Mariners league outing number 4 of 12 took place as a daylight competition on Saturday morning in Malin Beg on a fairly fresh day but thankfully the venue is surrounded by sheer cliffs on 3 sides making it comfortable and enjoyable for the fishing.
Lots of flatties on the venue but our minimum size is 20cm to protect the smaller fish from being targeted and it was harder to find the bigger stamp of fish but there were some very big flounder with the winning longest flattie prize being won by John Burke with a 40cm flounder. Always nice to break the 40cm mark.
2nd place overall with flounders, turbot and plaice was John Cunningham.
And 1st place overall also with a good fishing including plaice, flounders, weever and turbot was Gavin Dorrian.
Well done to all out enjoying the fishing!
Meanwhile, Gavin enjoyed a nice session on the shore with some big ballan to 47cm on the lures, specimen length corkwing to 24cm, and seeing garfish jump as lures hit the water. A quick set up of float and mackerel strip produced gar…also a nice evening bass for Ryan on the beach after dark.
Ballan on the luresSpecimen corkwing 24cm
Later in the week, Ryan and John enjoyed the settled weather on the beach with some nice small eyed rays and double shots of flounders.
While the season winds down and the weather windows become less frequent, there are still opportuniites to get out offshore and enjoy some good fishing at this time of year. The Clare Dragoon has had a couple of spectacular days this week, with some enormous fish coming to the boat. Let’s hear from the skipper…
Luke Aston says “The season is coming to an end here as the days get shorter and the weather more wintery. I’m still going out the odd day if I get a weather window and was out last Friday at Tuna. Despite big Bluefin tuna feeding hard and jumping round the boat we could not get a hookup. Very frustrating!
Today with Andrew over from England for a few days on the chance of getting the weather, we took advantage of the fine day to try again for Sixgill. And it did not disappoint. We had 2 solid hookups and 2 fish to the boat, both around 800lbs.”
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800lb sixgill shark
The following day was quite good too…
“If today is the last day…it was a good way to end!
We got back on the Sixgill mark and got set up with lots of activity around us. Birds dolphins and Tuna. So of course we had to try a floated bait as well. That did not work but Andrew did get another fine Sixgill at about 750lbs. And while he was fighting it a couple of Tuna bust just beside our float, that would have been an interesting double hook up!!”
Go fishing…
Clare Dragoon
Clare Dragoon is a LOCHIN 366 powered by 650HP engine, skippered by Luke Aston and operating 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:[email protected]Web:www.fishandstay.com
Killybegs Fishing Trips was out after bluefin tuna again and despite difficult conditions anglers were rewarded with some nice catches. Read their report below…
Two very nice Tuna to the boat today for Ken! It was a real battle out their today with strong winds and a big swell, but Ken managed them brilliantly. First fish was a nice 285lb and the 2nd was even better at 400lb.
Into a big buefin tuna in rough conditions aboard Fiona Tee
Earlier in the week it was another tough day at the tuna, with unfavourable weather conditions…so fair play to the guys for putting in a hard shift, but got rewarded with a beauty, a nice 570lb fish to the boat for Max who is only 14 and our youngest customer to land a Tuna this year. Very well done Max! We had good and bad luck for the first half of the day with 2 fish hooked up but got neither because both managed to throw the hook. So it was great to get one to the boat for the guys.
A proud Max having battled this 570lbs bluefin
Nice show of tuna starting to appear now, so hopefully the next few weeks are going to be busy ones!
Skipper Seán Maguire reports a good day out with a crew from Limerick. Drift fishing in the morning produced some nice fish, and a good range of species.
A move to anchor in the afternoon produced a busy session of dogs, but not a lot else, still the Limerick lads enjoyed a great day out, and the craic was good!
Twin engine 10 meter Lochin 333 Skipper:Séan Maguire Licence:1629 Base: Carrigaholt Operational Area:15 miles from Kilbaha, Carrigaholt, and Kilrush
Notes: Whether you want to go to the Atlantic Ocean for a large selection of species, including different types of shark, or fish the estuary for ray conger tope etc, Fishing Adventures will cater for whatever fishing you desire. With state of the art electronics, quality fishing gear, and large deck space, the Lady Gwen II is a stable and comfortable boat to fish.
