This week on the River Whispers Dan O’Neill speaks to father and son duo Mitch and Brody on their approach to a trout run. Lauren from Texas recently was fly fishing for the first time and talks about her experience. Dan speaks a little about life as an angling guide and of course there’s another angling tip for your journey…
The last two weeks I have fished with many clients and got to cast a line on the River Nore with them. Dry fly was working quite well for us, we had a lot of fish on sedge patterns fished close to overhanging trees or deep pools along the edge of the bank. I recently got some klinks from my good friend John McCullagh and they certainly did the job. Fish hit them very hard making for exciting fishing. The water was low and clear mostly so watching the way a run was approached was of high importance. The fish are now stuffed with sedges and getting little pot bellies extending their beautiful buttery gold flank. Some sea trout made an appearance during the past week also which was a nice surprise. Looking forward to the next fortnight and the surprises it may hold.
Father and son versus River Nore Trout
A call one evening resulted in me getting to take a father and son fly fishing, not for the first time but it was their first shot at an Irish brown trout. The lads have a very organized approach to a trout run, really making an experience out of each trip.
“Brody and I were very excited to fish the River Nore for Brown Trout. We have heard so much about the river getting to finally cast a line here was super special. Brody has picked up some tips from some guys back home that he put into practice. Brody went the evening before we were due to fish, he checked some cobwebs along the bank to see what type of flies would be caught in them. We turned over some rocks also the evening before to take a look at what nymphs were around. All ways to improve your chances of catching a fish. We both took a look at the run with Dan and between us we made a game plan. It was us against the Trout.
After about 10 minutes Brody caught his first trout and managed to land it. What a beauty it was and we were very happy to have broken the ice. I also had a nice brown just behind the white bridge in an area where we had spotted some trout the evening before. After the trip was over, we had 9 trout in total all very unique and hard fighting. We will for sure be back to Ireland to catch hopefully some more browns”.
First Brown Trout for Lauren
Lauren all the way from Texas was staying on the estate for a few days and always wanted to try fly fishing. We decided to have a short lesson before hitting the water to try for a Brown Trout.
“I have always wanted to try fly fishing. The River Nore looked like the perfect spot to try it. I was excited to fish with Dan at an area called pebble beach about ten mins from the Manor house. The casting lesson I was a little fearful of, I didn’t imagine I would pick up the overhead cast and the circle c cast so quickly. We began with wet fly fishing and used the circle c cast as we didn’t have much room behind for an overhead cast.
I enjoyed the circle c and wet fly fishing as it allowed me to relax and I just found myself in another realm. Another realm until a fish hit my fly of course which startled me a little. I managed to land the fish and it was my first ever fish. I feel like I have been fly fishing for some years now and that’s only after a few hours doing it. I am glad I found it and will certainly be following up on it once I get back home”.
Guide life Dan O Neill
How many times I have heard “you’re so lucky, what a great job to have”, true, I am very lucky. Behind the pictures, smiles and fish there is plenty of work that’s not always seen as well as many thoughts that flash through your mind. A typical day for me in peak season starts at 3.30am, I hear the alarm go off and my mind shouts at me to stay in bed but my heart knows what’s in store. A wonderful sun-rise, seeing the early morning fly hatch, catching nature off guard a little, going a little slower to allow the blackbirds to get out of the roadway and of course meeting a new angler and making a new angling acquaintance. I am quite easy going which annoys my nearest and dearest at the best of times but works to my advantage with guiding.
When growing up if I didn’t have it I made it, if I couldn’t make it, I done without and I am very proud of that. My first “fly rod” was a Daiwa 9ft spinning rod with 30pound mono as fly line and some 5-pound line as tippet joined together with a 1/0 sea fishing swivel. I realized after time how to adjust to be able to get the line out. I also realized that the huge swivel needed to be 6/7 feet from my fly to stand a chance of catching a fish. The weight of the swivel was most likely what made the line go, it certainly wasn’t technique. I was probably about 8 or 9 at this stage. I would fish the local river in Gowran and did i get trout, I certainly did. In fact, me and my make do fly rod caught many a fish on the Gowran river. Being able to adapt and make it work stuck with me when i began guiding, if there were fish there I would get them, I would adjust and adapt to give myself the best chance. It might not always be pretty but I’d get them.
Of course, getting the fish is a huge part of guiding but there are some other attributes a guide needs. I have a limited time to get to know my guest, catch them a fish, get a picture and make sure their experience was memorable and enjoyable. Getting into tangles and knots, no problem. To become a qualified angler on our short trip, you must catch a fish, get stuck in some sort of vegetation and of course get the dreaded knot from hell. Along the way there are some other little trophy moments that add to your fly angling portfolio such as filling your hip waders with water trying to get too close to a fish, dropping your fly box in the river and of course the golden globe, dropping your “waterproof” phone in the river. You certainly need a sense of humour, luckily my easy-going ways and a glimmer of humour make my job easier.
