Anglers have enjoyed some super fishing in past week in Ireland just before the huge low pressure weather systems hit the country this week.  This has certainly changed things particularly for freshwater anglers in the next few days but I am sure salmon anglers won’t mind having some floods bringing bigger runs of salmon and sea trout into rivers and loughs throughout the country.

The mayfly season is coming to an end on most trout fisheries but there is some spent fishing on some loughs.  There was some wonderful fishing particularly in the evenings on Emy Lough in Co. Monaghan. A group of Ladies enjoyed the fly fishing in Lough Ashling near Edenderry.  Down south, there were reports of good trout fishing coming to the nymph and dry fly on the Suir and the Anner.  The midland trout loughs are fishing well and there was mesmerizing mayflies still hatching on Lough Sheelin.  On Lough Owel, Trout were feeding on fry, hard on the shallows.  Regular visitor, Bill Holmes had terrific trout fishing on Lough Ree fishing with angling guide, Marc O’Regan.  In the west, Lough Corrib was quieter after the Mayfly season.  Over on Lough Arrow, Murrough patterns were working on Lough Arrow, while dry Wulffs were producing trout on Conn and Cullin.  THE annual All-Ireland Trout Angling Competition for anglers with special needs took place at Loch an Dochais, near Kilcormac and anglers netted 35 trout on the day.  Up north, Buzzers and dry flies were best for the good rainbows at the Cashel Trout Fishery.

There were reports of some salmon and sea trout fishing on the River Slaney. A fine 12 lb. salmon was the highlight of improving salmon fishing on the Cork Blackwater at the Ballyvolane House Fishery. There was a good start to the week for two anglers catching salmon at Fort William Fishery. At Blackwater Lodge, a lovely 10.3 lb. fish for Jim Shanahan as the Munster Blackwater fishes well on all beats. On the River Lee, a total of 30 fish were caught in the past week.  There was some good fishing on the River Bandon also. There was plenty of salmon and sea trout action on Lough Currane.  Nearby, Bass angling guide, John Quinlan took his guests for a spot of fishing of sea trout on the River Inny during the close season for bass. There was great salmon fishing reported at the Galway Fishery.  Salmon fishing is improving on the Erriff and Kylemore Fishery and at Lough Inagh. Delphi needs the rain to raise the river and draw the springers and grilse into the system. Salmon were slow to take on Lough Beltra & Newport River this week.  It was a Red “letter week” for anglers on Carrowmore Lake where some incredible salmon fishing was enjoyed by many anglers.  It was also the best week so far on the River Moy where 242 fish were recorded for the week. 67salmon were reported on the Ballisodare River.

Young anglers enjoyed professional tuition on coarse angling at Brother’s Lake by members of IADA.  A group of Disabled Anglers had a great day on the River Barrow with the Carlow CAC.  A group of Belfast anglers from the Lazy River Cafe Cross Border had a match on the River Barrow with Carlow CAC.    Small fish dominated the latest Waterways Ireland NCFFI qualifier at Lough Bridget in Co. Clare. Coarse catches on Derg are down but bags to 50 lb. are still possible on the River Shannon at Portumna.  In the midlands, there was super tench fishing for parties of anglers from the UK and Belgium while fishing at a variety of waters near Melview Lodge in Longford.  David Warrington reports that the Cavan venues were producing good catches of bream.  His friend, John Rigney was fishing on venues in the Leitrim area searching for tench. Fishing on the lift method he secured 20 tench for 74 lb.

A group of American and French anglers enjoyed outstanding fly fishing for big Pike at several venues while fishing with angling guide Marc O’Regan.  Donal and Peadar O’Brien took nineteen Pike in a day in Co. Monaghan.  A group of Dublin Pike anglers recorded 30 pike to 19 lb. on a stretch on the River Shannon. Plenty of pike were taken on a great day out for junior pike anglers at Keady qualifier.  There was hard fighting pike for the two French anglers in Westmeath with the best fish weighing 26 lb.  Angling guide, Mick Flanagan reports great fishing for pike and some lovely perch on a number of midland venues.  Recently Pirate Pike Anglers from Trim spent a cracking weekend down the west, and the club members produced some good pike. Top Rod was Jason Keogh who rattled the scales with a fine pike of 22 lbs.

