Lough Sheelin Angling Report By Brenda Montgomery, IFI  – July 7th – July 13th 2014

Just give us one taut line a session and we are fulfilled … Jeff Prest

One of Lough Sheelin’s impressive stock of small trout

There’s an infamous fishing saying which states that ‘when the temperatures go down, the fish come up’ and this was certainly true of Lough Sheelin this week as with the few nightly dips to a chilly 6 – 7 degrees and the odd day time shower reducing that surface thermal layer, there was a resulting encouraging showing and movement of trout. It was as if a button had been pressed and Sheelin’s green light for good trout fishing started to flicker on once more.
After the fanaticism of the mayfly many anglers are under the misguided consensus that trout fishing ends for a few months and they dismiss the end of June, July and into mid-August as being ‘quiet times’ for fishing on, not just Sheelin but other trout lakes. Standing back from it all, realistically the trout just don’t stop feeding once the mayfly is over, they don’t go on diets for a number of months, instead they change their feeding patterns so anglers should really change that word ‘ quiet’ to ‘different’ or perhaps ‘challenging’.
There are two things that Lough Sheelin has in vast and abundant quantities and these are insect life and an impressive stock of wild brown trout of all sizes.
The fishing season for Sheelin can be split into sections – olives – buzzer – mayfly – sedges – murrough – green peter and at the moment this lake is in the depths of the sedge fishing where the misses, follows and takes are electric. There are substantial and impressive hatches of sedges on this lake at the moment with plenty of those magical moments when the adults skitter across the surface of the water or the creation of a wake as the nymph swims quickly just beneath the surface.
Takes are often severe as the fish try to make sure of their quarries downfall and hook ups are often almost guaranteed (if you can guarantee anything with fishing). When fishing a dry pattern such as a small brown Sedge you will often find that if you pause the fish is gone, strike early and if you miss, pause and you will often find that the fish, or another opportunistic fish, will take on the second go.

Fishing friends – Dervla Gormley and Sally Hurson at the LSTPA Youth Angling Day held at Lough Sheelin on Saturday July 12th

The best fishing time this week was the evening time, from 8pm till dark and the sedge, green peter and murrough fishing at dusk and approaching the witching hour proved to be a kind of saviour after drawing a blank during the warm day time hours. Early mornings showed little or no surfacing of fish and the lake in general was quiet.

Cathal McNaughton, Antrim with his 4 pounder caught off Wilson’s Point

When a trout takes a sedge nymph or adult it is both noisy and visual. Trout chasing the nymph will often be noticeable as a bow wave often followed by a splash as it hits the nymph and when hitting the adult or hatching nymph the splashy rise is a giveaway. There was a lot of foul hooking and splashes as trout surfaced with renewed interest in taking that pro-offered fly.

Night time fishing on Friday was hampered somewhat by the appearance of a so-called ‘Supermoon’ which was the result of the moon being as close to the Earth as it ever gets, while also being full. The moon in this Perigee state appears a lot bigger and brighter and so created a bright shiny effect on the surface water almost as bad as a hot sunny day and had the same result of sending those fish down. So while being very beautiful this lunar occurrence didn’t improve the angler’s chances of catching fish.
On Saturday July 12th the LSTPA hosted their annual youth angling day at Lough Sheelin. This highly successful and popular event, now in its twelfth year, this year hit a record number of 34 young participants ranging in age from 6 to 16 years. There was a heady mixture of fly tying, casting, a Bar B Q and some fishing. APGAI – Ireland were also involved throughout this great day. The youths that had fish to the boat all received prizes and all participants received their certificate for taking part in the event. A free raffle also took place were 20 fly rods and other angling tackle was given to all and everyone went home very happy. This event was supported by Recreational Angling Ireland as well as various local sponsors and aims to encourage young people to get out there and fish and going by the excitement and enthusiasm the LSTPA were right on target for achieving this objective.
Dervla Gormley and Aaron Shannoney took top places with their trout of 2 and 2 ½ lbs caught using Albert Berry’s Green Stimulator.

Sheelin’s Damsel flies

Both wet and dry flies worked well depending on weather conditions. The top flies were the Murroughs, Green Peters and a small Brown Sedge. The funny thing about flies for Sheelin is that despite all the new concoctions coming on the market with the fancy designs and colours, it is really the flies of thirty years ago and more that still work well and are the most successful on this lake. The old timers are definitely the best and prove themselves over and over again.
– The Alexandra, Thunder & Lightening, the Dunkeld and the Raymond emerged as being particularly good. Sedge patterns at 14 and 16 featured as well. A fly with sliver or a bit of glitter is a good plan and attracts those trout on the hunt for perch fry. Other flies were the Dabblers, Hoppers, Stimulators, Klinkhammers, Silver & Black Humungous, the Silver Invicta, the Claret Bling, Golden Olive Bumble and the Green Peters.

The Green Peter has appeared earlier than normal on this lake with good numbers hatching and is worth anglers sitting up for and taking notice of.

Oliver McCormack with his Sheelin trout (released)

Limnephilus lunatus – Sheelin’s cinnamon sedge

The Parachute Sedge flies

Ned Clinton holding Joe Wilson’s impressive trout

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

Captain’s Bay, Lough Sheelin

Up-Coming Events

The McDonnell cup will be held on Sunday August 10th on Lough Sheelin, fishing from 11am till 6pm from Kilnahard pier with an entry fee of €20. This competition has been fished catch & release for the last two years which proved to be very successful. Measures will be provided for all boats with the cup awarded to the longest fish.

There will be lots of prizes on offer and this day is generally viewed as a great day out.
For further details contact Thomas Lynch @ 087 9132033.

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.

Jason Jaggers photograph of a rising trout

A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times

Frank Doherty letting his trout back into Sheelin

It won’t work if you are not wearing it

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

So please put on and keep on that life jacket until you are back on dry land.

Caoimhe Sheridan, Cavan – getting it right

Lough Sheelin Guiding Services (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com) 087 1245927

Michael Farrell @ 087 4194156Telephone: +353 43 6681298 Email: loughsheelinguide@hotmail.com

Most of the fish featured in these angling reports are returned carefully and safely to the lake

The heaviest fish for the week was a trout of 5 ½ lbs caught by Dundalk angler Peter McArdle using a sedge on July 9th.

Total number of trout recorded for the week: 46

Selection of Catches

Colm Buchanan, Navan – Saturday July 12th 1 trout at 3 lbs on a Murrough, moved one heavier fish using a Spent Gnat.

Gerry Gannon, Kells – 2 trout averaging 2 – 2 ½ lbs on a Sedge.

Pa Tormey, Kells – 4 trout heaviest at 3lbs, using a Sedge and teams of wets.

Peter McArdle fishing with Ken Kearns, Dundalk – 11 trout for the week sedge fishing, heaviest weights at 5 ½, 5, 4 ½ , 4 and 3lbs.

Frances Delvin, Dublin – 8 trout for the week averaging 1 ½ to the heaviest at 4 ½ lbs, landing using Stimulators and Murroughs.

Rory Devaney, Dublin – 5 trout using Klinkhammers, Stimulators, Murroughs and Sedges, heaviest was 5lbs, all evening fishing.
Fergus Duffy, Dublin – 2 trout at 2 and 2 ½ lbs using the Chocolate Drop and a Green Peter.

Trent Davids, England – 3 trout, heaviest 4 ½ lbs on a Green Peter on July 11th.

Brenda Montgomery IFI