After a difficult and wet week in the south, there will be some respite this weekend before more heavy rain and possible flooding from Sunday night into Monday. Needless to say, much of the country was wetter than average over the last week with the exception of north Ulster. Accumulations largely ranged between 133% and 431% of average. The wettest conditions were in the south, with 133.6mm recorded at Cork Airport over the last seven days. The latest weather alert is an Orange rainfall warning for Dublin and Wicklow and, with many of our rivers already well up in the fields, any fishing for the next few days will have to be done in still or salt water….

It is in saltwater and well away from flooded fields we begin this week as, after a slow start to the bluefin tuna season, boats north and south are really catching up with some spectacular fishing. In the south, Irish Deep Sea Charters and Kerry Angling & Tuna Charters have both made it count whenever the weather let them venture out, with some great fish up to 800lbs being tagged for the Tuna CHART tagging project. Reports are that the seas are alive in the south with whales, dolphins and tuna – but it is no different further north, where the Donegal Bay boats have also been able to witness surreal sights of wildlife in between bluefin busts. MV Fiona Tee managed four bluefin earlier this week, but it was Adrian Molloy and tuna.ie who stole the show with a staggering 28 fish caught, tagged and released over four fishing days – his crews win our Catch of the Week this week.

Off the east coast, Kit Dunne thinks that this October has been the best he can remember for big tope – his crew from UCC tagged four such specimens during the week in Wicklow. Further north, the Redmond brothers fishing out of Rush had surprise recapture, as a tope that Shane caught was landed again by Trevor a mile away and a week later! Fishing from the shore, the Killybegs Mariners held the fourth leg of their league on Narin beach and a nice mix of pollack, whiting, turbot, flounder, dogs and coleys kept the scoreboard ticking over for them.

With something different this week, the guys from the Ireland on the Fly podcast take a deep dive into saltwater fly fishing. In their latest episode, they are joined by Jason O’Riordan to review the saltwater season and discuss why more anglers are targeting mullet on the fly.

Pike fishing has been excellent at times across the country in the last week. Indeed, in the Pike Master 2023 competition – where anglers could fish anywhere across the island of Ireland – forty teams battled it out and 149 fish of between 60cm and 114cm were landed. On Lough Ree, the Connacht Predator Anglers held a competition in conditions that were less than ideal – bright and sunny – but the pike didn’t seem to mind and fish up to 116cm were caught there.

In Connacht, with the ferox season over for 2023, top guide Tomi Kurman has been out and about on Lough Corrib with some guests keen on catching big pike. Over in Roscommon, Bodo Funke has welcomed some regular Austrian and German guests and they landed pike on lure and fly to 103cm. In the north, anglers fished the Erne Classic from shore and boat with great success and big fish for both. For pike anglers who prefer lure fishing above all else, Norbert Renaud has some ideas for unusual additions to their tackle boxes.

In County Cork, some seventy-eight wet coarse anglers have been fishing the Feederfest event on Inniscarra reservoir. This five day annual event fishes to a close today (Friday), so we’ll bring you all the results next week. One coarse angling result we do have is from the Celtic Cup event held on the ‘Coalyard’ match stretch of the Newry Canal last weekend – there the Ireland ‘A’ team were supreme.

On the stocked trout fisheries, the first match in the Annamoe Trout Fisheries Fly Fishing Winter League took place where 18 anglers landed 45 fish and the Irish Ladies Flyfishing Association has organised a special day where any woman interested in learning to fly fish can show up at Laois Angling Centre on Saturday 11^th November 2023 to learn how.

And finally, with the wild brown trout season stumbling to a close in the midlands on October 12th, we have a final round up of the season gone courtesy of our Lough Sheelin correspondent, Brenda Montgomery. Following the exodus of boats from the lake on or before October 12th, Brenda prays that all those Sheelin anglers will return safely to the lake next year. We hope that her wonderful reports return too.

In other news…

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is encouraging salmon and sea trout anglers to return angling logbooks (setting out their fishing and catch record) and any unused gill tags from 2023 as the season has now closed. These returns provide vital information regarding the status and management of our wild Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout stocks into the future.

Please email salmonlogbookreturn@fisheriesireland.ie if you have any queries and we will respond as quickly as possible.

And now the weather

*There is a Status Orange Rain warning in place for Dublin and Wicklow until Saturday morning with a Yellow Rain Warning in place elsewhere on the east coast and in the north. Small Craft warning until 6am Saturday from Erris Head to Howth Head to Loop Head with Cyclonic variable winds that will reach force 6 or higher at times*

Rain will gradually clear south overnight on Friday with drier and cooler conditions spreading from the north. Lows overnight of 4°C to 8°C in a moderate to fresh north to northeasterly breeze. Saturday will be a day of bright spells and scattered showers. Max of 10°C to 12°C in a moderate northwesterly breeze.

Dry for many on Sunday, with plenty of autumnal sunshine and just the odd passing shower. Highs of 11°C to 14°C in light to moderate southeasterly winds. Sunday night will bring longer spells of rain, possibly thundery in parts, to Munster, and parts of Connacht and Leinster, with the chance of localised flooding. Drier elsewhere with showers. Winds will be light.

Further pulses of heavy, possibly thundery, rain are expected on Monday, with more flooding possible. Highs of 10°C to 13°C.

Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland. If fishing in the sea, don’t forget to check the tides.

IFI Staff
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to reports@fisheriesireland.ie and don’t forget that all of our fishing reports are available on our dedicated Angling Ireland Facebook page.

All the angling news

Salmon Fishing Reports

• 2023 Salmon & Sea Trout Angling logbooks for return

Trout Fishing Reports

• Flyfishing Introductory Day for Women new to Angling
• Tony McGratten wins first heat of Annamoe Winter League
• Lough Sheelin saves the last dance till last
• Season on Arrow comes to an end

Coarse Angling Reports

• Feederfest time in County Cork!
• Team Ireland ‘A’ team win the Celtic Cup and junior hopefuls shine!

Pike Fishing Reports

• Piking good for Connacht Anglers on Ree
• Great fly & lure action for guests of Angling Services Ireland in Boyle!
• Some fine October pike on Corrib
• Magnificent stamp of fish at the Erne Pike Classic
• Flat sided cranks for Big Irish Pike @ L’ile Verte Pike Fishing Lodge
• Pike up to 114cm at Pike Master Ireland 2023

Sea Angling Reports

• Incredible bluefin week on Deep Blue
• Seas alive in West Cork
• Successful 4th league outing for Killybegs Mariners
• Wicklow Boat Charters play tag with big tope
• Ireland on the Fly talks saltwater flyfishing with Jason O’Riordan
• Bluefin tuna, big pollack, conger and ling for anglers aboard MV Fiona Tee
• Bluefin tuna to 800lb so far this season for Tigger, Caherciveen
• Tope takes twice for Redmonds in Rush
• Great shore fishing for Killybegs Mariners
• Some more bluefin tuna for charter boats fishing Donegal Bay