Lough Arrow Fish Preservation Society hosted their end of season competition recently. First place was won by Pat Eyres, with a trout of 3.19lbs, second went to Eddie Harte with his catch of 2.84lbs and Ken Murray claimed third, his catch weighing 2.53lbs.
The system rose and fell several times throughout last week, giving a limited window of opportunity for anglers. Despite this, 24 salmon were recorded for the week on the club waters, with a large proportion of those released. Connor O’Sullivan, Co. Offaly, landed two salmon while Alan Morrow and Jim Clelland of N.Ireland, both had a fish each. Bill Ashton, Ballinrobe released a nice fish of 8lbs, Edward McCarthy, England, also had success with two salmon, one of which was released. Bangor Angling Club will mark the closing of the season with their annual ‘Last Cast’ Charity angling event on Friday 30th, which is a catch and release event. Fishing for the day costs €30, commences at 10am and includes food and entertainment afterwards. For further details please contact Seamus Henry on +353 (0)97 83487.
RIVER ROUGHTY
7 salmon landed for the week, averaging 5 lb by local anglers
COOMHOLA RIVER
10 salmon landed for the week, all averaging 5/6 lb. on worms and spinners by mostly local anglers.
RIVER ILEN
34 salmon landed for the week, with a best fish of 12 lb landed on a fly and released by local angler Hans-Eckhardt Wagner.
RIVER LAUNE BEATS 1 AND 2
3 salmon taken from Beat 2 averaging 6lbs by local anglers on worms.
LAUNE SALMON AND TROUT ANGLERS’ ASSOCIATON WATERS AND BEAT 3
Laune Salmon and Trout Anglers’ Association waters and Beat 3.
As of Monday 26th September water steady and perfect at 2.25 feet on the gauge at Johnston’s and running clear and fishable by all methods especially fly. Fishing conditions to Friday ‘Closing Day’ should be perfect.
There was a big fishing effort for the week and a lot of fish were caught and met by those who could get out. Visiting members of the Association from France, Germany and England who have fished for the last few weeks are regularly catching fish some very good ones among them, up to 14lbs on the fly . Permit Holders are having good fishing also.
Local members who are getting out are also meeting fish on a regular basis. The best fish reported for the week was from Johnston’s a fish of 22lbs by Michael Wall on flying ‘C’ . This writer had his first ever fish in Coffey’s on Monday evening a fresh fish of around 10 lbs followed by another similar fish a half hour later. On Saturday evening 24th I had a sea-liced fish of about 6lbs. What is noticeable is that the majority of fish being caught are mostly bright fish in good condition.
There were 28 salmon reported for the week.
Beat 3: The fishing on Beat 3 continues to disappoint as I would judge the water level to be perfect but most anglers are blanking there on all methods.
Note to Permit Holders:
Please not there may be a restriction on the sale of permits depending on demand. Also note that Permit Holders cannot fish Johnston’s after the 15th of September. You may be asked by any member to show your permit and make sure that you display the appropriate portion of the permit of on the dash of your vehicle. Also our five Warranted Officers will be patrolling and checking for permits, these officers and indeed the members will be delighted to assist you with advice on tackle and where to fish.
For further information look up:www.launesalmonanglers.com
Email: [email protected]
Billy Downes, Secretary Laune Salmon and Trout Anglers’ Association
Inland Fisheries Ireland Press Release
A recent review of fish stocks in the River Tolka in north Dublin, by Inland Fisheries Ireland has indicated the presence of numbers of juvenile wild Atlantic salmon in the river in three locations in the Glasnevin and Finglas areas. This is the first record of wild salmon reproducing in the Tolka for at least 100 years.
The reestablishment of a wild salmon population in the Tolka is due to the coordinated efforts of a number of State Agencies. Earlier this century the Office of Public Works, working closely with three County Councils (Dublin, Meath and Fingal) carried out a flood relief scheme in the Tolka. Inland Fisheries Ireland worked closely with these groups advising on fishery aspects of this scheme.
This involved either the removal or modification of a significant number of man-made weirs to “open up” this system to migratory fish. On completion of this scheme adult sea trout immediately ran the system all the way upstream to its headwaters in Dunboyne for the first time in, at least, 150 years.
Read more at the Inland Fisheries Ireland website.
You can watch online at the RTE site.
