Lindsey Clarke reports from LOUGH MELVIN – Monday 18th to Sunday 24th August 2014.
Melvin was fairly quiet for the first part of the week but far busier from Thursday to Sunday when the Garrison & Lough Melvin Angling Association held their 35th Melvin Open Trout Angling Competition run over the four days. The first 3 days are qualifying days with the final being fished on Sunday. There was a good attendance with 266 entrants. 46 pairs of anglers qualified to fish the final day. Fishing had been variable on the qualifying days due to varying weather conditions but Sunday saw the lough fish very well with better sonaghan figuring in the catches and good trout to 2½lb caught and bigger fish lost. The competition was won by Jimmy Cahill and John Moroney with 8 fish. In second place came Alan Lutton and Sean Carney also with 8 fish. In 3rd place were Gerard Kenny and Rory McCafferty with 7 fish.
For info/Guides/boat hire on Lough Melvin contact Sean Maguire’s Tackle Shop, Main Street, Garrison.
For bookings/guides etc on the Rossinver Fishery contact Bill McNeary, Tel: 071 9854930 or Jim Hoye, Tel: 0831197428
For info see http://www.rossinverfishery.com/
Luke Aston of Carrigaholt Sea Angling has been very busy but he tells us ” The weather has allowed us to fish almost every day and we have only had the very odd day in the estuary. First off, Mackerel (bait). Overall we have been able to get some every day and mostly there are plenty about. Over the last week they have been thick on the ground. Also some Scad have been showing up lately mixed through the Mackerel and of a good size. As I said we have not been in the estuary much, especially since the main run of Tope ended towards the end of July. The few days we were, was mostly Doggies and Ray sessions with the Collage bay proving the best mark. Further down just east of Horse Island we have had some good Bullhuss. Mackerel do seem to have moved up the estuary now but Pollack catches are slow.
Indeed at the moment,(and I fished all the marks along the north side of the loop to Kilkee yesterday 24th Aug) catches of white fish along the shore are very slow. The only fish playing ball close in are some good Wrasse. At anchor we are getting some good Congers.
But if close in is slow at the moment, the fishing further off is as good as I have seen it an a few years. Catches have included lots of double figure Pollack and Ling and with the overall size of Pollack being very good. Also the catch rate of Cod is well up with some fisherman getting 2 at a time which is happy days! Most of these Cod are still quite small at under 4lbs but happily they seem to go back no bother and we have got some much better sized fish. We are also picking up Haddock, Whiting and Gurnard and even the odd John dory!
I have also been doing quite a few Shark drifts. There seem to be plenty of them about and indeed you can get plagued with smaller Blues at under 30lbs. On the plus side anything over 60lbs seems to be giving a very good scrap. I wonder is this because there is plenty of food about? There does seem to be a lot of small mackerel and other fry/sprat about this year. A nice surprise the other day while drifting for sharks, was a fine Stone Bass
Anyway, over all I am very pleased with the season so far. We seem to be busy and the catch rate is up on the last couple of years. This is helped but the good weather we have been getting. So thanks to all who have been fishing with me so far this year and I hope weather and fishing holds up for the fisherman that are due to fish with me over the next month.
Although most of my trips are full charters I do put the odd trip together and the 16 to 20 June is open to individuals with 1 or 2 spaces still available on each day.
Clare Dragoon is a LOCHIN 366 powered by 650HP engine that operates out of Carrigaholt Co. Clare.
I have some offers up on my web site www.fishandstay.com and if anybody is interested in putting a trip together please do get in touch. Also I Twitter from the boat on @fishandstay and try to update my face book page www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtSeaAngling fairly often!
To experience some of the best deep sea fishing available in Ireland contact Luke. Telephone: +353 65 9058209 or +353 87 6367544 Email:lukeaston@eircom.netWeb:www.fishandstay.com
Fishery manager David McEvoy may have been away on his holidays but Delphi has been busy while he was gone.
