Registration for certification will be up on the the FFF web site www.fedflyfishers.org/casting/internationalregistration.aspx opens on Sunday next May 13 as places are limited I would advise early registration. Certification will take place in Ireland from the 12-16 of September 2012. For more info contact Philip Maher on 087 8399345.
29/05 The daytime water temperature increased from 10 to 16.5°C between the 20th. & 27th. May, but has now dropped back by a degree.
The Ballyduff gauge is steady on 0.25m More fish were being seen every day up to the 28th. , and they are taking more freely, but often short as a good number have been met & lost.
Benoit Perros (France) caught his Second Ever on the 23rd. with a 4.3 pounder on spinner on the lower river. His father André lost a fine double figure fish on fly which would have been his First Ever salmon too! We then had a couple of very hot bright days which made fishing difficult. Then on the 26th., Kieran McClements (N. Ireland) caught his first ever – a sea-liced 4 pounder.
The 27th was the Second Best Day of the Season with 3 fish to 7.8lb caught – all on the lower river. There was another from the lower river on the 28th., & one from the upper river on the 29th.
The total for the month now stands at 19 for 152 rod days & the season to date is 46 for 330 rod days.
Ian & Glenda Powell Blackwater Lodge & Salmon Fishery
FORT WILLIAM
29/5/12 Water levels are in perfect order and at a summer time low. Ideal conditions for the fishery but we are finding it a bit difficult at the moment. Fish are been seen but seem to be on a mission with there heads down and running the beats.
Check out this site on how water levels are doing upstream:
Blackwater Web-cam at Fermoy Bridge http://www.farsondigitalwatercams.com/live-webcams/ireland/
Click on Killavullen http://waterlevel.ie/realtime/list/ Gauge: .18m
Fort William Estate, Glencairn, Lismore, Co. Waterford, Ireland
| Tel: (00353) 87 8292077
FISH HUNT PHILIP MAHER
Philip informs us that the Blackwater is fishing well for this time of the year. Fishhunt are offering anglers a chance to fish any one of their 19 beats on the Blackwater. For just €40 per day for more info contact Philip Maher 087 8399345.
Fishhunt
New webcam at Fermoy
Salmon anglers will be delighted to see that Farson Digital Water cams has installed on the Munster Blackwater at Fermoy – you can check out the live feed here:
Well, believe it or not we have had 5 fish since my last update, despite very difficult conditions. All fish bar 1 have been taken on the lakes with the river now only at 12.
Delphi regular Ollie Watkins had a fish on his first day, Saturday last from the Turn pool. The fish weighed in at 6lbs4ozs and was taken on a Clauser Minnow (which for those of you who don’t know is a rainbow fly and not an actual minnow). The fish was fairly fresh and was caught in calm conditions. It will be Ollie’s only visit this year as he will be supporting his wife Anna, who will be rowing for gold in London in the double skulls.
Ollie Watkins
Jerry Barcoe from South Africahad his first ever salmon off Doolough on Monday. The fish weighed in at 8lbs1oz was relatively fresh and was taken on a toby.
Simon Albertini who took so long to catch his first salmon here is now becoming a seasoned veteran. He also had a fish on Monday off Finlough on a Sunray Shadow. The fish weighed in at 9lbs7ozs and was relatively fresh.
Jerry Barcoe has certainly started salmon fishing in style as he had 2 more yesterday afternoon off Finlough on a Sunray Shadow. The fish weighed in at 4lbs3ozs and 11lbs5ozs and were both relatively fresh. He was aided and abetted by John Somerville.
It looks like we’re going to get some proper seasonal weather over the next few days so this hopefully will put a stir on the fish in the lakes. The river is getting low but there is still plenty of water for fish to run.
28/05/2012: While the fishing has quietened down with just 1 fish since my last update, the weather is nothing short of breathtaking.
It may not be fantastic fishing weather, but it gives one a chance to take time out and enjoy Connemara in all its splendour. When we get weather like this, clear blue skies and mid twenties its hard to better what we have on our doorstep.
I just took a few pictures this morning so I think I’ll let them do the talking as it difficult to choose words to accurately portray the beauty surrounding us.
Delphi Dogs Graham, Ben & Fitz
On the fishing front Ollie Watkins was the man who managed to land our last fish. It was a sea liced fish of approx. 8lbs taken from the Turn pool last Thursday. It took a Gold Headed Hares Ear Nymph. Well done Ollie.
Doolough Delphi
There have been a few half hearted offers since but nothing stuck. Having said that fishing conditions have been extremely difficult over the last few days and look like continuing for the next few also.
