Gormanston and District Anglers Club, based in Balbriggan are looking for local businesses to aid them with sponsorship for the coming year. The club has been running for over 20 years now and in that time, have had over 4,000 people join the club and use the fisheries, compete in fly fishing competitions or purchase a day ticket for Wavin Lake in Balbriggan or Delvin River… North County Leader, 19/01/15. Read the full article ‘Gormanston Anglers Club Seeks Sponsorship For 2015‘.
Six hundred applications for fish farm licences are under consideration by Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney. He said he anticipated “significant progress will be made” this year in licensing around the Irish coast. More than 200 licences had been issued in the past three years for bays, including Inner Bantry Bay, Roaringwater Bay, Killary Harbour and Castlemaine Harbour and “there are in the region of 600 applications awaiting determination”… Irish Times, 20/01/15. Read the full article ‘Decision ‘soon’ on controversial Galway Bay fish farm‘.
Opening day seatrout for Ian Burton on Lough Currane
Vincent Appleby reports on the opening day at Lough Currane…
17/01 Great to be back on the no spin no flys just facts zone. A very happy new year to you all and tight lines for 2015. Now today’s facts, well there isn’t any and for good reason. My Noble Anglers couldn’t produce my Noble Gentlemen the Salmon. Just for the record there were a few kelts caught, there were 12 boats manipulating. Wind, there was no wind to talk of, but it was cold. On that note my Noble Anglers will be heading for the Waterville Inn for a good opening night with good music and good food and spot prizes.
18/01 Second day and the countdown is still on and yes you have it with 4 boats out and all failed in my Noble Salmon department. Wind light north with bright sunshine.
19/01 Here is your weather report for today, raining all day or as good as, with a fresh Southerly wind blowing and what boats were out didn’t let their fingers do the talking. Why do I say this? Even if they caught a Noble spent Salmon, it would make better reading in my opinion? What do you say my Noble readers?
That is your ration from the opening days on Lough Currane, from your Gillie and the Waterville Fishery, no spin no fly’s just facts. Vincent Appleby
Brian McCall repots that Ian Burton and his father of IrishKayakAngling.com took to Currane in hopes of a salmon, but settled for seatrout…
After the Storms midweek, snow and rain, getting out on kayaks was going to be a rare opportunity. But a few of our members did get out.
Ian Burton, our winner of last years species hunt, with a massive haul of 50 species from salt and freshwater, along with his father made it out on the opening day on Lough Currane and between them managed 2 sea trout, one brown trout and a returning kelt. All fish caught were released after a quick picture to return again someday and give another angler a great experience.
Opening day seatrout for Ian Burton on Lough Currane
The club are running two big competitions this year side by side. The individual species hunt competition and the all new team hunt event. Follow all the action on the site www.irishkayakangling.com or our facebook page
The rivers and lakes of Waterville drain a large catchment and are regarded by many as the foremost Salmon and Sea-Trout fishery in the country. The lake system is well developed with access to boats and guides being readily available to the tourist angler. The Sea-Trout caught here are renowned for their size and quantity. For more details see Waterville lakes and rivers system
Gerry Looney caught the fist salmon of the season this year.
The long wait for the first salmon of the season came to an end on Saturday. The Laune, Killarney Lakes, Lough Currane system and a couple of other rivers opened on 17th January. There were a number of anglers out in hopes of getting the first salmon of 2015 but only one angler was up to the task. Gerry Looney caught the fish early in the morning – 8.35 a.m. – from the Long Range in Killarney, a stretch of water between the lower and upper lakes. The salmon weighed in at 10lb. The fish was confirmed by IFI staff who were in the area as being clean, having run the river in the last couple of weeks.
Gerry Looney caught the fist salmon of the season this year.
River Laune Opening Day report by Paul Whelan
Paul Hanley and Co braved tough road conditions to be met by even tougher conditions on the Laune – very high water levels and extremely cold conditions. With Beat 1 being the only likely option they fished with the other twelve anglers brave enough to turn up. Some kelts and fine trout being caught and released but there was no sign of a fresh salmon. They fished on til the heard the reports a salmon had been caught on the Long Range. Then hoping a change of scenery might bring a change of luck they headed to beat 2, but no fresh fish for them.
