Paul Waghorne reports on his Lanesborough during which he caught over 350 fish for every UK angling tourist me saw…

My 19 day Irish trip has ended with a 6 Tench haul on Lough Duff. Proud to catch a 4lb’er on tackle that is almost 70 years old.

Key stats of Ireland 2024
  • Hours fished,- 107 over 37 short sessions
  • Total fish – 707 (1 every 9 minutes)
  • Roach – 580 (best weighed 1lb 2oz but loads around a pound)
  • Rudd – 59 – (12oz)
  • Tench – 42 – (4lb 10oz)
  • Perch – 9
  • Pike – 5 (13lb 8oz)
  • Hybrid – 8 (none off rivers)
  • Skimmers – 3
  • Brown Trout – 1

Aside from fishing, I counted 45 bird species. A huge amount of Cuckoos everywhere, but especially on the Suck system. More ‘Bullfiches’ than I’ve ever seen. A ‘Water Rail’ less than 10′ away and a ‘Hobby’ at Balinalack.

What is more alarming, I saw just one other visiting angler from the UK and he himself had a property he stays near Strokestown. To think just a few years back there were thousands of British anglers flocking to Ireland each spring.

I was ridiculed for suggesting a few years ago my theory regarding the demise of the Irish Roach/Bream Hybrid. On this trip, I had just 8 which were all caught on Loughs. The bio-mass has shifted to such an extent that the Roach appear to be totally dominating the river systems. Even the Perch seemed to have decreased in numbers?

As the Inny below Ballymahon was carrying so much extra water this year, I was unable to fish comfortably with a stick float, but fished Loughs to which I’ve not visited previously, hence the number of Tench.

Go fishing…

Lanesboro Angling Centre