Level 5 restrictions were lifted on Tuesday, and while many queued for pyjamas in Penneys or got stuck into Christmas shopping, some anglers were quick out of the blocks, eager to get some fishing in before the weather turned against us later in the week.

Sea angling

Sea fishing was all the news this week, with several reports of excellent fishing from Cork. Jim Clohessy enjoyed some fine mixed species fishing, with double figure cod, hard-fighting pollack and wrasse over the reefs, and even a few skate when they anchored up. Incredible fishing for December! Richie Ryan managed to prove that mullet fishing is also not just a summer pursuit, landing some nice fish on the fly.

And if you thought that was good, Dave Edwards from West Cork Charters had a new one for the record books – the first blue shark we know of taken in December! Dave had been out the previous week on a scientific survey and had a go for a couple of hours and managed a November blue, but December is a whole new level and wins our Catch of the Week.

Blue shark
Catch of the Week: The first blue shark caught in December in Irish waters

Covid and angling

Now that Ireland is back at Level 3, what are your options for fishing?

  • Guides and ghillies can operate and take customers again
  • Charter boats can operate and take customers again.
  • Anglers must stay within their own county until December 18th. From the 18th until January 6th, you may fish outside your own county. From January 7th, remain within your own county again.
  • No competitions permitted. Training or coaching only outdoors in pods of 15 or less.

Salmon licences

Salmon licences are available to buy online at store.fishinginireland.info. Please order in good time  to be sure of delivery ahead of January 1st.

Funding Call

A reminder of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s new funding round. Community Groups and Angling Clubs are invited to apply for over €1 million in Fisheries Funding. Since 2016, a value in excess of €4 million has been awarded by Inland Fisheries Ireland to over 200 projects across the country. Inland Fisheries Ireland will be opening a new funding round which is available to eligible community groups and angling clubs throughout the Republic of Ireland. The grant funding will be available to sustainable fisheries conservation and development projects with over €1 million announced today. For more information about Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Funding Call, an information booklet is available for download, please visit www.fisheriesireland.ie/funding.

And now the weather…

Looking out the window at trees being battered by the wind, and sideways sleety rain, you would be forgiven for sticking to the fireside this weekend. A weather warning is in operation until Saturday morning, with northerly gales gusting to 100km/h and very cold conditions. Saturday will be showery in coastal counties but drier inland, in northerly winds. The outlook is for very cold weather up to midweek, with frost at night but good spells of sunshine by day. Winds will be mostly light to moderate. The further outlook for later in the week, while it looks to get milder, current indications are for a more active period of wet and windy weather at times later in the week and over the weekend.

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

Kevin Crowley
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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