David Byrne reports that some reports have just been received through IADA regarding recent coarse fishing matches from venues at Lough Muckno and Annaghearn. The 5th leg of the Cross Border Winter league was fished on Lough Muckno at South Lodge Sunday 5th February. The cold frosty conditions favoured feeder tactics with roach obliging at circa 40yds.Good bags were recorded for the time of year which is not surprising at this all year round venue. Just over 1lb separated second and third positions and 3 lbs + separated first and second. The final results showed first place going to Rory O’Neill with 16.04 lbs, Second place went to Steve Wright from Lurgan with 12.07 lbs and Third place went to Andy Chapman from Dromore with 11.06 lbs’
The 6th leg of the Dromore league was fished at Annaghearn Sunday 29th January 2012.The conditions were calm but fishing was hampered by torrential rain which lasted all day long. Feeder tactics were most productive for roach and skimmers at 40yds. First place in this event went to Neil Mazeruk from Cootehill with 22.12lbs, second place went to Val Brady from Dublin with 18.06 lbs and third place went to Dave Wursnip from Dromore with 17.12 lbs.
The season is open for 2012 on Lough na Leibe. The first day of the new season was a bright but cold affair with a strong southerly wind. Four anglers took to the water for opening day, Bernard McDermott (2011 Lough na Leibe Flyfishing Champion), Francis Brady(2011 Dry flyfishing winner), Tommy Lynch (2011 Evening League Winner) and Anthony Walsh. Although conditions were far from ideal these hardy souls persevered and three of them managed an opening day fish, so well done lads. Those to catch on the day were Bernard, Francis and Tommy, the three competition winners from 2011 all out to lay down a marker for 2012 no doubt!!! The successful patterns on the day were the Orange Nomad and the Rubber -legged Mouse. If you’re going fishing and you don’t have any of these patterns, try nymphs such as Gold Ribbed Hares Ear and Pheasent Tail Nymph size 12 or 14, or small wet flies such as Sooty Olive hackled wet fly or Duckfly emerger, all of these should be fished on floating line with a slow figure of 8 retrieve. For anyone new to angling, if you’re going fishing let someone know where, when and what time you expect to be back.
30/1/12 Again all quiet on the SW front, or you could say my noble fishermen failed miserably in their duties in all departments. Wind SSE light with light rain for most of the afternoon.
31/1/12 Just got back from Cork and my Noble Salmon was as quiet as my Mobile phone, Need I say more.
1/2/12 My Noble Anglers failed miserably in their duties in all departments. Wind E light and variable and very cold.
2/2/12 There were two boats manipulating their Repala’s and Toby’s, and in the words of Local Gillie Mr. Mike O’Dwyer No kelts today, but his counterpart local Gillie Mr. Bob Priestly, reported two kelts and a few spent Trout all caught on the troll. Wind SE light and variable.
3/2/12 my Noble Salmon is still in a very elusive Mood. Wind S light to fresh and overcast with light rain all afternoon.
4/2/12 Just a few boats out and no reports of any real rod benders. Light rain for most of the day.
5/2/12 Another quiet day on the SW front, but to be fair too Lough Currane it would nice to see few more out manipulating their Flies and Rapala’s, need I say more.
Wind NNW light to calm and overcast. That is your ration for this week, from your Gillie/Guide and the Waterville fishery. No Spin No Fly’s just facts.
Vincent Appleby Eureka Lodge
Guide and Instructor for salmon and trout fishing Address: Eureka Lodge, Caherdaniel West, Co. Kerry. Telephone: +353 66 9475248 E-mail:[email protected]Web:www.salmonandseatrout.com
Niall's biggest fish was caught within moments of his first cast
Niall Hearty enjoyed some good pike fishing last Sunday at Island Lake near Crossmaglen in south Armagh. Niall had just cast his first rod with a smelt dead bait and was setting up his second rod when he heard the bait runner going. He lifted the rod and hooked into what turned out to be a lovely pike.
Niall's biggest fish was caught within moments of his first cast
This proved to be the best catch of the day, he had 6 pike in total; 2 of 8lbs, 2 of 7lbs and a 5lb. Niall described his day as excellent and he enjoyed seeing all his fish swim off strongly after a quick photo.
Safety briefings recommended following Lough Mask death probe
A MARINE investigation into the death of a Romanian tourist who drowned during a fishing trip on Lough Mask last year has recommended that a safety briefing should be given to all those hiring angling boats. Mircea Ungar, a Computer Technician from Sibiu in Romania, drowned when his fishing boat capsized after it was hit by a six foot wave on Lough Mask on May 8, 2011. Mayo News, 07/02/12. Read the article ‘Safety briefings recommended following Lough Mask death probe‘.
Angler Joe bags Ballymore’s finest catch!
Quiet fisherman, Joe McGrath landed Ballymore Person of the Year title at last Saturday’s community awards night, much to the delight of his family and fellow anglers from the Trout & Salmon Anger’s Association (TSAA). Leinster Leader, 07/02/12. Read the article ‘Angler Joe bags Ballymore’s finest catch!‘.