Rich Taylor from Brighton landed his first ever salmon. It was a fine fish of 9lbs14.5ozs from the stream on Finlough, taken on a Cascade on the 13th.
There were two landed on the 14th with Malcolm Bell taking one from the Kings pool of 5lbs5ozs on a Cascade and Markus Merz landing one of 3lbs4ozs on an Ally from Morrisons.
The 15th belonged to Urs when he landed four, one from the Grilse pool of 3lbs on a Silver Stoat. The second was from the Quarry pool also on a Silver Stoat of approx. 4lbs. His third was off Fin of approx. 10lbs on a Willie Gunn and finally the fourth also off Fin on a Willie Gunn of 5lbs1oz.
If the 15th belonged to Urs the 16th belonged to Mark Corps who landed five all off the Turn and Quarry pools, three on beaded nymphs, one on a Cascade and one on a Tara. They weighed in at 4lbs3ozs, 6lbs, 4lbs11ozs, approx. 7 and approx. 5. Sean Dempsey also managed to land two fish both in the Bridge pool on nymphs, one of approx. 3lbs and one fresh fish of 5lbs.
Paul Shalvey had a fish on the 17th off the Turn pool of 4lbs11ozs on a beaded nymph. Tom Burke aged seven also managed to land his first ever also off the Turn pool on a beaded nymph of 6lbs15ozs. Paul Shalvey had another two, one off the Turn pool of 6lbs8ozs on a beaded nymph and one off Finlough of 7lbs1oz on a Collie Dog on the 19th. Hugh Brennan also had a fish off Finlough of 2lbs5ozs on a Delphi Collie.
On the 21st John Boland had one off the Turn pool on a beaded nymph of 3lbs5ozs. Yesterday the fish started to move and we landed three, with Andrew Cunningham having two, one of 8lbs8ozs off Boat Point on Fin on a Collie Dog and the other off the Turn pool of 4lbs12ozs on a Red Francis. Stephen Kennedy also had a fish of 7lbs4ozs off the Turn pool on a nymph.
Yesterday morning we got some heavy rain and as the river began to rise William McBarnet had a fresh fish of approx. 7lbs8ozs off the Turn pool on a Cascade. The river is now running at 60 and with broken weather forecast it should keep it at good levels for a few days to come. Although I would say it’s very hard to go by the forecast here for the last couple of months.
Sea trout have been a little quieter in my absence, although this was in part due to the fact that a lot of anglers were targeting salmon. There is no great hatch of Daddy’s yet and I’m sure the sea trout will turn on again then. In the past two weeks we landed approx. 60 again the majority small but in excellent condition.
I would be hopeful that if we get some normal Autumnal weather the fishing will pick up dramatically.
David McEvoy Delphi Fishery
Go fishing…
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.
Skipper Siegy Grabher from the charter boat Sioux in Valentia had two fathers and their sons on board this week. They caught 108 pollack, 12 ling, 23 coalfish, 11 cod, 11 pouting, 4 cuckoo wrasse, 1 ballan wrasse, 1 conger, 2 bullhuss, 1 three-bearded rockling, 2 starfish, 3 octopus and also mackerels and sandeels. A great catch plus an enjoyable day had by all.
With evenings beginning to shorten and the water levels on the Bandon failing to impress, Jason Nash of www.savagefishingblogspot.ie shakes off any pessimistic views he might have had and heads out fishing. He tells us ” Its a time for stealth and using light gear if ever there was one and although takes are very few and far between, a trophy fish is still achievable. Last month, Dad released a whopper of a sea trout and this month he landed one of his biggest ever salmon on worm weighing in at an impressive 17lbs.
Dad with 17lb salmon from BandonJason
The fish was just off the tide and covered in long tailed sea lice. With September 30th fast approaching its going to be hard for us to better this poundage! Try as I might, I’ve landed 2 more fish on the worm also, which both went back to continue their trek to the headwaters. Both fish were in the 4-5lb bracket and swam off strongly.”
