So this is Christmas… as the song goes. Not long now until the big day, and Santa Claus will hopefully be bringing plenty of fishing rods and tackle to lucky anglers, young and old next week. We hope you’ve all been good boys and girls this year! Tomorrow is also the shortest day of the year, and we can look forward to more daylight and shorter nights from now on…
Between the weather and the time of year, angling reports are a bit thin on the ground this week, but we do have some angling stories to report. And then we’ll take a look back at some of our favourite Catch of the Week reports from during 2024, which showcase the quality and variety of fishing we have on our shores. We also have some of the best young rods’ catches of 2024, as well as a gallery of some of the best photos sent in to us this year.
We start with sea fishing, and the Killybegs Mariners have been enjoying some really decent winter beach fishing of late, with their club competition producing plenty of flounder and turbot, and other recent outings giving up more flatties, bass and sea trout.
At the other end of the country, Cormac Walsh was fishing with Keith Barry, and the bass were hypnotised right out of the water on a great lure fishing session. Finding the feeding birds in range of shore was the key, and once they found the fish they had non-stop action for a 40-minute spell. Magic!
There are a couple of upcoming fundraising angling competitions over the holidays, including the South Shore SAC charity match, in aid of the Heart Children Ireland charity, while Cobh SAC are holding a boat competition in Cork Harbour to raise funds for the Irish under-21 world boat team. Both events take place on December 28th.
We have a fantastic pike report from Irish Fishing Tours on Lough Derg, where a client landed a cracking 115cm pike, smashing his PB this week.
To coarse angling now, and ideal conditions weren’t reflected in the fishing at Enniskillen, but that didn’t matter to Nick Howell, who had the only bag over 5kgs to win the 6th leg of the Erne Anglers winter league with 7.15kg.
There was decent fishing at Portumna, where Munster CAC held the 5th round of their winter league, won by Liam with 9lbs 9oz. Elsewhere, Kieran Reevees took the honours at Oaklands in the winter league match there. There were some nice bream and winter tench knocking about the Grand Canal at Enfield, where Leinster Coarse Fishing Federation held an end-of-year competition, won by Dean Murry with a good bag of 15lbs 7oz.
Dan O’Neill is back with the last River Whispers blog of the year, and he explores a variety of fishing-related topics, including fly rods for targetng bigger species, tying pike flies, and an interview with two young entrepreneurs with a fledgling bait business. Peter Driver has a round up of some stocked trout competitions, and finally Sean Woods shared a superb video with many of the highlights from his 2024 salmon season.
Best Young Catches
The angling update this year featured many young anglers with their catches, and we wanted to feature some of them. Some of these also made Catch of the Week, but we’ll feature them here. Starting with young Adam, whose uncle Ger Power brought him pike fishing back in February, and he landed a fine 20lbs pike.
Another fine pike came to the rod of Harry Walsh, who landed this amazing 30lbs 13oz fish.
Young Jay O’Halloran was another junior Catch of the Week winner with his specimen bull huss while fishing with Cobh SAC.
Young trout angler Jack Reidy also featured, winning the World Youth Lough Open competition on Lough Melvin, with this fantastic fish taking him over the line.
Catches of the Week
A look back at some of the fish that made Catch of the Week during the year.
Lough Corrib produced some fine ferox trout in the early part of the season, on of which was this cracking fish for a guest of Tomi Kurman.
In April retired pro baseball player Rick Porcello landed this fantastic 91cm salmon from Delphi, his first ever salmon too! What a fish, and very sportingly released again.
A most unusual Catch of the Week was made by Gintaras Vosylius, who targeted and landed a number of bream up to 8lbs – on a fly rod! Gintaras was nymphing with light gear, which makes this catch so unique.
Skipper John Fleming had a record-breaking day in July, a day when your correspondent was privileged to be aboard and witness myself. 14 porbeagle sharks to the boat was the headline on an incredible day of fishing, with screaming runs and big sharks cutting through the water all around the boat at times.
Newly weds Adam and Alex, from the USA fished with Damien Culliney on Lough Derg, and having already bagged the catch of her lifetime by marrying her husband Adam, Alex went on to bag this week’s Catch of the Week by landing a whopping 110cm pike, making an already memorable trip to Ireland extra special.
Best Photos
Some of our favourite photos submitted by you over the year gone past. Without your contributions we wouldn’t be able to share these fantastic shots.
Northern Lights Display
And lastly, amateur astronomers, and everyone else who was awake, were spoiled this year with two fantastic displays of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, in May and October. This photo from Gavin O’Brien, taken from Inchagoill Island on Lough Corrib, was our absolute fabourite capture from that special night in May.
Stocking Fillers
Finally, on the run into Christmas, a number of guides, tackle shops, etc, will be offering vouchers and gift cards that may prove to make a useful stocking filler for the angler in your life. The Irish Specimen Fish Committee Fish Atlas proved a popular present last year, and there are still copies available to purchase, although .
Skipper Kit Dunne from Wicklow Boat Charters is offering vouchers that can be tailored to your needs. And tackle shops up and down the country have vouchers available that will make a great present for the angler in your life. Shop local – support small businesses in your area and make a difference!
Happy Christmas
From all the team here at the Irish Angling Update, we would like to give our sincere thanks to all anglers, guides, skippers, mams and dads who sent us in reports and photos throughout the year. Without your content, these reports would be much poorer and we appreciate your efforts, particularly those bringing young anglers out and introducing them to our great sport.
We would like to wish all of our readers a very merry Christmas. Stay safe over the holidays, and if the weather permits, we hope you get a chance to wet a line!
And Now The Weather
Scattered showers becoming isolated this evening, with top temperatures of 8-11C.
Saturday will turn windy, as overnight ran clears to to the southeast to give sunny spells and showers, with winds reaching gale force on western and northern coasts and temps of 6-11C. Sunday will start off windy, with blustery showers, some wintry and winds only slowly easing. Top tems of 5-8C.
Christmas week looks to be very mild for the time of year, with some rain on Monday followed by mainly cloudy but dry conditions for the following few days, and top temperatures of 10-13C. No white Christmas here so!
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.
All the angling news
Sea Angling Reports
- South Shore SAC Charity Match – Sunday 28th December
- Mariners enjoy great beach fishing in Donegal
- Magic session for Cormac Walsh & Keith Barry
- Wicklow Boat Charters Christmas Vouchers
- Cobh Boat Fundraising Competition, December 28th
Pike Fishing Reports
Coarse Angling Reports
- Dean Murray wins LCFF Feather & Fur competition
- Kieran Reeves wins fourth round of the Oaklands Winter League
Trout Fishing Reports
Salmon Fishing Reports
