Lindsey Clarke reports on Owenea Fishery – Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th July 2012.
The first four days of the week gave fair to good water levels, i.e Monday (0.21m), Tuesday (0.22m), Wednesday (0.40m) and Thursday (0.21m) but from Friday on the water fell away once dry weather set in and by Sunday the gauge was reading 0.14 metres. The gauge average for the week read 0.21 metres. Despite the good water levels early in the week, the fishery was not particularly busy for the time of year with only 15 visiting rods in attendance over the week. There were some nice fish recorded this week however. On Monday, John Lennon logged a fine 15lb salmon caught on a fly from beat 5. On Wednesday, Davy Sullivan accounted for a 9½lb salmon caught on a spinner from beat 8. On Friday, L. Faulkner logged a 5lb grilse caught on a fly from beat 8. On Sunday, Joe Kelly accounted for a 13lb salmon caught on a spinner from beat 8.
Earlier John McGlashan accounted for a fine 16½lb salmon caught on a spinner from beat 5.
At present we require rain to raise water levels (though the rest of the country is praying for dry weather!).
John McGlashan with 16.5lb salmon
Lindsey Clarke reports on Owenea Fishery – Monday 9th to Sunday 15th July 2012.
There was very little rain to speak of this week and as a result the water levels on the river fell all week from 0.20 metres on Monday to 0.08 metres on Sunday. The gauge average for the week only read 0.13 metres. As result, the fishery was not particularly busy given the time of the year and only 21 visiting rods fished for the week. There were a few salmon reported despite the low water conditions. On Tuesday, Frank Owens recorded a grilse caught on a fly from beat 8. On Thursday, Alan Watson recorded a 5lb grilse caught on a fly from beat 8.
For info/bookings etc on the Owenea Fishery –
Tel: 074 9551141. (9am to 1pm April to May & 7am to 1pm June to Sept).
Lindsey Clarke reports on the River Drowes and Lough Melvin – Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th July 2012
Once again, another very good week on the Drowes River. Water levels were once again good and the good run of salmon continued unabated. There was some 100 plus salmon caught again this week. Given here is a selection of catches since space prohibits giving all details. On Wednesday, John O’Connor recorded an 8½lb salmon caught on a fly from the Trout Pool. On Friday, John O’Neill logged 4 grilse weighing from 4 to 6lb caught on a fly from Briney’s with 2 of these released again and Ray Benton registered an 8lb salmon also caught from Briney’s. On Saturday, F. Morgan recorded 3 grilse weighing 3, 5 & 5lb caught on prawn from the Mill Pool and Alan Kendall accounted for 2 fish weighing 3 & 7lb caught on prawn from the Sea Pools. Alan & S. Kingham also caught and released a further 8 salmon over the week. Earlier Gene Brady recorded a 12lb salmon caught on prawn from the Mill Pool.
G Brady with his 12lb salmon
The story this week on Lough Melvin was much the same as last week with the salmon fishing being good but the trout fishing poor overall. Some 20 salmon were caught again on the lough but I have not heard of any good catches of trout.