Jason informs us that sea trout numbers are good this year with darker flies coming into their own now. A flood is needed on the river and it would be a blessing to both fish and angler.
Cédric Jouan caught his first ever salmon which he released
The Blackwater Lodge Fishery reports that up to yesterday and despite challenging conditions due to low water, thay have not had a blank day for the last 10 days…
We have landed 25 fish for the last 10 days for just 82 rod days. Hopefully continuing rain in the coming week will bring sport up to the sort of level that we would normally expect for the time of year.
Harry McCracken had four salmon tow on fly he released and two on prawn that he kept
Last Thursday we recorded the Best Day’s Catch for 2014 with 8 fish landed. We also recorded the equalled the year’s Best Catch for One Rod for One Day with 4 for Harry McCracken (N. Ireland) with 2 released on fly and 2 on prawn plus 2 lost at the net. Harry said it was “the best day’s salmon fishing he ever had in his life!”
Cédric Jouan caught his first ever salmon which he released
There were also no less than three First Ever Salmon caught the same day –
Cedric Jouan (France) who had never fished for salmon before, Gus McSweeney who had never ever fished before plus one for Michael Houlihan (Dublin).
Frank Maunsell reports that with the constant rain that fell for two days on Mount Brandon the water was too high yesterday but there will be lovely water there today…
We had one salmon 10 lbs just before the flood and there was some seatrout caught yesterday even though the water was very dirty. The wind is supposed to swing south west at the end of the week which will make for perfect fishing on the river and the lakes. There is a bank of rain coming in Wednesday which will ensure good fishing for the week end.
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.
The Red Francis does it again, against the odds on the Laune Michael Brittain from New Zealand. About 4 lbs. Caught on Thursday afternoon at the whirlpool in Johnston's.
Billy Downes s of Monday 25th of Augustthe the water level on the Laune was unmoved by recent rain; still stubbornly at 6 inches on the gauge at Johnston’s…
We are hoping for a foot or two this week and along with it a big improvement on the fishing.
A few fish were reported for the week but very scarce. Stewart Stephens continued to meet fish with his trusty Red Francis at Johnston’s whirlpool during the week and yesterday Danny Joy landed a nice fresh fish of 6 lbs at Heffernan’s on the worm.
The Red Francis does it again, against the odds on the Laune Michael Brittain from New Zealand. About 4 lbs. Caught on Thursday afternoon at the whirlpool in Johnston’s.
There were a few more encounters but nothing to write about. The angling effort is low and will remain so till we get water.
Beat 3
There are a few salmon in the deeper pools on Beat 3 and with the nets finished a few fish will be travelling the river even in this low water.
As always there is some good sport to be had with trout with the single handed rod on the Beat and recent work on the Beat has opened up more
Prospects
Now that the nets are finished prospects are better but we need serious rain now. If it does not come soon then 2014 will go down as the third bad years fishing in a row on the Laune.
Billy Downes Secretary Laune Salmon and Trout Anglers’ Association
Go fishing…
Permits for Laune Anglers waters from the 1st of August will cost €35 still excellent value compared to other fisheries and the chances of a fish.
There has never been any doubt about the River Suir's ability to produce big fish as Ger Roche's huge hen shows. They mightn't have big numbers but they have big fish.
Carrick-on-Suir Club Secretary Jimmy Walshe was in touch to report the capture of a super River Suir salmon at the weekend. Lucky angler Ger Roche caught the hen fish, estimated at 25lb, on fly and after a quick photo quickly released the fish to continue her journey to the spawning grounds. Jimmy tells us fishing is difficult at the moment; mostly grilse being caught but some salmon getting through. Though if there’s enough rain things might improve.
There has never been any doubt about the River Suir’s ability to produce big fish as Ger Roche’s huge hen shows. They mightn’t have big numbers but they have big fish.
