From dawn ‘till dusk a busy day is planned for Mountmellick Biodiversity Day next Saturday May 16, to discover the wildlife that lives along the river and in nearby woods. “The day is about enjoying, respecting and protecting our local wildlife, all are welcome and all the events are free,” said Mountmellick’s Ricky Whelan from Laois Offaly Irish Wildlife Trust, one of the organisers…
Leinster Express, 06/05/15. Read the full article ‘Discovering the birds, bugs and bats in Mountmellick‘.
Catch Some Great Trout at the Courtlough Event on Sunday 24th May
As part of Fisheries Awareness Week 2015, May 15th to 24th, there are two “FREE” trout fishing events taking place in North County Dublin. These events have been organised by the Gormanston and District Anglers, the staff at Courtlough Fishery in North County Dublin and the staff of Inland Fisheries Ireland, to promote trout fishing in this area. It is hoped that the organised events will be enjoyed by all in North County Dublin and the surrounding areas.
As part of Fisheries Awareness, Gormanston and District Anglers Club in conjunction with Inland Fisheries Ireland will be holding an introduction to fly fishing and spinning for Trout open day on Wavin Lake, Balrothery, Co Dublin on Saturday 23rd May 2015. This event is to encourage adults and children to take up this magical and very rewarding hobby and everyone is welcome to attend this catch and release event. You are invited to come to Wavin Lake and catch your first Trout on the 23rd May from 10am till 4pm.
Please contact Aidan on 087 1336353 if you need more information or you intend to take part in the Gormanston and District Anglers Club event on the Wavin Lake.
Inland Fisheries Ireland is delighted to announce that Fisheries Awareness Week will be taking place this year from 15th to 24th May. The aims of the initiative are to encourage adults and children who may never have fished before to take up fishing as a new hobby. Inland Fisheries Ireland is working with angling clubs, local communities, businesses and industry stakeholders to promote all types of angling. The success of Fisheries Awareness Week is totally dependent on the great work carried out by volunteers in the sector including angling associations, anglers, clubs, federations, fishery owners, guides, ghillies, instructors, tackle dealers, educators and other industry providers.
The first of the FAW events is taking place on Saturday 23rd May at the Wavin Lake near Balrothery from 10am to 4pm. This event is being run by Gormanston and District Anglers and will introduce anglers of all ages to fly-fishing and spin fishing for trout. To participate please see the contact details above.
This event on the Wavin Lake will be followed by another event on Sunday 24th May at Courtlough Fishery in Balbriggan with an introduction to fly fishing with APGAI instructor Garret Ruigrok. There will also be a junior’s pond where younger anglers can bait fish for trout. Further information can be obtained from Oisin Cahill. (contact details below.)
To take part in the Courtlough Fishery event please contact: Oisin Cahill, Inland Fisheries Ireland at 087 6142906 Visit the Fisheries Awareness Week website at www.faw.ie
Catch Some Great Trout at the Courtlough Event on Sunday 24th May
These two family friendly days promise to be fun filled with lots to learn and some prizes to be won. There is lots of fishing available locally in North County Dublin so why not come along and find out how to get involved in angling? Meet members of Gormanston and District Anglers, the staff at Courtlough Fishery and Inland Fisheries Ireland staff, find out more about fishing and then “give angling a go”!
We are looking forward to seeing you at these great events. So don’t miss out and make sure that you “give angling a go” this Fisheries Awareness Week!
Additional Information on the above events and Fisheries Awareness Week can be found at www.faw.ie
The Irish Federation of Pike Angling clubs report:
The first qualifying competition of the 2015/16 National Pike Championships will be held next Sunday 10th May on a lake near Lough Gowna. Interested anglers should meet at Fitzpatricks Tavern in Lough Gowna from 9am to 10am for fishing 10.30 to 4.30. Please note the changed fishing times from previous years. The top 6 anglers qualify to fish in the Final which will be held on a Saturday next April. Anglers use 1 rod and can fish anywhere they like on the lake. The venue has been fishing very well and good catches are anticipated.