Casting class with Mark Corps, angling advisor with Inland Fisheries Ireland, to be held on the river Slaney, Co. Wexford on Saturday, June 23rd.
This event will take place on Saturday, 23 June at the Clohamon Fishery. Parking for cars will be available there. To reach the fishery drive to Clohamon, cross the bridge. turn left at the junction past the large factory on your right. A quarter of a mile further on turn left down a lane to the fishery which will be signposted.
The class is limited to 20 people. This notice will be placed simultaneously on Slaney River Trust’s website and sent by email to all Slaney River Trust members for whom we have email addresses. The first 20 people to email jacgmcl@indigo.ie. or to ring 087 2409414 or leave a voicemail will qualify for the class. Those who qualify will be notified subsequently.
There will be no charge for the class. Participants are however encouraged to make a donation to Slaney River Trust.
The class will commence at 2.00 so participants should arrive at no later than 1.30 to prepare their kit.
The class will end at 7.30. If the weather is fine it is aimed to break from 5.00 to 6.00 for a barbeque. The first session will involve casting with double-handed salmon rods, the second with trout rods. Mark will be joined by two other experienced instructors: Philip Maher and Mark Patterson
Participants should bring trout and salmon equipment ( rods, reels, flies and cast material ), and waders.
For those who wish there will be an opportunity to fish the slaney for sea trout in the evening on a guided basis. Fishing is best from 9.00 to midnight. Please bring a torch.
Any questions – please ring / email John Carroll, secretary, Slaney River Trust, at 087 2409414 / jacgmcl@indigo.ie .
Anthony Greene of Top Tackle was out after pike last week:
It had been too long since we had hit Monaghan and we had nearly forgotten the incredible quantity of fine fish that lurk in the depths of these beautiful scenic lakes, so we decided to take a day out from the busy schedule and head on up. It was an early misty start and we were rewarded within 10 minutes of our first troll we had a nice Jack on the boat and had missed a couple.
We figured the pike were on so we switched of the engine and thrashed the area with a huge range of lures both big and small. They truly were on and the lures went down a treat and brought numerous Jack Pike to the boat but the bigger pike still hadn’t show their faces so the plan after lunch was to sit back and go on the troll.
We were straight into the action as the pike hit the lures really hard but kept failing to connect with the hooks and one or two pike even tried a savage attack on our floats. It was frustrating but eventually, as we were upon the magical evening hour, we connected with some better fish. We got 2 really cracking pike that were in super condition and put up a hell of a fight before we had them in the net.
We slipped them back in after a few quick snaps. Both pike came within fifteen minutes of each other and it really put a great ending to a super days Piking. Anthony Greene Top Tackle www.toptackle.ie Tel: +353 (0)85 7412767
Congratulations to Tom Sweeney of Marcroom who recently won the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Associations National Angling Championship Cup. Tom went forward to compete in the National Angling Championship following his success in the Munster qualification league. Tom and 119 other anglers travelled from every province in Ireland to compete in this competition which was held at Lough Conn in County Mayo. Each angler was hoping to be one of the top ten rods who would don the green blazer and represent Ireland at the International Trout Fly Fishing Championships which will be held in 2013.
Tom Sweeney with his bag of Conn trout
Angling conditions were extremely tough with strong easterly winds, extremely bright sunshine and temperatures in the high 20’s. Despite the angling conditions Lough Conn managed to live up to her reputation as a premier trout fishery and produced 56 brown trout in excess of the 13 inch limit, with many more undersized trout being returned to the water alive. Difficult angling conditions didn’t present too much of a problem for Tom Sweeney who managed to land three beautiful trout, securing 1st place and winning him the National Angling Championship Cup. Tom who is also a keen river angler wasn’t perpared to stop at this, he also went on to collect the Deacy Cup for the heaviest trout of the competition with a trout of 0.995kg. Other successful competitors who will represent Ireland in 2013 are John Dixon (Coleraine), John Deacy (Culfin), John Willis (Mallow), Gerry Heaslip (Dublin), Terry Walshe (Clane), Danny O’Keeffe (Wicklow), Con Malone (Macroom), Stevie Ellis (Bangor) and Kenneth O’Keeffe (Sheelin). We wish these anglers the very best of luck at the 2013 International Championships.
Lough Conn has an excellent reputation as a wild brown trout fishery and is well worth a visit. Anglers are currently recommending mayfly patterns fished wet and dry, along with dry daddies as being the most productive patterns.
