A “MASSIVE” fall in salmon stocks on the river Feale could force fishing there to be banned within two years unless drastic action is taken, local fishermen have warned.
Members of the Abbeyfeale Anglers held talks with Minister for Agriculture and Marine, Simon Coveney, in Dublin earlier this month to highlight the plight of fish stocks in the Feale, which have fallen by 60% in just five years.
While local and national committees have been set up to investigate the nationwide drop in salmon levels, fishermen in Abbeyfeale believe that time is running out to find a solution.
…….Limerick Leader…..30/06/12…..read full article…
More great catches this week from Wicklow. Wicklow Boat Charter’s skipper, Kit Dunne reports on a great weekend even with damning winds. A mixed group of 8 anglers set off on Saturday morning after some poor weather in the days previous, coupled with a forecast of moderate to fresh winds we needed an alternative plan. The forecast gave winds dropping but not till lunch-time, shelter needed to be taken. We headed to one of my proven inshore Tope marks.
Wicklow Bay tope
Having fished the Ebb tide down to slack water we took just 1 Tope, many dogs and a few gurnards, not great but persistence would prevail. Following the slack water, as tide picked up we baited up big and the fish came on, Tope showed in twos, fighting hard in the shallow waters off the edge of the bank. We didn’t weigh any given the new specimen measuring system, as there is no need to cause such stress to the fish. We landed one fish of 1550mm long and another shortly after at 1560mm, 2 very near specimens. 8 anglers went home very happy after about 12 Tope between them, added to this everyone on-board had the chance to feel the power of these great fighting fish.
Tope for Stephens Father, Happy Father's day pressy.
Stephen Kelly treated his Father to a day out for tope, and he delivered, both Stephen and his Father landed 2 fine fish. Another visitor on the day was Gavin Loughrey who treated his 2 sons to a day out, they never expected to see so many tope and were delighted to land one each, the 2 boys of 7 and 11years fought a tope in turn and were proud as punch. All in all it was a great success and more importantly showed the options Wicklow has when the weather and winds don’t play ball. More catches of Thornback Ray and Spotted, (Homelyn), Ray were recorded also the weekend.
Waterford City & County Trout Anglers Association report CARRIGAVANTRY water level is now at it’s maximum level. The fish are much happier at last. This excellent trout was caught last week on the lake by Dungarvan man Jason O’Riordan.
Roy Craige, Shean Lodge Fishery reports on fishing conditions on the Owenduff river:
With good conditions and nice water ,week ending 30th June again produced excellent fishing. The total number fish caught was 12 salmon,9 grilse, and 23 seatrout. Without exception all fish were in beautiful condition with salmon up to 11lbs,grise from 3.5 to 6lbs and seatrout up to 3.5lbs. In addition there were an unusual number of fish lost. The seatrout run appears to be the best for many years with several around 3lbs. With weather forecasted to be” broken” for the next week prospects are excellent. There are limited times available—contact 0866075958 or www.sheanlodgefishery.com
Charter skipper Mark Gannon reports on deep fishing for his Dutch visitors fishing out from Courtmacsherry
The last few fishing days were good with plenty of pollack and cod, and at anchor Skate, conger, ling, bullhuss and dogs.
Sean Maxwell with a nice 5 kg. Cod
On yesterday the 2nd July we first went Bass fishing in the Estuary where we had seen a good few fish chasing sprat near the pontoon area. We started in the morning 2 hr before LW,trolling a mix of savage lures and the red type weighted red gills we hooked and landed one fish of 2.2 kg. Other anglers in the area had more success with one landing 4 fish at low water.
Kees with a nice Bass
We steamed out to the fishing grounds and after getting some mackerel we anchored on a reef. We caught pollack, bullhuss, ling, cod, conger and landed one skate 196cm with a wing span of 138cm, the fish was caught by Joel Koppejan after a good fight lasting an hour.
Joel Koppejan with a nice Skate
On the way home we stopped on an inshore reef for cod where we caught several fish to 5 kg.
