The Wexford beach championships took place over last weekend Saturday and Sunday 19th and 20th of November. It was the calm after the storm with winds having dropped back from mid week and coloured water conditions. 76 anglers fished the two day event which was held at Tinnebarna on Day 1 and Ballinesker on Day 2. The winner on Day 1 was Dave Roe from Dublin and the winner on Day 2 was Ian Knight from Dublin. The overall winner was Dave Roe from Dublin, with Martin Howlin from Wexford taking second place and Paul Mason from Dublin taking third place. Catches consisted mainly of codling, coalies and flounder. The best fish on Day 1 was a 44 cm codling and a 35 cm flounder on Day 2. Maddies and lugworm were the best baits.
Cashel Trout Fishery report by Marlene Mc Laughlin
Another weekend of beautiful weather which means anglers are in their element at Cashel. Tagged trout worth £50 each have been caught quite frequently in the past few weeks which give anglers something to fish for after their bag limit is caught because you never know the throw that will be the lucky one.
Derry’s Paul Ford lost his two trout which could have had money on them. James O’Neill and Joe Mc Fall released four and one trout respectively which took a dawson’s olive and a black lure. Dungiven’s Martin Bradley and previous winner of two £50 trout caught and released four which took the black zonker and the black cat’s whisker. Kevin Burke (Claudy) released three which took the black lure while young lad Shane Irwin (Dungiven) did equally as well on an f-fly and a fritz hooking him three beauties. Seamus O’Hara banked four which fell to the black fritz but unfortunately his friend Marcus Moore didn’t manage to get any.
Shane Irwin fishing at the Cashel Fishery
We are taking group bookings for any angling club or corporate groups interested in a fun day. Catering facilities are available in the adjacent Cashel Fishing Lodge.
Info and enquiries to Marlene at 17 Birren Road, Dungiven, BT47 4SH, Tel: Dungiven 028777 42159, email: [email protected] ; Web: www.cashellakeview.co.uk
A nice 46cm Wexford flounder for Brian Cooke being measured prior to release
On Thursday 17th November, three anglers recorded some nice flounders on the South Wexford coast, some over 2 lbs in weight. The best of the fish measured over 46cms and was taken on peeler crab. Despite gale force winds, driving rain and coloured water six nice flounders were taken for the session. Crab baits fished on a three hook (2 up and 1 down) flapper rig proved best. A 5oz flat lead held the rigs in position as the tide moved through. Bites dried up just before low water when the session ended.
A nice 46cm Wexford flounder being measured prior to release
The mild weather and south easterly winds alongside medium size tides have made conditions suitable for bass fishing in Wexford. While numbers have dwindled since the summer the occasional bass is still being caught. Exceptionally mild conditions have also allowed mullet to remain in the Wicklow estuaries and some are also present in Malahide estuary. Although many of the fish have left for warmer waters anglers were able to target mullet in sheltered areas. Anglers continued to catch flounders with no reports of any specimens however some flounders to 2lbs weight have been caught in the Wexford estuaries. Recently, well known angler Brian Cooke who is Pro of the IFSA caught a fine specimen flounder and this is our CATCH OF THE WEEK.
Brian Cooke (PRO, IFSA) displaying a fine specimen flounder from Wexford taken recently on crab and is our CATCH OF THE WEEK
At Lough Ramor, coarse fish are starting to gather in numbers in the harbour at Virginia and anglers can expect good catches close in. A reminder to anglers that there is a bye-law prohibiting keepnets and it will be enforced.
The lure that produced the 109cm for Henryk Walkowiak
A fantastic 109cm pike was taken recently by Henryk Walkowiak who is a member of the Polish Fishing Club “Fishmaniak”. The fish was taken on a 10cm lure in a lake close to Roscommon. The pike took the lure at 5.5 m. Henryk was trying to raise him from the bottom but he had to be careful he was fishing for perch with a very light rod and he wasn’t used any traces. So after 20 min a little tired fish decided to show us what size he was. We were amazed because on such delicate gear it was hard to say how big the fish was!! After 30min the fish was tired enough and I was able to pull it close to the boat. After measuring Henryk was shocked because the pike was 109cm(43″) long and about 11kg (25lb) of weight. It was returned back to the water in good condition off course.
Henryk Walkowiak from the Fishmaniak Club Shows his 109cm Pike
The French Delegation from Marseillan take to the water at Lough Muckno, Co. Monaghan.
East Coast Pike Fishing
With Blessington Lake reopened in November it has fished reasonably well. Several double fish have been caught and one 20 lb. pike on a popped up deadbait at Valleymount bridge was recorded by a Dublin angler.
Inland Fisheries Ireland organised a pike fishing trip on Lough Muckno on Monday 14th November for a visiting delegation from Marseillan in France in support of a cross border initiative to improve tourism in the area. This new initiative has been organised by Castleblayney Town Council and Newry and Mourne Council. Unfortunately, the fishing conditions on Monday were very difficult and no fish were caught during the short outing. However, the group were able to see and experience, the extent and potential of Lough Muckno and the professional guide and ancillary services, including quality boats and tackle hire, available to pike anglers visiting Castleblayney and the north east area. Guiding services, boats and equipment were provided by Peadar O’Brien and Tom Coagan and the trip was organised and coordinated by David Byrne Inland Fisheries Ireland.
The French Delegation from Marseillan take to the water at Lough Muckno, Co. Monaghan.
Colm Lynch, reports that pike fishing continues to improve with plenty of reports of good fishing from the region. John Curtis had six fish at the weekend the best being a twelve pounder on around Shercock. While Dan Prunty and John Baker had a great day on Sunday 13th November on a well know midlands lake with 13 fish being boated on the day using dead bait and lures. The best of these fish was a lovely 17 lb fish caught on a salvage 4play lure.
