Slaney River Trust inform us that the heavy rain at the weekend has woken the river up a little – They have heard of 2 fresh salmon met – one landed with sealice. Enniscorthy anglers had a good day before the weather broke with reportedly up to 7 fish on the prawn. It is Fly only above Enniscorthy bridge.
The first seatrout are making their way into the river with one angler getting 2 above Enniscorthy but it will be at least a couple of weeks before the main run arrives.
June 2nd – Fishing this week has been difficult with only 2 fish landed.
Conditions were far from ideal for salmon fishing with low water and extremely muggy weather. It was ideal midge weather and there were days this week when they certainly made their presence felt.
The two fish were taken on Monday off Doolough. It was Bertrand Fenart who proved as keen as always when he landed the first, a fish of approx. 9lbs off Paddy’s point. The fish had been in quite a while.
He then managed to guide Olivier Suquet to his first ever salmon, a fish of 8lbs approx. This fish was taken at Grants Rock and was again in quite a while.
The rest of the week was quiet with very little fishy activity. We did get some rain on Thursday night, nearly an inch. The river went to 20 but fell off again quickly. We had some serious anglers yesterday but they failed to score.
We are expecting a good amount of rain tonight so hopefully we will see the new gauge go over 40cms which would be rare indeed. I might add that with that we will get hundreds of salmon running up the river!!
Martin Cellier at Delphi
June 4th – Since my last update there are another three fish to add to the book. Being honest this was disappointing, I thought we would have had a few more fish.
We had a nice flood yesterday with the river touching 65 on the new gauge for the first time. However the water was back down to 20 this morning. Surprisingly we only got 15.6mm of rain, so everything ran off quickly.
Martin Ceillier did manage to outfish his wife Barbara again this year when he landed a fresh 4lbs2ozs fish off Finlough on a Willie Gunn, on Saturday afternoon.
Yesterday Robin Cox who is on his first visit to Delphi managed to land a fresh fish of approx. 4lbs off Doolough. This would appear to be the third grilse of the season.
This morning Fred Eberle started his Delphi fishing week in style when he landed a sea liced 7lbs6ozs fish off the Whin pool on a Willie Gunn.
It looks like there is some rain forecast tomorrow which will keep the river up, but it looks like everything will get a good wash out on Thursday night and Friday morning when there is heavy rain due.
This will hopefully draw in all remaining springers and get the grilse moving. Fingers crossed!!
ANGLING NOTES: IN RESPONSE TO a worrying fall in adult salmon returning to rivers, voluntary conservation measures to enhance output of juvenile salmon have been put in place for the current season, according to the Foyle Association of Salmon and Trout Anglers (Fasta). As these rivers provide an important resource for angling residents and visitors, the new voluntary measures are designed to reduce the overall catch of salmon to ensure as many fish as possible go on to spawn to help rebuild numbers. Irish Times, 04/06/12. Read the article ‘New salmon measures‘.
New Spawning Gravel Being Placed into the Mountain Water
Emy and District Anglers PRO Enda Fields reports this week that following the recent hot weather, the Emy Angling Club members decided to ‘cool down’ in the nursery stream which feeds Emy Lough in Co Monaghan. Well maybe not cool down totally as the club have be very active this week in conjunction with the Inland Fishery Ireland staff members installing and spreading 8 ton of trout spawning gravel beds.