Brenda Montgomery opens this week’s report from Sheelin with quote which just about every angler holds to be true…
For doubtless we fishermen dream far more often of our favorite sport than other men of theirs
– Will H. Dilg
Kilnahard, Lough Sheelin
Lough Sheelin remained quiet this week as the trout fishing season gradually rolls on to its back, in the now seven week run down to the close of play – October 12th. Water temperatures are still warm at 14-15 degrees and the full mixing of the sluggish warm heat of the summer with the fresh influx of autumn deluges is not complete with warm bays and inlets and then those sudden colder pockets of water, the settling down has not happened on this lake yet. Angling numbers were poor with only a slight increase on last week’s records but any anglers who did buck the trend of ‘waiting for the good times’ all enjoyed themselves and had no regret for the time they spent trying their luck out on this wild trout fishery. The weather was good with a heady mix of late summer sunshine, insect hunting swallows skimming the water’s surface, the call of the curlew and the smell of wood smoke drifting from shoreline dwellings.
Lough Sheelin fishes consistently well in late August through to October but for now things are just not quite right, what’s needed now are more sultry days and a further reduction in water temperature, that surface layer is still too warm and the trout have their noses stuck in sub- surface feeding most of the time with little or no interest in coming through those oxygen depleted top layers.
August 1st is arguably the beginning of autumn and over the past number of days this has become increasingly evident with that all too familiar underlying chill creeping through most days, its coolness joining with the shortening evenings, to stamp the indelible reminder that the seasons are changing.
Keith Lough, Scotland with his Sheelin trout (released), guided by Loughsheelinguiding
There was no daytime sedge fishing simply because of a persistently cold westerly wind which swept across the water and which kept the hundreds of sedges firmly in their place, in the bushes, with little or no movement out on to the water. The only reprieve was a short 30 minute window on Thursday evening around 9pm when calm prevailed and there was a good surface rise to the sedge.
Lawrence Finney’s Mint Stimulator
There were huge shoals of smaller trout feeding on plankton particularly in the middle of the lake.
Sheelin is stuffed with Daphnia at the moment and although these small crustaceans (sometimes called ‘water fleas’) can be dismissed by the angler as being impossible to imitate, they are an important food source for the trout and therefore shouldn’t be overlooked because if trout think that Daphnia is important than so too should trout anglers. Daphnia are small and tough to imitate but a huge food source (if whales can subsist on these micro-organisms, then it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a 30 inch trout can thrive on them as well).
Identifying the depth of Daphnia and keeping the fly at the same depth is essential for angling success when trout are feeding heavily on them. Retrieve techniques when targeting Daphnia feeding trout are varied but a slow, hand-twist (figure-of-eight) retrieve works well in order to stay in touch with the Blob as the fly line slowly pulls it beneath the surface to greater depths. August feeding trout are often lethargic (they are in the cool depths for the oxygen not the food or scenery) so patient retrieves are always recommended.
Here’s an example of the type of patterns which can be used when targeting Daphnia Feeders:
Blob
Tying Instructions and Recipe:
Hook: Size 10 Kamasan B175
Tail: Sunburst Marabou
Body: 15mm Fluorescent, Sunburst Orange Fritz
Thread: 8/0 Uni Fire Orange
* Tie in marabou tail, and make 15 – 20 wraps with the fritz and build a small thread head. Mark a few of the tips of the fritz with a black permanent marker…
The above fly is not an exact replication, but can work quite well when the trout are on Daphnia. The black tips on the pattern represent the black dots that the fish recognize on the naturals.
Early in the week saw a lot of reed smut in certain areas of the lake with some fish feeding on them but they seemed to lose their appeal for the trout as the week progressed.