Vincent Appleby, assisted by the Inny Farmer, reports from Lough Currane and the river Inny for the last time this season…
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Rod bender on Currane
Another Currane rod bender
10/10/2024. The rod benders take the headlines as you can see by the photos, for how many caught you will have to watch this space. Wind NE light and variable and followed by reasonable cloud cover at times. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 3.9mm, amount of sunshine 2hrs.5mins, maximum air temperature 14.9°c.
The photo tells the Currane story!
11/2024. My WhatsApple was all quiet on this bright sunny day, followed by a very variable light to calm SE wind, veered SSE, S, SW, WSW, SW, WSW. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 0.7mm, amount of sunshine 9hrs.1mins, maximum air temperature 11.8°c.
Currane trout 2024
12/10/2024. Just one good C&R Sea Trout caught by the Currane angler as you can see by the photo, there was a nice wave on the lake so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few nice Trout caught this day but that’s only my opinion.
Patrick, Mike, Vincent
So on that note we go to a one happy Currane angler who won the E.M.H Appleby Memorial cup for catching a fine 11lbs.9oz Spring Salmon, sponsored by Fogarty’s Centra, Waterville, and a great prize of a €100 voucher and all was presented by Mr. Patrick Fogarty of Fogarty’s Centra, Waterville. Again, I must give a big thank you to Fogarty’s Centra for Sponsoring the E.M.H. Appleby Cup and a big Congratulations to Currane angler Mike Dwyer for winning the E.M.H. Appleby Cup.
Now to Currane quote of the day goes to Mr. Patrick Fogarty of Fogarty’s Centra, let’s keep it going, all I can say is roll on 2025. Wind moderate to fresh WNE veered NNW, N, NNW, followed by the odd shower. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 0.1mm, amount of sunshine 5hrs.4mins, maximum air temperature 13.4°c.
As I have being saying this for well over 20 years, well it’s that time of year again and yes you have it, first of all I would like to say a big thank you to you the readers of the Blog and my Facebook page and especially Mr. Myles Kelly and all the team in the Inland Fishery Ireland for their great support as always, this 2024 season.
So, on that note I can’t wait for the 2025 Season, Happy Christmas to you all and stay safe and I’m looking forward to January 17th, 2025 and writing on The No Spin No Fly’s just Facts Zone. Vincent Appleby
Eureka Lodge, Caherdaniel West, Co. Kerry. Telephone: +353 (0) 87 207 4882 E-mail:[email protected] Web: www.salmonandseatrout.com
Sea Trout – Catch and release only
Inland Fisheries Ireland wishes to remind anglers that the Conservation of Sea Trout (No.7 or Kerry District) Waterville Area Bye-Law No. 971 of 2019 remains in effect. This Bye-law prohibits the retention and possession of any sea trout (Salmo trutta L.) taken by any fishing engine or by rod and line in the Waterville area i.e. that part of the sea eastward of a line drawn from the most westerly point of Bolus Head to the most westerly point of Lamb’s Head and to all the waters discharging in to it.
The Bye-Law mainly affects seatrout fishing on :-
the river Inny (Knockmoyle) and its tributaries
the waters of the Waterville system, including the Waterville River, Lough Currane, the Cummeragh River and all their tributary rivers and lakes
For more information on the daily conditions, all the craic and news be sure to check out Vincent Appleby’s Salmon and Sea Trout blog for regular reports with back dates, petitions, public consultation notices, readers letters and videos and more of what’s happening on Currane.
Notes: Located at Lakelands House Bed and Breakfast and Self Catering Accommodation, on Ireland’s best sea trout lake, Lough Currane. Frank is a professional angling guide and boatman.
Sea angling can be arranged with local operators.
Boat Hire
Boats for hire. All boats and engines are moored on the farm, 300 metres from the house, with easy access from the road with car park and boat shed.
Notes: Having ghillied on Lough Currane for over 30 years Vincent is a great choice for those looking for a guided service or flyfishing instruction on the Lake. All ages are catered for and even experienced anglers will benefit from the watercraft and fly-lore unique to Lough Currane. All tackle is provided and accommodation can be organised if required.
