Chris Scally of Fish Tales guiding was in touch to let us know how his recent guests, Andy and Shelby from the USA, fared on their first pike fishing outing. They got a lucky break with the weather and were able to cast their floats out in relative calm, meaning they were nice and visible to see the takes.
A well-kitted-out boat, ready for action on a rare calm day
And there were plenty of those takes, resulting in 5 fish landed and numerous dropped runs, making for an eventful day.
A small one for Shelby
But, as the session wore on, one float shot off like a torpedo, and the guys knew it must be a better stamp of fish. And after a good struggle a fine 101cm pike just over the 20lb mark was brought to the boat.
Big pike and big smiles for Andy
All fish were returned unharmed, and if you fancy a day out with Chris, with all gear supplied and a packed lunch, all you have to do is just turn up and fish…
Fishing in Donegal Bay got a little busier during the week. Killybegs Fishing Trips had a couple good outings lately with the reefs producing plenty good sized pollack, some nice cod, coalies and a few fine cod for their clients. Mackerel were also reported to be plentiful.
Nice Cod and pollack for anglers on the Fiona Tee
Saoire Mara Charters fishing out of Kincasslagh Pier were also out on the water again and reported excellent pollack angling with fish up to 7lb10oz.
Cracking Donegal Bay Pollack
Soon enough more Donegal and Sligo based charter boats will be venturing out providing ample opportunities for sea anglers from near and far.
Join Tom ‘Doc’ Sullivan and Jackie Mahon, both Fulling Mill Signature Fly Tyers, for a day of fly fishing in Ireland on Lough Arrow. As one of Ireland’s premier wild brown trout loughs, Lough Arrow is a very special fishery. There are few like it anywhere else in the world.
As Tom and Jackie fish through the day they talk about their fly choices, fly lines, the drifts they run, where they expect to find fish, fish behaviour, and a whole lot more about fishing for wild brown trout. Between the two of them they have many decades of experience fishing on Ireland’s Loughs. Whether you’re just learning how to lough fish or are a seasoned pro, they have some serious expertise you do not want to miss.
Notes: Provides guiding on Lough Arrow, Melvin, Glencar Lake & Lough Gill .
Clients from all over the world from England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Usa and South Africa. Total C&R on Jackie’s boat while guiding.
Flies for sale
2023 started off for me with an email from Fulling Mill to say that my fly patterns have just arrived in the UK and are up on the Fulling Mill website. The range consists of wet Mayfly, Spent, Stimulators and Daddies. The patterns have been working the last number of seasons throughout Ireland, the United States and the UK with great success. I will also be working closely with Fulling Mill on some new products which will be launched soon, so keep an eye on my page for updates.
Guide and Instructor for trout and salmon fishing STANIC
Notes Tom has a STANIC Instructor’s Certificate and offers qualified casting instruction. Based on the shores of Lough Corrib he provides guided fishing and a boat hire service for the lake. Guided fishing on Lough Mask is available. Tom also specialises in Specimen Trout/Ferox Trout fishing.
Seamus Bracken was in touch to tell us about a super day’s piking enjoyed by himself and his friends recently. Seamus travelled to a venue in Antrim along with friends Annmarie, Sean and Garry. In terms of numbers, it was a pretty good day, with 8 pike landed and three that got away. But in terms of quality, it was an excellent day, with three 20’s and a couple of doubles. And it was ladies to the fore, as Annemarie landed the two biggest fish on the day, with a fine 25lb pike and another weighing in at 22.5lb.
One of Annemarie’s brace of 20lb+ pikeAnd the other one…
Seamus also managed to get into the twenty-zone with a nice pike weighing in at 21.5lb.
A 21.5lb fish for Seamus
Sean and Garry missed out on the twenties, but each managed to land a double and a smaller fish.
So, all told, it was a very busy day, and in terms of the quality of pike, it was by far the best day the guys have had in a long time. All the pike were handled carefully and returned to the water and with a bit of luck they will make some other anglers just as happy sometime in the future.
Munster Coarse Anglers fished the last match of their winter series in O’Briensbridge at the weekend. Kevin Leahy reports…
Well that’s it for another year and a new name on the Shield. Congratulations to this year’s champion Clive Slater ever consistent from the start and vanquishing all other contenders by winning today as well.
Congratulations also must go to 2nd place Pawel who was ahead by one point going into today’s match but alas the draw gods were not kind and he found him self at the wrong end of the section.
3rd place Steve and Ian together on points with Steve coming out on top by weight beating Ian by 5ozs.
