Home Blog Page 106

Tom Tom Time at Tralee Bay Tag-A-Ray Festival

By
IFI Staff
-

The Tralee Bay Tag-A-Ray Festival was held over the last weekend in May, with anglers travelling from all over Ireland to compete for some great prizes, and the chance to catch some great fish. The festival came at the end of the long dry spell, so sea temperatures were above average, but the weather broke on the Friday and gave wet and windy conditions for the weekend. Boat angling was restricted to a small area of shelter, but despite the conditions, the fish didn’t seem to mind, and there were some great specimen fish caught.

The highlight of the fishing was undoubtedly the rare angel shark caught by Chris Kelly, a fabulous fish and the catch of a lifetime for Chris.

Chris Kelly’s angel shark wins Catch of the Week

The festival was also a highly competitive affair, with big cash prizes on offer. And if your name was Tom, you stood a good chance of winning! The Overall Shore Winner was Tom Keal from Galway Bay Sea Angling Club with 6 Fish.

Tom Keal (left) receives his shore prize
The Overall Boat Winner was Tom McAdam from Howth Sea Angling Club with 9 Fish .
Tom McAdam receiving his boat prize

More photos of great fish below, and plenty of happy faces. One of these years we’ll get down to fish it too…

Back by popular demand – Angling Adventures West Cork bass workshops

By
Myles Kelly
-

David Norman of Angling Adventures West Cork has added a couple of dates to his ½ day, Summer Bass Lure Workshops schedule.

If you’re interested, Thursday 26th & Friday 27th of June are the extra dates.

Sounds like a perfect Father’s Day gift!

Contact David for details – david.aawc@gmail.com

Go fishing…

Angling Adventures West Cork

Address Clonakilty Cork Ireland Mobile Phone: +353858492691 Website: anglingadventureswestcork.ie
More information
Find on Map | Return to top.

Support the Irish Youth Fly Fishing Team @ World Youth Fly Fishing Championships, Idaho

By
Paul O'Reilly
-

The Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland (TAFI) Irish Youth Fly Fishing Team will be representing Ireland at the World Youth Fly Fishing Championships in Idaho, USA in July 2025. The championships will take place in Idaho Falls, which is located about 30 minutes from Yellowstone National Park.

The team will travel to the USA on July 7th. They will have 4 practice days from July 8th to July 11th inclusive. The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday July 12th, and the competition will run from Monday July 14th to Friday July 18th inclusive, followed by the closing ceremony on Friday evening. The team will travel home on Saturday 19th July.

The competition sectors are spread over 3 states: Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and include 2 lakes and 3 rivers as follows:

Hebgen Lake: Boat Fishing for Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Artic Grayling and Mountain Whitefish.

Sheridan Lake: Boat Fishing for Rainbow Trout and Cutthroat Trout. This is a private Lake, stocked with big rainbows.

Snake River – Henry’s Fork: Some stretches of this river have 4,000 Trout per kilometre. Target species: Brook trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow trout, Cutbows and Mountain Whitefish.

Warm River: This River gets its name from being an average temperature of 10 degrees Celsius all year round. Target species: Brook trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow trout, Cutbows and Mountain Whitefish

Grey’s River: The Greys River presents perhaps the best opportunity to catch Snake River Fine Spotted Cutthroat Trout and Mountain Whitefish in good numbers. Target Species: Brook trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow trout, Cutbows and Mountain Whitefish.

Team Travelling:

  • Captain/Coach: Sean Dempsey
  • Manager: Frank Dempsey
  • Adam Adcock
  • Cian Hayes
  • Henry Suiter
  • Jacob Griffin
  • Lewis Porter
  • Zack Barnett

The team have been busy attending training sessions on rivers and lakes at several locations around Ireland & Northern Ireland over the past several weeks and they are all really up for it.

Details about the team can be found at the following website:

https://www.tafireland.com/fly-fishing-youth-team-ireland

Details about the championship can be found at the following website:

https://www.fips-mouche.com/youth-championship/

TAFI are running a fundraising raffle to help with the costs of attending the World Championships. First prize is a 19ft Lake Boat and there are 9 other great prizes with a total value of €6,700.00. Details in the flyer below.

The youths are the lifeblood of our sport, and we really need to support and encourage them. Thanks to all who support this fundraiser, it is greatly appreciated.

It’s all go for Dan O’Neill on the Nore, Suir & Blackwater

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

Angling guide Dan O’Neill reports on some of his recent guiding experiences:

Continue

A few springers about and grilse arriving at Balisodare

By
Myles Kelly
-
grilse
Unhooking a grilse in the water to ensure a better release

Gerry Merrick reports from the Ballisodare Salmon Fishery…

Ballisodare Salmon Fishery Report – 4th June 2025

Ballisodare Fishery is back fishing again after the rains of the past 10 days, that increased water levels and substantially reduced water temperatures.

We are happy to report a continued nice run of spring salmon through the fish pass with the odd grilse also starting to appear.

 

 

Seamus Costigan (18) caught his first salmon on a cascade fly
Seamus Costigan (18) caught his first salmon on a cascade fly

A few fish are being caught most days including the fish of the season caught by a young angler.  Seamus Costigan (18) caught his first salmon on a cascade fly. Possibly the fish of a lifetime and certainly a lifetime memory for Seamus, a 13.75 lbs whopper and the largest this season in Ballisodare. Well done Seamus!

