Siegy Graber, skipper of Siouxout of Valentia Island, reports on the fishing off the Kerry coast…
ling
Another successful week with pollack, coalfish, ling, cod, pouting, ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse and mackerels on board Sioux for groups from Germany, Austria and UK.
Pollack
Sunshine and mostly calm sea was like the icing on the cake.
The charter boat “Sioux” is an Offshore 105 equipped with a 300 hp Ford Sabre Turbo Diesel engine. The season for most species is from April to the end of September; cod, pollock, ling, coalfish, whiting, haddock, mackerel, garfish, pouting, plaice, ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, grey and red gurnard, seabass, mullet, skate, ray-thornback, conger eel, dogfish, bullhuss and blueshark (July – September)
Angling enthusiastic and guide Sid Jones of Fishing Ireland Guided Fishing had to do some gentle persuasion to encourage some shy bass. He reports:
I’ve been lucky enough to find some nice silver over the last few sessions, some fish ranging from miniature perfection right up to a chunky 5.5lb… There’s plenty of bass around at present but with the changing conditions some were hard to entice out for a quick measure, photo and safe release… Good signs for the coming season.
The Ballybay Angling Association fished their most recent knock-up match in glorious weather once again. Sunday saw 13 anglers fish the competition held on Bairds Shore. With fish spawning, the fishing was hard and weather conditions did nothing to help matters. The lake was flat calm and one angler took a dip mid match just to cool himself down!
A hot day at the lake
On a side note well done to club members Finnian Feeney and Andy Chapman on their sponsorship with Bolands Groundbait.
Getting fish was hard work in the bright, still conditions
Club championship postponed
Due to fish spawning, the club championship match scheduled for next week (5th June) has been postponed until fishing has picked up.
Ballybay 2 Day Festival, 9 -10 July
The Ballybay 2 Day Festival sponsored by IFI will be fished from 9th & 10th July.
To book in contact Liam on 086 – 3052004 or click for the Ballybay anglers Facebook page.
The draw for both the Ballybay 2 Day Match on the 9th & 10th July and the Ballybay 5 Day Classic 11th – 15th July will be held at the Riverdale Hotel. A number of rooms are also available for anyone wishing to stay over for either of these events.
A secure shed is available to store your fishing bait & tackle.
To contact the hotel or for details on booking a room see the Riverdale Hotel Facebook page.
David McEvoy reports from Delphi where the week ended well with some good fish caught:
Well as I predicted the water did taper off during the week and it must be said that we had some glorious weather also. The anglers may not have thought so but I must say there were no complaints and everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly and recharged their batteries. Again the social aspect of the week was probably more important than the fishing.
Simon Albertini was first off the mark on Sunday morning with a nice fish off Finlough of 6lbs11ozs on a Willie Gunn.
Delphi salmon were hard got last week.
Jussi Stromberg from Finland who is normally outfished at Delphi by his good friend and fishing partner Miko was I’m glad to say the lucky one this time. He managed to land two fish, both from the Quarry Pool and both on a Red Frances. The first was 8lbs6ozs and the second 6lbs14ozs. Both fish were sea liced.
There were actually two fish landed on Wednesday. Nick Foden Patternson had the first, off Finlough of 7lbs8ozs on a Willie Gunn. Then Etienne Verhasselt from Belgium had a nice fish of 6lbs12ozs from the Waterfall on a Red Frances.
Arthur Jardine had a sea liced fish from the Turn Pool on Thursday on a Red Frances of 5lbs3ozs.
Finally Paul Wymes who has been rather unlucky this year in comparison to other years finally got his first Delphi fish of the year, when he landed a lovely sea liced fish of approx. 7.5lbs at Boat Point on Fin on Saturday. The fish took a Blue Elver fished on the dropper on a slime line.
The river is now running at about 10 and judging by the forecast the most we can hope for over the next few days is a good thunder lump which if it hits us properly could put the river up. Our anglers this week will need all their experience to pull out a few fish. It has probably been one of the driest May’s we have had in a good number of years, but hopefully we will see some increase in water in the not too distant future.
World-class instruction at Ireland’s most beautiful fishing lodge
At Delphi Lodge we are able to provide world class tuition through our resident instructor, Robert Gillespie. Fly fishing instruction can be as simple as a short visit for half a day or built into a fully tutored course over a few days while staying in the Lodge. Robert Gillespie is one of the worlds most qualified fly casting/fishing instructors and is available for one to one tuition in addition to offering excellent tuition to small groups and families. Robert was the first person to successfully take all three FFF (Federation of Fly Fishers) examinations at the one testing event, doing so in November 2004 on the Beaverkill river at Roscoe, New York State.
A tutored course at Delphi Lodge, with Robert Gillespie, is a wonderful, relaxing and learning experience for anyone who wishes to take their first steps into this rewarding form of fishing. For many fly fishing becomes a true passion.