The lake provided challenging fishing to anglers over the past week with a wide variety of mainly dry flies being used to tempt the illusive Sheelin trout. Interestingly enough there has been a lot of movement of stocked trout with only small appearances of wild fish. There were small hatches of olives and some good quantities of sedge present particularly towards the later part of the week.
Two fishing competitions were hosted on Sheelin last Saturday, September 24th.
The Guider/McIntyre Cup attracted 25 anglers, the winners of this event were:
1st Eamonn Ross, Cavan with a 5.2 lbs fish
2nd Dessie McEntee, Cavan with his 4¼ lb trout
3rd Adrian Rush, Armagh with a fish over 2 lbs.
The second competition was the Royal Cup in which 15 anglers took part in, result were:
1st Paddy McCabe, Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan with a beautiful 5 lb 8 oz trout.
2nd Morris Little, Crover just narrowly being pushed into second place with his 5 lbs 7 oz trout.
3rd Garry Leddy, Baileboro, who caught a trout of just over 2 lbs.
49 fish were recorded for the week
Patrick Dwyer and Paul Kavanagh, Gorey, Wexford on September 24th – 3 fish averaging 1½ – 2 lbs, all fish were in excellent condition.
John Murphy, Crover – on Saturday September 24th, 3 trout averaging 1½ – 2 lbs.
Michael Kelly, Dublin – on Thursday September 22nd eleven trout using dry flies and stimulators. Nine trout averaged 1½ – 2½ lbs and two were 3 and 3¾ lbs. Michael fished all over the lake on this day. On Friday using dry flies around Orangefield, Merry pt., Derry pt and the Long Rock, six trout, four @ 1½ – 2 lbs and two @ 2½ lbs, the morning proved to be the best fishing time on this particular day.
Thomas Harton, Cavan – 2 trout on Friday September 23rd around Wilson’s and Church Island, averaged 1½ to 2 lbs.
Things are starting to heat up at Lough Sheelin with the anticipation of next Saturday’s competition– ‘The Stream Rehabilitation Competition’ hosted by The Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association. This popular event, which is in its 6th year attracts anglers from all over Ireland and its proceeds go directly towards the enhancement and rehabilitation of streams within the Sheelin catchment.
For further information please go to the club’s website or contact Eamonn Ross @ 086 6619834 or Thomas Lynch @ 087 9132033.
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 11a.m to 6p.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).
Brenda Montgomery
IFI – Limerick
Lough Sheelin Office
Email: [email protected]
Tony Kersley stamped his name well and truly on the Carrick-on-Shannon Angling Festival honours list by scoring his fourth win on the River Shannon and lakes of County Leitrim.
The 50 year old Irishman from Enniskillen, almost direct from the World Feeder Championship, has fished the five day event eight times with four wins, runner-up three times and suffered a total blow-out on the other occasion. His latest win in a line-up of 66 matchmen from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England and Holland, earned him the first prize of €1,000.
The Carrick festival is the only surviving festival based on points and Tony’s approach is governed entirely on doing what is necessary to win the section and therefore gaining the lowest number of points. There are five fishing days and each angler counts his best four scores.
Kiltybardan Lough near to Ballinamore was the opener for Kersley and he won with a catch of 7.380k (16lb) thanks to a mix of 140 roach, skimmer bream and hybrids, using a straight lead and casting into 7m with single red maggot on a size 14 hook.
Next day he moved to the Mudflats stretch of the River Shannon at Carrick and came first with 12.060k (26lb). For the first two hours he used a straight bomb with catapulted balls of groundbait at about 25m, then for the remaining three hours he worked with a small feeder at the same distance while working through six pints of casters. His catch was 90 per cent roach and the rest hybrids.
Day three meant that Tony was on the shallow Heron’s Shore of Lough Allen. Fishing into nothing more than a metre in gale force winds, he chose a cage feeder because the fish were up in the water and this allowed him to use a 1.3m hook length while catching mostly roach on single caster. He weighed-in with 7.360k (16lb) and by now had chalked up a perfect total score of three points.
His fourth match took our champion to Lough Scur pump house where (as if he needed it!) drew the end peg at the base of the new access steps. Apart from the last 15 minutes of pole fishing, this match was won with a 9m pole, a quarter gramme rig at half depth in 2m depth, going through three pints of loose fed casters to catch hybrids and roach for 9.880 (21lb).