The Daddy-Long-Legs is still featuring in the anglers fly box and as autumn draws closer, we live in hope that more daddies will find their way on to the water. Damp, humid conditions ideal suit this type of fly. Fairly weak fliers, daddies are quickly blown onto water in even the lightest of breezes and whilst you would never hear the term ‘a fall’ of daddies there have been definite times when the Sheelin trout focus on this ungainly terrestrial. Gusty weather is considered the optimum conditions when it comes to fishing daddies. Large daddy imitations are fairly wind resistant and do require some ‘turning over’ especially when fished as a team. Ultra-fine leaders and large flies don’t really mix, so the tippet strength needs to be stepped up to help prevent twisting and ultimately snarling leaders. For surface fishing the best plan is to use low riding flies that are semi submerged and patterns with clipped hackles or those incorporating foam.
The Daddies
According to the Sheelin ‘experts’, rather than fish two dry daddies together, it’s worth experimenting with a dry/wet combo. Attach a dry fly to the dropper with a drowned or wet pattern trailing some 4-5ft behind as a point fly. Hopefully the trout will be drawn to the conspicuous dry fly and if it refuses this at the last moment will when turning away chance upon a sunken fly that they find more readily acceptable. This ploy can work with static flies or those that are tripped through a wave. A steady figure-of-eight pace works well, just so the fly bubbles along the surface.
A large dry fly can pull the odd fish now and then but for the past week or two, better sport has been had by using a couple of wet flies, according to two Wexford and Carlow angling friends. A Drowned Daddy and H&H (half and half daddy) positioned 5ft apart on a 12ft leader works best, thoroughly degrease the leader, don’t hurry the retrieve, just keep in touch and watch the fly line for any untoward movement which might suggest an interested fish and tighten by sweeping the rod into the direction of the wind.
The elusive Sheelin trout (released)
The Sheelin trout seem very reluctant to take anything at the moment so perseverance is important as the anglers that put in the hours are landing the fish.
Autumn colours – lots of deer hair wings for autumn fishing, floating lines and good action
The Dabblers are at the top of the league as far as success rates are going with the Silver, Peter Ross, Green and Claret being the most successful.
The trout are still feeding on fry so any flies with silver threaded through them are a good plan. The leggy Green Peter, the Raymond, the Black Midge, Gorgeous George, the Invicta, the Silver Invicta, the Claret Bling, the Daddies, the Segmented Daddies, the Green Stimulator, the Golden Olive Bumble, Klinkhammers and the Black&Silver Humungous were the most popular flies used.
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times
Crover Pier, Lough Sheelin August 2014
Please remember anglers to abide by BYE-LAW 790 which strictly prohibits
All trolling on the lake from March 1st to April 30th (inclusive).
From May 1st to June 15th – no trolling between 7pm –6am and no trolling under engine between 6am – 7pm and
June 16th – October 12th – no trolling under engine between 7pm – 6am.
No trout less than 14 inches should be taken from the lake
The Lough Sheelin Protection Association’s Stream Rehabilitation competition has been set for Saturday October 4th. Match booklets will be out by mid- August and will also be available to download off the LSTPA’s web site.
‘Waiting’– a lineup of boats at Crover
Selection of Catches
The heaviest fish for the week was a 4lb trout caught by Paul Burke Kennedy, Dublin using a Silver Dabbler on the top dropper.
Andrew Brown, Dublin – August 18th, on wets 1 trout at 2 ½ lbs, pulled up 7 to 8 fish but was ‘tough going’.
Michael Davis, Carlow fishing with Jordon Reilly, Wexford – 2 trout on the Daddy heaviest was 2 lbs.
Steve Boymel, Philadelphia fishing with Michael Kelly – 3 trout at 2 ½, 3 and 5 lbs, all caught on the Silver Dabbler.
Pat Brady, Cavan – 1 trout on the wets, weighed in at 2 ¼ lbs fishing at the back of Church Island.
David McInnery, Down – 1 trout on a Silver Dabbler 1 ½ lbs fishing at Chambers, Monday August 18th
Water rarely gives second chances and a life jacket is just that – it saves your life, so we would implore anglers and all other users for their own safety as well as it being the law under SI No 921 of 2005 – Pleasure Craft (Personal Flotation Devices and Operation) (Safety) Regulations 2005