New Spawning Gravel Being Placed into the Mountain Water
The club have another 8 ton of spawning gravel to spread over the next few weeks into the mountain feeder stream that runs into this beautiful resource. It is hoped that in the coming years the lake might see a return to higher wild trout numbers. It is also planned that further river enhancment, clearing and cleaning works will continue and be ongoing over the next few years. Many thanks to the IFI for all their help in the above and helping the club promote this fine fishery. The New Spawning Gravel in Place on the Mountain Water
Finally, many thanks again to all the club members who have come out and helped with our river enhancement programme and thanks also to the Inland Fisheries Ireland for their continued support. For more information about Emy Lake, please also check out www.emyvale.net and also check out our Emy & District Anglers video channel at www.youtube.com/user/emyangler
A Well Conditioned Emy Lake Trout Taken by Martin McKenna
Due to the recent hot spell, fishing has been hard work with only a few trout during the day been caught. A nice fish of 3lb was caught on Friday by a Northern Irleand angler and reports from local anglers are that late evening fishing is producing some nice fish of 4lb.A fine 5lb brownie (below) was caught recently by local Martin Mc Kenna, Oriel Park, Emyvale.
A Well Conditioned Emy Lake Trout Taken by Martin McKenna
The club are asking all members to please practice CATCH & RELEASE . This is in the best interests for the lake and the club recommends all anglers If taking fish to please limit to 1 or maximum 2 PER WEEK.
The majority of fish in the last week/few days have been caught on the spent Mayfly, Claret Dabbler, Sedges and Buzzer patterns however, a range of other different fly patterns are working namely:- the Green Peter and Peter Ross. Shore fishing is ideal at the moment as lake level is just right. All anglers are advised if booking a boat do so early and not to leave it to the last minute as presently, for the moment anyway, demand is out-stripping supply. In contrast, Emys’ shoreline is easily accessible via a new perimeter pathway.
The last limited number of places are still available in the club for the 2012 season, so why not contact us today! Trout fishing only is available on Emy Lake for holders of day tickets or season permits. Day tickets may be obtained from Paul Gormley “ GORMLEYS SHOP” North Main Street Emyvale Telephone 047-87573 Mobile 087- 6128259 or Dick Kiernan at Venture Sports in Glaslough Street, Monaghan Town, Tel: 047- 81495 or mobile 086-8351378. Anglers become members of the club for insurance purposes on the issue of a day ticket or a season permit.In the interest to all and the resource, please take note Emy Lake water keepers are presently checking for membership etc and will be strictly applying lake rules re bag limit etc so your co operation is kindly requested.
Another photo of Stephen and his incredible smoothhound
Stephen Colgan reports on his capture of a record breaking 21lb 3oz smooth hound – the current record with the ISFC is just under 17lb…
People: Paulie, Myself Duration: 10pm to 4am Tide: On the Rise Weather: Perfect! Bait: Crab, Mackerel Rigs: Pennel Pulley Rigs Location: South East Wexford Results: Dogs, Flounder, Tope, and of course Hounds
Well I had a competition on during the week and to be honest I wasn’t satisfied with scratching in close for flounders etc. I decided I wanted something that packs a little more punch and gave Paul a ring to see if he was up for a Tope and Hound session. We arrived at the venue and fished it from low water to high. It was clear to see from the very first cast we were in for a good night’s angling as the fish were attacking baits with in minutes of landing in the water. First we said we would try for hounds, but when trying for hounds we hit Bass. This is inevitable when hound fishing this time of year because both species have the same taste for big juicy peeler crabs. All the Bass went back due to the ban being on, only fair at this time of year. When darkness fell and the tide started pushing heavy, we knew we would have a good chance of a smoothhound or a decent tope due to the flat calm seas and mild weather. It was perfect in fairness…
About an hour into the dark I set up my second rod for tope (Which always makes me slightly nervous as you just never know what is swimming out in front of you and what monster could be attached to your rod in the coming hours). My other rod continued fishing for the hounds. It wasn’t long before the hounds came on the feed and we had numerous small ones along with the Bass. It was feeding frenzy between the hounds and Bass – it was whoever got to the bait first out there. This always makes for good fishing as you are never idle. I decided to try my luck out far. What happened next I think will keep me smiling for a long long time. The rod took a thump and I quickly picked it up and waited for the fish to bite again. Eventually it did so and I struck into the fish, only to realise that what was on the other end wasn’t small as it did an instant run which took a decent amount line. I was nervous as hell as I thought it was a tope after picking up my hound rig which was mono, and not the steel trace which was being fished on my other rod in close. As it got closer it kept making numerous runs from left to right and the longer it took to land, the more I was shaking.