To round off quite a successful Fisheries Awareness Week the Top Tackle duo teamed up with the 94th Dublin Walkinstown Scouts for a day’s fishing at Arklow Harbour. The day was a roaring success with every scout and leader all landing at least one fish and a lot more in most cases. We started the day by giving the Scouts and rundown on safety on the water and followed with the ins and outs of setting up rigs.
Unfortunately the weather was not the friendliest for sea fishing on the day with strong northern winds making casting for any angler tough to say the least but that did not dampen the spirit of the Scouts and they persevered to get to rewards.
Small Codling, Pollock and Flounder dominated the catches for most of the day but eventually some Dogfish showed their faces and took the bait which brought a smile to all.
Anthony Greene Top Tackle www.toptackle.ie Tel: +353 (0)85 7412767
I didnt wait for the sentence to be finished before I was loading the car with rods, seatbox and bucket of Thursdays mackerel …. oh and the odd bucket and spade. Barely enough room for the children after the picnic was crammed in.
I try to avoid weekend fishing in the more popular spots but if I am honest with myself I wanted my boy to catch a few dogfish and with the sun splitting the rocks I was very doubtful that we would manage even them. I know the place we chose did have a bit of a tope run occasionally.
So with the patients that only a father knows I helped Rocco set up an old twelve foot beachcaster and fixed spool reel with a simple running lead and 4/0 hook. I tend not to take him bait fishing as the periods of inactivity spark inquiries of why he could not stay at home and play on the computer? Pollack fishing is much more his thing. More fish and more movement to keep the young mind engaged.
Standard tope gear for me, Conoflex Nemisis Slr, Diawa Sealine X30SHA loaded with 30lb suffix tritanium and on the business end eighteen inches of Tronix pro wire and an 8/0 Varivas bigmouth extra tied to form a running paternoster. The reasons for the running paternoster, the tail forms a weak link and if the lead snags it will snap off leaving the fish to swim away rather than be tethered to the snag and with the aid of a breakaway fast link I can change the wire on every cast having a spare bait constantly in the bucket.
After around an hour Roccos interest was virtually non-existent and he had wandered off to play with his brother and sister leaving me watching the two rods.
Out of the blue just on the turn of the tide my ratchet started screaming and line was shooting off down tide, I wound down the drag and struck into a good fish (alainpaddy you would have been proud of the ferrage grande !!) the fish was in no mood to come in and I had no intention of bullying it too hard too early so I let the drag off a touch to compensate for the near banshee wailing of the line as it slipped of the reel. Still sixty yards out the head broke the water slamming from left to rig in a vain effort to shed the hook. I could feel the muscles in my back groan with each lunge. Slowly but surely it was tiring and I was getting the upper hand. More line was now on the spool than off it.
After fifteen minutes of the fish pummelling me it was on the shore. Not wanting to repeat the problems of last years weighing problems I had armed myself with a pike sling that had been idling in my attic since I move to Ireland and with consummate ease a weight was obtained.
As quickly as I could I got the now hyper-interested Rocco to take a few pictures. I didn’t want to have her out of the water for very long in the blistering sun after such a valiant fight. I supported the fish for around five minutes before she regained her strength and disappeared to join the flow.
Tope being freed by Neil
They say that fish always look bigger in the water but compare these two shots, I think the one above does not do her justice.
Check this out !
Several minute later with hands hit by adrenaline another tail end of half a mackerel hit the channel and settled slowly. Ratchet and drag set I continued answering questions from a Parisian tourist and his young son, who now had decided he no longer wanted to swim.
The rod tip dipped a couple of times and when I ignored it the young chap pointed out the error of my ways. I was busy telling him that it was dogfish when once again the reel started to scream. I hit it mid run and the fish immediately came to the surface thrashing around before deciding it wasn’t having any of it and headed out to sea, burning my thumb as I tried to slow down the spool. this fish was angry and didn’t hesitate to let me know. I lost contact with it for a brief period as I wound furiously as it was running straight towards me. It was only twenty to twenty-five yards out when I saw it roll, it was massive at least ten pound bigger than the first fish but on its inshore run it had managed to pick up the eighty pound rubbing leader in its mouth…..
I hadnt taken any notice of the French commentary to my right but as the fish bit through the leader and headed off I picked out one of the few French words that required no translation …. *****!!!!
Thomas Lynch, L.S.T.P.A with his 9lb Sheelin ‘monster’ caught on a dry green mayfly
May 20th to May 28th 2012
Sheelin fished exceptionally well throughout most of the week with a dip at the weekend due to gusty westerly winds sweeping across the lake making angling conditions difficult.