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Clive
Pawel
Steve - the minnows survived the perch
Ian
Richard
Those minnows again
the scores
As for today’s match it was again down to the draw. The first 4 pegs put a few fish together while the next 5 pegs struggled for a bite and for the first time in my memory the Mighty Minnow put in appearances in a couple of the nets.
I would like to thank all who took part in this year’s League and who stuck out all the way to the end in what was a very tough and difficult series with high water levels adverse conditions throughout.
Munster Coarse Angling Club are affiliated to the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland, NCFFI the National Governing body for coarse and predator fishing and casting. www.ncffi.ie
A week of varying weather saw Dan and Anthony get in a bit more coarse fishing, while keeping an eye on the soon to open trout season…
I once fished with a man from Alaska who said to me, “If you don’t like the weather in Alaska, wait ten minutes”. That saying for me this week certainly was bouncing around my mind. Waking up Tuesday morning and taking a look outside it looked like spring had sprung. The starlings that have taken up residence under the eve of the house were vocal and active which immediately lets me know the weather is someway ok before I open the curtain. Of course, being a weekday both Anthony and I have mid-week duties namely school and work. Luckily I have a half day on Tuesdays and Anthony finishes early to so I was hoping this sunshine would last until we could begin our journey to the lake. Today looked perfect for a bit of carp fishing so a quick plan over the breakfast table was made before we parted company and away we went about our duties.
Luckily when the time came to hit the lake the weather was holding up and it was quite sunny. We quickly got changed, grabbed a Rice Krispie bun and hit the road. We had some bait left over from a trip over the weekend so it was straight to the pond. Driving there we had a chat about the upcoming Easter break and where we would like to fish for a couple of days. I would like to try for hybrids and Anthony is looking to go perch hunting. I enjoy fishing for roach and hybrids on the Barrow, sitting under the brolley having a cup of tea with a nice piece of carrot cake (with a dusting of ground bait usually) watching the quiver tip is both relaxing and exciting. What a way to spend a day – is it Easter yet!!!!
Arriving at the pond I heard a quick, “I will carry the rods”, which meant I was left with the net, landing mat, tackle box and bait box, short straw again. A lovely sight was watching the blue sky reflect in the water with the odd cloud showing. We threw in some free offerings and watched closely, a slight breeze kept the fish slightly down in the water although a couple did come up and nose at the bait a little. Anthony spotted a nice carp at the opposite side and made his way over to it, keeping low and watching the movements of the fish as he crept around the pond. Getting to within casting distance he dropped the bait in just short of the fish. It took a little time before the fish eventually raised the courage to go up and take the bait, but the fish did, and it was superb almost in slow motion. Anthony lifted into the fish and the battle commenced, making some lunges for freedom we slipped the net under the fish and took it out for a quick photo. A few more carp followed on the surface for Anthony, but it got cold quick, and the fish moved deeper. We switched to using worms under a float for the final hour and had some nice carp with a surprise roach.
Now to the other end of the weather scale and Saturday I had a guest out with me on the Lake. The wind was quite strong with some rain. We were fishing for Roach so baited up two areas, one in a sheltered bay and the other on the downside of the wind. I lightly ground baited today to see what kind of reaction I’d get. It was very slow to start and in the first spot we only had 1 roach and a couple of bites. Having enough of the wind we went to the sheltered spot and what a move it was. It was action from the first cast really. We hit some nice palm sized roach and ended up with about 15 or 16 of them. It was lovely to be sitting on the edge of the lake sheltered by a high bank with the wind shooting over the top of us.
With next weekend starting the beginning of the 2024 river season on the Nore I have been prepping rods and walking the bank a bit keeping an eye on water levels. The water currently is .97 so quite high and it’s also a quite cold 8 degrees at peak times. Building plans and strategies will be key to success for the opening days of the season with the King’s River probably being the favourite for my guests over the weekend.
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.
Brown tag conservation regulations in force on Lower River Lee
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has today opened the second draw for anglers wishing to catch and keep salmon from Cork’s Lower River Lee.
‘Brown tag’ regulations came into force on the river from February 1st 2024, and will remain in place until September 30th 2024, when the salmon fishing season ends.
Commenting on the requirements, Sean Long South-Western River Basin District Director at IFI, stated:
“The numbers of wild Atlantic salmon returning to our rivers is declining. The risk of over-fishing puts stocks in further jeopardy. Brown tag measures for salmon and sea trout are required on the Lower River Lee to conserve stocks and avoid accidental over-harvesting. Where there is a modest harvestable surplus with a risk of over exploitation, this brown gill tag system is introduced to closely monitor the angling quotas.”
