T

he past week saw a continuation of the unfavorable angling conditions of late. In many parts of the country water levels remained on the high side, while strong and gusty east to southeast winds prevailed for most of the time resulting in bitterly cold conditions. On account of this, it’s hardly surprising that only very few anglers were keen enough to venture out braving the harsh conditions.

However, Ken Wickham was among those who braved the weather in all its forms, catching the first salmon of the 2025 season on the Delphi Fishery. According to fishery manager David McEvoy, the 7lbs+ springer was sparkling fresh with sea lice attached and caught in the Waterfall Pool. Game anglers on Kerry’s Lough Currane, however, were less successful over the past week, drawing blanks in sometimes atrocious conditions, according to Vincent Appleby’s report.

With the start of the brown trout season just around the corner, game anglers might be interested in Peter Driver’s latest Piscari Fly newsletter, in which he’s looking ahead to a new year of fario fishing.

Over to pike angling, where Dromore Angling Club held the Aidan McLaughlin Memorial Cup at Belnaleck in Co. Fermanagh with a number of nice double-figure pike being landed best at 17lb 2oz. Elsewhere, it was rather quiet on the pike angling front…therefore Steve McDonagh’s latest video might entice some more predator anglers out there to pursue their passion…

One of the double-figure pike from the Aidan McLaughlin Memorial Cup

Predator and coarse anglers alike might be interested in the Perch Master League, which will kick off this Sunday, February 16th. The event is organised by the Romanian C&R Angling Association and will feature 7 legs over 7 months.

Elsewhere in coarse angling, a number of winter league matches were fished throughout the country. Starting in the southeast, Leo Lynch won the 6th round of the Oaklands Ger Hennesy League. Top weight of the day, however, went to junior competitor Conor Fitzharris. Well done Conor and our Catch of the Week! Further north, the final round of the CM Lakelands Feeder Club’s winter league took place on the South Lodge section of Lough Muckno, while Munster Coarse Anglers fished the second last match of their winter series at Portumna. In the meantime, three new youth coarse angling competitions were announced by the NCFFI. Anyone interested should check out the NCFFI full calendar of events for young anglers where places can be booked online.

Conor Fitzharris
Catch of the week: A happy Conor Fitzharris at Oaklands

Staying with young anglers, Transition Year students Nikita Greidans and Jack Keenahan are working together at Blackwood Bait and Tackle. As part of their Transition Year, they are supplying reports to the Irish Angling Update. This time they sent in an informative piece on feeder fishing…check it out here! As angling guide and instructor Dan O’Neill told us, Jack and Nikita have also teamed up with Southern County Fishing Resort situated in Co. Carlow, where the two young entrepreneurs plan to hold their first angling competition.

Undoubtedly, freshwater fishing has been rather tough over the past week. Sea anglers, however, faced even harder conditions pursuing their hobby.

Now is the time when most charter skippers up and down the coast are busy preparing their boats for the coming season, carrying out essential maintenance, making upgrades, and getting ready for safety inspections. One of the very few charter boats operating this early in the season is the Donegal-based MV Fiona Tee of Killybegs Fishing Trips. Their first full day’s fishing trip of the season resulted in a few chunky pollack and some early mackerel, which doesn’t sound spectacular but, given the conditions, is a good and encouraging result for trips to come.

Early season Donegal pollack

In the south, the 4th leg of the Cobh SAC Light Lines Competition was fished on February 9th, with 33 anglers competing from 4 boats in very poor weather conditions. Nonetheless, the competitors braved the elements and did well enough, all things considered.

Shore anglers also struggled with the weather. Yet we received a detailed competition report from Rebel County SAC. The club fished its second match of 2025 on February 1st at Monatrae, West Waterford. With wind speeds of up to 60km/h and big surf, conditions were not for the faint-hearted but resulted in excellent catches among the 26 competitors.

Concluding our sea angling news, we would like to draw your attention to a great achievement by Brian Whelan of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers. Brian won the County Wicklow Volunteers in Sport Award for 2024. He was instrumental as part of a team that organised and attended three world championship sea angling events that were held in Ireland in 2024…a fantastic achievement indeed!

Brian Whelan(left) receiving his award

Other news

Applications opened this week for experienced angling skippers to catch and release Atlantic bluefin tuna as part of a collaborative scientific survey. The initiative targets Atlantic bluefin – the world’s largest tuna species – to collect information on their sizes, and where and when they occur in Irish waters. In 2025, a maximum of 25 authorisations may be granted to qualifying angling charter vessel skippers around the Irish coast. The bluefin tuna fishery will open on July 1st  and closes on November 12th  2025. Recreational angling for Atlantic bluefin tuna is technically prohibited in Ireland. However, under the Tuna CHART (CatcH And Release Tagging) programme, authorised charter vessel skippers can catch, tag, and release bluefin during the open season, with the help of anglers on board.

Experienced charter skippers can apply to join the 2025 Tuna CHART programme between February 12th and February 26th 2025 by completing an online application.

Bluefin Tuna

This year’s Irish Spring Angling Fair will be held at Ardaire Springs Angling Centre on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th May. The family-friendly fair has become a big hit with angling novices and enthusiasts who value the opportunity to meet with and learn from a host of world-renowned celebrities. With a broad range of exhibitors lined up for this year, anglers will be presented with a fantastic opportunity to immerse themselves in all things angling, pick up some of the latest tips and techniques and add to their tackle collection. A full list of fly tyers and demonstrators can be seen on the Irish Spring Fair website.

And now the weather…

Tonight will be mostly cloudy with mist and fog. Outbreaks of rain or drizzle will affect the south and east but it will be drier in other areas. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees from north to south, with light to moderate east to southeast winds. The weekend will be mostly cloudy with persistent rain in many parts of the country. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees, coldest in the north. Further Outlook: Generally unsettled through the rest of the week with further spells of rain. Breezy at times too but mild for the time of year with daytime temperatures generally reaching double digits and frost-free nights.

Don’t forget to double 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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