Sheelin is attracting large numbers of anglers with over one hundred boats on its waters on Tuesday afternoon/evening but at 4500 acres of water this lake can more than cope. Interestingly enough although fished predominantly by the local enthusiasts this lake is attracting more and more ‘outsiders’ with fishermen from Sweden, Manchester, Scotland, America, France, Italy, Belgium and Germany featuring heavily this week as well as anglers from all corners of Ireland – North, South, East and West.
‘What a tourist terms a plague of insects, the fly fisherman calls a great hatch’ Patrick F.McManus
Fishing on this lake has no age boundary and this week we saw a big jump from a very excited five year old to 93 year old Sean McCaul from Cavan both of which caught trout with the older gentleman showing more composure than his younger counterpart but both being equally elated.
There were very good hatches of mayfly on all parts but particularly around Stony, Rusheen, Church island, Hollywell, Walkers and Orangefield which was reported to be ‘thick’ with mayfly particularly in the earlier part of the week. There were massive falls of spent predominantly around Derry pt., Orangefield and Wilson’s pt. but in general there were huge quantities of fly in all areas of the lake. There was good movement of fish throughout the week but these trout are not easily got and our anglers have to work hard for their catches.
The most popular flies being used are selections of wulffs (grey, green and royal), sedges, murroughs, green mayflies, buzzers, green drakes, welshman’s buttons and spents, also the normal wet patterns in mays and sooty olives and bumbles.
The humpy dry fly patterns worked well this week, these flies are large enough to entice the big fish, are easily seen and float well, a lot of fish around the 3 – 5 lb weight were caught on this fly, particularly using the red humpy.
The ‘humpy’ dry fly – red humpies fall into the same fly category as the Royal Coachman and Royal Wulff, renowened dry fly attractors
The fish of the week has to be a beautiful 9 pounder caught by Thomas Lynch, Cavan using a green mayfly on Monday last.
On Wednesday May 23rd Richie Johnston and Charlie Stuart of film company Angling View Media returned to Lough Sheelin to film another piece for their promotional film on fishing within Ireland. The two men were more than happy with their shots of hatching mayfly and fly life on the lake and Ritchie had the added bonus of landing himself a 4 lb wild trout.
The popular Sheelin Classic trout competition now in its 8th year will be run on Lough Sheelin on Sunday June 10th 2012 – 11am to 6pm. There will be a 15” size limit and only 2 fish per competitor. This competition will involve an open draw for partners and entries must be in by June 7th. Entry fee is €65 for a boating angler and €85 for non boating, the number of boating anglers will determine the number of non boating anglers
There will be numerous prizes which include:
1st 19ft Sheelin boat & trailer & crystal, 2nd 5 hp 4 stroke outboard engine & crystal and 3rd €54 & electric engine & crystal.
A catch and release policy is actively encouraged on this lake and on this we have an Edinborough angler visiting at the moment – Vaughan Ruckley who is a great advocate and supporter of ‘catch and release’ and is at the moment researching and writing a book (referencing over 500 sources in the UK and Ireland) on this topic so this will be a very positive read in the near future – thank you Vaughan.
Barry Fox’s 6lb trout caught on a spent off Derry Pt.
Some catches
In a week which saw 287 trout landed some of the notable catches were:
Paddy Lyons, Cavan (L.S.T.P.A) and Robert Lynch, Duleck – 2 trout on Tuesday May 22nd , heaviest was 4lbs, 5 trout on Wednesday, ranged between 1½ – 5½lbs, all caught on a dry spent.
Pat Savage, Navan – 3 trout on Sunday May 27th, biggest was 3½ lbs on a spent.
John McGauran – 10 trout, heaviest 5 lbs on Thursday May 24th, all released.
John Murray, Mullingar – using a dry may fly, 1 trout at 3½ lbs.
Barry Fox, Mullingar – as well as a beautiful 6 lb trout (picture included) Barry landed himself 4 other trout this week, included in this was a 8½ pounder using a stimulator, fishing around Derry pt.
Peter Carlin, Dublin – using a dry mayfly, 1 trout at 6lbs on May 22nd.
Thomas Lynch (L.S.T.P.A), Cavan – Thomas had excellent fishing from Sunday to Wednesday of last week with 2 fish of 6½ and 3½ lbs on May 20th, 3 fish on Monday weighing in at 9lbs, 3 and 2½lbs, 2 trout on Tuesday at 2 and 2½lbs and 4 on Wednesday, heaviest weighing in at 4lbs. All these fish were caught on green dry mayflies and all caught during the evening.
Morris Little, Cavan – 1 trout at 4 lbs on a dry green mayfly on 22nd May.