A total of 218 brown tags will be available. They will be distributed to anglers with a rod licence via four draws through the 2024 angling season.
Up to a quarter of the available number of brown tags can be issued at one time. Therefore, a second issue of 55 brown tags will be selected through the online lottery on April 4th 2024.
The measures are part of the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023, recently signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, TD.
Interested anglers in entering the April 4th draw can apply through IFI’s online link between today, March 12th, and midnight March 31st 2024 only.
Successful anglers who receive the tags, via the lottery system, place them on the fish – along with a blue tag as proof it was lawfully caught and may be retained for private use.
Anglers not allocated a brown tag are permitted to fish for salmon on a catch-and-release basis on the Lower River Lee, where the salmon is returned safely to the same waterbody.
Anglers must use catch-and-release methods only, involving single or double barbless hooks. Use of worms as bait is not permitted.
Full application details are available through fisheriesireland.ie, by phoning IFI’s Macroom office on (026) 41221, or by mailing [email protected]
Salmon Anglers – Lower River Lee, No. 5 or Cork District: Brown Tags Required
Salmon anglers are advised that from 1st February 2024 to midnight of 30th September 2023, Brown Tag regulations are in force on the Lower River Lee.
218 Brown Tags are available for the season and distribution of these brown tags will be by four electronic lotteries throughout the 2024 angling season.
The Wild Salmon and Seatrout Tagging Scheme Regulations permit a maximum of 25% of the available tags to be issued at one time. IFI selected 55 anglers to receive a brown tag on 26th January 2024.
Anglers may enter the April 4th draw by applying through IFI’s online link between today, March 12th, and midnight March 31st 2024 only.
Anglers must provide their Name, Contact Address, Telephone Number and 2024 Salmon Licence number. This is the only method to apply for a brown tag. Anglers may only fish one brown tag over the full season. Multiple applications will disqualify. Salmon Licences are available online at: https://store.fishinginireland.info
Salmon anglers not in possession of a Brown Tag must fish using Catch and Release methods i.e., single or double barbless hooks. Use of worms is not permitted. A Salmon cannot be taken unless the angler is in possession of a Brown Tag. If a Salmon is taken both a Blue and Brown Tag must be affixed to the fish. Failure to do so may result in penalties. Catch details must be recorded on the Anglers Logbook promptly.
IFI will send all applicants an entry number for the lottery by email on 3rd April, before the draw which will take place at 09:30 on 4th April 2024. No personal information will be shared. 10 reserve licence numbers will be drawn in case the initial offer of a brown tag is not taken up. Tags will be issued to successful applicants by post.
Late or early applications will be instantly excluded.
For further information contact Inland Fisheries Ireland, Macroom on 026 41221.
Information about angling quotas
Quotas for how many fish an angler can catch and keep (harvested) are set by Fisheries Managers every year, on the basis of scientific advice.
These quotas reflect the ‘exploitable surplus’ in any river, as follows:
In cases where the exploitable surplus cannot sustain angling, that particular fishery is closed for the season.
Where it can sustain angling, but not exploitation (harvesting the fish for consumption), the river is opened on a ‘catch and release only’ basis where the fish is returned safely to the same waterbody.
Where there is a modest harvestable surplus with a risk of over exploitation, a brown gill tag system is introduced where it is considered necessary in the interests of conserving stocks to closely monitor the angling quotas. This is to ensure that river-based quotas are not exceeded. Where these restrictions apply, you must be in possession of a brown tag specific to that river to harvest salmon, to be used in conjunction with a blue tag. Similar to blue tags, brown tags issued contain a unique serial number specific to that licence holder and are not transferable between licence holders.
And finally, where there is an adequate exploitable surplus, the river is opened with the standard 10 tag allocation issued in lots of 3 or 4.
Lough Sheelin Angling Report, March 1st – March 10th 2024
“The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.”
Josiyah Martin
March 1st, the much anticipated opening day of Lough Sheelin’s 2024 trout season, brought with it an unforeseen meteorological obstacle in the form of 4″ – 6” of snow, which effectively halted the gallop of many anglers who had planned to fish this great lake on the first day. Despite hazardous driving conditions, plenty of anglers battled the elements and made it to Lough Sheelin eventually and boats on the water hit the double figures on the first day. Conditions were verging on siberian with slate grey metallic skies, dark waters and gusty to fresh northerly winds.
Captains Bay, Lough Sheelin – March 1st 2024
Early season fishing is never for the faint-hearted at the best of times but this weather tested the mettle of even the most tenacious trout angling fan. Conditions were bleak and while snow was being shovelled off roads and vehicles pulled out of ditches, someone on social media wryly commented that if any asylums were missing inmates then they would find them out on Lough Sheelin.
