While writing these lines, the remnants of former Tropical Storm “Alex” are battering Ireland’s Northwest Coast bringing strong gales and some heavy showers to most parts of the country. However, until the middle of this week the very dry weather continued leaving water levels exceptionally low for the time of year.

Salmon anglers in particular suffered from low water levels throughout the country, and as a consequence, we’ve not many salmon reports this week. The Moy System, however, produced almost 200 salmon for the week, while reports from the Bandon in Co. Kerry suggest that salmon are still running in good numbers despite low water conditions.

Cian O’Boyle about to release a salmon (approx. 8 lbs) on the Ridge Pool

Anglers on Lough Currane were also facing tough conditions with just a few grilse and sea trout caught during the week. In this regard, Inland Fisheries Ireland would like to remind anglers of the FLEKSI survey which will help to give an insight into the status of the fishery.

Over to trout fishing, where 2022 will not be remembered as a vintage mayfly season by any means! Now that the mayfly is over, anglers’ attention switches to the next hatches. On Lough Corrib in this case the Caenis, which hatches off very early in the morning and can provide exhilarating sport on dry fly for those early risers.

A nice trout on a perfect Caenis morning on Corrib

On Lough Sheelin this year’s mayfly season has been described by many as “the worst ever, difficult, tricky, and unbelievably frustrating”. However, there were still a few excellent trout up to 9 lbs. reported for the week, while trout anglers on Loughs Conn and Cullin were also struggling with the tricky conditions. River trout fishing seemed to be equally difficult lately as Dan O’Neill tells us in his Nore report. Keith McDonnell of Impact Flyfishing, however, has been rewarded with a chunky brown from a small stream after a strenuous journey.

A chunky brownie from a small stream

Staying with trout fishing, Ireland on the Fly podcast spoke to Ireland’s youngest ever captain of its lough fishing team…worth listening to!

In pike fishing, Damien Culliney of Angler’s Paradise reports on a recent day out which threw up some cracking pike, including one over the magic 120cm mark which makes our “Catch of the week”.

Magic 120cm pike from Clare

In the Midlands, first-time visitors to Melview Fishing Lodge got off to a good start with plenty pike up to 95cm, while Philip McKinney from Dublin who normally is a keen trout angler, landed his first ever pike on a lake in Cavan. This coming Autumn, Philip plans to target pike with the fly rod.

Happy French visitors to Melview Fishing Lodge

That flyfishing for pike can be equally productive than using conventional lures has been demonstrated by Daniel Konecny from Dublin who was successfully guided in the Boyle area by Bodo Funke of Angling Services Ireland. Pike were also the target for French guests of Church View Guest House in Belturbet.

Belturbet was also the venue for some cracking coarse angling including super bags of bream and tench for visiting anglers from the UK.

tench
Big Belturbet tench

There were also a number of coarse matches fished during the week. Gusting winds made for tricky pole handling at the Sensas King of the Canal match in Offaly, while down in the south east, a father and son team won NCFFI Commercial Pairs Championships at Oaklands.

On the sea angling front, we received various reports from around the coast. Starting in the east, Kit Dunne of Wicklow Boat Charters tells that fishing is on an upward curve in Wicklow Bay with plenty hounds, tope, ray and huss, while Courtmacsherry charter boat anglers also enjoy good catches in Co. Cork.

Success in Wicklow Bay

Fishing in Galway Bay has also been excellent with proper fishing on the reefs around Aran and some great tope to round things off. Staying in Galway Bay, Vincent Corrigan and friend Thomas from Wild Atlantic Lure Fishing were rewarded with some fine pollack, wrasse and a few schoolie bass.

A fine wrasse that fell to a paddletail

Sea trout fishing on the Moy Estuary continued to be excellent with plenty 2 lbs. fish recorded. Further north Killybegs Mariners produced the goods once again catching a multitude of different species including a new club record. Charter skippers in the northwest also did well with boats fishing out of Rosses Point, Killybegs and Kincasslag all reporting great mixed fishing.

Other News

Serious Concerns Over Pacific Pink Salmon in Irish Waters: At the recently held North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) meeting, serious concerns were raised that pink salmon may spread to and establish in rivers throughout the wider Atlantic region. These concerns are raised after an explosive growth in their stocks was observed in northernmost Norwegian rivers in 2021.

Mature male pink salmon with characteristic humpback and spotted tail (photo credit: Eva Thorstad, NINA)
  • NASCO has raised concerns about the potential for spread and establishment of Pacific pink salmon in rivers throughout the North Atlantic region
  • Inland Fisheries Ireland issues an urgent appeal for anglers to remove and report any catches

Further information is available here.

EIFAAC Symposium: The 2022 EIFAAC Symposium- Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture – Advances in Technology, Stock Assessment and Citizen Science in an Era of Climate Change is being hosted by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in association with the FAO on the 20th and the 21st of June 2022 in Randles Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry. For more information and registration see EIFAAC SYMPOSIUM

Lough Ennell Workshop: A Lough Ennell Catchment Management Workshop will be held in Mullingar on the 13th of June. Following co-operation between a number of bodies, it is planned to carry out 7.5km of river habitat restoration works in the Lough Ennell Catchment this summer. The driving force behind these efforts is the Lough Ennell Trout Preservation Association.

Fish kill at the River Rey Water: IFI is investigating a serious fish kill incident at the River Rye Water in Leixlip, County Kildare. Environmental and Fisheries Officers from the Eastern River Basin District in Dublin were alerted to the incident on the evening of Wednesday, June 8th. Further information available here.

And now the weather

It will be very windy for the rest of today with widespread heavy and possibly thundery showers, bringing the chance of lightning, local hail and spot flooding.  Saturday will bring further widespread showers, especially across the northwest and west where it will be rather cool. There will be some sunny spells also, with the south and southeast staying driest overall. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees. Showers will be lighter on Sunday and more scattered than on previous days, with good dry and bright or sunny spells in between. The outlook is for a lot of dry weather with just well scattered showers with highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees.

Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland. If you’re heading to the coast, don’t forget to check the tides.

Markus Müller
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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Salmon Fishing Reports

Trout Fishing Reports

Coarse Angling Reports

Pike Fishing Reports

Sea Angling Reports