Bream, hybrids and roach readily taking bait presented using feeder methods
Bream, hybrids and roach readily taking bait presented using feeder methods
The last couple of weeks have produced some great fishing around the Portumna area despite the high winds. Bream are shoaling up in several locations with prebaiting necessary to hold them in these areas. Bream, hybrids and roach are readily taking bait presented using feeder methods. There are also plenty of good size perch being landed. I had a great 3 hour afternoon session using feeder and maggot/corn cocktail.
Pike still very active taking both surface and bottom presented lures and deadbait.
The river Foyle was in lovely order all week up to Friday. Plenty of high clean water, mild weather and high air temperatures! Persistent heavy drizzle Thursday night and early Friday morning forced the river up and over the rotten rock at Victoria Bridge rendering most pools unfishable up to Sunday when the high water throws began to fish again.
Mourne
Perfect for the time of year, clean, high and pleasantly warm with plenty of fish in every pool and a sprinkling of newcomers arriving every now and again to keep things fresh. Everything was perfect for a good week.
“There not playing” “Has anybody got dynamite” “I’ve tried every fly in the box”!!! These quotes were repeated time and again along with a few unprintable up and down the river from Strabane to the Snaa. The fish were not particularly interested in anything other than finding a mate and it will stay that way, says a few older hands, until they’re ready and in their own good time. There was the odd one caught each day, a take would come on and two or three would be landed with in a twenty minute spell, then it was back to throwing the dummy out of the cot and “were not playing again”. Let’s hope they are in the mood next week!
Derg
The river around Ardstraw was in good order all week but there was little angling effort. Above Castlederg it was a bit low for any serious angling effort and it reflected in catches being low for the week.
On Sunday I witnessed an angler kill an 8/9lb hen fish which was as red as a carrot; He informed me “it was for the table”!! This same angler is often heard crying about no fish in the river, “What are you going to do about it”. When is the penny going to drop!!
Traditionally Derg fish start spawning from late November given the right conditions; the last few years have been a bit later. Fish that are in the river now could spawn in about six weeks time and are by now heavy with spawn. All Derg anglers should follow the example set by Castlederg Angling Club, banning the taking of any fish after the 1st September, this would surely be a positive step in the right direction to ensure any fish in the river are given the best possible chance to spawn
Outlook
The forecast doesn’t look promising with rain and high winds for the middle of the week so make the best of it now when it is fishable. Still plenty of fish in the Mourne!
The week leading up to the competition produced some good fishing with13 pike on the Monday.
8 lb. was the best pike to James Healy
On the Thursday 7 pike were caught from the far side of the lake with Ryan Holmes landing 2 @ 13 pounds and 15 pounds.
Competition day Saturday 1 Oct. saw 13 pike anglers from Belfast, Strabane, and Donegal and over the Foyle area…
Results.
1st James Casey from Culmore 12.9 lbs winner , Owen Huschka from Belfast 12.2 lbs winner , Raffio from Strathfoyle second place 10.6 lb., Joe Kelly from Strabane third 10 lb. and Andy Deery from Rosemount last year’s winner forth place 9.8 lbs.
18 other pike were caught on the day by other anglers Mark Kane , Sony Casey , Ariel , John Harkin , Matt Kent , James Heally and Stephen Gamble.
Young anglers Jimmy, Derrmot and friends did release a trout of 10 lbs caught by Jimmy on the day as well.
Pike fly rod and spinning rods for the winners other various prizes.
Sunday 2 Oct. Alan Stuart from Ballymoney had 13.10 lbs pike on roach and two jacks just to prove they were not all caught.
Our next pike competition will be on 5 November 11 at the Oaks 10 am to 4 pm .
Patrick Devennie, Head Ghillie at the Careysville Fishery reports that although we did get some rain during September, amounts were small, bringing down several little muddy spates. These mini spates moved fish from the lower beats but were not large enough to bring up our Autumn fish from the estuary. By the time the water had cleared sufficiently, we had lost the advantage of rise and height. All our fish caught in September were on fly, 67% were returned. Our largest fish of the month was 14 lb. caught by Nigel Harding Newman, the fish was then pit tagged and returned. On the very last day of the season, the rains came and so did the long awaited flood. It was all too late for the Blackwater. Lets hope for a wet winter to bring the water table back up to normal and fill the springs again for next season. There is still some limited space at Careysville for next year.