Damien Culliney of Anglers Paradise Guiding reports on a great day of perch fishing in miserable conditions for a birthday boy Riain…
Had young Rìain and Gearoid out for a days fishing with their Dad. It was Rìain’s 10th birthday and he was mad to go fishing. He is a very keen and enthusiastic about fishing. I asked what his goal was for the day. He said he wanted to catch big perch.
On the same day the conditions did not look great with south east winds blowing and rain, not ideal, but young Riain persisted, cast after cast. His efforts were rewarded with some lovely perch averaging 35 cm. As he fished on the perch just got bigger and better with his top 3 fish measuring 39cm, 40 cm and a fantastic new P.B. of 42 cm for a up and coming angler of the future
Anglers Paradise Ireland is owned and managed by Damien Culliney, a well known angler and chef in the Clare region and a man passionate about the inland waterways and natural history of County Clare. At Angler’s Paradise, we love the thrill of Game fishing and Pike fishing in equal measure and can take our clients to some of Europe’s most unspoilt rivers and lakes in search of trophy predators and the realisation of their angling dreams.
Following on from his advice on pike lures for late autumn/early winter a few weeks back, Norbert Renaud of L’ile Verte Fishing Lodge is back with a new video this week with some top tips for fly selection over the winter months. So, if you want to learn from one of the more innovative pike fly anglers in the country, log on to his YouTube channel now.
The Erne Pike Classic competition held in Fermanagh last weekend drew pike anglers from far and wide to pit their skills against each other for a prize fund of circa £11,500. The competition had a split format, with two separate competitions: a bank event held on the Friday, followed by a 2 dayer boat event on Saturday and Sunday. Judging by the number of photos on the organiser’s Facebook page, plenty of quality pike were caught!
Things got off to a good start on Friday at the bank event, with a couple of twenties landed and a few doubles brought to the bank. Paul McManus won the top prize on the day with a fine fish of 22.04lbs.
Paul McManus, with the biggest bank-caught fish
On the first boat day, the average size of fish landed went up a notch or two, with three twenties and a good number of doubles brought to the boat. But it was well-known pike angler Joe McDermott who led the field at the close of the day with a super pike of 27.08lb.
Joe, with his super 27lb+ pike
That stamp of fish was always going to be a hard act to follow, but the anglers put in a sterling effort on day 2 of the boat event, and Steven Smith came closest, with a fine fish of 25.14lb.
Steven came close with this 25lb+ beauty
So Joe McDermott’s day one pike couldn’t be bettered, and he claimed the trophy and a nice cheque for £2,000.
Last week, we reported on a crew of Dutch anglers braving some tough conditions while fishing in Wicklow with Kit Dunne. Well, it hasn’t really got much easier for them during the week, as storms and high winds have made things rather uncomfortable for them while afloat.
But they have stuck to their task and made little of having to fish for a few hours in a Force 5 wind to land some smart-looking fish, including a couple of 150cm+ tope and some fine huss and spurs.
Go Fishing
Angling Charters are offered on a full-day, half-day and evening trip basis and can be tailored to suit your needs. Two boats are available – Manannan Mac Lir and Castle Maiden. All levels of anglers are catered for. Anglers will benefit from your skipper’s angling experience and local knowledge with advice and guidance on-hand at all times.
SPECIALIST ANGLING CHARTERS
Specialist Angling Charters are offered for those who wish to target specific species, specimen fish or try new angling methods.
ANGLING COACHING
Whether you’re a Club, Individual, School or Junior, you can have an angling coaching session or programme tailored to suit your needs.
The Leinster Pike Anglers travelled to a midlands river venue for the second round of their winter league competition last weekend. It was a perfect day weather-wise, as low winds and overcast skies made for ideal pike fishing weather.
The fishing was good, but it wasn’t a day for the bigger fish, as the biggest fish on the day tipped the scales at 1llb 7oz. But with plenty of jacks showing to baits, anglers were kept busy enough, and the top two anglers made it into double figures, with Luke Ó’Ciaráin winning with 12 fish for 38lb 8oz.
Isle of Aran
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
