Dan O’Neill is back with his latest River Whispers blog…
The River Whispers 16
“Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad”
In this edition we will be taking a closer look at where to look for pike and do we really need to cast far. What do I look for in a pike fly and some tips on choosing. In coarse fishing let’s take a look at how to choose a swim and what approach may benefit. Stocking up on gear for the new season, why not attend one of our free zoom classes to help you with any questions before you purchase. Blackwood bait and tackles Nikita Greidans spoke to me about feeder fishing and has some useful tips. New to the river whispers are our free zoom classes, read below for details of the first zoom.
Pike and their hiding places
When people are starting out or even showing an interest in fishing for pike on the fly, they think they need to cast miles. The size of the pike fly can also deter them. To be honest it was the above that stopped me from fly fishing for pike for so long.I am not going to go into a big rant on casting so fear not!! A quick example would be that last week i went fishing with Anthony and we met 10 pike. Out of the 10 only one of them was perhaps 3 rod lengths out. I saw 7 of the pike take the fly clearly about 8ft from the bank. You don’t need to be able to throw a pike fly 70ft to catch a pike, when i really started pike fly fishing you would look at me and think “he’s only learning how to cast” which when thought about that’s exactly what i was doing. If a canal is 40ft wide why do i need to cast 70ft.Now i can picture some people looking at this saying there are times when you do need to cast 70ft or beyond, of course your correct. For now, let’s concentrate on the closer ones that we can reach and plenty of them there are for sure.
Choosing a fly
I usually start with a small pattern 4-5inches and then work my way up to the larger flies. Choose your pattern based on the baitfish in the area. My local area holds stocks of roach, bream and perch so my patterns are based on those species. Keep some natural colors and wildcard colors also. I have found in recent trips that when a pike follows in the fly and just looks at it then it’s usually just inquisitive or seeing it off, I have found that downsizing or switching the pattern helps. If i am using a wildcard color and get a follow i will switch to a natural pattern and vice versa if using a natural pattern. Look for movement in your fly, drop the fly in front of you and move the rod tip or pull the line in at different speed to see what way the pattern reacts. Then work on your own customized retrieve. As you retrieve the fly from a cast try to visualize what way its working under the water, it’s amazing what you can make the fly do with some practice, you can even make it change direction momentarily and swim paths by manipulating the fly line. Have fun learning and watch out as many a time when im watching the fly in front of me a pike has scared the life out of me and grabbed the fly.
Coarse Fishing
I have been on the river quite a bit recently walking and fishing. My youngest son is fascinated with animal tracks so we track the elusive wild moose that lurk around the river banks, if only!! We mostly find wolf tracks or coyotes locally known as Eddies Patterdale terrier. Watching the river, it seems to come alive about 2 hours before dark. Watching from the lough gate i see sprays of minnows and roach quite often. Silver fish also feed near the surface and i have had a few roach on a wet fly or at times an emerger.This is great fun and reignites the passion I have for trout fishing during what is a long off season. My trusty friend which is my 8ft 6 Cadence fly rod often walk the canals picking off roach and dace which is super fun. Watch the movements of the fish also when its hooked and try to mimic that when practicing movements with your pike fly. Fishing is a lot about learning and we can learn a lot by watching nature. The fishing journey is never ending, I have often sat down and tried to imagine knowing all of what i don’t know. It would be a little bit like going shopping in a tackle shop with a blank check, where is the fun without the saving up, the trip to collect what you saved up for and then the respect you have for it once you have it.
My approach to course fishing has changed over the years and usually is tweaked after each fishing trip. Depth of where your fishing plays a part in success, I had a huge learning curve at a lake in Poland one time. I got there, prepared my ground bait and began balling it into the area I picked. I left 5-6kg of ground bait in there and then plumbed the depth to only find out it was 2ft deep. A valuable and expensive lesson!
So, plumb the depth first, know your area and drop offs, plan your fishing gather information as you go and before you know it you will have a database of fishing spots and know when they fish best, be it time of year or water conditions.
Blackwood bait and tackles Nikita Greidans spoke to me about feeder fishing, I used to do quite a lot when i was younger but how times have changed as they do, let’s see what Nikita had to say.
Introduction
My favorite type of coarse fishing is on the cage and method feeder it took me a while, but I believe I have refined my feeder fishing skills enough to write a blog about it and help introduce or help people understand feeder fishing.