Contact Patrick Devennie (Head Ghillie) by e-mail at [email protected] or by mobile at +353 (0)86 2378788
You can contact the fishery by mail, phone or through the website. Careysville Fishery Clondulane Fermoy Co.Cork Ireland Tel: +353 (0)25 31094 Email:[email protected] Web Site:www.careysville.com
Cashel Trout Fishery report by Marlene Mc Laughlin
Our annual competition will be held on Saturday the 29th October 2011. Please get in contact as soon as possible if interested in taking part as places are limited.
With the temperatures reaching the early twenties this week anglers are still using dries and buzzers to make their catches. Derry’s Maurice Whiteman released an amazing twenty trout over two short days while Dungiven’s John Hasson released half a dozen trout which fell to dries like the black gnat. Alfie Mc Farlane and Alastair Brown (Scotland) on their first visit to Cashel were quite unlucky since they didn’t manage to get any of their fish to the bank. Jim Russell and Danny Walker (Monkstown) did very well bagging three for home which weighed a total of 6 lb and which fell to their old favourite the Kate McLaren wet fly.
Well done to all!
River Licences are on sale at Cashel Trout Fishery during Fishery opening hours. 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. Marlene
17 Birren Road, Dungiven, BT47 4SH,
Tel: Dungiven 0044 (0)28777 42159,
Nigel Rush reports: “We can boast our most productive year since 1998 which resulted in the Abbey section of the fishery producing 238 Salmon. A steady decline in numbers followed after 1998 until the drift nets were removed in 2007.
The fishery this year produced 143 Salmon for just 257.5 Rod Days. A staggering average of .56 Salmon/Rod/Day over the entire fishery. However, if five fish were removed from the total (those caught on the lakes) and the lake rod days removed from the overall total then the Dawros river has produced 138 Salmon for 147.5 Rod Days…a staggering .935 Salmon/Rod/Day.
We had some consistently good anglers who were returning over two fish per day and this was greatly helped by top rod Geoffrey Fitzjohn who for 17.5 days effort landed 37 Salmon for the season, blanking on just 3.5 days.
Considering that up to the end of August, there had been a shortfall of over 700 Salmon over the counter against the same period in 2010, the Salmon have, to say the least, been most co-operative! The combination of predominately good angling conditions, water levels and not to forget the masterful abilities of our anglers during the August and September months has added to our success. A good deal of fresh fish seemed to be running the system over the last couple of weeks of September and we have recorded the best September in decades with 51 fish recorded or nearly 36% of the season’s catch… the most productive month this season.
Of the 143 Salmon landed this year, 81 fish were returned, a healthy 57%.
The total weight of Salmon landed has amounted to 618.75 lb. averaging the individual weight at 4.33 lb. against 3.70 lb. in 2010. Just 2 Salmon were fin-clipped this year against an average of 8% over other seasons.
A very noticeable increase this year in the amount of Salmon parr in the river indicates good past spawning and hopefully we will reap the rewards over the next few years.
Sea Trout catches were up on last year with 377 recorded against 214 last year. An average of 1.46 Sea Trout/Rod/Day. Again, if figures were adjusted by removing 15% of the total (those caught on the river) and the resultant figure of 321 Sea Trout caught on the lakes divided by the 110 lake Rod Days, anglers were averaging 2.99/Rod/Day. The average weight was around 12-14 ounces and fish of >1.5 lb. were not a rare occurrence with 4.5lb our largest for the season. It has been a difficult year on the lakes with once again predominately Southerly based winds which tend to play havoc with regard to good drifting conditions.
I predict very good spring runs in 2012 as this year’s counter deficit, mainly grilse, possibly will return as 2sw fish next year. We can only keep our fingers crossed.”
Anglers fishing the mud flats at the Sheemore Angling Festival on the River Shannon downstream of Carrick on Shannon.
Anglers fishing the mud flats at the Sheemore Angling Festival on the River Shannon downstream of Carrick on Shannon.
