Summer holidays are coming to a close. Schools are back next week and the summer is kicking and gasping its way into autumn. Temperatures are down a degree for the time of year and it has certainly felt cooler in the evenings. There has been some really wild weather, particularly this week, but as most charter boat skippers will attest, it’s been a very windy few months. Rain has come and gone but in the last week it hammered down. Connacht, west Ulster and the far southwest saw rainfall accumulations between 149% and 240% of average. It was wettest in the northwest with 505.8mm (!) recorded at Knock Airport, Co. Mayo. Meanwhile the east and south east are positively parched, just 6.5mm fell in Dublin and some rivers down that side of the country are running low…

Lough Arrow

We’ll open the angling reports with the important news that the Ballysadare system has reopened. Salmon fishing is allowed on catch and release basis only while trout, coarse and pike fishing will resume as normal.

In other salmon fishing news fluctuating water levels on the Moy gave anglers a difficult week on the river. Some fisheries were harder hit than others and 201 fish were reported. In county Kerry, Lough Currane anglers reported a few seatrout, mostly juniors, and the odd salmon and a few salmon were caught on the Inny. Lastly for those who enjoy a podcast we have a real treat – two podcasts were released by Ireland on the Fly yesterday. In one Daire and Tom talk to Moy Estuary veteran guide Judd Ruane and in the other they do a focus on the Costello and Fermoyle Fishery.

Mark Malone and Michael McDermott fished trout angling’s Donnellan Cup on Lough O’Flynn and emerged clear winners with 6 fish. Fly fishing on the Nore has been reported as difficult due to the winds, but the evening rise is still worth going out for. Peter Driver has shared a useful video on his dry dropper set up, well worth watching. Dan O’Neill shared some more experiences of his guests and gives an insight into a photo shoot in this entertaining River Whispers series. On Lough Conn Michael Tiernan won Mike Tiernan Memorial Cup where it was reported that fish were rising freely to both wet and dry flies. The fly isn’t the only method for trout as Senan Stanley and Paul Bourke showed at the weekend, catching over 20 Lough Derg trout on spinners.

Some great coarse fishing was reported from Longford. It was family fishing fun at Melview Lodge last weekend with everyone getting in on the action catching hybrids, roach and tench. Meanwhile a group of Belgian anglers, also staying at the lodge fished hard and had some great catches of rudd and mixed bream and hybrids. In county Cork the BSI Sensas Ireland team won the World Championships Float Club Qualifiers fished at Inniscarra on Sunday. It was a very closely fought competition with just one point between the top three teams.

Everyone enjoys a fishy story and guides Fish Tales having been helping a number pike anglers make their own on Lough Ree. Conditions haven’t been easy but pike to 90cm and double hook ups have been on the cards…

In other pike news Lough Ree Lanesborough Angling Hub announced the launch of The King Of The Lake International Pike Festival 2024, set to take place on September 28th and 29th. This highly anticipated event, also known as The King Of The Lake, promises to be an unforgettable experience for both international and Irish anglers. With an impressive prize pool of up to €11,500 in cash and numerous sponsorship prizes, the competition already boasts over 40 prizes for participants and free BBQ’s each night of the competition. At an entry fee of only €150 per boat, this event offers not only the safest but also the most enjoyable competition of the year.

pollack
Jordan Stevens wins Catch of the Week for this lovely fly caught pollack

Cork Harbour saw some fine fly fishing for pollack and bass for a number of anglers, including our Catch of the Week winner Jordan Stevens who caught a pollack that looks to be almost as big as himself. Staying in Cork Harbour, Tom Johnson won the Munster Closed Boat competition coming first in a field of 27 anglers on a day where some great fishing was had and even black bream featured in catches. Next we stop in the Shannon Estuary where charter boats found refuge while the Atlantic Ocean did its thing. Anglers made do and fish like tope and sting rays were added to the species list. Over different ground a mix of ling, gurnards, haddock and more were landed. Further north in Donegal, Killybegs Mariner Aaron Vambeck scored a new club record boat caught Tope of 151cm. Killybegs Fishing Trips reported tough fishing in tough conditions, but there were still some decent pollack and ling accounted for. Over to the east coast now where the Greystones Tope Festival was held at the weekend.Tthe fishing was tough going but Rob McClean won with a good tope of 167cm. In an interesting side story, visiting Welsh angler Mike Stewart managed to catch two tope that had been tagged as part of IFI’s Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme.

Finally, good luck to the young Irish anglers competing in the 23rd FIPS-Mer World Boat Championships for U21 anglers which kicks off this weekend at Rathmullan. They’ll be competing against teams from Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain and Germany.

Go n-éirí an t-ádh le na hiascairí go léir!

And now the weather…

Saturday will start off dry in many areas with sunny spells. Showers in the west will gradually spread eastwards and will become widespread in the afternoon, some heavy. Highest temperatures of 13 to 17°C with moderate to fresh, gusty westerly winds. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain, which may become heavy at times in north Connacht and Ulster. Highest temperatures of 15 to 18°C with mostly moderate south to southwest breezes.

Monday will be mainly dry with bright or sunny spells becoming wet in the evening. Highest temperatures of 15 to 18°C with light to moderate southerly winds increasing fresh to strong near coasts later. The rest of next week will continue unsettled with rain or showers at times, if little warmer.

Don’t forget to check the forecast before heading off and if you’re going to sea, check the tides.

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 [email protected] and don’t forget that all of our fishing reports are available on our dedicated Angling Ireland Facebook page.

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