In a new update, Mark Gannon report:
On the 4th July,while fishing from the Lady Louise out from Courtmacsherry, Keith Wright caught a Common Skate approx weight 120lbs, Keith is no stranger to ton up fish as he landed skate 2 years ago to 100lbs and also landed a porbeagle shark in the mid 70s of 225lbs, the fight with the skate lasted 2hrs 30 mins and was previously tagged. The fish was retagged and returned ,
Keith Wright with his common Skate
Regards Mark.
Lady Patricia and Louise
2 x Aquastar 38′. 370 HP
Skipper: Mark Gannon Base: Courtmacsherry Operational Area: 30 miles out from Courtmacsherry Address: Woodpoint Guest House, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork. Telephone: +353 (0)23 8846427 or +353 (0)86 8250905 Email:[email protected]Web:www.courtmacsherryangling.ie
29/06/12: Family Affairs -Week 26 produced 16 fish, which given the conditions was disappointing. The quality of the fish was excellent. There were quite a few fish seen but there was no great take.
We had 6 fish on the 25th. Reinhard Mittmann managed to level things up with his son Nico. Reinhard had two fish, one of 6lbs12ozs and one of 3lbs12ozs, both off Finlough and both on Collie Dogs. Nico’s fish were also off Finlough on a Willie Gunn and Sunrae Shadow respectively and weighed in at 3lbs8ozs and 3lbs15ozs.
Reinhard Mittmann and his son Nico
Fred Possinger and Johannes Hipp also had fish off Finlough on Collie Dogs weighing in at 3lbs11.5ozs and 5lbs2ozs.
26th was slow with only 2 landed. Werner Zirngibl did manage to land his first Irish salmon of the year, in the Grilse pool on a Collie Dog. The fish was approx. 2lbs.
Benny Weltz managed to land his first ever, off Finlough on a Willie Gunn,weighing in at 7lbs2ozs.
We had three fish on the 27th with Reinhard Mittmann landing two off Finlough both on Delphi Collie’s weighing in at 4lbs and 4lbs15ozs.
Angelika Krieg also managed to land her first ever salmon. The fish was taken on a Cascade off Finlough and weighed 3lbs13ozs.
Angelika Krieg with her first salmon
We blanked on the 28th and Gerda Possinger landed two on the 29th off Finlough on Collie Dogs weighing in at 8lbs9ozs and 4lbs7ozs.
Gerda Possinger with her two salmon weighing 8lbs9ozs and 4lbs7ozs.
Elaine 1-Mark 0
01/07/12: Yesterday was a great day for Elaine Corps, wife of IFI’s fishing guru and top angler, Marks Corps. Elaine landed her first ever salmon and in doing so completely out fished her husband. He did inform me that he was the ghillie for the day and it was his duty to catch his wife a fish. Good story Mark!! Congratulations to Elaine in landing her first a cracking 8lbs6ozs sea liced fish on a Collie Dog off Finlough. Hope it will be the first of many.
Well done Elaine !
Philip Fleming managed to land a sea liced fish of approx. 4.5lbs from Finlough stream on a Collie Dog. It is Philip’s first Delphi visit and he also lost a fine fish on the river in the afternoon.
Mike Shortt also managed to land one from the Horseshoe pool, but I’m afraid he’s bringing down our average. The fish was approx. 2lbs and was taken on a Cascade.
So far today we have one fish landed. This was taken by Hans Majeron from Finlough on a Black and Yellow tube and weighed 3lbs7ozs.
Hans Majeron
Hopefully with good water we will see a steady increase in the number of fish running.
Munster Coarse Angling Council hosted the NCFFI Inter Provincial Youth Championships 2012 on Inniscarra Lake at Dripsey, Co Cork on Saturday June 30 th Sunday July 1st 2012.
Eight man Teams from each Province around Ireland with youths from 10 to 18 years of age, fished for the honours to become Inter Provincial Champions 2012 over the two days of competition. Ulster took the honours with a run away victory, in second place was Connacht, third Leinster and runners up Munster.