To enter you must be a member of one of the 70+ clubs affiliated to the Federation. If you are not a member of one of these clubs you can easily join one at the check in for around €10 for 2015. The entry fee is €15 and there is an optional €5 pool for the heaviest pike on the day.
The Championships consist of 10 independent qualifying competitions, a stewards qualifier and the Final. The top 6 anglers from each of the 11 qualifiers fish in the Final. The winner of the Final will become the 2016 National Pike Champion and will captain the top 10 anglers in the Final in a 2 day International Team Challenge against Great Britain. This will be held in Ireland in October 2015. The organisers, Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs (I.F.P.A.C.) will cover the cost of hotel B&B, presentation dinner etc for all team members.
For more details contact Jody Kiernan on 087 9886408
We have a good flood in the river at the moment and it will fish from about 2 o clock onwards. The river will stay fishable until Tuesday or Wednesday because there are showers forecast which will keep it topped up. The big fish that were around the Bridge have all travelled up and with the high tide and perfect water we should have a good run of trout in the system. Most of these fish will be heading for the Lakes so from mid week onwards the Lakes should be fishing
There are approximately five miles of fly fishing along the main part of the Owenmore River in Kerry, with 33 named pools and an additional 180 acres of lake fishing in this Kerry beauty spot. The salmon, grilse and sea trout begin to run in April. The runs continue through spring and summer into early October.
Lindsey Clarke reports from theLOUGH MELVIN – Monday 27th April to Sunday 3rd May 2015.
Lough Melvin was fairly quiet due to the wintery weather bringing strong winds and hail & sleet showers. Conditions were better towards the weekend with decent hatches of buzzers reported and trout seen moving to these hatches. There were few rods fishing at all it seems however. Sean Maguire recorded 2 salmon caught on Sunday. These weighed 8½ & 9¾lb and were caught trolling off the Garrison Shore and Ward’s Point.
I have heard today of a very big trout caught last week on Wednesday 22nd which weighed 16lb 9oz and was caught and released again by an individual while trolling for salmon! I am awaiting details of the captor and we are trying to get hold of images that were taken on a mobile phone.
Lindsey Clarke reports from theRIVER DROWES– Monday 27th April to Sunday 3rd May 2015.
The weather this week was more wintery with much colder air temperatures and rain, hail and sleet showers. The river rose over the week. The gauge read 0.51m on Monday and by the end of Sunday the reading was up to 0.68m. The river fished well over the week and particularly well at the weekend. On Monday, Sean McNiece recorded a lovely 15½lb salmon caught on a Rapala from Kelly’s Ground and on Tuesday, Brian McClintock reported a 6lb salmon caught on worm from Red Roof after hooking and losing a much bigger salmon. On Saturday, there were 7 salmon caught.
Sean McNiece 15.5lb salmon
David Cahill recorded a 9½lb salmon caught on a Flying ‘C’ from the Black Water. P.J. Bailey reported a 7½lb salmon caught on worm from the Black Hole. Eddie Roulston logged a 6lb grilse caught on a Flying ‘C’ from the Grazings. Kevin Bourke registered a 7¾lb caught on a Flying ‘C’ from the Spa Well. Kieran Kelly recorded a 6½lb grilse caught on a Rapala from The Meadow and William Rainey accounted for 2 grilse weighing 4½lb each caught on worm from the Sea Pool with one of these being released again.
David Cahill with 9.5lb salmon
On Sunday there were 7 salmon caught also. Chris McGovern recorded a 7lb salmon caught on worm from the Upper Mill. Joe Darragh reported a 7lb salmon caught on a Flying ‘C’ from the Money Hole. Gary Morrow registered a lovely 13lb salmon caught on prawn from the High Bank. Darryl Kennedy logged a 7½lb salmon caught on prawn from The Washstones. John Gill recorded an 8lb salmon caught on a Flying ‘C’ from the Spa Well and Tony Parker caught and released a 4lb grilse on a spinner from The Meadow.
For info/bookings etc on the Drowes Fishery & Lough Melvin see the website: http://www.drowessalmonfishery.com/ or Tel: +353 (0)71 9841055 (8 am to 12 noon)
Killian on day three with some nice Tench and Bream
Angling Guide and guesthouse owner Kevin Lyons reports on coarse fishing for his clients in the past week on waters near his base at Melview Lodge in Co. Longford.