My best ever decision was to take the APGAI Ireland exam, the journey to my assessment filled me with knowledge. I wanted to be the best I could be for the many anglers I take fishing from all over the world and of course my home country. They deserve the best version of me, its my responsibility to educate myself fully in order to provide a quality service to the people who took the time to book with me and trust in me. Once I began guiding I constantly wanted to be better I was never satisfied, simplifying casts, getting that fish others couldn’t, knowing the river, getting fish on the river when most people would stay at home. The list goes on and on. Do I love what I do? I certainly do.
Angling tip
Take your time. Get to know the run you’re going to fish. Look at the glide and make a steady plan of how you’re going to approach it. Be wary of where your shadow is cast, watch it and avoid if possible casting it onto the river bed. Don’t go crashing in all guns blazing. Plan your casts. Watch for seams and learn to read the river. If you see a fish or catch a fish look at the location and try to figure out why that fish was there. Don’t try to overcast, Mark those fly lines at your practice distance. I mark my lines at around 30ft from casters foot to fly, I can quite comfortably say 90 percent of my trout this year have been within that distance.
Fish numbers for the last 2 weeks
Salmon: 8
Largest: 10 pounds caught at the white bridge.
Trout: 280
Largest: 1.2pounds caught at lower pebble beach.
Sea Trout: 12
Largest: 40cm caught at upper Georges wall.
Upcoming event
On the 28th of July I will be at the “Introduction to fishing and social day” for all ages at Laois angling Centre This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the budding young anglers along for some free tuition from an APGAI-Ireland instructor. There will also be fly tying at the event. Make sure to stop by to say hello.
Go fishing…
![Logo for Trout Fishing Ireland]( "Logo for Trout Fishing Ireland")
Notes
Growing up in the countryside of Gowran, Co.Kilkenny, I started my fishing journey on the River Barrow with my dad, which is where I caught my first fish, a lovely brown trout. The Gowran River was also a short walk from my homeplace, and on the days my dad couldn’t fish, I would walk through the fields and fish the Gowran River. My love for fishing grew and took me to Mount Juliet Estate, where I began guiding at 13. I went on to become fisheries manager at Mount Juliet Estate and, to this day, enjoy taking out hundreds of clients every year fishing on the River Nore. I enjoy all types of fishing and guide all over Ireland. I am an Apgai Ireland-qualified casting instructor and have Ambassador roles with Cadence and Yeti. I joined Fulling Mill as an endorsed pro guide and am part of the Patagonia pro team. My angling journey has been an exciting one and hopefully will continue to be.
I take out all levels of anglers, from beginner to experienced. I enjoy what I do and count myself very lucky to be able to meet and guide new people to what might be their first Irish fish.
Dan O Neill
Website: troutfishingireland.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +353857652751
Instagram
Facebook
Dan O’Neill | LinkedIn
Home | Apgai Ireland
![Logo for Mount Juliet]( "Logo for Mount Juliet")
Notes
Angling Guide, Wild Brown Trout, Salmon
Mount Juliet House is set on a large estate, which offers private fishing on 2.5 miles of the middle to lower reaches of the River Nore. Mount Juliet Estate offers fishing of the highest quality, just a short stroll away from the Manor House. There is a fishing room on site in the Manor House for your convenience i.e. for storage and drying of fishing equipment. Mount Juliet Estate can also provide the necessary equipment on site if needed.
Dan O’Neill is the Fishery Manager and is an avid fly angler with great enthusiasm and passion for his sport. He has a wealth of experience of fishing on the fabulous River Nore. Dan can arrange salmon and trout fishing trips and can offer great advice and local knowledge to anglers wishing to visit the Nore and other rivers in the south east.
Fly Casting Instruction
Dan is an AGPAI Ireland qualified single handed casting instructor. He will be happy to arrange casting lessons on the fishery.
Tackle Hire
Fishing equipment and flies/bait can all be supplied.
Dan is also an accomplished fly tyer and has a number of patterns of his own which regularly bring him success which he would be happy to share with you.
Coarse fishing
Coarse fishing can also be arranged with Dan.
The club’s home water is at Ballyshunnock Reservoir, Co Waterford. The reservoir is managed as a mixed fishery by Waterford & District Coarse Angling Club. It is regularly stocked with brown and rainbow trout of 1lb plus as well as a healthy native population of browns. It also contains rudd, bream, tench and rudd/bream hybrids. 
Castle Maiden
Manannan Mac Lir
