary Blake

 

Last but not least we would like to draw your attention to this year’s National Ploughing Championships. Visitors to the National Ploughing Championships will be able to catch their first fish as Inland Fisheries Ireland returns with its interactive angling simulator suitable for novices as well as avid anglers! Inland Fisheries Ireland will be located within the Government of Ireland Village at the event which takes place in Ballintrane, Fenagh, County Carlow from the 17th – 19th of September 2019.

A young novice tries his hand at angling on the angling simulator

 

And now the weather…

Tomorrow  will be a dry and warm day, with sunny spells and highest temperatures of 20 or 21 degrees. Light variable breezes will become moderate southwesterly by the afternoon. Sunday will be mostly cloudy, with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle, persistent in places. However, there will be good dry periods in the south and southeast and somewhat clearer conditions will develop in the north, extending slowly southwards later Sunday night.

The outlook is for mainly dry, settled weather, with high pressure dominating. There will be some sunny intervals each day, with mostly light variable winds. Temperatures around normal at first, ranging between 15 and 19 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, but it will become a little milder after midweek, with values of 16 to 20 Celsius. Nights will be cool, with some mist and fog patches.

Safe fishing to all this weekend and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Markus Muller
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].

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