The heatwave continues, and water temperatures are still rising. Fishery closures have become more widespread as more than trout and salmon become increasingly at risk of thermal stress. It’s no surprise that the Angling Update this week is dominated by sea angling reports…

We will open with the serious news of widespread fishery closures as the ESB announces the catchment wide closure of all its freshwater fisheries – the Shannon, Clady / Crolly, Lee and Liffey catchments. This impacts all river and lake angling in these river systems.

Salmon anglers are additionally impacted by the ongoing closures of the Moy Fishery, Ballyvary and Cloongee, the River Erriff, Beats 1 and 2 on the Laune and seven rivers in Donegal. In addition, some private fisheries on the Munster Blackwater have also ceased fishing.

Trout angling has not been easy in the bright, sunny conditions and water temperatures are becoming an issue for this popular species. In light of high water temperatures, a lot of trout angling clubs are making the wise decision to close their waters too. Although fishing is not going to be easy, we wish the best of luck to all the anglers competing in the Fips-Mouche World Youth Fly Fishing Championship, which is taking place later this week in Donegal.

Coarse anglers had a few competitions to fish last weekend. Mark Alcock won the 3rd round of Irish Canal Masters at Daingean. Damien Foltyn took the win at the second of the Method Feeder Qualifiers, which was fished at Oaklands. Chris Lawlor won the 5th round of the Athy Anglers Summer League at the canal at Athy. The Royal Canal in Meath fished well for one junior angler who had some lovely perch to 37cm. Finally, Artem Novikov of the MakeShiftLures YouTube channel was catching tench on home-tied jigs, showing that there is a predator in most fish…

To the sea now, where cool breezes and refreshing water temperatures saw anglers busy afloat and on shore. We start in Donegal where anglers reported good charter boat fishing at Kincasslagh, bass and flounder in the surf and mini species in rockpools and tight to the shore. In Galway, charter boat anglers are getting some lovely blue shark fishing. Around the corner, anglers fished the Jim Blackwell Memorial at Clare’s Black Head. The charter boats based in Kilbaha and Carrigaholt are also getting some good fishing as everyone is keen to make the most of the good conditions at sea.

Further south, there was kayak angling in West Cork, huge skate, sharks and ling for Courtmacsherry Angling Centre, excellent blue shark and porbeagle fishing for West Cork Charters, more sharks for small boat guide Old Head Charters and the 4th round of Cobh SAC’s Master Boat Angler on Cork Harbour. Budding Specimen Hunter Iarla Cott was also fishing out of Cork Harbour, getting amongst good spurdogs and blue sharks. To the other end of Cork now, where West Cork and District SAC fished an Open at Ballinwilling Beach, a tough competition where a couple of bass were enough for a win.

Black Bream for Oliver Dunne, WBSAC Junior

Moving to the east coast and in Wexford, Ballinaulart was the venue for Ringsend Irishtown Anglers, and bass again decided who won and lost. We wrap up this week’s Irish Angling Update with the news from Wicklow Boat Charters that many species have been turning up recently, with a few quite rare ones, and the regular specimen tope have also shown up.

Scorchio, scorchio, scorchio…..

Saturday will be dry and warm for most with the best (worst?) of the sunshine in the Midlands, South and East, highest temperatures of 23 to 27°C. Cloudier in the north and northwest with highest temperatures of 17 to 22°C in a light to moderate northerly breeze. The outlook is for the heatwave to continue well into next week. A bit cooler and cloudier for west and northwest counties with patchy drizzle at times but no real rain to speak of.

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 reports@fisheriesireland.ie. 

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