Lindsey Clarke reports on the River Drowes & Lough Melvin – Monday 9th to Sunday 15th July 2012
The Drowes continues to fish well! There were good water levels all week though not as many rods attended the fishery this week. Despite the lower angling effort, there were still good numbers of salmon reported and there were some 60 salmon caught over the week. Given here are a selection of catches taken from the catch register. On Monday, Sam McNeice recorded a 6lb grilse caught on prawn from Melly’s. On Tuesday, Stephen Anderson logged a 5lb grilse caught on the fly from Briney’s and Joe Rosbotham registered an 8lb salmon caught on prawn from the Mill Pool. On Wednesday, Jack Brown accounted for a 4lb grilse caught on a fly from Lennox’s. On Wednesday, Colin Smith recorded two fish caught and released. The fish weighed 4½ & 7lb and were taken on a spinner from the Trout Pool. Mr Marks logged two grilse weighing 3½ & 4lb caught on shrimp from the Mill Pool. Dale Olphert registered a 10lb salmon caught on a fly from the Sea Pools. Darryl Kennedy accounted for two fish weighing 5 & 6lb caught on prawn from the Money Hole with one of these being released. Alan Kendall recorded 3 grilse weighing 3, 3, & 4lb caught on prawn from The Meadow with all three released again. Stephen Anderson logged a 3lb grilse caught on a fly from Briney’s. Bill Likely registered two grilse weighing 2½ & 4lb caught on a fly from the Sea Pools. Eamon McCallion logged 2 grilse caught on prawn from the Mill Pool and Sam Quinn accounted for a 6lb grilse caught on a fly from Lennox’s. On Friday, Peter Butler recorded a 7¼lb salmon caught on a fly from the Mill Pool and Alan Chowny logged a 4½lb grilse caught on a fly from the Blackhole. On Saturday, Stephen Anderson recorded a small grilse caught on a fly. Raymond Crawford logged a 4lb grilse caught on worm from Briney’s and Gary Morrow accounted for two grilse weighing 2 & 4½lb caught on prawn. With the good run of salmon continuing and water levels predicted to be good, prospects look excellent for the coming week.
Lough Melvin was quieter this week and less rods ventured out. The salmon fishing was fair for those that took to the water but this week there were only some 7 or so salmon caught due to the lower angling effort. The trout fishing was variable with some rods reporting fair catches and others reporting poor results. In the Rossinver Fishery, resident Guide and casting instructor, Jim Hoye recorded a 6lb grilse caught on the fly. On Friday, Saturday & Sunday, the Castlebar Anglers ran the McConville Cup competition out of Garrison. This was a 3 day singles competition with the first two days being qualifiers and the final on Sunday. 100 competitors fished the competition. The locals fared well with the competition being won by local Guide & Tackle Dealer Sean Maguire with former Rossinver Fishery manager, Ruth Mettler being placed 2nd.
Minister Fergus O’Dowd has launched a smart phone app to help fight the war against aquatic Invasive Species and pathogens in Ireland at the famous Galway Weir yesterday, along with a disinfection facility for salmon anglers at the famous Inland Fisheries Ireland fishery; and a handy and durable set of invasive species identification cards on a key ring as part of a three pronged initiative to protect Irelands wonderful natural resources.
Inland Fisheries Ireland is the lead agency on the island of Ireland fighting the on-going battle against the threat of pernicious aquatic and riparian invasive species and aquatic pathogens which represent the one of the greatest threats to Ireland’s native species and habitats and prompt action may help prevent and protect our native biodiversity should invasive species be identified…….Mayo Today…..17/07/12…read full article…
David Tantrum from Waterford City & County Trout Anglers Association sends us this report from Carrigavantry /Knockaderry lakes:
The recent stocking of the lakes with one kilo browns has livened up the resident rainbows fish to 2kilo being caught still to many anglers getting broken 6lbs b.s for single fly 8 for team of flies The evening rise is is one month late ,but on calm evenings the lakes boil to fish gulping down caenis. Dry sedges and damsels provide the best day time fishing.The lakes are lightly fished due to members salmon fishing Sec. WCACTAA
A nice fish who succumbed to a small brown Sedge on the Rye Water at Carton during the week.
Carton House Fishery report 19/07/12
by Fishery Manager, Rob Love
The River Liffey.
Unfortunately the Liffey remains in flood and is largely unfishable. Recent weather reports suggest it might start drying up over the weekend and into next week. It probably will take some time before water levels recede but I am optimistic that once this happens Sedge fishing in the evenings should result in some good sport.
The Rye Water.
The Rye Water has been largely unaffected by the recent floods and is currently running at a good level – particularly for Nymph fishing with the usual suspects – Hairs Ear and PTN working well. However there is also good fishing with large hatches of Sedge on the water – several anglers have had success with smallish (size 12- 14) brown Sedge patterns.