Dave Houghton reports that the Sheemore Angling Festival is an Irish angling festival that you are unlikely to have heard about – but that is about to change. Last week the local angling club staged the three-day event on the River Shannon at Carrick-on-Shannon and two lakes close to Keshcarrigan in County Leitrim.
The 2011 champion is 63 year old Robert Howgate, originally from York, but now living near Carrick-on-Shannon, weighed-in a three-day total catch of 51-2-0 that earned him €400 cash winnings and a €65 fishing reel.
“I’m absolutely delighted”, he said. “There were some very good anglers on the bank and despite strong winds there were plenty of small fish to be caught and the best method was a groundbait feeder.
“My first day (Monday) catch was 19lb of skimmer bream from the Pump-house stretch of Lough Scur, on Wednesday I had a mix of roach, skimmers and hybrids from the River Shannon at the Mud Flats for 9.5lb and on Friday it was Kiltybardan Lake where I had 22lb of skimmers, hybrids and roach”
The Sheemore Angling Festival is very traditional in style, fishing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while allowing overseas anglers the opportunity to explore other fisheries in the area on the rest days.
“We have the perfect set up”, explained club treasurer Dave Oddy. “The competition names after the local Sheemore pub, which is opened every morning with complimentary tea, coffee and biscuit, while we organise the daily draw. And on Friday evening the anglers return from their fishing to enjoy an early supper, again provided by the Sheemore Inn.
“Ideally about 45 match anglers would be perfect because that gives us 15 anglers each day on each sections and makes it very manageable”.
Robert Howgate (Carrick-on-Shannon) 51-2-0
Tony Kersley (Enniskillen) 49-4-0
Nicky Harrison (Arvagh) 48-3-0;
Dave Oddy (Sheemore AA) 47-13-0
Paul Lee (Belturbet) 40-2-0.
Robert Howgate (right) receives the Sheemore Angling Trophy from Dave Oddy, treasurer of Sheemore Angling Association
The big trout estimated at 11 lb. just before returning it to Lough Inagh.
The big trout estimated at 11 lb. just before returning it to Lough Inagh.
Colin Folan, fishery manager reports that 2011 will be a season to remember for Lough Inagh Fishery. There was record numbers of salmon landed this year, and all the beats and pools produced fish. The river was perfect for most of the season due to the high water. As the months passed the Salmon fishing improved which is a little strange, as July is usually the best month. Again this season there was a lack of 10 lbs plus fish – only five were caught! However our average grilse size is slightly over 5 lbs. The first Salmon of the year was landed on the 16th of May at The Derryclare Butts by Finbar McGreevy and it weighed 12.75 lb. The largest Salmon of the season was caught by William Hamilton on Corloo Beat and it weighed 15 lb.+ and took a Sunray Shadow fly. Top rod for Salmon was Andy Walsh with 11 Salmon, all caught on Lough Inagh. Some very large fish were seen in the fishery, but they showed little interest in our flies.
The Sea Trout season was far from good. In late June they started to arrive (right on cue), and Colin was very excited at the numbers and sizes of them, with 3 and 4 pound fish being caught every day. However, they stopped coming early July and it has been puzzling and frustrating to work out why the run was so poor. The Brown Trout numbers were also down, and there was a lack of large Browns this year, only three fish over 6 lb. Our heaviest Brown was caught on a Wooly Bugger on the 26th of July by German lady angler, Anke Kondla. The fish was estimated (by me) at 11 lb. and was released. There were 4 Char also caught on the lake and it is delightful to see these creatures as they are a good indicator of clean water. Many anglers gazed at the pair of Golden Eagles overhead in the Inagh Valley and I am waiting for some DVD footage taken by an angler a couple of weeks ago.
Catch totals for 2011 were Salmon 133, Sea Trout 263, Brown Trout 81, Char 4
Catch totals for 2010 were Salmon 79, Sea Trout 502, Brown Trout 212, Char 2
Catch totals for 2009 were Salmon 56, Sea Trout 470, Brown Trout 424, Char 3
A nice char from Inagh
The annual End of Season competition was fished on September 30th, and was won by Andy Walsh, with 2 Sea Trout, 2 Brown Trout and a 9lbs Salmon. Second was William Hamilton with 2 Brown Trout and a 6lbs Salmon. Third place went to Richard Maguire with 1 Sea Trout and 8 Brown Trout.
