A fairly dry weekend, much needed after last week’s deluge, was followed by more heavy rain and some flooding in the southeast this week. At least the decent weekend allowed anglers to get out and enjoy some autumnal sport, and we have some great angling reports from around the country to bring you this week.

Mist rising as the sun sets this week

Sea Angling

We start this week’s sea angling news with the fantastic win of the Irish under-16 team in the World Youths Shore Angling Championships last week in the Netherlands. What a brilliant bunch of young people, who worked their socks off and are now fully deserved world champions! The senior men’s team departed this week for the senior world championships in Sicily, and we will have news of their adventure over the next 2 weeks.

The whole team including team managers John Marshall and Brian Cooke

In Donegal Bay, bluefin tuna are still providing good sport, and Daryl Ewings’ guests enjoyed some tuna action, as well as god mixed fishing, with some nice ling. Check out this video of a tuna hitting a lure and jumping clear of the water!

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In Galway Bay anglers on the Brazen Hussy, skippered by the newly-married John Fleming (congratulations!) enjoyed excellent mixed fishing, with good pollack and ballan wrasse feeding hard.

Killybegs Mariners had some great turbot fishing from the shore, with a rare pipefish also caught!

In club and competition news, Colin Harty won the Connacht Closed Gold Medal after a weekend of stiff competition in Co. Galway. The Slob Bank in Youghal was the venue for the Rebels SAC competition, where a late run of bass helped Jacob Murphy to the win.

Over on the east coast, South Shore SAC held a competition at Roney Point in Wexford, where plenty of whiting, dabs and bass kept anglers busy, and the result in doubt right to the finish.

Hunter’s Moon

Big tides this weekend with tomorrow’s full moon will see many bass anglers out on the coast – the bigger tides and more current often bring a big improvement in sport, so if you’re thinking of getting out, bass fishing may be well worth a go.


Pike Angling

The recent weather has made for difficult piking, with rivers bank high if not flooded, and many lake margins under water. This didn’t deter the Leinster Pike Anglers, who donned the chest waders to wade fish a number of nearby lakes for their competition.

Limerick County Pike Anglers had to head up country and fish a canal venue, with all their local lakes flooded out, and they found a few small fish, nothing big but enough to provide sport and competition.   Lough Allua was the venue for the 22nd Lough Allua Pike Challenge recently, with flood waters hampering access ans port, though some nice fish to 88cm were caught on the day.

Elsewhere, the second leg of the Predator team qualifiers was held on Lough Erne in glorious sunshine, with Daniel Nesbitt and Danny Colleran coming out top, and some fantastic fish recorded.

A cracking pike for Daniel
And a fine perch for Jacek

Coarse Angling

Flood water is not good for coarse angling, and VDE Baggers had a tough outing in Newry, where cold, coloured water meant fish were not feeding well, and missed takes were crucial.

Munster Coarse Anglers held the first leg of their winter league at O’Briensbridge on th Shannon, where water levels 5 feet above normal (!) made for tricky conditions. Here though, the fish were still feeding well, and all anglers had decent catches, Steve Grogan taking the win with 13lb 11oz (last years champion starting were he left off!).

Steve Grogan at Obriensbridge
Steve Grogan at Obriensbridge

Team Ireland gained valuable experience at the inaugural European Feeder Cup, held in the UK, finishing 6th of 10 competing countries at a commercial venue where they were on a learning curve.


Trout Angling

Not much happening on the trout front at the moment, with many choosing to spend hours at the vice tying flies for next season, but Ardaire Springs is fishing well for stocked fish, and they held an event to launch the Irish Spring Angling Fair 2024 at the weekend.

Ardaire Springs rainbow trout October 2023

Dan O’Neill took a look back at the trout season on the River Nore, which saw him practise streamer fishing a bit more than usual given the high water levels. Dan also has some upcoming courses for beginner and improving flyfishers.

The Ireland on the Fly podcast this talks to legendary Scottish fly tier Davie McPhail to discuss his career in fly fishing, how he got started in fly tying, his huge online following via YouTube, and he has some tips and advice for improving your fly tying.

Davie McPhail

Salmon Angling

Following on from the digital publication of the salmon flies from the 1902 Cork Fly Collection last year, Inland Fisheries Ireland has now partnered with the Cork Public Museum to host an exhibition of some of those flies, making them available to view by the public for the first time in many years. The exhibition also features some historic photos of fishing on the River Lee and some vintage angling equipment and will run for the rest of 2023 and into 2024.

Grey & Lemon, tied by Miss Hackett

Salmon anglers are reminded to please return their angling logbooks now that the season is over. More below…


In other news…

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is encouraging salmon and sea trout anglers to return angling logbooks (setting out their fishing and catch record) and any unused gill tags from 2023 as the season has now closed. These returns provide vital information regarding the status and management of our wild Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout stocks into the future.

Please email [email protected] if you have any queries and we will respond as quickly as possible.


 

And now the weather

 

Showers in the east and south becoming widespread this afternoon, with some heavy downpours and thunder possible. Tomorrow will be another day of sunny spells and showers, some heavy with a chance of thunderstorms and spot flooding. In the evening, cloud will thicken as a spell of rain pushes into the south and east, turning heavy in places. Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in moderate south to southeast winds, backing easterly later and strengthening on eastern coasts. Tides will be very high along all coasts, increasing the risk of coastal flooding.

Sunday will see a wet start for most, rain gradually clearing westwards with sunny spells and showers following. Temps of 9-13C in mostly light variable winds. The sunhine/showers remain for Bank Holiday Monday, with some heavy downpours possible. 10-13C generally in light to moderate E/NE winds.

Continuing unsettled with further spells of rain and showers for the week. Possibly turning breezy at times too, and some models indicate a spell of possibly stormy weather later in the week.

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

IFI Staff
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected] and don’t forget that all of our fishing reports are available on our dedicated Angling Ireland Facebook page.


All the angling news

Salmon Fishing Reports

Trout Fishing Reports

Coarse Angling Reports

Pike Fishing Reports

Sea Angling Reports