Colm at East Coast Angling can be contacted at [email protected] mobile: 087 2044996
The Annual Dublin Angling Initiative trout fishing competition took place on Thursday 3rd November, at Angling for All facility in Aughrim, County Wicklow. This competition is one of the many youth angling events organised by the Dublin Angling Initiative. Fifty two teenagers participated from all over Dublin, and this competition is certainly the highlight of the fishing calendar for these youngsters. The majority of the participants have attended fishing courses run by the Dublin Angling Initiative throughout the summer months and many have been coming for a number of years and are now good anglers.
Competitors fished in teams of four from the following youth projects; Mulhuddart Community Youth Project, Blanchardstown Youth Service, Whitechurch Youth Development Project, Sphere 17 Darndale, JAY Project, Jobstown, Bradog, Dublin city and Youth Enhancement Whitechurch. This competition is catch and release and after a brilliant day’s fishing where the hard fighting rainbows provided fantastic sport, more than 40 rainbow trout were caught and safely released.
The winning teams on the day were:
1st place: Dublin 15 (team 2) – Aaron Thompson, Daniel Connolly and Shane Murray.
2nd Place: Dublin 15 (team 1) – Jay Sinnott, Josh Twomey, Graham Beattie
Whitechurch (team 2) – Cormac Healy, Barry Downey, Josh McCarthy
Mulhuddart (team 6) – Mark McMahon, Steve McMahon, Eric Hughes, Corey Geoghan
3rd Place: Jobstown (team 1) – Davie Simpson, Dean Meehan, Corey Dardis
Winners - Des Chew, Daniel Connolly, Aaron Thompson, Shane Murray, Josie Mahon
The prizegiving ceremony took place at the Pavilion, adjacent to the fishery where Des Chew and Darragh Long of Millard Brothers presented the prizes of DAM rods and reels. Every young person received a prize which will help them to continue with their hobby.
Des Chew, Project Manager of the Dublin Angling Initiative stated: ‘This competition has been a great success thanks to the ongoing support of Inland Fisheries Ireland, George Kelly of Millard Brothers who donated the prizes for the competition and the staff at the Angling for All facility who sponsored the fishery today. I would also like to praise the fisheries officers of IFI, Derek Evans for his ongoing support to the competition and to the young people themselves who are great advocates for the sport of angling and represent the future for angling in Ireland’.
The competition was organised by Des Chew of the Dublin Angling Initiative. Many thanks to Oisin Cahill, Maurice Carolan, Josie Mahon of Inland Fisheries Ireland Blackrock, Chris McGregor, DAI and Darragh Long from Millards. Thanks also to the youth workers who brought the young people to the competition and who do tremendous work with them all year round.
Maurice Carolan IFI with Dean Meehan at the DAI Event
Curragh Springs Fishery
The mild autumn weather has led to some excellent fishing conditions at Curragh Springs, blustery showers alternating with periods of calm and some fine sunny spells, have kept anglers on their toes. Despite this, the fish were in the top 20 inches of the water for most of the week. The lake continues to fish well with dry flies, such as daddy long legs, cdc and hopper all doing well.
In the breezier colder days, fish were slightly further down and taking small lures such as dancer, cats whisker, viva and various fritz patterns. Buzzers are also doing well although they need to be retrieved.
Sunday 13th provided a good days fishing for our anglers with friends Con Cahill and Andy Boyle [pictured below] from Kilkenny well rewarded with a good days catch on their first visit to Curragh Springs. Martin Cowman from Malahide [pictured below] fished well into the evening and was rewarded with a fine Rainbow. Martin landed and carefully released 15 fish on his visit here on Sunday 13th, his best fish on the day around 12 lb.
Con Cahill shows off one of his trout at Curragh Springs
Andy Boyle had a great first days fishing at Curragh Springs
Curragh Springs is a natural spring fed lake with crystal clear water plus a natural feeder burn.There is an abundance of insect life and an abundance of aquatic life including nymphs, buzzers, fry, minnow, stickleback, beetles, snails, flies, amphibians and terrestrials which encourage the trout to be free rising even on the coldest and dullest of days, giving excellent surface sport.
Martin Cowman had 15 fish for the day with his best fish weighing 12lbs
Why not give Curragh Springs a visit you may get a pleasant surprise, we are open 7 days a week all year round from 9am till dusk.Call Shaun at 087-2462028. Visit our website at www.curraghsprings.com and find directions on our location map
Yes we were blessed with good weather last weekend, and got some nice filming done on Derravaragh for the Failte Ireland Tourism Videos. Local angling expert Pat Keenaghan gave Liza McCann and John Gogarty a guided tour around one of our beautiful lakes here in Westmeath. We even managed to capture a few good pike on film, and the best fish was up on 18lbs.It was not all plain sailing, and the pike were difficult to catch. Visiting anglers Joe O, Brien and Stephen Butler got it hard to get a handle on the Derravaragh pike, but are planning a return trip soon to sort this out. The lads are from the Kill, and Kilmeaden area of Waterford. Stephen was interviewed by Liza and had a few great fishy tales to tell her. I will be keeping in touch with Liza and John, and hopefully get them back early March for the start of the trout season. We have a lot to offer here in the Midlands when it comes to Tourism Angling, and it’s about time it was tapped into.
Failte Ireland film crew at Derravaragh.
Don’t forget this Sunday the Philip Moffat Memorial Cup, and the Derravaragh Christmas pike competition will be fished. Check in at Donore Shore at 11am, and fishing till 4pm.Weather permitting it will be a cracking day out for all the family. All going well Marty Smith from Macklesfield near Manchester will be over, and we will get him stuck into a good pike on Derravaragh.
