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Irish Angling Update – 19/06/14

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A close up of one of the very first bass caught on Monday when the season re-opened.

Hot summer weather arrived in the last few days here in Ireland but last weekend did produce some wonderful fishing when conditions were cooler than in recent days. The present spell of very hot weather will suit sea angling in particular in the days ahead but most inland fishing will be confined to late evening or early morning fishing in the heatwave.

Marek Kozinski with a beautiful 86cm ferox trout from Lough Corrib, taken while fishing with guide Tomi Kurman, June 2014
Marek Kozinski with a beautiful 86cm ferox trout from Lough Corrib, taken while fishing with guide Tomi Kurman, June 2014

Stuart Marry from Balbriggan won the National Angling Championships on Lough Leane beside Killarney over the weekend. There is still some good spent gnat fishing going on in Lough Sheelin with some wonderful trout reported in the late evenings.  A huge trout of 13 lb. was taken on fly on Lough Ree. An even bigger trout was taken by Marek Kozinski which was not weighed but measured 86 cm while fishing with angling guide Tomi Kurman on Lough Corrib last week and wins the Catch of the Week.  Trout fishing was a little slower this week on Loughs Conn and Cullin with only sporadic hatches of fly enticing trout to feed.  Wetflies worked well for anglers fishing on Lough Melvin where Sonaghan & Gillaroo Trout were taken regularly during the week with the best reported fish of 4 lb. 4 oz.

The Ballyduff Bridge Fishery produced some nice salmon fishing in the past week.  Sea trout fishing improved on Lough Currane last week but the highlight of the week was a fine specimen salmon of 22 lb. taken on the troll by Jo Jo Daly.  It was a good week on many salmon fisheries in the Cork Kerry area particularly on the River Lee in the past week.  There were three salmon of 14 lb. reported from the River Laune last week including one for lady angler Martina Murphy.  There was good grilse fishing reported at the Galway Weir fishery and on Lough Inagh, plenty of salmon and sea trout were showing.  Last week there was good salmon fishing reported at Delphi where some rain showers earlier in the week had livened up the conditions on the river and loughs.  It was a super week on Carrowmore Lake where 28 salmon and sea trout to 3 lb. were reported in the past week and the nearby Owenmore River produced some big salmon for a party of Belgium visitors. Water levels fluctuated all week on the River Moy where 242 salmon were reported for all fisheries throughout the system.  82 salmon, mostly grilse, were reported from the Ballisodare River. Good numbers of grilse were reported from the River Drowes during the week and there were a couple of fish reported from nearby Lough Melvin.

Justin Gordon landed a great pike, a personal best while fishing with angling guide Michael Flanagan on Lough Derravarragh last weekend.  Two German visitors had very good fishing on Lough Gowna over a week with many double figure pike recorded over the week and a best fish of over 20 lb.

Warm sunny conditions made it hard for anglers fishing the two day Cabra CAC festival on the Royal Canal at Kilcock and Leixlip.  Pat Bartley was the winner over the two days.  It is lovely to report junior anglers enjoying good fishing and down in the Oakland Fishery in a junior competition, Thomas Quinlin landed 126 lb. of mainly carp to win and all the competitors enjoyed great sport.  Two regular English visitors Howard and Nigel enjoyed some terrific bream fishing while staying with angling guide Kevin Lyons at Melview recording a best day’s catch of 186 lb.  There was some fine coarse fishing reported from many venues in Co. Cavan with bream, roach and hybrids dominating catches.  The Arva senior’s festival took place last week and 66 anglers mainly from the UK enjoyed some excellent catches on the nearby lakes.  Peter Jones was the overall winner with 57.7590 kilos.  Jimmy Douglas from Belfast won the popular two day Lisnaskea Water Festival held on the Rosslea Lakes in Co. Fermanagh.

There has been a great response to the Angling Habitat Survey, but given that there are over 250,000 anglers in Ireland we would really like to hear more of your opinions on the matter. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes and is available by clicking here. There’s a link at the end of the survey that takes you a separate, unlinked page where you can enter the draw for some great prizes including a €300 tackle voucher, measuring mats and angling books.Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].


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Salmon fishing reports

Trout fishing reports

Sea angling reports

Pike fishing reports

Coarse angling reports

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Other news

bass
A close up of one of the very first bass caught on Monday when the season re-opened.

Some good salmon fishing reported from many Cork Kerry Fisheries.