Colin Folan from Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel has announced some great special offers for the early part of their season which start on March 17th.
“Well, I hope everyone wintered well and (like me) are itching to get the rod out! The water was pretty high for most of the winter, which made it difficult to count the redds, but the floods don’t seem to have done much damage to the spawning grounds. I spoke to the Fisheries lady who looks after our counter at the Derryclare Butts, and as of last week there are little or no kelts heading out to sea yet.
Lough Inagh Lodge will open its doors for the season on March 17, (the usual opening weekend). This spring we are offering FREE river fishing for all hotel guests up until May 12. A boat can be hired at a reduced cost of €25 per day also for guests, but outboard hire remains the same at €25 per day. All these offers will expire on May 12. The previous two seasons have seen spring salmon caught during the first week in May.
I would like to thank all of our customers who made 2011 a record year for salmon catches in Inagh, and hopefully 2012 can be pleasing also.
Tight Lines,“ Colin Folan Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel
Recess, Connemara, Co. Galway
Web:www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie Tel: +353 (0)95 34706
1 St. Brendans Ave., Woodquay, Galway, Ireland.
086 8679459 (mobile)
Lodge proprietor Ian Powell caught this 6.2 pounder on spinner on the Jole on Lower Kilmurry.
Ian Powell of the Blackwater Lodge reports that about 20 rods fished the opening day on the Munster Blackwater. The water was rather dirty and though 3 kelts were caught no salmon showed.
Over the next couple of days there were no rods out on Blackwater Lodge beats so Ian went for a cast himself. Within an hour he a fish on the bank. Ian takes up the story.
Lodge proprietor Ian Powell caught this 6.2 pounder on spinner on the Jole on Lower Kilmurry.
“There were no rods booked to fish today (03 February) & the weather had turned mild after only 2 days of a cold snap. Glenda was going to teach on Upper Kilmurry for 2 hours, so I decided to accompany her & go for a cast for an hour or so.
I caught this 6.2lb fish on spinner at the Jole on Lower Kilmurry. It would have been released, but was deeply hooked and bleeding. Interestingly, the fish didn’t have sea-lice, so had obviously been in the river for a few days.
This could mean that there is already a reasonable number of spring fish in the river, as we have had prolonged spells of high water & mild temperatures throughout January to encourage them to run. It was only the first 2 days of February where temperatures fell to zero at night.”
Over the weekend the river was in good order and a few rods out. The anglers intercepted a few kelts but no springers were reported until Sunday. The river had risen 12cm but clarity good. Paul Howard was the lucky angler. He caught his first ever springer on his first visit to the river. the salmon was taken on spinner on Lower Kilmurry. His pal Ger McCarthy also caught a sea-liced 5 pounder on the same beat the same afternoon and they saw about a dozen fresh springers during the course of the day.
Paul Howard - ~9lb (Not weighed in yet!) His First Ever Springer & first time on the river! Taken on spinner at the tail of the Island Stream on Lower Kilmurry.
River conditions: The river is already in excellent spinning order with clarity of approx. 3-4 feet. At 0.78m on the gauge this evening, it would still be high for fly-fishing, but it is dropping steadily & should be coming into fly order in the next couple of days.
Fishing Syndication: We initiated a very limited syndicate scheme in 2010. This was extended further in 2011 with membership for either the full season or just the first 4 months. This scheme will continue for 2012, providing an enticing opportunity for those who are able to fish the Blackwater more often. More details on this can be found on this link – Syndication
ANGLING NOTES: A STANDING ovation greeted Ronnie Miley on his retirement as secretary of Dublin Trout Anglers’ Association at the annual general meeting in the Spa Hotel, Lucan, Co Dublin, last Friday week. Irish Times, 06/02/12. Read the article ‘Ovation for Ronnie‘.
Inland Fisheries Ireland, with the assistance of the Office of Public Works, population geneticists from University College Dublin and Irelands trout anglers have commenced a study of the genetic makeup of trout stocks in Ireland’s larger riverine catchments. The first two catchments to be examined were the Suir and Boyne in 2011 and the results are now available.
Scientists refer to this type of study as a “micro-satellite DNA analysis”. In layman’s terms this means that a chemical analysis of scale samples from the fish can reveal their genetic makeup – a similar process to that used by police forces worldwide to identify criminals.
In the case of the Suir and the Boyne, trout stock samples of young fish from all of the major tributary sub catchments were examined genetically. The analysis showed that, in genetic terms, the young trout from these different rivers were discrete –i.e. in the case of the Suir young fish from the Drish were genetically different to those in the Anner, or the Tar, or any other tributary; and in the case of the Boyne young fish from the Stonyford were genetically different to those in the Skane, the Knightsbrook, or any other tributary.
The next stage in the process was to examine samples of adult fish from the main stems of these river and to relate these back to the tributary “genetic types”. At this point IFI sought the assistance of angling clubs. Anglers were requested to take a few scales from any fish they caught, place them in an envelope and record the date of capture, capture location and the length of the fish on the individual envelope. Many of the fish scaled were returned alive by the anglers once these details were collected. The enthusiasm of the anglers was key to the success of this project.
