Tย his has been a much improved week weatherwise. Although easterly winds kept temperatures low, it’s been quite bright and dry, giving all of us a respite from the last 6 months of seemingly constant rain! High pressure is dominating our weather for the next few days too, with temperatures rising from today and giving some lovely conditions to get out.
We start this week with coarse angling, and festival season continued in Inniscarra over the last week. Following his previous win in the O’Callaghans Festival, Henk Roskam again came out on top in the Dave Bacon Feeder Festival, where some good bream fishing provided excellent weights.
Paul Waghorne continued his annual Irish sojourn by targeting roach in Co. Longford, where a few days perseverance in tough conditions paid off with some superb fishing and plenty of good roach over 1lb.
The first qualifier for this yearโs VDE Irish Canal Masters took place at Daingean on Sunday in pleasant conditions, where Sensas angler Conor Browne took the win with a bag of tench, roach and skimmers.
VDE Baggers hosted the Sลawek Siembida Memorial, returning to the renowned River Erne to honour the memory of Sลawek Siembida, a former member who loved fishing for hybrids and more on the river. They were rewarded with really good fishing, Steve Lane taking top honours with 13.320kg, and they also raised nearly ยฃ700 for charity.
Edenderry CAC had a strong turnout for their first club match on the canal, where despite tough conditions Padraig O’Riordan secured victory from an end peg against a strong field of anglers.
Pike angling reports are sparse this week, but Kevin Lyons of Melview Lodge is consistent with his, and he reports on another returning French group who enjoyed decent pike sport on the fly. The quality of the fishing, and the welcome at Melview, are evident in the number of anglers who return year after year to Longford.
Further north on the Shannon, Bodo Funke reports on a number of PB fish for returning and new guests, including a fantastic 114cm fish for Martin (Catch of the Week), and a 110cm PB for Florian.
Salmon fishing picked up significantly on Lough Currane, where several fresh fish were reported, all on the troll. There were also fish reported from the laune, and a fish from the River Bandon in Cork too. The Blackwater was fairly quiet, and we have no reports from other fisheries.
Trout fishing now and the Deel & Boyne Anglers Association enjoyed a memorable day on the water as they hosted their 2026 Annual Trout Competition, the Jim Glynn Memorial Cup, on Saturday. A lovely spring day saw some great fish landed, including a fine trout of 3lbs 4oz to take the trophy for the ever consistent Virgil Malinauskas.
Over on Lough Conn, tough conditions and a blustery northwest wind meant wetfly was the order of the day for the ITFFA qualifier, with 120 anglers attending. Peter Byrne from Castlebar used his local knowledge to take the win, and the top 10 anglers made the Irish team for the international to be held later in the year.
To the sea now, and with the windy weather up to the last couple of days, we have no boat angling reports to mention. The club competition scene has been busy though, with a good few matches on beaches around the country. Dabs and flounder made up most of the catch for the New Ross Anglers club at Ballyhack, with a tight competition for the pools prize.
Borough SAC enjoyed a busy session at Arklow – club anglers will know the happy feeling of a match whjere fish are coming in all the time, and this was one of those. John Coyne took the win there with 19 fish for 518 points – great fishing!
The second leg of the Ultima Munster Shore League was fished on Woodstown Strand, Co. Waterford, on a rare summerโs day, with blue skies and little to no wind. Species caught included bass, Flounder, Eels, Dogfish, Golden Grey Mullet, and Gilthead Bream, and sport was busy from the off. Alan Mulcahy took this leg of the league.
Killybegs Mariners members also enjoyed a productive trip to Belmullet, where they found good fishing where they could get shelter from the winds, and also report good fishing on the local beaches in Donegal Bay.
Irish Spring Angling Fair
The Irish Spring Angling Fair will be back bigger and better at Ardaire Springs Angling Centre on the 2nd and 3rd of May 2026. Children under 14 years of age, with an adult, can attend for free, making this an ideal family day out. The Irish Spring Angling Fair has become a big hit with angling novices and enthusiasts who value the opportunity of meeting with and learning from a host of world-renowned celebrities. Don’t miss it this May Bank Holiday weekend.
And now the weather
Dry with good sunshine for most today, a bit cloudier in the west and southwest. A few showers developing in Munster this evening, some heavy. Highest temperatures of 14 to 20 degrees, warmest in the west and coolest along east and south coasts in light to moderate southeast winds.
On Saturday scattered showers over Munster and Connacht will spread northwards across the country. They will die out by afternoon with dry conditions and some sunny spells following. Highest temperatures of 14 degrees in the west to 19 degrees further east, and similar temperatures on Sunday, a mostly dry and bright day.
The weather over Ireland will continue mainly dry and settled as high pressure dominates.
Don’t forget to double-check the forecastย before heading off, and if youโre going to sea,ย check the tides.
Safe fishing to allย andย tight lines, especially here in Ireland.
IFI Staff
Catch, Photo, Release
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Third place went to Bob Hulme of Matrix M&D with 10lb 13oz, just one ounce behind second place. Seven anglers qualified for the September final, with the next qualifier scheduled for May 24.
