It’s been another dry and bright week and northerly winds have kept temperatures more like early spring mainly affecting mayfly fishing at times.

 

So it is no big surprise that we received mixed reports from the various mayfly venues around the country. While there were days with very little action and almost no spent on the water, some anglers reported great mayfly fishing on dries as well as on wets. This was the case on Lough Arrow where both methods produced some cracking fish to local and visiting anglers alike, while on Loughs Conn & Cullin fishing was rather difficult.

Beautiful Arrow trout for Ewan MacGregor from Scotland

Staying in the west, the mayfly has been providing good sport on Corrib for the last 3 weeks, although weather conditions have affected hatches and fishing at times. Well-known fishing guide and podcast host Tom Doc Sullivan recently filmed a video on wetfly fishing which is well worth watching. Trolling, however, has also delivered brilliant results on Corrib, mainly for big ferox. Another interesting video has been released by prolific YouTuber Senan Stanley featuring spent gnat mayfly fishing on Lough Derg.

Fine Corrib brown caught on the troll

River trout fishing is also in full swing during the month of May. Low water levels, however, tested trout anglers’ skills on the Maigue in Co. Limerick as angling guide Paddy Dunworth of Celtic Angling reported. Dan O’Neill, fishery Manager at Mount Juliet, told us about good trout on dry fly from the Nore, while Dan O’Neill angling guide and casting instructor at South East Casting took his 3 year old son on a fantastic journey along the river exploring the wonders of the aquatic environment. Elsewhere, the TAFI Leinster River Championships were fished on the Avonmore River in Co. Wicklow delivering some excellent results.

Nice water on the Maigue

Low water levels didn’t just impact on river trout fishing, they didn’t help salmon anglers either. Some spate rivers, mainly in the west of the country, have reached critical late summer levels already. The River Moy, however, saw an increase in catch numbers with the Moy Fishery starting to come into swing. Anglers who are interested in the Moy shouldn’t miss this week’s Ireland on the Fly podcast. Daire and Tom talk to Garret Ruigrok to find out how the Moy has fished this year and what’s in store for the rest of the season.

Rob Malcolm about to release a salmon  on the Ridge Pool in Ballina

Staying in Mayo, the dry and sunny weather kept catch numbers down on Carrowmore Lake which is awaiting its sea trout run. In Kerry, the situation is not much different on Lough Currane where salmon and sea trout anglers had a rather quiet week. Despite near perfect conditions it has also been another quiet week on the Munster Blackwater and most other rivers in Co. Cork such as the Ilen or the Bandon.

Over to pike fishing, where we received only two reports this week. In the Midlands, a group of French anglers staying at Melview Fishing Lodge braved the difficult conditions and landed almost 200 pike between them.

One of Melview’s guests with a 1m plus pike

Tulla and District Angling Club had good fishing on Cullaun in Co. Clare with over 30 pike up to 119cm. The same club fished the Ryan Wright Memorial coarse competition at Ballinakill over the weekend which was won by  Ian Kelsey. Staying with coarse angling, Saturday 20th May saw the start of the May ‘any method’ festivals on Inniscarra. It kicked off with the one-day Hogan’s Open, followed by two three day festivals, O’Callaghan’s Cup 21st-23rd May and Ottewill Trophy, 24th-26th May.

Inniscarra
Coarse angling on Inniscarra

While the current weather conditions may impact on game, pike and coarse angling, they definitely provide great sea angling. This is also reflected in this week’s angling update with many excellent sea angling reports received from around the coast.

Starting in the southeast, the Brecon Sea Angling club from Wales visited Kilmore Quay for a two day fishing trip catching a total of 10 different species. Further west, two first-time bass were caught in Cork Harbour with the help of saltwater flyfishing guide Richie Ryan. Bass on fly and lure up to 80cm were also the target for clients of John Quinlan in Waterville.

bass
Fantastic Kerry bass

Skipper Luke Aston reported good mixed fishing on the west Clare reefs this week with plenty of species showing, while a little further north in Galway Bay John Fleming enjoyed more good fishing, including big pollack, ballan wrasse and a few nice cod smashing soft plastics and slow jigs. Also in Glaway Bay, Angling guide Tomi Kurman who is no stranger to specimen trout, with many trout of specimen size boated by himself and clients on Lough Corrib, proved that he can turn his hand to specimen wrasse fishing too.

Specimen wrasse from Galway Bay

There was good sea angling in Donegal Bay with anglers on the Fiona Tee enjoying some great fishing having nice catches of cod, pollack and fine wrasse. A number of competitions were also fished along the northwest coast. Killybegs Mariners SAC and Howth SAC fished  a successful inter-club competition on the famous Streedagh Beach in Co. Sligo, while Ulster won the inter-provincial at Mullaghmore and John Dennehy scooping first prize at the “Findlater” competition.

Our Catch of the Week, however, goes to 17 year old Jack Jennings who hit the jackpot in West Cork last week. Jack who was fishing with his dad Garry had already a fantastic morning’s fishing including plenty mackerel, over 20 bullhuss up to 15 lbs, large double-figure pollack, ling and conger to mention but a few of the species caught, when he hooked and landed a skate weighing approx. 150 lbs. This surely can be called an outstanding day’s fishing and deserves our Catch of the Week.

Jack’s first skate, what a catch!

Other news

IFI announces 24 new projects supported under the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund in 2023. Inland Fisheries Ireland has announced the 24 projects awarded a total of €999,272. A list of the 24 successful applicants can be found here: Habitats & Conservation Funding Call 2023 | Inland Fisheries Ireland

Inland Fisheries Ireland has appealed to farmers to help protect Ireland’s rivers and lakes from agricultural pollution during the silage season. IFI is advising farmers to follow its six-point SILAGE plan for optimum silage and slurry spreading etiquette to reduce the risk of polluting rivers and lakes. Farmers are asked to contact their local IFI office before carrying out works in or near any watercourses.

IFI secured prosecution and fines of €5,500 against a farmer for riverbed destruction in Co Laois. A Co Laois farmer has been found guilty of two breaches of fisheries legislation for deliberate destruction caused at a local river. IFI encourages members of the public, anglers and farmers to report incidents such as this, and those of water pollution, fish kills, and illegal fishing to its confidential 24/7 phone number, 0818 34 74 24.

And now the weather…

The weekend will stay mainly dry with sunny spells, the best of which will be in the southern half of the country. Highest temperatures will range between 18 to 21 degrees in light northerly or variable breezes. Next week will start with good sunny spells with just a little cloud building during the day. Highs between 17 to 20 or 21 degrees. The further outlook is for little change, mostly dry with an easterly airflow. Coolest in the east with highs in the mid to high teens. Warmest in the west, with temperatures around 20 degrees or higher.

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

IFI Staff
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to reports@fisheriesireland.ie.

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