At Delphi Lodge, with many years of experience with the timing of the best runs of fish, we have in place a price system that offers both great value fishing and lets our anglers know when they have the best chance to catch a fresh run spring salmon or a summer grilse or Delphi sea trout.
Casting for Recovery UK and Ireland, the fly fishing programme for women with breast cancer, held a retreat at the Mount Falcon Estate at Ballina, Co Mayo, last weekend. Nine ladies joined the residential retreat to learn the basics of fly casting as well as attending counselling and medical support groups. The programme is administered by The Countryside Alliance Foundation and the unique formula of fly fishing, counselling and medical advice, promotes mental and physical healing to women whose lives have been profoundly affected by breast cancer… Irish Times, 30/06/16. Read the full article ‘Angling Notes: Casting for Recovery – breast cancer retreat at Mount Falcon Estate‘
Set at the foot of the Twelve Bens mountain range, Ballynahinch is an imposing riverside hotel surrounded by 450 acres of rugged Connemara landscape. Built as a crenellated mansion, it is no looker – but the setting is superb and its history is colourful. It’s a hotel that engenders great affection in its faithful guests… …Salmon fishing remains a big part of Ballynahinch… The Telegraph, 26/05/16. Read the full article ‘Ballynahinch Castle: Is this Ireland’s most poetic hotel?‘.
Two or three times a year I’ll visit Ireland, mainly to see my good friend Peter Hannan who supplies my restaurants exclusively with Glenarm estate beef. My stay often includes a little bit of fishing, a lot of very good eating and experimenting with Peter’s new beef, lamb and pork products. But last time I stayed, I was focused on fishing because Peter had challenged me to catch a salmon, something I’d never managed to do in Ireland. On day one, we fished the Galway weir for a couple of hours… City AM, 24/05/16. Read the full article ‘Our columnist Mark Hix accepts a challenge from an old friend to catch a wild salmon in the weirs of Ireland‘.
EVERY year a group of women gather in the beautiful surrounds of Mount Falcon Estate Ballina. They are all strangers, leading different lives, living in different places, but they share one common experience: surviving breast cancer. What started off as a novel way to help cancer sufferers in the United States around 20 years ago has now became an annual trip to Mayo for rest, relaxation and fishing… Mayo News, 24/05/16. Read the full article ‘Keeping it reel‘.
The independent regulator for the sea-fishing and seafood sectors, The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), hosted a special information breakfast for fishermen, processors and shellfish producers from Dublin, Louth and Wicklow. The event took place at the Maldron Hotel, Dublin Airport on Wednesday, 18th May last. The SFPA were joined by representatives from a wide range of organisations… North County Leader, 24/05/16. Read the full article ‘Sea Fisheries Sector Holds Information Seminar’.
Paddy Halpin IFI reports on some fine salmon caught on the River Feale:
After a small and badly needed flood for angling in the Feale last Wednesday we had a good few anglers out on the following few of days, lucky anglers for the week were Padraig O Keefe who had a nice fresh fish of 8lbs on the Fly, Tom O Donnell had a good fish of 12lbs got on a fly as well, Bob Downey had his first fish of the season on the fly and it weighed in at 10lbs, Keith Harbour had a nice fresh fish of about 7lbs his first of the season also.
Bob Downey
Keith Harbour
John Bannon had a fish of 7lbs on the fly as did Derry Buckley he had a nice fresh fish of 5lbs, Con McCarthy and Alan Grimes both had fish while spinning of 8lbs and 6lbs,water levels are now gone low again and not many anglers out but this should suit any anglers who want to do a bit of Sea trout fishing at dusk and early mornings.
Padraig O KeefeTom O Donnell
Go fishing…
The River Feale is among the outstanding salmon and sea trout rivers of Ireland. The River rises in the mountain district of North Co Cork and flows westerly for 75 km (46 miles) through the county towns of Abbeyfeale and Listowel and enters the sea south of Ballybunion. For the final 10 kms (6 miles) of its course, it is known as the Cashen River. Throughout its meandering journey to the sea it flows through a picturesque landscape of heather bog land, fertile valleys and rolling hills. Its main tributaries, flowing from both North and South, combine to add in excess of 160 kms (100 miles) of fishable waters.
About 50% of the main River Feale and the Smearlagh River is controlled by 5 angling clubs. These clubs are some of the best angling waters and each club offers day tickets for visiting anglers.
North Kerry Anglers Association issues daily & weekly permits for fishing on 9 miles of the Feale & Smearlagh rivers. Web: www.northkerryanglers.com
Killocrim/Finuge Angling Club
Killocrim/Finuge Angling Club control approximately 6.5 kms (4 miles) of water downstream of Listowel. Web:killocrimfinugefishingclub.com
Brosna / Mountcollins Angling Club
Brosna / Mountcollins Angling Club control about 13 kms (8 miles) of double bank fishing from below the Owveg River confluence, up past Mountcollins, to within a short distance of Ahuan Bridge. Tel: +353 68 44251