It was a wonderful week for sea angling and in Dublin Bay a group of small boat anglers who recorded 12 species in a day. Stephen Colgan was shore fishing on a Wexford beach last week and recorded a massive smoothhound of 21 lb. 3oz well over the Irish record. He tagged the fish and carefully returned it and other fish.  He wins our Catch of the Week for this great fish. There was also some great mullet reported at Arklow last week. It was a good weekend for Cork charter boats with catches of Mackerel, Cod and lots more to whet the appetite.  Boat Angling Ireland had a great event at the Commodore Hotel Cobh Meet 2012 and recorded a huge array of species over the last weekend. Specimen Ling along with a huge range of species were taken wreck fishing at Courtmacsherry. There was excellent pollack fishing for French guests fishing with angling guide John Quinlan in Kerry. Bill Ryan reported good wrasse fishing in his West Clare shore report along with great photos of fish and rigs. 16 species were recorded at the successful Belmullet Sea Angling Competition.  There is a great story of a Spurdog frenzy for a Donegal kayak angler. There was great weather, great fishing, specimens and tope galore on the charter boat Rosguill at Downings last week.  At nearby Lough Swilly plenty of tope were reported.  Over at Red Bay, skipper Hamish Currie reported that Skate were keeping spurdogs off the Red Bay feeding grounds but more packs were expected.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke

Catch, Photo, Release

Headlines

Coarse angling reports

• Coarse angling reports for the Midlands
• Disabled Anglers have a great day on the River Barrow
• A report on the Lazy River Cafe Cross Border Peace Match
• More good tench among excellent coarse catches at Melview Lodge.
• Coarse anglers find Cavan venues produing good catches
• Small fish dominate the latest Waterways Ireland NCFFI qualifier at Lough Bridget in Co. Clare
• Coarse catches on Derg are down but bags to 50lb possible at Portumna
• Young Anglers Enjoy New Pastime
• Super tench fishing reported by Belgium anglers fishing at Melview Lodge
• Carlow Coarse Angling Club receive Angling Council of Ireland Award

Pike fishing reports

• Pike angling report from Lough Derg
• Trout and pike report from the Clare rivers and loughs
• Pike fishing report on the River Suck
• 30 pike to 19 lb. for a Dublin Pike anglers group on the River Shannon
• 26lb Pike for young Mullingar angler
• Beautiful perch for Kilkenny angler
• Lough Lene to host the Paddy Dolan open Pike Competition on June 10th
• Some good pike for the Pirate Pike Anglers from Trim
• Hard fighting pike for the deadly duo in Westmeath
• A great day out for junior pike anglers at Keady qualifier
• Nineteen Pike in Monaghan for Donal and Peadar
• Fantastic trout and pike fishing on the fly for clients fishing with angling guide, Marc O’Regan.

Salmon fishing reports

• River Feale report
• A fine 12 lb. salmon is the highlight of improving salmon fishing on the Cork Blackwater at the Ballyvolane House Fishery
• Plenty of salmon and sea trout action on Lough Currane.
• Cork and Kerry salmon fisheries report
• A lovely 10.3lb fish for Jim Shanahan as the Munster Blackwater fishes well
• First salmon at Lough Inagh
• Salmon at Kylemore Abbey
• Erriff Fishery
• Great salmon fishing at Galway Fishery
• Ballisodare fishing well with 7 lb salmon for 3 local anglers
• Salmon slow to take on Lough Beltra & Newport River this week
• Red “letter week” for anglers on Carrowmore Lake!
• Best week of the season so far on the Moy!
• Simon catches a nice salmon on the River Bandon.
• A good start to the week for two anglers at Fort William Fishery
• Slaney awakes and welcomes the fish
• Delphi needs the rain to raise the river and draw the springers and grilse
• Purple patch for bars of silver on Blackwater
• Homework done and off to the river for young Shane to catch a splendid 10lb salmon