This Introductory Level Coaching course provides you with the entry disciplines required to supervise anglers of all ages on the bank.
We open debate on adult learning styles, motivation and the role of the coach. The concept of structured learning, reflection and feedback systems is introduced along with sessions on child and vulnerable adults welfare, disability and health & safety.
Pike in Fermanagh was the weekends task for Rookie Bass Angler Steven Neely . Surrounded by frosty banks, he fishes the Erne and reports:
Pike
To be honest pike have never been my strong point but the last few weeks have thrown up some pretty decent sport – I have nailed most of them when I have been using my perch set up – awesome sport.
Bigger shads have been working like the Illex Ammonite, Daiwa Duckfin, ZMan PaddlerZ, Molix RA Shad etc All have been rigged weedless style.
My pike nailed the perch lures mentioned above …. Hitting 7+ lb pike on perch kit is just bonkers …. love it!
Will be interesting to see how this weather goes and if when the water levels drop our sport will pick up. Still waiting for the sea to calm a little before getting back into the salt and targeting some large wrasse.
Tight lines
Steven
Check out Steven’s online shop….Fish on Lures
With A – Z in brand names, Fish on Lures caters for all anglers. It specializes in lure fishing equipment giving quality at a reasonable price.
Rookie Bass Angler Steven Neely is far from a Rookie when he talks about fishing. Wrapping up well he heads off to the Erne and reports:
It has been a cold start to the year! The past few weekends have thrown up snow storms, sub zero temperatures and at times it looked like we wouldn’t get one foot out the door.
Most of our normal spots had been inaccessible so we headed for Fermanagh knowing that the Erne system would be high due to the snow melt and rain during the past weeks but it was our only hope…. Perch
As always perch provide some great sport on well balanced light tackle – I am currently using an Illex Element Rider S 195 ML rated 3.5 – 14g, 12lb YGK braid and 12lb fluorocarbon leader.
Lures come as no surprise – small 3 – 4 inch paddle tails rigged on 3 – 7g jig heads. We tried few other weedless rigs like texas and jika. Molix Freaky Rocks seemed to be hoovered up frequently along with the RA Shad and the 2″ Sligozzo.
Illex Pintails and Method Shads always seem a favourite and of course the Fiiish 70mm and 90mm Black Minnow kills too!
Here are a few of the catch..
Tight lines Steven
Check out Steven’s online shop….Fish on Lures
With A – Z in brand names, Fish on Lures caters for all anglers. It specializes in lure fishing equipment giving quality at a reasonable price.
Tel: +44 (0)7729614986 Email: info@fishonlures.co.uk Web:www.fishonlures.co.uk
Steven Neely
Rookie Bass Angler Web: www.rookiebassangler.com DISCLAIMER NOTE: Inland Fisheries Ireland do not support any brand over another.
‘IF WE are to face the reality of our changing environment, we need to deal with the collapse of wild Atlantic salmon stocks. We must confront the question, is extinction of the species inevitable? If the answer is ‘yes’, then, what is the timescale? If the answer is ‘no’, can we give the wild salmon time for its natural resilience to kick in?” These are just some of the questions posed in the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST) Annual Review… Irish Times, 19/01/15. Read the full article ‘Atlantic Salmon Review paper deals looks at problems faced by Atlantic salmon and sea trout‘.
Galway could experience more severe storm surges and flooding than the city is already exposed to if its port is extended southwards, an oral hearing of An Bord Pleanála has been told. An Taisce and the Cladonian Mariners’ Community Boat Club both warned of the risks on the second day of the appeals board’s hearing into the first phase of the €126 million port expansion plan… Irish Times, 15/01/15. Read the full article ‘Warning of more severe flooding in Galway if harbour expansion approved‘.
Ian Lumley for An Taisce said the city should be focusing on the rising flood and storm risk instead of the expansion, describing changing weather as the “over-riding concern” for the city in the future. “This entire process carried out by Galway Port company, a State body, represents complete mis-expenditure and inappropriate use of public money and resources,” he said… Irish Independent, 19/01/15. Read the full article ‘An Taisce criticises ambitious expansion plans for Galway Harbour‘.