Martina Murphy with her 14 lb beauty from the Laune on Saturday

Eileen Carroll Murphy reports from the Inland Fisheries Ireland office in Macroom on the salmon fishing from many Cork Kerry Fisheries.

KILLARNEY LAKES AND LOUGH LEANE

It is reported that salmon fishing on the lake has improved.

RIVER LAUNE BEATS 1 AND 2

Fishing on the Laune last week was slow.

LAUNE SALMON AND TROUT ANGLERS’ ASSOCIATION WATERS AND BEAT 3

Martina Murphy with her 14 lb beauty from the Laune on Saturday
Martina Murphy with her 14 lb beauty from the Laune on Saturday

RIVER LEE

20 salmon landed for the week averaging 5 lbs to 6 lbs each, landed mainly on prawns.

RIVER LEE ESB FISHERY

Kieran Bullman, Cork, had a salmon of 12.25lbs on a fly.

RIVER BANDON

The salmon fishing last week was poor. The flood on the previous weekend ran off very quickly and the run of salmon died with it. A couple of salmon were reported from the tidal area, these were good fish in 12-14 lb class.  Sea trout fishing has improved slightly with a few fish appearing on the lower reaches.

 

Fish feel pain, says expert – Irish Independent

Irish Independent - Fish feel
Irish Independent - Fish feel

Fish have feelings and intelligence on a par with other animals and deserve better consideration of their welfare, a behavioural biologist has claimed.

Dr Culum Brown came to the conclusion after reviewing the scientific evidence on fish capabilities.

He found that fish have good memories, lived in social communities, co-operated, and learned from one another.
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They displayed behaviours normally seen in primates and were even able to build complex structures and use tools.

While their brains differed from those of other vertebrates, they contained structures that performed similar functions seen in other animals. There was also mounting evidence that they felt pain in the same way humans do…..

Irish Independent 18/06/2014 Read the article ‘Fish feel pain, says expert

Irish Independent - Fish feel
Irish Independent – Fish feel

Salmon and sea trout showing at Inagh

Fishery manager Colin Folan with his first salmon of the season, a nice 8lbs fish taken at the Derryclare Butts.
Fishery manager Colin Folan with his first salmon of the season, a nice 8lbs fish taken at the Derryclare Butts.

Fishery manager Colin Folan was in touch recently to report the first salmon at Lough Inagh, which I unfortunately omitted from last week’s report. The first salmon was landed by Mark Walton from Sligo, and weighed 8.25lbs. This was also Mark’s first ever salmon, so a doubly impressive achievement! The fish was taken on a size 10 Sedgehog, and came from the top end of the lake.

Mark Walton from Sligo, with the first salmon of the year from Lough Inagh, and indeed Mark's first ever salmon too! The fish weighed 8.25lbs and was taken on a size 10 Sedgehog. Also in the photo is Johnny Flaherty, who was Mark's boatman on the day.
Mark Walton from Sligo, with the first salmon of the year from Lough Inagh, and indeed Mark’s first ever salmon too! The fish weighed 8.25lbs and was taken on a size 10 Sedgehog. Also in the photo is Johnny Flaherty, who was Mark’s boatman on the day.

Since then Colin himself landed a nice spring fish at the Derryclare Butts, a fish of 8lbs taken on a size 10 Blue Delphi, and the first grilse has been landed off the lake by Galway angler Andy Walshe, who took a nice 5.5lbs fish on a Watson’s Bumble. The same day 4 boats fished the lough and another boat occupied by Kieran Power and Noel Greaney from Galway recorded 6 sea trout to 2lbs (fresh) and 4 browns to 1.5lbs, caught on Daddies and Colin’s favourite Father Ronan pattern. I have reliable reports of good numbers of good-sized sea trout running a few rivers in Connemara, so I would expect to hear of more good fishing once this heatwave breaks.

Fishery manager Colin Folan with his first salmon of the season, a nice 8lbs fish taken at the Derryclare Butts.
Fishery manager Colin Folan with his first salmon of the season, a nice 8lbs fish taken at the Derryclare Butts.

 

Colin Folan
Lough Inagh Lodge

Go fishing…

Loughs Derryclare and Inagh lie in the lovely Inagh Valley with the Twelve Pins (Bens) of Connemara rising steeply to the west, and the Maumturk Mountain range to the east. There are two short connecting rivers, which contain four river beats. The fishery has spring salmon, grilse, sea trout and large indigenous brown trout. In recent years the fishery has seen a resurgence of fish numbers, and in 2010 – 2012, the fishery has produced Salmon to 15lbs, Sea Trout to 5lbs and Brown Trout to 12lbs.