The fifth and final day took Tony to Holy Island (Barney’s Shore) on Lough Allen. This very shallow flat-calm section of lake performed poorly every day and some pegs didn’t produce a fish in difficult conditions and he finished seventh, which didn’t matter because he already had a perfect score of four points.
The festival runner-up was former UK angler Nicky Harrison, now living in Arvagh, County Cavan, who returned a very creditable 5 points. He tally was D1 Holy Island first; D2 on Kiltybardan second; D3 Shannon Mudflats first and D4 Heron’s Shore first.
Dave Houghton
Active Irish Angling
Holiday and information service
Tel: 0151 324 4744 or 00 353 (0)71 9642743
Web: www.activeirishangling.com
Weather over the last week was still not 100% but I was able to get out fishing again! I was not fishing every day and the fishing I did was with different groups in for day trips.
I did 2 days where we were just fishing in the estuary and although on the second day the fisherman were not the most experienced we probably had the better days fishing. Not sure if this was because as the seas settled the conditions at the bottom were improving or if it was because of the state of the tide or was it just plain luck!! Any way there were a few Mackerel still up in the estuary above Carrigaholt and with them as bait we caught quite a few Thornback ray to 8lbs and our share of Doggies. There were also a few small Pollack on some rough in the deepest parts.
Then last Saturday I managed to get out for a shark drift. We were not sure if this would go ahead till we went out to have a look but as the lads were happy to just fish the estuary if conditions were not suitable we went ahead and tried. As it turned out conditions, once clear of the land, were not bad although the water temperature had fallen back to 13.5’C. Once in position I set the drift and we had a good run quite quickly. This turned out to be a Blue Shark around the 80lb mark but it gave a fight more normal with a bigger shark. Then we had a second lighter run and when we got the fish to the boat it turned out it was a small Porbeagle Shark of 30 to 35lb. It was great to see one of these about. There is no doubt that the cooler water is cutting the number of shark about but I also wondered if it was because of this that the Blue put up such a fight and that we caught the Porbeagle?
At the moment I have a group in for a few days fishing and today I had my first “normal” days fishing on the reefs west of the Loop in 3 weeks! This was a very good day with lots of fish of all types about and we had fish coming to the boat continually all day. Indeed the fishing was as good as it gets!
Luke Aston
Clare Dragoon, LOCHIN 366, 650HP.
Carrigaholt Co. Clare
To experience some of the best deep sea fishing available in Ireland contact Luke. Telephone: +353 65 9058209 or +353 87 6367544
Email: [email protected] Web: www.fishandstay.com
River conditions on the Glenamoy system were great for most of the week due to heavy rainfall. Many anglers took advantage of the spates, resulting in some good sea trout and salmon fishing. Liam Lawler, Co. Dublin, caught 7 sea trout, while Tony Gibbons, Westport, and Trevor Morrow, Ballina, were among those to land salmon. A total of 8 salmon were released for the week.
On Saturday the 22nd October Inland Fisheries Ireland will again be holding an introductory ladies fly fishing day in aid of Action Breast Cancer at Annamoe Trout Fishery near Glendalough in Co. Wicklow. These events are free, open to any lady and run from 10.30 to 16.00.
As ever the day will be led by the top Irish female fly-casting instructor Glenda Powell who will be ably assisted by Mark Corps of Inland Fisheries Ireland, Swords.
The aim of the days is to give ladies to opportunity to try fly fishing in a relaxed and supportive environment. They are always fun and trout are always caught.
For further details or to book yourself a place on the day please contact Mark.H.V.Corps (Angling Advisor) on 087 672 7194 or [email protected].
Places are limited and given out on a first come first served basis.
Reports of previous days can seen at the following links…
The mornings consist of a theoretical session in which Glenda covers areas such as equipment, safety, flies and the principles of casting. This followed by a practical fly casting session before lunch. Lunch is provided by Brian Nally (proprietor of Annamoe Trout Fishery). Following lunch the participants get the opportunity to put their newly learned skills to use and try to catch some of the fisheries rainbow trout.
Though there is no fee to take part in the course participants are requested to make a donation to Action Breast Cancer. This is the ninth course in the series which has been running since 2007. To date 130 ladies have taken part and with €7000 being donated to Action Breast Cancer.