Ulster winning team
Ulster winning Team; Ann Theedom, James O’Doherty, Billy Williams, Jordon Hall, Arron Hutchman, James Howell, Josh Cavanagh, Kieran Kelly.
Munster may have not faired so well in the team event but they did get the Individual honours with local 10 year old Christy Fehilly from Dripsey fishing a fantastic match winning each day and overall individual winner of the event with a total weight of 18kg 500grs.
Bream, Skimmers, Roach and Hybreds were the target fish and in total 315 kg were caught and released by the teams over the two days, fishing a float only match to International FIPsed rules.
This Inter Provincial also selected the Irish Team for the Celtic Cup against Scotland and Wales which will again be held on Inniscarra Lake on 11th &12th August, the Senior Celtic Cup will also be held the weekend prior to the Youths event 4th & 5th, and we welcome spectators along to these events to give support to theIrish teams or indeed the other Celtic Cup Teams.
Irish team selected
Irish Youth Celtic Cup Team 2012, Christy Fehilly-Munster, James Cavanagh-Ulster, James Howell-Ulster, James O’Doherty- Ulster, Mark Fullen-Connacht, Thomas Quinlian-Munster, Kieran Kelly-Ulster, Josh Kelly- Connacht. Irish Youth Team Manager, Gavin Walsh from Dublin is really looking forward to this event and he is hopeful his Team will do well and defend this title they won in Scotland last year.
The Munster CAC is really please with how successful this weekend went and we would like to thank a few people who made all this possible. Our Sponsors, Michael Hennessy of Inland Fisheries Ireland who sorted out the Permits for the Teams at very short notice. Mick Brown, Oakland’s lake, New Ross, John O’ Brien, Waterford Angling & Outdoor Centre, ESB & Land owners at Inniscarra lake, O’Callaghan’s Bar and the Village Inn Coachford. Waterford & District Anglers, South Munster Coarse Angling Club, Fermoy Coarse Angling Association. Our Children Officers Dave Norbury and Pat Dalton and the NCFFI Secretary Shean Kavanagh for making the presentations and John Connolly NCFFI Treasurer for photos and we thank all the teams who travelled and supported the event.
Congratulations to Jim Hendrick, South East Angling Ireland on receiving the joint runner-up award in the Tourismcategory of The Wexford Business Awards 2012 in Whites hotel last Friday night. It was a real honour for Jim to share the stage with the other runners-up, Bill and Isobel Kelly of Kelly’s Resort Hotel. Kelly’s Resort Hotel went on to win the overall Wexford Business Award.
Jim says “To have been shortlisted within this group of dynamic Wexford tourism business providers was in itself a privilege. To receive the runner-up award was beyond my greatest expectation.
I feel this award will only help to strengthen the validity of the bass fishing product in this country. Thanks to all my friends, customers and loyal bass fishing network.”
Report from Owenmore Fishery in Kerry:
30/06/12: The river is very high at the moment. If the rain eases off this evening it will be fishing on Sunday. We had our first two grisle of the season during the week and seatrout up to 3 1/2 lbs. An American fisherman had 8 trout on the lake over a lb on the 27th. Owenmore Fishery http://www.owenmorefishery.ie/
The river Slaney has stayed at winter level virtually all week and even now is at 2ft. As a result the sea trout are very well spread out in the main river and will be hard to catch until they are more concentrated. A side effect of this is that trout anglers are meeting numbers of salmon with 2 rods both getting 2 salmon on Sunday. The tributaries are producing good numbers of sea trout.
The high water has had one very undesirable side effect with a number of unscrupulous and illegal anglers targeting and killing salmon using flying Cs and other spinners (sometimes) under the cover of bubble and fly fishing. Generally this involves trespassing on Club and other private water. The problem is most acute in locations close to the road such as the area immediately below Clohamon weir. We have to ensure that the fly only and catch and release rules are observed by all anglers if the river is to recover. While IFI are actively patrolling the river please report and illegal fishing activity to the Clonmel office at 052 618 0055 or ring the 24hr hotline 0818 34 74 24.
