Skipper Luke Aston was out over the weekend, the nice Indian summer weather giving a nice couple of days to finish off his main season. Take it away, Luke…
Thank you to all that fished with me this year, a year where Mother Nature gave us very little brakes.
Overall I was happy with catches. Mackerel where hard for the second half of the season but there was plenty of whitefish. The porbeagles gave a great showing and there seemed to be more Blue Shark around. The Tope fishing also seemed to be up a bit.
I’m away now for a couple of weeks but if the conditions are right I may try for a tuna. Otherwise thanks for taking an interest in what I do and see you next season.
A nice late season pollackA colourful red gurnard in October.
Thanks indeed to Luke for his regular updates throughout the season, keeping us all entertained and wishing we were afloat on the Clare Dragoon, rod in hand… to finish off, here is a selection of some of the best photos Luke sent in over the year.
Bull huss in MayA whopper of a conger eel in the June sunshineJuly – Markus’s first stingray was also the first landed on the Dragoon!A fine porbeagle shark in August Bluemouth in September
Go fishing…
Clare Dragoon
Clare Dragoon is a LOCHIN 366 powered by 650HP engine, skippered by Luke Aston and operating out of Carrigaholt Co. Clare…
I have some offers up on my web site www.fishandstay.com and if anybody is interested in putting a trip together please do get in touch. Also I Twitter from the boat on @fishandstay and try to update my face book page www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtSeaAngling fairly often!To experience some of the best deep sea fishing available in Ireland contact Luke. Telephone: +353 65 9058209 or +353 87 6367544 Email:lukeaston@eircom.netWeb:www.fishandstay.com
The Irish team are now back on home shores after a very intense two weeks or so in Croatia, where they competed in the FIPS-M World Boat Championships, representing the island of Ireland. The Mediterranean teams were all heavily favoured, being more used to the species, venue and type of fishing, but the Irish team had high hopes of a 6th place finish, which would put them just behind the favoured teams but ahead of the rest. They worked hard in practice, putting in long hours and honing their tactics and bait presentation. Bait provided every day consisted of 4kg mussels and 0.5kg of sardines, very different to what Irish boat anglers are used to.
Team Ireland in training
The first two days of competition saw the Mediterranean teams do predictably well, with the home team Croatia leading the way. The Irish team were 6th place on Day 1, and took a very creditable 5th on Day 2, lying in joint 5th after both days. Fishing was very patchy, with some boats being won with 10 fish, while other boat winners had over 130!
Unfortunately a tough draw for some of the Irish anglers on the last day saw France leapfrog them into 6th, and leave Ireland in 7th place, still ahead of all the other teams. The overall winners were Croatia, followed by Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain and France.
Well done to the Irish lads who represented Irish sea angling extremely well in tough conditions, worked hard and fished very well. We’re sure the experience will stand to them, and some of them will feature more prominently in future editions.
They do scrub up well off the boat!
A big thank you to Irish team member Brian Whelan for his updates and entertaining video blogs during the trip!
A last cast for trout on the fantastic River Fane in County Louth to finish off the Trout season. Mark made a last minute trip up with a fellow fishing friend for a cast on the Dundalk Anglers water. Levels were high at 0.879m, but was told river was high but clear. Fishing upper reaches of the clubs water, a spot Mark has fished a number of times. Due to high levels, Nymphing was the only method of choice, with strong currents and high bank water. Set up with Syndicate Reaver 10foot 2wt and Semi Automatic reel for our Euro-nymphing rig. Choice of nymphs was a 3mm chartreuse perdigone for dropper and a varient of black frenchie nymph 3.5mm for point that Mark finds very good in a clearing river. Fish were held tight to the banks, behind pockets offering protection to fish, along with areas of slack at tail end of runs, as fish do begin holding this time of year. Some fish were taking harder than others which is to be expected after a flood. Fish were in great condition, with average size between 10 & 13 inches in length for the few hours fishing. Always a lovely river to visit & fish.
For more information and details about where to fish drop me a line info@piscari-fly.com.
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Hats, Gloves and Buffs
We have had an unseasonal warm spell but the long range weather forecast is for cold blustery weather. So why not invest in our lovely Piscari warm wolly hats. Make sure to tune into the piscari live shows starting on October 21st. I am sure Peter will be giving away 1 or 2 hats during the shows. Click here for all things hats, gloves and buffs
Top Tips
Systems and Processes: Something to ponder on in those long dark evenings ahead as you break down your gear from the season. Learn more
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**Exciting News** Piscarifly CLUB is coming soon All year round content and tutorials, Extra LIVE shows in fly tying & fly fishing, Discounts on fly tying and fishing products and lots lots more **STAY TUNED*** www.piscari-fly.com
About us
Based On the River Nore just outside Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, Ireland. Piscari-Fly is a growing Fly Tying and Fly-Fishing business with a vast amount of experience and knowledge. If there is ever anything I can do to make my service better for you please feel free to suggest it to me and I’ll gladly try my best to accommodate your requests.