Sea angling reports

• Shore angling report for the Clare
• Tope are tops in Lough Swilly
• Specimen Ling along with a huge range of species taken wreck fishing at Courtmacsherry.
• Skate keep spurdogs off Red Bay feeding grounds but more packs expected
• Successful Belmullet Sea Angling Competition
• Good wrasse fishing reported in West Clare shore report.
• 12 species for small boat anglers on Dublin Bay
• Good weekend for Cork charterboats with catches of Mackeral, Cod and lots more to wet the appetite
• Spurdog frenzy for Donegal kayak angler
• Boat Angling Ireland Commodore Hotel Cobh Meet 2012
• Excellent pollack for French guests in Kerry
• One, two, three and on the 3rd cast the mullet was mine.
• Massive smoothhound from south east Wexford, a record breaker, and is our Catch of the Week.
• Great weather, great fishing, specimens and tope galore on the Rosguill

Trout fishing reports

• Nice trout of 5 lb. 2.5 oz reported from the mountshannon area of Lough Derg
• Trout and pike report from the Clare rivers and loughs
• Trout angling reports for Loughs Ennell, Owel and Derravarragh and the River Inny.
• Fishing reports for Lough O’Flynn, Lough Ree and Lough Acalla.
• Buzzers and dry flies were best for the good rainbows at the Cashel Trout Fishery.
• Lough Owel Trout hit fry hard on the shallows
• Lough Corrib Quieter After Mayfly Season
• Murrough patterns working on Lough Arrow, while dry Wulffs work best on Conn and Cullin.
• Sheelin Classic to take place on Sunday June 10th
• The Ladies enjoy the fishing in Lough Ashling
• John Quinlan take his guests for a spot of fishing on the River Inny
• Mesmerizing mayflies form fantastic hatches on Lough Sheelin
• Fantastic trout and pike fishing on the fly for clients fishing with angling guide, Marc O’Regan.
• Fantastic fish coming to the nymph and dry fly on the Suir and the Anner
• Brown trout on the Slaney around Baltinglass/Rathvilly
• Hot Weather Forces Emy and District Anglers to ‘Cool Down’ in Local River!
• Evenings Best On Emy Lake
• Total Flyfishing on Carton House lake and Ryewater

News clippings

• FCJ students go Slaneyside for expert fly fishing advice – Enniscorthy Guardian
• Anglers net 35 trout in Kilcormac – Offaly Express
• Gone Fishing – Letters – Irish Independent
• Angling – Irish Examiner
• Fishy tales and hunting pigs – Irish Independent
• New salmon measures
• The great outdoors is good for kids… Irish Examiner
• Japanese Knotweed a real scourge – Irish Examiner
• Fishing for an English sign – Irish Times
• Take The Bait – Irish Times
• Why so many Irish trout species? It’s the lough of the draw – Irish Times
• Ballina seniors hooked on fishing – Mayo Today
• The one that didn’t get away – The Irish Times
• Westmeath County Council obliged to find new source of canal water – Mullingar Advertiser
• ‘Put Safety Before Complacency When You Go Boating’ Warns Safety Body – Afloat Magazine
• €900,000 to deal with Deel pollution clean-up – Limerick Post

Other news

• Fly casting day at Ballina Salmon Festival
• Weather Warning – heavy rains and gales forecast
• Mooring closures, navigation restrictions in Lough Key in July
• Ocean Wealth Showcase Event – Volvo Ocean Race
• New webcams on Irish rivers – watch the water rise with Farson Digital Watercams
• Wild Irish Salmon – delicious but scarce!