The close of the 2023 season, October 12th seems a lifetime away and winter, a dark cloak of rain and cold, so it is hard not to be chomping at the bit to get out again on the water, as if by doing so we can push spring forward that bit faster.
Trout spawning was good on the in flowing rivers during the winter months, the only noticeable factor being that the spawning seemed that bit later than the normal in the Upper Inny. Redd counts have encouragingly increased compared to previous years.
Trout redd on the Upper Inny, Lough Sheelin
The weather over the past ten days has been challenging with harsh north east winds predominating and water temperatures hovering at six degrees from top to bottom. Weather apparently does not deter the early season angler here and on most days a respectable number fished the lake with the weekends featuring over forty anglers per day.
The trout are hungry and eager to regain condition after the rigours of spawning but cold water makes them sluggish so they will be after as big a meal as possible with the least amount of effort. Brisk baltic winds skimming the water wiped out the chance of any early buzzer hatches so fly set ups were off the menu and the lures topped the poll for successes with fry patterns, rapalas, humungous, minkies, snakes and small colourful baits bringing in the majority of catches.
Larry Moley with one of his nine trout for the week
Someone, somewhere once said that wild brown trout fishing is simple, supposedly, once you get a handle on what they are eating, you are halfway there – easier said than done.
There is not a whole heap of food available at this time of year but there is still stuff down there that the trout will find and gorge themselves on. Freshwater shrimp and hog louse are the main invertebrates on the trout table for March. The shrimp are found amongst the rocks and stones in the shallows and the Hog Louse while present in the shallows too can also be found in the slightly deeper areas. Anglers who did spoon fish reported that they were stuffed with shrimp.
A Silver Humungous or Snake worked well on a Fast Intermediate. The best range of lines were Intermediate, Di3 and Di7. A slow retrieve worked well and beaded heads on lures worked well to get depth.
The best areas for fishing were down along the Holywell shoreline and into Crover, Stoney Islands and at the back of Church Island.
Before releasePrince Charming
Into the net60cm of Spring Sheelin troutSpring ReflectionsJoin the spots – the beauty of a wild Sheelin troutA lizard
The Kilroy Cup will be fished on Monday, March 18th from Kilnahard pier from 11am to 5.30pm. Prizes will be for the heaviest fish and entry is €30. This competition has been set at a 16 inch size limit with a 2 fish bag limit. There will be no permits available for sale on the pier on the morning so please buy your permit online beforehand or from the IFI office at Kilnahard on the morning. Contact Thomas Lynch @ 087 9132033
Shrimp, hog louse and leech
Flies and Lures
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Little Bibio Billy Boland
Ashley Haughin Muddler one
Sooty Olives Kenneth Rawley
Muddler pattern by Ashley Haughin
Some nomads - Billy Boland
Brian Thompson's early catchers
Brian Thompson
a few early season takers, Harold O'Toole
Beaded Buzzers
Bumbles
Brain Thompson's early starters
Hares ear muddlers Ashley Haughin
Early Emerger
Emerger
Craig Mcdonald size 14 emerger types
Simple pheasant tail nymph
Brian Barron - Buzzers
Evo Smyth' early starters
Evo Smyth
A newt
Please remember anglers to abide by BYE-LAW 949 which strictly prohibits from June 14th, 2017 onwards:
The taking of any brown trout of less than 36 centimeters.
For a person to fish with more than 2 rods at any one time.
To fish with more than 4 rods at any one time when there is more than one person on board the boat concerned.
For a person to take more than 2 trout per day.
All trolling on the lake from March 1st to June 16th (inclusive).
To fish or to attempt to take or to fish for, fish of any kind other than during the period from March 1st to October 12th in any year.
Catches recorded: 67
Heaviest catch: Ion Tinca, Dublin with a 60cm trout caught on a small lure
Selection of catches
Ned Clinton, Mountnugent – 1 trout at 2lbs on a Minkie, March 2nd.
Larry Moley, Newry – 9 trout for the week, heaviest 3 -3.5lbs.
James Burns, Antrim – 2 trout at 1 and 1.5lbs using small black and green lures.
Bonas Daskevics, Cavan – 2 trout heaviest at 2lbs on small claret & green lures.
Edgars Nalivuiko, Drogherda – March 1st 1 trout at 35cm.
Nikita Krutijko, Inniskeen – 2 trout heaviest at 6lbs.
Larry Moley, Newry – 2 trout, heaviest at 3lbs.