Damien and Killian were up for a few days to stay with Kevin at Melview Lodge in Longford, the lads were shown a venue by Kevin and began to fish it cold just to get some bait in for the next morning. By the end of the day a few small Bream had moved onto their feed which showed some promise for the next day, lightly prebaiting that evening and returning the next morning produced some fine Bream and Tench.
Damien with some fine Bream and TenchKillian with a couple of nice Tench from his catch
The weather hampered their efforts costing Damien the 3rd section of his pole after a sudden high gust of wind, Kevin said if the weather had not been so bad I’m sure they would have been able to keep the fish coming steady all day. Prebaiting once again that evening and a early start the next morning paid off for the lads as the Tench and Bream started to come for them, this was cut short by work commitments and had to pack up after just four hours. The guys said it was a shame to stop just as we had got the fish in to the swim but we will be back to finish the job again soon.
All fish released back unharmed.
Killian on day three with some nice Tench and BreamDamien with some good Tench from day three
The Milford & District Fly Angling Club will hold the very popular Lough Fern Classic Open Trout Angling competition on the 23rd & 24th of May.
The competition will be fished on a catch and release basis with the deadline for entries to be received by Wednesday , May 20th.
A draw for partners will be made on Friday, May 22nd.
Over €2000 worth of prizes are up for grabs again with entry forms available from me here at the Lough Swilly Angling Centre.
The competition brochure and entry form can also be downloaded from the club website @ www.milfordflyanglingclub.com or from the Club facebook page.www.facebook.com/milfordflyangling
Lough Fern Open Day:
The Annual Lough Fern Open Day will be held at the Milford Club grounds on Saturday, the 16th of May.
This is a free fun day for all the family where everyone can try their hand at fishing.
Inland Fisheries Ireland Staff will be on hand to explain all about the life cycles of Trout and Salmon along with live insect kick samples.
There will also be fly tying demonstrations and a free Bar B Que for all.
This great event will run from 12 noon until 4 pm.
Eoghan Concannon with a trout he caught on a recent fishing trip on Lough Fern
John McLaughlin reports with the Milford & District Fly Angling Club news:
The Milford Fly Angling Club is now accepting applications for new membership for the 2015 season on Lough Fern.
Membership application forms are available from the Enterprise House in Milford or here at the Lough Swilly Angling Centre.
The form can also be downloaded from the Club website @ www.facebook.com/milfordflyangling
The first Open Trout Angling Competition of the season was held on Lough Fern on Sunday,the 26th of April.
The Milford Club would sincerely like to thank the great turnout of 39 anglers who took part.
Angling conditions on the day were far from ideal with a very cold north wind along with driving rain and hail at times.
This didn’t stop well known fly tyer, Maurice Brolly from Strabane taking first place with a nice brown Trout of 520 grms.
The top 5 prizewinners were;
1st Maurice Brolly-Strabane,
2nd Eugene Boyle-Dungloe,
3rd Damien Doherty-Belfast,
4th Doalty O’ Donnell-Dungloe,
5th Harry Whoriskey-Strabane. Eoghan Concannon with a trout he caught on a recent fishing trip on Lough Fern John Mc Laughlin
Lough Swilly Angling Centre/ Donegal Angling Phone : 087 292988 or Email:[email protected] Web: www.donegalangling.com and Facebook/Lough Swilly
The Loughanure Angling Club held their first Open Trout Angling Competition of the year, last Sunday, May 3rd.
The Club would like to thank another large turnout of competitors, the Club sponsors and Caisleain Oir Hotel for the hospitality during the weigh-in and prizegiving.
The results were as follows:
1st – John Broadbent
2nd – Hugh Connolly
3rd – Wesley McCartney
4th – Michael Flanagan
For more club information, please contact PJ on 0868058941 or John on 0876626237 or visit the club website @ www.loughanureanglers.ie for all the 2015 Junior and Senior Competition dates, information and gallery.