Lough Inagh Lodge will remain open until early December, and if any anglers wish to come to learn to tie flies or improve their casting I can offer a deal upon request.
Alice Murtagh reports that the 31st Cootehill Angling Festival was held from the 23rd. to 30th. September and from a field of eighty nine anglers Dutchman Leo Koot emerged as the winner by 2 kg from Kevin Ashurst. Five venues were fished in rotation over five days and waters fished included Annaghmakerrig, Bairds Shore, L. Sillan Upper and Lower and Mullanarry. Favourable conditions led to some good angling and Leo posted a five day total of 54.450kg. Best individual catches were by Andy Pollard with 18.580kg., Leo Koot with 18.500 kg. and Baz Smith with 16.250kg.
Total catch for the week was 2,467 kg. The winning team included Bob Nudd, Kevin Ashurst and Baz Smith. The top six winners are as follows:-
Jimmy Heneghan with the winning trout of 5 lb. 5.4 oz on Lough Sheelin
Jimmy Heneghan with the winning trout of 5 lb. 5.4 oz on Lough Sheelin
02 October: Brenda Montgomery reports that the level of Lough Sheelin rose dramatically from Thursday onwards and with the sudden influx of cold fresh water the trout were ‘put off’ and fishing was difficult for the number of anglers who ventured out during the week, trout were still caught between the deluges of rain and catches were spaced out during the day with no particular times favouring rises. Dry fly methods were still the preferred way to go with every type of fly being tried out – claret dabblers, silver dabblers, hoppers, stimulators, big ollys, sedges etc.
Apologies to John Burke, Trim for omitting his great days fishing on Thursday September 22nd, John accompanied by Michael Kelly caught eleven trout using dry flies and stimulators, the fish averaged between 1½ – 2½ lb. with the two best weights at 3 and 3¾ lbs.
On Saturday October 1st the Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association ran their annual Stream Rehabilitation competition on the lake. Despite weather conditions and high water levels the competition went very well and attracted 110 boats from all over Ireland. Competitors reported a lot of ‘pitching’ of fish probably due to the drop in temperatures from the recent heavy rain. 36 trout were caught with many ‘near catches’ being reported. Catches were mixed between wild and stocked fish but Mayo man Jimmy Heneghan stole the show with his beautiful fish of 5 lbs 5.4 oz. winning him a 19ft Sheelin Boat and the Paddy Sheridan memorial cup.
The results were as follows:
1st Jimmy Heneghan, Mayo 5 lbs 5.4 ozs
2nd Eamon McGolderick 4 lbs 9.2 ozs
3rd Darragh Murtagh, Cavan 4 lbs 5 ozs
4th Peter Roach 3 lbs 3.2 ozs
5th Tom Carroll 3 lbs 2.8 ozs
6th Eon Reynolds 3 lbs 1.8 ozs
7th Eddie Kelly 2 lbs 11.4 ozs
8th Darren Malloy 2 lbs 10.6 ozs
9th Noel Fitzpatrick 2 lbs 9 ozs
10th Andrew Browne 2 lbs 6.8 ozs
The Cavan/Monaghan Garda Division will host their Fly Fishing Competition and Open Competition on Lough Sheelin on Saturday October 8th from Kilnahard Pier from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. This competition is for the heaviest fish and is open to visiting anglers, please contact Dessie McEntee at (047) 77216 or 086-8937568 for further information. The L.S.T.P.A will be running fly tying classes at Lough Sheelin starting in October for young anglers from 10 yrs upwards. Anyone interested should contact Thomas Lynch at 087 9132033 (after 6pm)
59 fish were reported for the week. Among the catches were 1 trout at 1½ lb. for Gary McKiernan, Cavan. Michael Kelly, Balbriggan, Dublin – on Wednesday September 28th – 2 trout at 1½ and 2 lb. caught on stimulators and dry flies. Thursday September 29th – 4 fish averaging 1½ – 2 lb., Michael fished throughout the day and fishing was hard because of the heavy rain, Friday September 30th – 5 fish at 1½ – 2½ lb.
Recent McIntyre Guider cup winner Eamonn Ross, Cavan with his 5.2 lb. wild trout
