Kevin O’Boyle reports on a tough week’s fishing on Loughs Conn & Cullin:
Trout fishing was challenging to say the least on Loughs Conn and Cullin during the week. Very cool north and easterly light winds made for tough going through the week, with little or no fly life on the water. A few sparse hatches of Olives appeared in some shallow sheltered bays and a few early Mayfly were spotted over the weekend. Water levels are quite low on the Lakes with water temperatures remaining around 9˚celsius.
On Lough Cullin, two anglers from Belfast had a few trout each, all just around 11” mark to Dabblers and Olives, all were returned. John Molloy and Declan Heffron from Roscommon had 3 small trout along Garrison Island to Olives on intermediate lines, all returned.
On Lough Conn fishing out of Murphy’s Boat hire in Massbrook, Cork Anglers John Healy and John O Sullivan both had a few trout to Dabblers too, all returned. John Burke, Foxford had a few small trout in Sand House Bay and along Massbrook shore all returned to Black Dabblers.
Peter Roche from Cloghans and Paul Colreavey from Lough Arrow, fished both North and South Conn and caught small trout up to 12.5”, all released. Best Flies were Bibios, fiery brown, Dabblers, and Olive patterns. Peter also fished with Tom Hipwell from Dublin, for 1 day and had a few small trout to Sootie Olive patterns in difficult conditions. Peter had a trout for 2 lbs later that evening to a Jungle Bunny also released.
The National Championships were held on Lough Conn on the Saturday in bright sunshine,17˚celsius with North Easterly winds. 126 anglers took part from every corner of Ireland with 27 trout weighed in. The heaviest fish was 2.25 lbs.
Lough Talt
A party of 3 Anglers, 2 French and 1 Roscommon Angler had a good few trout all up to a 1lb, and 5 perch up to 2 lbs on the bubble and fly from the Western shoreline all released again for a few hours fishing mainly little Olives and Bumbles.
A calm evening last week on Lough Talt.