Marcin Bogdzia – 1 trout at 6lbs, March 1st at the back of Church Island.
Mareks Markanics & Andris Doroskevics, Cavan – 7 trout, heaviest at 3lbs.
eather conditions improved somewhat this past week with snow, ground frost and sub-zero temperatures gradually fading away. However, fresh to strong easterly winds persisted for most of the time resulting in awkward and challenging angling conditions, mostly for sea anglers though game, pike and coarse anglers were also struggling with the largely unfavorable conditions.
Starting with salmon angling, we received a report from the Delphi Fishery for the month of February. With four salmon landed, the monthly total was just slightly below the fishery’s 10-year average for February, but fishing should improve in the coming weeks with more salmon expected to run the Delphi system.
Down south, anglers on Lough Currane reported another springer after last week’s catch, which was again caught on the troll. Those who have an interest in angling history might like to tune into this week’s Ireland on the Fly podcast, which is another book club episode. Returning author Dan O’Donovan speaks about his popular monograph on the life of Sidney Spencer, who was a renowned lough-style salmon and sea trout angler. On a similar point, we would like to remind our readers that Ireland on the Fly’s first Masterclass webinar will take place next Thursday March 14th.
Over to trout fishing, where fly anglers are still struggling with the harsh conditions and sparse fly life on lakes and rivers. Trolling, however, produced plenty of trout on Lough Corrib again, while next week should see fly anglers starting to go out in bigger numbers, with the main duckfly hatch imminent.
Eagerly awaited by fly anglers on Lough Corrib – the Duckfly
In pike fishing, the three anglers we reported on in last week’s Angling Update, had the expected great finish to their stay at Melview Fishing Lodge with two personal bests and a combined weight of 352 lbs. over their four-day fishing trip to Co. Longford.
One of the pike PBs caught in Longford
Though pike didn’t really play ball for Ger Power who was back fishing a County Cavan venue last weekend, fishing a jig-head shad-tail did the trick and earned him a number of fine perch including a new personal best at 3lbs. which wins our Catch of the Week.
Well-fed perch
Staying with perch and new PBs, Dan O’Neill sent in another great story starring his son Anthony having a super time on the River Barrow. Read the full story here.
While last week’s update saw a lot of action on the coarse angling front, we’ve just one coarse report featuring in today’s e-zine. VDE Baggers AC fished an interesting competition on Lough Creeve during the week. Smaller than average sized fish made for some super competitive angling as speed became the name of the game when trying to build up a bag of small silvers.
Aaron Hutchman with his winning bag at the VDE Baggers event
As mentioned already, sea angling was probably affected the most by the harsh and unfavorable weather conditions of late. As a consequence, charter boat fishing wasn’t really suitable and reports from shore anglers were also on the scarce side. Nonetheless, angling guide, David Norman, found himself in front of surface feeding mullet lately when he realized that these could be targeted using a fly rod. Anyone who has tried to flyfish for mullet will probably agree that these fish can be extremely spooky, moody and difficult to catch. But once hooked it is obvious why they are often called the “Irish Bonefish”! Check out David’s report on how he managed to hook, play and land one of these marine powerhouses on light flyfishing gear.
Finally, the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers have announced the upcoming official launch of the World Shore Angling Championships 2024 which will be held in Wexford later this year.
Other News
Inland Fisheries Ireland would like to remind all salmon anglers that the next draw for brown tags for the River Roughty, Co. Kerry (24 tags) will open for entries on 24 March with the draw taking place on 17 April.
And now the weather…
Tonight will be rather cloudy with some light rain or drizzle at times for southern areas. Lowest temperatures ranging from 1 to 3 degrees in the north and west, with the best of the clear spells, to 5 or 6 degrees in the south. Moderate to fresh east to northeast winds, strong on coasts.
It will stay breezy at times over the weekend with outbreaks of rain developing before becoming drier early next week. There will be unusually high tides over the weekend with the possibility of coastal flooding.
Further Outlook: Some uncertainty for midweek with current indications suggesting a good deal of dry weather though some rain may push into Atlantic areas at times.
If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected] and don’t forget that all of our fishing reports are available on our dedicated Angling Ireland Facebook page.
The VDE Baggers have faced a familiar theme throughout the winter months as many of their competition venues have been throwing up smaller than average sized fish. But this can make for some super competitive angling as speed becomes the name of the game when trying to build up a bag of small silvers.
This week’s competition on Lough Creeve fell into that exact pattern as the anglers fought it out to bag up on small roach. Ultimately, it was Aaron Nabc Hutchman who had the magic touch, landing just under 2kg to finish top rod on the day.