What you will need
You will need a feeder fishing rod I recommend anywhere between 11-13 feet for rod length with a 1 oz to 2 oz quiver tip and then a 3000-5000 size reel and 8-12lb mainline and 4-7 Lb Hook length depending on your target species, I personally use method feeders such as the guru 24g x-safe guru method feeder I find the weight of it is heavy enough to cast accurately without putting too much strain on my quiver tip and light enough to get indications from smaller species , for bait I use our own blackwood bait and tackle ground bait or meus ready pellets as they have my desired consistency.
How to fish the method feeder /cage feeder
I like to fish between 4-6 wraps as my local lake has a clear spot where the Tench tend to roam and feed, I usually use a single corn kernel on a size 14 hook and a 12 cm hook length before I reach my method feeder which is on a running rig, I’m lucky enough to have a seat box and feeder arms but a single bank stick would work Aswell.
Bite indication
It’s important not to strike at liners so as not to foul hook or spook of your swim, indications can be seen by small or large jitter motions at the end of your rod tip it may simply curl over if you’re fishing for carp or Tench.
My own experiences with method fishing
I love to feeder fish it’s my favorite method for coarse fishing and it will always hold a special place in my heart because it caught me biggest Tench and carp, I hope to catch a big bream with my feeder rod, but the time will come, I
hope that everyone will have an amazing feeder experience as it truly is a quality way to fish, I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and wish everyone tight lines.
Nikita Griedans – Blackwood bait and tackle
For more from Nikita and Jack keep an eye on the inland fisheries page for their blogs, always fun to read and quite informative.
New to The River Whispers – Free Zoom Classes
What gear for the new season – With many rivers beginning to open either now or quite soon i get a lot of questions about gear and set ups. I have decided to hold free zoom classes as it’s not always easy for people to get to a demo or attend classes. I am hoping the class will be of help to people to save money and time when looking for their first set up. As the weeks move on i will be covering different topics and tactics on the river so be sure to keep an eye out on the newsletter. This week i will cover rods, reels, lines, tippets and leaders, there will then be a questions and answers time slot. To attend the zoom just send me an email and i will send you back the details. To ensure everyone gets the most out of the class i have kept numbers down to about 6 people per call. This makes it easier for me to really speak to everyone and answer any questions. There will be multiple classes per week so please feel free to sign up, as the series goes on, we will be covering different topics. If you have any budding young anglers then they are very welcome to join in.
Guiding and instruction
My tuition classes between now and the 17th of march are €25 per lesson. For information on the classes send me and email at [email protected] you can also take a look at my website Trout Fishing Ireland for information. The classes are a great way to learn casting drills to try at home to improve your casting. To book a day trout or salmon fishing with me you can contact me on the above email also.
Pike fishing Autumn / Winter 2025
Now taking bookings for autumn and winter 2025.I will begin pike classes late august via zoom so keep an eye out for them. I have access to many lakes across Ireland so if you would like more information or to book a trip feel free to reach out.
Ardaire Springs Angling show 3rd and 4th of May 2025
This fantastic show is on in Ardaire springs and well worth a visit. I will be there as well as many other guides and instructors from all across Ireland and a far.Fly tyers row never disappoints with some of the world’s best. This year i will be with Cadence, if you would like to try out any of the range drop by and i will be happy to go for a cast with you. The new Cadence Predator range is here be sure to give it a cast.
Go Fishing
Growing up in the countryside of Gowran, Co.Kilkenny, I started my fishing journey on the River Barrow with my dad, which is where I caught my first fish, a lovely brown trout. The Gowran River was also a short walk from my homeplace, and on the days my dad couldn’t fish, I would walk through the fields and fish the Gowran River. My love for fishing grew and took me to Mount Juliet Estate, where I began guiding at 13. I went on to become fisheries manager at Mount Juliet Estate and, to this day, enjoy taking out hundreds of clients every year fishing on the River Nore. I enjoy all types of fishing and guide all over Ireland. I am an Apgai Ireland-qualified casting instructor and have Ambassador roles with Cadence and Yeti. I joined Fulling Mill as an endorsed pro guide and am part of the Patagonia pro team. My angling journey has been an exciting one and hopefully will continue to be.
I take out all levels of anglers, from beginner to experienced. I enjoy what I do and count myself very lucky to be able to meet and guide new people to what might be their first Irish fish.
