Mad as a March hare… well that was the story of our weather this week, as a positively unseasonably sunny and calm weekend gave way to yellow weather warnings for wind and rain. Some places even saw snow!
The best of the angling took place over the weekend, with anglers able to get out in more clement conditions. Night frosts kept water temperatures low, and fishing was slow for pike anglers fishing the qualifier on the Annaleee River in Co. Cavan.
The only fishing on Lough Conn was over the weekend, before the weather turned, and anglers reported a few trout. Trolling and lure fishing was still the method of choice on Corrib, with some great trout landed, and the duckfly hatch will hopefully bring the fly anglers out from next week.

Our correspondent in Cavan Brenda Montgomery has a way with words, and could undoubtedly make a silk purse from a sow’s ear, but the report from Sheelin this week was of tough fishing. At least she used a quote from a great song!
Salmon fishing has been difficult with many rivers in flood at the moment. The Blackwater did record its first couple of fish, from Careysville and Blackwater Trout and Salmon Fishery. Elsewhere, the Moy has yet to record a fresh fish, and anglers are still awaiting the first salmon on the Bandon as well. Wet and windy conditions prevailed on Lough Currane, where no fish were reported either.

Killybegs Mariners members made the most of the calm weather before the wind and rain, with some great shore fishing reported in spite of big tides and weed. Some of them also had an early trip aboard Adrian Molloy’s charter boat Deep Blue and caught a nice mix of species.

Menapia SAC members braved a cold night in Carne, Co. Wexford and were rewarded with good fishing too. David Norman also shared some tips about early season fly fishing for mullet.
There has been some great feedback from salmon anglers and flytyers to the new book on historic salmon flies that Inland Fisheries Ireland has published, so we’re continuing to feature it this week. This new book featuring the ‘1902 Cork Collection of Salmon Flies’ will bring a “long-lost treasure” of Irish angling to new generations around the world. The wonderfully illustrated publication is available online in different formats.

It is hoped to put the collection on display once more and members of the public are being encouraged to contact IFI with any suggestions they may have.
In Other News
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has opened a public consultation on Ireland’s Marine Strategy.
They’re inviting observations, views and comments on the review and development of Ireland’s Marine Strategy Part 3: Programme of Measures, under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC). Read about it and how to make a submission here.
The Irish Specimen Fish Committee would like to update anglers on progress with the 2021 Annual Report and Awards Day. The report is being finalised now with a view to being published in April. The usual Awards Day event held in February every year was postponed due to the COVID-19 situation, but it is planned to have an event at some stage in 2022. There are also some new Specimen fish rules for 2022. Further information is available here.
Inland Fisheries Ireland in conjunction with Blackrock Education Centre would like to invite primary school students around the country to design a poster that encourages greater conservation of Ireland’s native fish. This national poster competition is part of the ‘Something Fishy’ educational programme and officially kicks off this month. Free resources with further details about the competition are available from www.somethingfishy.ie

Oh deer! Check out this adorable photo from two of our staff in Co. Donegal, who rescued this little deer from a pickle she had got herself into. Read about it on our Facebook page here.
Also, if you missed it, some of our staff featured on the RTE programme Ear To The Ground recently, including Maureen Byrne and detection dog Uschi, who between them have been responsible for many captures of concealed illegal nets. You can watch it back here!
And now the weather
Dry on Saturday morning with a freshening southeast wind in the afternoon bringing rain northwards over the country, turning heavy at times and falling as sleet over hills and high mountains and again leading to flooding in places. Afternoon temperatures, 7 to 9 degrees with southeast winds becoming strong easterly in the early evening.
Showery on Sunday, then turning somewhat more settled early next week but there will be some wet conditions at times through the middle of the week, mostly affecting the west. High pressure will bring pleasant conditions later in the week.
Safe fishing to all 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].
All the angling news
Salmon Fishing Reports
- First couple of salmon reported from the Munster Blackwater
- Anglers still waiting for Bandon’s first salmon of the season
- Whether wild or mild no salmon for Currane anglers
- Still no salmon reported caught on the Moy
- New book brings “long-lost treasure” of Irish angling to new generations around the world
Trout Angling Reports
- Duckfly imminent on Corrib as trolling still finding the fish
- So ends the longest winter, slow begins the spring on Sheelin
- Wild conditions kept most boats off the water on Lough Conn
Pike Fishing Reports
Sea Angling Reports
- Killybegs Mariners making the best of the settled weather
- Cold easterlies don’t deter Menapia SAC
- Nothing easy about mullet on the bread fly