Lough Inagh Lodge
Recess, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland
Tel: +353 095 34706
Web: www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie

Good grilse fishing in the summer sun in Galway

What a change in conditions in Galway over the last week, with warm summer temperatures, lower water levels and the first proper run of grilse seeing 41 fish landed for the week. Among the lucky anglers were Eddie Kelly from Navan, who had 2 grilse of 5lbs on fly, and Slaney expert Mossy Browne, who took 2 grilse to 4lbs on fly. Local angler John Minnock had a 4.5lbs grilse on shrimp, while father and son Liam and Eoin Dunne from Offaly enjoyed their visit, taking 3 fish, 2 for Eoin on shrimp and one for dad Liam on the fly.

Long time Galway expert Michael Leonard landed 2 grilse on shrimp, and local man Simon Lenihan had a nice 5.5lbs fish on fly. Waterford angler Aidan Twomey landed 3 grilse to 5lbs on fly, while US visitors Todd Spacek and Kate Walker both had a grilse each, one on fly and one on shrimp. Ciaran Cosgrove from Tuam landed the best fish of the week, a lovely 7.5lbs fish taken on shrimp.

With grilse numbers increasing every day, and stable water levels and good weather, fishing prospects in Galway for the coming weeks are excellent.

Tropical conditions on Corrib means ferox fishing

Marek Kozinski with a beautiful 86cm ferox trout from Lough Corrib, taken while fishing with guide Tomi Kurman, June 2014
Marek Kozinski with a beautiful 86cm ferox trout from Lough Corrib, taken while fishing with guide Tomi Kurman, June 2014

The bright sunny conditions of the last week have morphed into a full-blown heatwave in Galway, with temperatures of 25 degrees over the last few days and a weather warning for temps over 27C today! Consequently, angling on the lake has slowed down, with most anglers taking a break after the mayfly. There were some hatches of sedge and a sprinkling of mayfly, but fishing has been slow in the warm conditions, with the early morning Caenis hatches providing just about the only sport for fly anglers. Indeed a competition held by the Ennis Anglers out of Greenfields was won by Sean Dixon with just one fish for 2lbs 12oz.

Trolling, on the other hand, has produced some good fishing, with the Walsh & Power party from Scotland landing 6 fish, including a fine ferox of 10lbs 8oz. Tomi Kurman from Corrib Predator Team also reported some good fishing, including a 9lbs 1oz fish for Ray Fitzgerald and a beautiful 86cm trout for Marek Kozinski. To book fishing with the Corrib Predator Team guides, contact Tomi on 085 7318541 or Jack on 085 7741578, or search Corrib Predator Team on Facebook

Marek Kozinski with a beautiful 86cm ferox trout from Lough Corrib, taken while fishing with guide Tomi Kurman, June 2014
Marek Kozinski with a beautiful 86cm ferox trout from Lough Corrib, taken while fishing with guide Tomi Kurman, which wins him Catch of the Week

The outlook for the week is very sunny and no wind so lake angling activity will be minimal. Anglers on Corrib are taking to a spot of ferox fishing coupled with some serious sunbathing!

In these high temperatures anglers and the general public are asked to notify their local IFI officer or the hot line on 0818 34 74 24 if they notice fish in distress due to drought or low oxygen in rivers.

Good coarse fishing at Cavan venues, though sun taking its toll on catches

Alice Murtagh in our Corelessmore office reports that Dereskit is giving good mixed bags of fish with plenty of Roach and Hybrids.  Killykeen is fishing well generally with the swimming pool area and Greenfield section producing good bags of fish over the weekend, not as good over the last few days with brighter weather conditions, but at the grassy bank match section some Hybrids and Bream up to 5lb.  Some good bags of fish are coming from Town Lake Killeshandra including some  good Tench 4/5lb at the sewage treatment works .  Good returns are reported from the river at Belturbet including Roach, Hybrids and some Perch.

Good mixed bags are being got on Dereskit with up to 50lb of fish mainly Hybrids, Roach and Perch.  Good reports are also being received from Caratraw area and Bakers Bridge mainly Hybrids and good mixed bags up to 60lbs from Derryheen and Deredis.