A nice fish who succumbed to a small brown Sedge on the Rye Water at Carton during the week.
We are also stocking the lake above the weir with Brown Trout. This stocking is taking place tomorrow (Friday) and should result in some good fishing.
The Sheet Water.
The Sheet water has been quite quiet as of late with fishing a little bit on the hard side. However this is also being stocked tomorrow (Friday) with Rainbows in the 2 – 3 lb size range so fishing should improve over the next few weeks.
Types of fishing available at Carton House in Ireland:
Fishery manager Colin Folan was delighted to report that that sea trout fishing is still very good, and actually getting better as the days go on. In total there were 98 sea trout landed for the week. Most of the fish are being caught on the lake, as there is very little water in the river beats at present. Most of the fish are of equal size (roughly 1lb 2oz), and in very good condition. If we keep going as we are, it will be the best year since the collapse in 1988. John Casey (Galway) had the best fish of the week, a fresh 2.5lbs fish from Pine Island Beat. Billy Grange and George Murray (N.Ireland) fished Lough Inagh for Friday and Saturday and landed a total of 20 sea trout and a small fresh grilse of 3lbs on a Silver Daddy and a Clan Chief. Sean McCloskey and Mervyn Bell (N. Ireland) had a great day with 10 to 1.5lbs on a Jungle Bunny.
Salmon fishing remained slow due to the lack of water, however 6 were landed in total for the week. Dara Noone (Galway) had the best fish, weighing 6.5lbs, caught on a Red Daddy on Lough Inagh.
Colin emailed again on Wednesday to say that 36 hours of rain has driven the water up to flood level. All the beats are fishable and I believe that there is a good run happening. 2 anglers who were out on Inagh on Wednesday morning landed 4 salmon to 12lbs and 8 sea trout. Good fishing should be around for a few days yet.
To book fishing or accommodation at Lough Inagh Lodge, contact the hotel on 00353 95 34706, or view their website at www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie
Fishery manager Nigel Rush reports that last week was a very dry week, which contributed to poor river fishing, and fickle winds to poor lake fishing. Just 4 salmon were reported for the week to 7lbs, and 13 sea trout for 12 rod-days. However, with 66 salmon in the book for the season so far we can’t complain and it took us until the 13th of August to notch up that amount last year.
Since that report a lot of rain ahs fallen, and the river rose 2 feet on Tuesday. By 11am the Lower Falls were alive with the backlog of fish that had not been given much encouragement to enter the system, and this has improved the fishing no end, with 9 fish for the week so far, with 7 of them taken on Tuesday in fast rising water. Geoffrey Fitzjohn landed 4 to 6lbs, Sean Kelly had one of 4lbs, Patrick Molloy one of 6lb from the Rock Pool and Michael French a 2lbs fish from the Castle Lake. Sea trout are now running in very good numbers, and fishing on the lakes should provide excellent sport over the next few weeks.
To book fishing at Kylemore Abbey, contact Nigel on 095 41178, or mobile 087 9580702, and for latest news check the website at www.kylemorefishery.ie
Fishery manager Jim Stafford reports on fishing last week. Water levels on the Erriff were still above average for the week. Levels were recorded at 0.76 meters on the 8th. Heavy showers increased levels to 1.1 meters on the 9th and 1.2 meters on the 10th. With no further rain of any significance levels fell to .72 meters by the 14th of the week. Overall angling pressure on the river was light during the week.
Fishing a Cascade in the Falls Pool on Beat 9, Barbara Ceillier, Dublin, caught a fresh-run grilse of 5lbs. Alexander Mills & Gareth Beattie from Co. Tyrone had 3 fish from the School House Pool on Beat 3 and the Sea Pool and Upper Garden Pool on Beat 9 – best fish weighed 5lbs. Arthur Muckian and his son James had one each in the Falls Pool on a Red Shrimp and Orange Cascade.
