Judd Ruane reported some good sea trout angling on the Moy Estuary lately. Andy and Gary Major, U.K., caught 12 sea trout during their visit, while Elaine and Phillip Whitherspoon, N.Ireland, landed 19 over two days. Ester and John McCartney, Co.Carlow, also enjoyed good sport, catching 12 during a morning session. All fish were taken on mackerel strips. For guided sea trout angling on the Moy Estuary contact Judd Ruane on Tel: +353 (0)876736969.
A party of anglers based in Tullaghmore, Co. Offaly, ventured out with Skipper Donal Kennedy on board the Leah on Wednesday 8th June. Their day started somewhat slow with pouting and gurnard coming onboard. However, later in the day numerous mackerel came to the boat, followed by 15 ling up to 8lbs. Numerous pollack and several cod were also boated, weighing up to 7lbs.
Vincent Reynolds of Sligo Sea Shore Angling School reported some good angling of late from shore marks around the Sligo Bay area, where sea trout up to 5lbs, flounder to 450mm, pollock, turbot and dogfish have been caught. Sligo Sea Shore Angling School will be hosting summer shore angling workshops during July and August, five days a week between 10.30am and 3.30pm, designed for those aged eleven and upwards. The workshops will cover shore ecology; bait gathering, shore angling techniques, rig assembly, equipment and safety while fishing. The workshops will be held at various locations to introduce a variety of angling techniques. They will also be hosting their normal weekend and evening fishing classes for the beginner and advanced angler. For further information or to book a session contact Tel: +353 (0)87 2480299 Email: sligossfishingschool@gmail.com or visit www.sligoseashorefishingschool.com.
Birr Angling Report by Pat McDonnell
Little Brosna and Camcor River – Anglers were reporting some fish in the lower reaches of the Little Brosna but the floods have adversely impacted on the fishing here but should improve as the flood recedes.
Pallas Lake – Some good fish were caught on Pallas lake in the past week with both Browns and Rainbows obliging the anglers. Eddie and Aaron Cornally, Banagher had 2 Brownies for over 4lbs, Alan O’Hora had 3 fish up to 1.5lbs and Noel Egan, Tullamore, reported 1 fish for 1.5lbs on a Golden Olive.
A group of professional pike anglers from England, guided by Kenny Sloan had a few good days fly fishing for pike in the Foxford area recently. Conditions were not ideal with an easterly air flow and bright sunshine most days. Many pike were caught although the bigger specimens remained elusive. The group intend to return again in October for another venture after Irish pike. For guided pike angling in the Foxford area contact Kenny Sloan on Tel: +353 (0)94 9256501 or Mobile: +353 (0)87 9670310.
Midland Lakes in the Mullingar area report by Dermot Broughan
The cool weather from last week continued into Monday and mid week. Very heavy rain on Thursday and Friday put off most anglers.
Lough Ennell:
Angling has been very slow over the week with very few anglers on the lake. The hardy souls that did go out reported some small pike taken and Joe Keegan from Rochfordbridge reported a 2¼ lb trout that was returned to the lake on Wednesday evening.
Lough Owel:
Action has slowed up on Owel due to adverse weather and possible the sporting action on the TV. That said there were 59 fish landed for the week with 30 returned to the water. The best results for the week were Declan Harrington and pal who had 20 fish over two days, the best 2lbs. Robert Reilly and his son, from Galway, who were on the lake on Sunday, preparing for the Youths International on the 1st of August, boated 6 fish to 1½ lbs which were all returned.
Lough Derravaragh:
Anglers fishing Derravaragh reported a very good hatch of sedges late in the evening, with fish feeding on them but slow to take a line.
River Inny:
Joe Keena returned to the Inny on Monday evening where he once again met nice trout to 1½ lbs.
Neil who fancinates us with his descriptive tales of fishing on the Clare coastline shares a word of advice with us : – A word of warning make sure the belly side of the mackerel is facing away from you and not towards anyone close to you when you do this. It will become obvious after your first attempt.
He continues…….I am enjoying my time out mackereling more and more, not for the hauling of fish but for the opportunity to observe all sorts of people who at no other time would be drawn into the dark world of catching and killing their own food. The many methods of dispatching their quarry range from punching it to death banging it against a rock or the most popular throw it in a bucket or carrier bag until it flapping slows and it slowly expires.
