Despite the very cold and often harsh weather conditions in the past week, there was some very good angling reported from many parts of the country both on inland waters and at sea.  This was also despite some flurries of snow and hard frost conditions prevailing during the early part of the week.  As I have often said before the Irish Angler is a very hardy soul and will fish in the coldest of conditions.

The National Coarse Fish Federation of Ireland confirmed that they had secured the Word Feeder Championships to be held on Inniscarra Lake in Co. Cork next year.  Well known Dublin match angler Richie Keegan won the latest competition at Oaklands with a terrific catch of 121 lb. of mixed coarse fish.

On Lough Ramor, Damien Willis caught some very nice pike on hot orange flies at the weekend.  Roly Byrne reported some nice pike fishing from the River Barrow. Angling guide Richie Johnson brought a French visitor Alexia out pike fishing in the midlands and she landed her first ever pike.  Well known Midland piker Barry Darby won the Phillip Moffat Memorial Cup with a nice catch of pike on Lough Derravarragh last Sunday.  Pike to 15 lb. were taken by a group of anglers from the ESB fishing with angling guide Peadar O’Brien in Co. Monaghan. 46 Pike were reported at the Newgrange Active Angling League event held on a river in Co. Cavan. The 2013 All Ireland Inter Club Team Championships was fished on Cavan/Monaghan waters. The winners were the Slovakia Angling Club and there was some excellent pike recorded on the day.  A cracking Quantum perch for young April Flanagan in Mullingar wins our Catch of the Week. A group of anglers from Portadown had a great day’s fishing with Gerry Olin in Belturbet on local waters. There will be an open Pike competition this Sunday on Templemore Park Lake in Co. Tipperary.

On the east coast, anglers deep sea fishing with charter skipper Kit Dunne records some good spurdogs and bullhuss last weekend.  A surprise big three bearded rockling was reported taken on the first cast in the south east by Gerard Doran.  Peter Murphy used crab from the shore to hook nice bass and codling near Youghal.  Local bass guide Jim Hendrick from Wexford advised anglers that bass fishing is currently offering a fair chance of success as conditions are very good. A group of experienced anglers from Wexford fished with charter skipper Pat Condon and had a great day deep sea fishing out from Cobh landing a great range of quality species. Congrats to Steve Turner on winning leg 6 of the boat master angler series 2013 sponsored by Galway Bay Fishing. In doing so he secured the overall series for 2013 to be crowned Galway Buccaneers SAC boat master angler 2013.  Elsewhere Danny Sweeney won leg 9 of the Shore Master Angler series catching coalfish and flounder in Co. Galway. Lashing rain and strong winds did not put off some persistent anglers on the South coast as some nice cod were taken from the shore on crab.

Carrigavantry in Co. Waterford is producing excellent fishing for stocked rainbow and brown trout and Jason O’Riordan recorded a great fish during the week on fly.  Sue Atkins a visitor from South Australia had a great days fishing out with angling guide Mick Flanagan catching rainbow trout and pike.

Finally wrap up well in this cold weather but as you can see around Ireland, there is plenty of good fishing to be enjoyed.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke
Angling Information Officer

Catch, Photo, Release

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

Headlines

Coarse angling reports

• A cracking Quantum perch for young April
• Dubliner Richard wins at Oaklands
• Inniscarra, Co. Cork to host the World Feeder Championships 2014

Pike fishing reports

• Five star piking from Esox Lodge
• Slovakia pikers win All Ireland Inter Club Team Championship
• A bit of diversity adds spice to life
• Tanya presents the Philip Moffat Memorial cup to Derravaragh angler
• Wild and athletic with a super paint job…….and the pike looked good too!
• 46 Pike at Newgrange Active Angling League Event
• First pike for Alexia
• A super Ramor pike on a hot orange for Damien
• Top Fishing With Top Guide Peadar O’Brien
• Pike fishing competition on Templemore Town Park Lake on November 24th

Sea angling reports

• The penultimate leg of the Galway Shore Master Angler series
• Just as likely to catch bass now on the southern coasts as April
• Bass and chubby cod by the light of the moon in Youghal
• Three Bearded Rockling on the first cast !
• Dogs and Bulls keep the Castle Maiden crew busy in Wicklow
• A trip well worth waiting for…..two pros take on Crosshaven
• Worthy winner Steve Turner at the Galway Boat Master Angler 2013
• Lashing rain, strong winds but cod on crab for the persistant angler

Trout fishing reports

• Come on Dad, I caught 7 catch up!

• A Winter fishing paradise at Carrigavantry

• Southern Sue from the land downunder enjoys the rainbows in Mullingar

News clippings

• Fishermen warned of faults with emergency beacons – RTE News
• Rare marine habitat found off southwest coast – RTE News
• Successful Lough Allen project, Leitrim Observer
• Wild fish need more protection, Irish Examiner
• Must grope before you tickle, says judge in fish groping case, Leinster Leader
• Golden flourish for Irish angling team in Euro showdown, Belfast Telegraph
• Pet theories and thoughts of caviar as rare Siberian sturgeons are caught in UK, Irish Times

Other news

• DON’T TACKLE WITH ME !!