The wet weekend was followed by a bitter cold snap and though that too has passed the easterly winds continue to blow and make for difficult conditions. Some anglers found small breaks on a couple of days and made the most of them while others endured the conditions and made their own luck. All in all not many fish were reported, but there is an interesting mix in this week’s Update from big skate to salmon and trout to pike.

Skate tagged and ready to go back
Skate tagged and ready to go back. Rosco wins Catch of the Week for this 182lb skate.

With pike already spawning in some parts this is the time of year to try for a big one and we have reports of good double figure fish from Carrigadrohid in Cork, Blessington in Wicklow and Drumshanbo in Leitrim. Last week we reported on Brian McDonnell’s superb 31lb pike and this week another “30” was reported by Kevin Lyons. Kevin had been fishing with a French client who on the same day had a range of fish from 18 to 25lb, but Kevin struck into the best of the day himself – a huge 33lb 7oz hen bursting with spawn. The fish had to handled very carefully to avoid causing her to spill her eggs and as he looked at the fish while she recovered before release he became convinced that it was the same big pike he had caught last year in the same area.

There was nothing reported during the week by coarse anglers but that’s not to say there’s no big news… …The Lakelands & Inland Waterways World Pairs Angling Competition is to take place 9-13th September 2013. Kevin Locke, Organiser stated “I am delighted that Lakelands & Inland Waterways have agreed to sponsor the World Pairs in 2013, more information will be available from the 8th April”.

Salmon angling was quiet over the last week, with most rivers reporting nothing but their water levels. A second salmon was taken on the Moy however, and one was taken on fly at Currane. The Drowes had the best of what was on offer with a few more salmon landed on Friday and over the weekend. Anglers on Lough Melvin also encountered a couple of salmon despite the freezing conditions.

Wet fly is accounting for some nice trout on Lough Sheelin though, unsurprisingly, with the cold and choppy conditions that stubbornly prevailed there the fish are not very plentiful. Lough Melvin, Emy Lough and other lakes report a similar story with some good fish taken but in very difficult conditions. Some promising reports were heard from a number of rivers but the cold weather is holding back any hatches that showed signs of developing.

There had been some great reports of schoolie bass from the Kerry area. Three anglers fished the Dingle peninsula  for a week and managed about 70 bass, but only 1 over 5lbs. In spite of some very good tides the bitterly cold weather has slowed down the bass fishing for now.  Things should pick up as soon as the weather changes.  Further east along the Wexford shore sea trout have given great sport to anglers trying their luck for bass. Anglers are reminded that to fish for sea trout a licence is required and the tagging regulations and bag limits apply. The closed season of the local river also applies to the piece of coast you are fishing. Sea anglers are advised to handle any sea trout inadvertently caught with great care to assure their safe return to the sea. Small boat anglers off the northern coast made the most of a break in the weather early last week. Fishing at the Maidens they had plenty of dogfish, a few spurdogs but the what crowned a good day out was a huge skate of over 180lb. The massive fish had pounced on a dogfish that had just taken the bait. This lovely fish wins this week’s Catch of the Week.

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].

Tight lines,
Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release

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Salmon fishing reports

Trout fishing reports

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Coarse angling reports

Sea angling reports

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Early season Lough Melvin Gillaroo taken on a BSH
Early season Lough Melvin Gillaroo taken on a BSH