Last week fishing in the Cootehill area was excellent with plenty of  Bream and some Tench being caught however  fishing is not as good this week due to the sunny hot weather. All lakes in the Cootehill area are still fishing well though,  with reports of up to 50lb bags mostly Bream, Hybrids and Roach still coming in.

Some French and Dutch anglers fishing the Carrigallen area report excellent fishing.  One angler reported 130 fish (40lb) in one day with plenty of Roach and Skimmers.

Competition results

The Arva Seniors Fishing 2014 competition which was held last week on Rockfield, Kevins, Corfree, Gulladoo and Lisney saw 66 anglers taking part in this annual event. Peter Jones was the overall winner with 57.750kg. In second place was Neil Mazarek on 51.125kg with Roy Smith in third on 42.670kg.

The Annual Derek Pratt Memorial competition was held on Sunday 8th. June, 70 anglers took part with Bob Nudd taking first place with 28.510kg, 2nd. Bob Hurst 23.500kg and 3rd. Graham Firth 20.500kg.

The Breffni Challenge is taking place this week with top weights on Monday reported to be in the region of 14kg.  More details next week.

 

 

Connemara kayaking for pollack and wrasse

pollack
Gary with one of many pollack

Gary Robinson, dedicated kayak angler and blogger, had some enjoyable fishing along the Connemara coastline last week. Gary had some great days out with pollack and wrasse hitting his soft plastics with gusto. He made very effort to maximise his fishing using some great rigs from his new sponsors Cox and Rawle and deploying a drogue to control his drift and and fishfinder to target his quarry.

pollack
Gary with one of many pollack

Gary Robinson
kayakfishermanireland.com

For the full report and loads more photos see

Kayak angling in Ireland

Gary discovered the thrill, freedom and pure joy of kayak fishing almost by accident. After purchasing kayaks with the intention of paddling trips with his long-suffering partner, he started to assess the suitability of such a craft as a fishing platform. Some internet searches showed him that he was not alone in his thoughts. America and Australia already had blossoming populations of kayak anglers. Needing no more encouragement, he set about rigging his first sit on top kayak and transforming it into a fishing platform to gain access to some of the more inaccessible waters. Now into his fifth year of kayak fishing he shows no sign of slowing down.

Find out more about Gary and his adventures at www.kayakfishermanireland.com

Ab-fab bassing around Waterford

Cian from Absolute Fishing opened the new bass season with this beauty

The crew at Absolute Fishing in Tramore report some fine bass catches already this week with the season opening on Monday. Cian himself was the first to report a catch, and it was not long til some of their customers were in on the act too. Soft plastics have accounted for most of the fish landed so far this week

Cian from Absolute Fishing opened the new bass season with this beauty
Cian from Absolute Fishing opened the new bass season with this beauty
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Another bass falls for the charms of a soft plastic

The guys at Absolute Fishing are always on hand to advise on tactics and techniques and always have up to the minute information on how the local area is fishing.

Get what you need to go fishing…

Absolute Fishing
Tramore,
Co. Waterford.
Phone: 051-393559
Web: http://absolutefishingireland.blogspot.ie/

Cork Harbour bass anglers back in action in beautiful conditions

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A good bass for Jim

Jim Clohessy, TopFisher.eu,   and Kevin Murphy, Bellavista Angling Centre,  have had a good start to the bass season in Cork Harbour. Fishing from Big 1, the largest of the Bellavista self drive fleet, the pair opened the season with some fine bass on soft plastics. Encouraged by their early success they were back again the following day and had a great time on the water with some lovely fish landed.

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Bass on soft plastics…
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A good bass for Jim
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Kevin had some lovely little bass too
Although the beautiful conditions made for great photos they did not help the fishing and it would be fair to say the fish had to be worked for. The best bass on the day was a chunky 68cm fish landed by Jim, and Kevin’s fish though welcome were not so impressive, said Jim.

Go fishing…

Book a self drive boat from Bellavista Angling Centre –   Ireland’s  premium angling centre in Cork Harbour.
Web: www.bellavistahotel.ie

Read about fishing…

Jim Clohessy and some of Ireland’s finest angling journalists decided that they would like to establish an online presence where they could continue to publish articles that would be of interest to all anglers wherever they are based (following the demise of Irish Angler magazine), but of course with a distinctly Irish flavour. So that’s what you get at Topfisher.eu.