Two lads were enjoying themselves, sharing a rod and seeing who could out-do the other in casting and catching. They were lucky that the fish were plentiful and at a reasonable distance. I couldn’t help myself but go over and chat to them when they got into a heated discussion about what was wrong with the dark green mackerel they had caught and f they could eat it. After a brief talk we decided it would be best if they let the small pollack go. It was their first day out and they caught fish to take home for their tea. Well pleased with themselves they headed off for a celebratory pint and left me reminding them their catch would cook in the car if they parked in full sunlight with the windows up!
I have continued on the tope marks with no action to report, nothing, no dogs , no huss not a bite!
For a bit of light relief from hauling heavy gear I went out onto the rocks with the lures again. I want a wrasse but the marks that I am fishing may hold a wrasse or two but they have declined or been fished out over the last few years. I feel a trip further West will be needed to give me the best chance of the fish that many lure anglers consider a pest.
I have been following Del Thompsons’ Scilly Lure Addicts which is where I first heard of the use of blue lures as it provokes the territorial behaviour in wrasse. I know I said I never had any last week but I found a packet of savagear sandeel slugs in a sort of blue… but it must have been the wrong blue. I could not buy a bite with them. To be fair I only gave them around forty minutes rigged Texas style. Mainly through lack of confidence in the colour having not used it before.
I put a cut down senko on a lead head and thrashed it out with a side flick which is all the rocks behind me would allow. On each cast I worked it right to my feet and jigged it a few times before lifting it. I was getting the odd pluck which I presumed were mackerel.
Time after time I was watching pollack follow up the bait but refuse it and turn away. I tried stopping the retrieve but the leadhead plummeted into the kelp and took the pollack back down with it never to be seen again. I wonder if it was the bright sunlight causing them to turn off or something I was doing?
I did manage to land a couple of smallish fish of around two pounds, the first of which totally engulfed the lure. I also had a savage take which left the senko with just a torn off stump, was it the elusive wrasse ?
Just after the turn it was time to once again head for the more productive mackerel marks. I noticed that despite me flinging the feathers to the horizon I was picking fish up at all distances and as soon as I had filled my orders for fresh fish I put the heavy rod away and had an hour of great sport on the lure rod.
I was getting plucks on every cast with a white sandeel slug but no hookups so I went to my bag and found a light(for me) jighead and cut a storm wildeyed sandeel down to around three inches long. The effect was instant. Although I had lost the casting range and was getting fewer takes nearly everyone produced a hard fighting blue sea tiger.
Good luck to all the Irish lads who will be out Saturday looking for the first bass of the season.
Read Neils full report http://baitdigger.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/refusals-22/
Tommy Burke, Edenderry Hon. sec reports on the annual festival on the Grand Canal near Edenderry, Co. Offally.
For fishing on the Grand Canal at Edenderry please contact the chairman Padraic Kelly at: +353 (0)86 3503117
Gerry Olin of Esox Lodge, in Belturbet had a tough day on Saturday fishing with Bob Roberts. They managed 6 pike in high river levels and water the colour of coffee. Eventually finding some clearer water in some of the smaller bays and picked up a few fish on lures and one on the fly.
Olé ! Olin! Olin!……….
Gerry Olin
Esox Lodge,
Riverrun,
Belturbet,
Co Cavan
T:+353 878122666
John Chambers of the Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs reports on the latest Kingspan National Pike Championships qualifiers fished on Lough Egish…
We had to switch the June qualifying competition of the 2012/13 Kingspan National Pike Championships from a flooded River Suck to Lough Egish in County Monaghan. The switch was only made on Thursday so we were very concerned that many anglers would not get word of the change. We were very happy when 80 anglers turned up and entered.
Fishing was really good with many good pike caught in the first few minutes. Some anglers caught steadily throughout the accumulating really good bags. We no longer provide full details of results but word does get around reasonably quickly.
As usual we calculated results in John Murray`s Lakeview bar. Many thanks to John for providing huge quantities of great sandwiches, cocktail sausages and chips. He also kindly provided prizes for the raffle.
The top 5 anglers who qualified to fish in the Final were