Stephen Colgan and his 21lb 3oz smoothhound. A record breaking fish, unofficial but by no means unworthy
After about 10 minutes or so, the fish was in sight and I really thought it as a tope from the size of it. But when my good friend Paul tailed the fish and brought it to shore the marks were noticeable along its back. It was a monster hound and I was lost for words. I previously got tags from Inland Fisheries Ireland, along with a measure etc, so we worked quickly to get all the measurements, sex, weight of the fish before releasing it back. But when we went to weigh it, I nearly fell down, it came in at a staggering 21lb 3oz. My PB smashed, hammered etc etc. A quick photo was taken and the fish swam off healthy and strong into the darkness to fight again another day. I hope its caught sometime in the near future to give another angler the same smile that has been on my face all day. This fish is our Catch of the Week
I had a quick look on the list for the heaviest hound that has been landed from the shore in Irish waters, and its 16.58lbs, which also made me smile. It’s always nice to beat an Irish Record, but as my scales was not Certified, I doubt that it will count, which is a shame, but I’m still thrilled to have caught that amazing fish. And I was even curious enough that I got a lend of a certified scales, added weights to a bag until it read 21lb 3oz on the Certified scales, then swapped the scales over to my own, and it read the same…
Also Paul hit a nice tope a few hours later, was also tagged and released, weighing in @ 15lb 5oz. All in all, a serious session and one I will remember for a long long time!! Stephen Colgan
Paul and his tope
Another photo of Stephen and his incredible smoothhound
Farson Digital Webcams visited Ireland last month to find suitable sites to install webcams to provide live feeds of water conditions on key Irish rivers on its popular website http://www.farsondigitalwatercams.com.
So far there are 8 cameras. See below for snapshots of conditions at time of publishing (18.34, 06/06/12) and links to the live cameras. With the way the rain is falling right now you will probably be able to watch the river of your choice change to a flood before your eyes…
Munster Blackwater at FermoyRiver Nore at ThomastownRiver Boyne at TrimRiver Suir at ClonmelRiver Mourne at Sion MillsRiver Derg at ArdstrawLower Bann at Coleraine
Michael McVeigh’s reports from the charter boat Rosguill are always worth waiting for. He fishes some very productive grounds off Downings where there is a wide range of species available. This week’s report is light on words, but heavy on pictures…
“2 specimen Spurdogs, 1 specimen Torsk and lots of Tope, Conger & generally very good fishing for a group of happy anglers from the Netherlands. Doesn’t get better than this!!!” Michael McVeigh Rosguill 43′ Aquastar. Twin 310 HP
Downings, Co. Donegal. Telephone: +353 74 9155080 Email:[email protected]Web:www.rosguill.com
Bert with a topePiet with a topeArie with a specimen torskArie with a CongerBert with a turbot3 Wrasse
Arie with a CodPiet with a SpurdogMenno with a topeGjis with a Conger
CHILDREN do not play enough outdoors and are not experiencing nature, and this affects their health, a number of studies show. One of the findings of a British study is telling — more children are admitted to hospitals for injuries sustained falling out of bed than falling off trees. Would a study here have a similar result? Quite likely. Irish Examiner, 28/05/12. Read the article ‘The great outdoors is good for kids…‘.
I HAD a call from a reader during the week complaining of Japanese Knotweed. Frankly, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t complain about it once they see what destruction it can do, although one cannot be blamed for admiring its dark green, red-veined leaves and bouquets of lacy flowers growing on metre-tall stems. Inability to identify the plant itself and ignorance of its destructive capability are what concern my reader. Why, he asks, do the county councils not launch an information campaign as with other noxious plants and trees? Irish Examiner, 28/05/12. Read the article ‘Japanese Knotweed a real scourge‘.