16 anglers from Antrim – these annual visitors to the lake only landed in Finea last Friday and will be here for the week, so far they are having good fishing with the heaviest caught so far at 5lbs yesterday using a spent, although the green wulff has been the favourite poison used with these men – all are released.
Gary McKiernan, Cavan – last Monday May 21st one beautiful trout of 5lbs using a dry mayfly around Stony islands. Gary along with 2 Galway men landed 2 other trout of 2½ lb each the following day May 22nd.
Peter McArdle & Ken Kearns, Dundalk – 17 trout for the week, averaged 2½ – 5¼lbs, heaviest fish was caught in the Sailors Garden, all were caught using the spent.
Morris McDevitt, Donegal – 6 fish on the spent, averaging 2½ – 5½ lbs.
Mickey McCluskey, Donegal – fishing around Ross and mid lake, 6 trout averaging 1½ – 3½ lbs.
Billy Sweeney, Donegal – 5 fish averaged 1½ – 2½ lbs fishing using the spent around Orangefield and Chambers.
Brian McAdams, Derry – fishing around Orangefield, 3 trout at 1½ – 2½ lbs, fishing the spent.
Dessie McNabb, Derry – using spent and dry greens, 2 trout at 1½ and 3¾ lbs.
Owain Pickersgill, Mullingar – on 21st May 1 trout at 4lbs using a dry wulff.
Brenda Montgomery
28th May, 2012
Kevin Sheridan with a beautiful trout – released.Gareth Jones, Wales - Caught during The Spring International - released
John Gill With Two More Fish From Red Roof And Corry On Tuesday 22nd May.
27 May 2012: Temperatures hit 25c here today. It has been bright sunshine without a single cloud in the sky for the past 4 days. There was a strong, warm east wind on Friday and Saturday, adding to already difficult conditions. The east wind lowers the river as it pushes water down the lake and water levels have dropped to under 0.5 metres on the gauge this morning. Catches have dropped since the sunshine arrived and no fish were reported today or yesterday. However the past week saw some decent catches with some anglers, lucky to have met fish at the right time, reporting multiple catches.
John Gill With Two More Fish From Red Roof And Corry On Tuesday 22nd May.
Among the catches reported last week were, John Gill and Chris Mc Daid, who enjoyed a good week’s fishing with each having success below the Four Masters’ Bridge on flying c and fly. B. Gilbert had a 4lbs fish on cascade from the Black Hole on Saturday 19th, P. Thornton had 3 fish on prawn during the week from the Washstones and Money Hole on prawn, the best of which was 9lbs, Bruce Campbell had a 6.5lbs fish on spinner from the Washstones on the 21st, B. Grimes had grilse on fly from Brineys and the Trout Pool on Friday 25th, H.G. Weber had a 2lbs fish on spinner from the Crooked Hole on Tuesday 22nd and Elmar Heiming had a 2.1lbs fish on fly from the Crooked Hole on Thursday 24th.
Felix Hoffmann With His Fish From The New Bridge On Spinner On Friday 25th May.
Bill Likely With His Fish From The High Bank On Toby On Monday 21st May.
On Friday, Billy Grimes registered 5lb grilse caught on a fly from Briney’s. Felix Hoffman accounted for a 6lb salmon caught on a Toby lure from the New Bridge. Johnathon Ayton recorded a 5lb grilse caught on shrimp from the Sea Pools. B. Marshall logged a 5lb grilse also caught on shrimp from the Sea Pools. Chris McDaid registered a 5lb grilse caught from Clancy’s Pool on a spinner and D. O’Hare accounted for 3 salmon weighing 4, 5 & 6lb caught on shrimp from the Sea Pools. On Sunday Paul Rippingale recorded a 5lb grilse caught on prawn from the Eel Weir.
With the good run of grilse continuing and the chance of some rain showers, prospects look very good for the coming week.
Fishing Below The Four Masters’ Bridge At The Black Hole.
We figured the pike were on so we switched of the engine and thrashed the area with a huge range of lures both big and small. They truly were on and the lures went down a treat and brought numerous Jack Pike to the boat but the bigger pike still hadn’t show their faces so the plan after lunch was to sit back and go on the troll.
We were straight into the action as the pike hit the lures really hard but kept failing to connect with the hooks and one or two pike even tried a savage attack on our floats. It was frustrating but eventually, as we were upon the magical evening hour, we connected with some better fish. We got 2 really cracking pike that were in super condition and put up a hell of a fight before we had them in the net.
We slipped them back in after a few quick snaps. Both pike came within fifteen minutes of each other and it really put a great ending to a super days Piking.