John Corcoran – releasing the first grilse of the season.
John Corcoran – releasing the first grilse of the season.

Go fishing…

The Ballisodare River is the name given to the two and a half miles of river formed by the meeting of two fairly large rivers, the Owenmore and Arrow or Unshin River, about half a mile below the town of Collooney. The river empties out into the estuary of Ballisodare Bay at the Falls in Ballisodare. 

The river has something for every serious salmon angler, from the quieter upper reaches with wide pools and tree lined banks to the series of ledges and mini falls in Ballisodare Town.

Web: www.ballisodarefishingclub.ie
Mail: info@ballisodarefishingclub.ie
Tel: +353 86 6103423

grilse
Unhooking a grilse in the water to ensure a better release

Strong winds hamper New Ross Whit Weekend Festival

By
Shane O'Reilly
-
The New Ross & District SAC held their 3-day Whit Weekend Fishing Festival at various venues along the Hook peninsula over the weekend. Twenty-three anglers participated in what was a wind-plagued few days, as the organisers were forced to make numerous changes to zones and venues to ensure safe and comfortable fishing for all.
Continue

South Shore SAC Tommy Keogh Open set for June 14th

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

South Shore SAC will be running the Tommy Keogh Open competition on Saturday, 14th June. See below and on the South Shore SAC Facebook page for details.

Hard fishing on Conn for Whit Weekend Competition

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

The following report is an excerpt taken from the Dublin Trout Anglers’ Association webpage. Click here to read the full version.

DTAA members Declan McKibben and John O’Neill (also capped for Ireland) placed 4th and 5th after two hard days fishing last weekend on Conn. The annual Whit Weekend competition has been going now for many years thanks to the hard work of Orla Walsh and Padraig Traynor, and volunteers from the local club.

Conditions were not great it must be said. A stiff southwesterly wind made fishing uncomfortable for some on the Saturday, with the majority of anglers staying on the West of the lake from Castlehill Bay, Gallaghers, Abbey Shore, Flannery’s, Ned’s and Bog Bay. Some braved the crossing to other side near the narrowest point from Chain Island to Rinmore, fishing down that Eastern shore into Sandy Bay… all the while knowing that the return trip would be lumpy enough. Other adventurous types went even further up the lake to Brackwansha and Cormorant Rocks, where perhaps the best of the fishing was to be had. Sunday was a similarly challenging day, with the wind similar to Saturday (25-30km) but coming more Westerly and even Northwesterly at times.

Despite some amount of Mayfly still hanging around all over the lake, the fish were hard got, not much surface action and pulling wets on an intermediate or slow sinker proved the most effective method. Yellow and Green mayflies were effective, though the trout were thought also to have been feeding on fry.

Overall there were 86 anglers out with just 10 returning fish on Saturday (for a total of 12 fish which measured at least 13″) while on the Sunday there were 11 anglers returning just 15 fish (this is similar to last year’s competition). Despite the poor fishing, all it takes is for a few to be caught to determine the winners and runners up. As usual the prize for the Whit Weekend is a Sheelin Boat. Local angler Stephen Browne blanked on Saturday but brought in a nice bag of 3 fish for almost 4 lbs on Sunday, losing a nice fish estimated to be 3 lbs during his day at Cormorant Rocks. This earned Stephen the Tolan/Traynor Cup for the second year in a row and another boat! Clare angler Jimmy Fitzgerald (heat winner on Saturday) came in second, winning a nice Sage rod and Northern Irish angler William Craig placing 3rd. Lough Arrow expert angler Francie White had the heaviest fish (approx 2.50 lbs) on Sunday, which was enough to get him well up in the prizes.

Super pike on Fly and Lure for guests of Angling Services Ireland

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

Bodo Funke of Angling Services Ireland has been busy of late, guiding both lure and fly anglers to some smashing pike. Last week, he had a regular pike fly fishing specialist, Gerald, back casting big streamers for pike, and despite the bright sun, they managed some pretty impressive pike.

Next it was the turn of the lure guys, as some more regular visitors, Michael and Martin, who also got to sample some fine Irish pike. And the lads will be back in September for more. Who can blame them!!!

Angling Services Ireland

Address 3 Canal View Deerpark Boyle Roscommon Ireland Phone: +353 71 9663580 Mobile Phone: +353 86 6011878 Website: anglingservicesireland.com
More information
Find on Map | Return to top.

Dodder Anglers Free Fly Fishing Clinic

By
Shane O'Reilly
-
The Dodder Anglers are running a free flyfishing clinic on Sunday, June 15th, Father’s Day. See details below from their Facebook Page:

Hi Everyone,
We are running a free flyfishing clinic on Sunday, June 15th, Father’s Day. The aim is to introduce or improve skills for fly fishing to our junior members. There will be a casting and fishing element in the session.
The event will run from 11-1, and we can accommodate a maximum of 8 students at a time. We will hold a second session from 1:30-3:30 if demand dictates. Rods and other equipment will be provided, but happy for kids to bring their own sets up also, and a pair of wellies or waders would make the fishing easier.

Location is the green area opposite the dropping well car park.
THIS IS STRICTLY FOR THOSE AGED 10 TO 18 YRS OF AGE.
If interested please contact Chairman Tony Butler on 0857505202.
1...105106107...2,003Page 106 of 2,003
Fishing in Ireland

EVEN MORE NEWS

POPULAR CATEGORY

© Inland Fisheries Ireland