Bill Bullick caught one of 6lbs in the Colonel’s Run on Beat 6 on a Curry’s Red Shrimp, and Jim Wilson, Mount Falcon, released a grilse taken on a Coolraw Killer in the General’s Reach on Beat 8. Brian Stark, N. Irl., fishing the Erriff for the first time, caught a grilse in the Garden Pool on a Cascade and lost another.
Hazel Clarke, U.K., caught one on a Stoat’s Tail in the Garden Pool on Beat 9. Anthony Holden landed one in the Bridge Pool on Beat 9 on a Cascade. Andrew Beattie, U.K., caught 2 in the Falls and Sea Pools on a Curry’s Red Shrimp. Annual French visiting angler Gerard Garnier caught 3 fish all on Beat 9 on a Cascade and released all fish to the water again.
Total catch for the week was 15 salmon and 8 sea trout.
At the time of writing the report heavy overnight rain on the 16th has increased levels to 1.6 meters on the Aasleagh Guage – so prospects look good for the coming week.
To book fishing on the Erriff or accommodation in Aasleagh Lodge, contact fishery manager Jim Stafford on 095 42252, or visit www.aasleaghlodge.ie for details. The lodge and fishery also have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AasleaghLodge.
Lady Hazel Clarke with a nice Erriff grilse taken late in the evening
Water levels were at 2 gates all week on the weir, and fishing picked up considerably over the previous weeks, when high water levels prevailed. There were 57 salmon landed for the week, with many taken on fly, although shrimp and spinning also produced fish.
Long-time German visitor Manfred Wilke had a nice 5.5lbs grilse on shrimp, while fellow German visitors, father and son Wolfram and Matthias Hoppe had 3 grilse each, all on fly. Moycullen angler John Anderson landed 6 grilse on fly over 2 visits, sportingly releasing 5 of these, while Salthill man Simon Lenihan landed 2 grilse on fly. Galway angler Karl Reynolds landed 2 nice grilse of 5lbs each on spinner, while Cavan angler Gearóid McSéan landed 2 grilse on shrimp and spinner. Damien Barron from Offaly took a fine 7.5lbs grilse on spinner, while Northern Ireland angler Davy Hoy, a regular visitor to Galway, landed 2 crackers of 7.5lbs and 8lbs, both taken on fly.
Richard Farrelly from Meath took 2 grilse to 7.5lbs on shrimp, and father and son Jack and Lawrence Flood, visiting from the UK, had 3 grilse each, best fish 6.5lbs, on fly and shrimp.
Good numbers of salmon are running in Galway, and rivers upstream have also produced excellent sport over the last week or so, and with water levels not forecast to rise, fishing prospects for the coming week are very good.
Ronan Cusack reports that World Cup fever is in the air and plenty of anglers were out this week testing the water for the forthcoming event, which begins on August 2nd.
Jackie Mahon and a friend from Sligo fished over the weekend and they had 8 good trout from the deep on wetfly patterns (best fish 2lbs, all returned). Jackie also reported returning several black trout very close to the 13inch limit. Shane Kramer and friend from Tipperary fished on Saturday and they had 2 keepers among several undersize trout for the day (best fish 2lbs). Ronan Cusack fished with John Young from Waterville on Friday and they had 5 keepers and again several undersize trout for the afternoon (best fish 1.5lbs, all returned). Mick Dunne Tourmakeady had 4 fish for a day on Saturday last (best fish 1.5lbs all returned). Greg O’Donoghue, Ballinrobe, fished dries for a day earlier in the week and he had 3 good fish in the shallows (best fish 2.5lbs all returned). Declan Gibbons, Cong, had 3 fish for his day on Monday last (best fish 2.5lbs, all returned).
Water levels remain high due to the relentless rainfall and fly hatches are described as sparse.
Ronal also guides on Mask and can be contacted on 087 2869487 or email cusackronan@gmail.com