Lough Key on the Upper Shannon system is a very good pike venue, and Carmel Devine sent us in a photo of her PB pike, caught on a recent outing on the lake.
Well done Carmel!
The fish measured 96cm, and weighed 13.7lbs. Conservation-minded Carmel said “Hope you like the photo – fish released back for another angler to have his/her day”.
Well done Carmel, we’re sure the PB will be beaten again soon!
The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland, NCFFI are delighted to present the Celtic Cup angling competition on the 14th and 15th October. The Newry Canal, specifically the Albert Basin and the developed ‘coal yard’ match stretch is the venue for next weekend’s Championships.
Vincent Walsh
Vincent Walsh, former Float Team Manager in conjunction with his counterparts in Scotland and Wales have come together with the event designed to provide the opportunity to fish to international rule for youths, women, and seniors not currently on the world scene.
It’s the biggest coarse angling event on the canal since the Home International of 2015. Preparation and practice takes place over two days from Thursday 12th October when the anglers will learn together about team fishing and all that is involved to take part in international competition, from the rules to bait and tactics. While the match itself takes place on Saturday and Sunday, fishing from 11am to 3pm. Spectators are welcome.
Home International 2015
The NCFFI worked with the Loughs Agency and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to open this middle bank venue to the coarse angler back in 2015 and we welcome their continued support for the event. The angling facility compliments the various facilities in the canal area which includes the Newry Canal Way Walk.
Aaron Hutchman, VDE Bagger AC
Team Ireland will present three mixed teams of four selecting participants from those who have expressed interest for international competition previously and are keen to get involved. It is hoped that events such as these will encourage more to come forward with expressions for interest now open for 2024.
Just over 40 years ago the canal hosted a World Championship event which saw England’s Kevin Ashurst win the individual gold. In these early years competitions were decided on large bags of bream, appearing intermittently along the venue. Now the fishing is more evenly distributed and in recent weeks the canal has been the choice of venue for several club events and practice sessions showing the excellent coarse fishing available with premium bags of roach to 18kg.
Connaught Match Group 2 day October festival was held on the River Suck at Donamon. Rising water levels in the week leading up to the competition made it difficult for the fishing but also for access onto sections of the river.
Anglers from Cavan, Mayo, Monaghan and Louth along with local anglers took part over the weekend.
There was still plenty of fish to be caught over the weekend with mostly roach caught with a few skimmers making a welcome appearance.
Day 1
1st Shane Dunne 5.050kg
2nd Stuart Greene 4.350kg
3rd Bill Cassidy 2.000kg
Day 2
1st Shane Dunne 4.500kg
2nd Tommy Dowd 4.350kg
3rd Stuart Greene 3.950kg
Section winners over the 2 days where
Shane Dunne x2
Stuart Greene x2
Bill Cassidy
Tommy Dowd
Tomislav kvesic
Jamie Murray
Top 3 overall for 2 days
1st Shane Dunne 9.550kg
2nd Stuart Greene 8.275kg
3rd Tommy Dowd 5.325kg
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Thanks to the local IFI staff who continue to maintain and upgrade existing platforms on the section on Donamon and other sections on the River Suck. Their support is much appreciated.
Thanks to the Leyden family in Castlecoote Lodge once again for supporting the club in running these events it’s much appreciated by all.
NCFFI reports that Cavan angler and member of the CM Lakelands Feeder Club bronze medallist team Steven Whyte wins again! Steven, who only caught his first carp at the inaugural championship in 2019, is a master of this discipline finishing the match with 92.780kg – almost double that of runner-up Damian Foltyn! Damian’s 25 carp for 50.120kg achieved second place just ahead of Grazvydas Karalius in third with 47.990kg.
Steven Whyte, Grazvydas Karalius, Damian Foltyn
Twenty-six of the 30 anglers who qualified over two heats at Gaulmoylestown Lake on 24 Jun, and Oaklands lake on 15th July, met again in New Ross for the championship final. The prize fund of €880 was shared among the top six with section winners paid on the day.
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Steven Whyte
Some fine carp caught at Oaklands
Winners
Steven Whyte
Enda Hickey
Sorin Zamfir
Donatas Zemaitis
Aidas Zilinskas
Grazvydas Karalius
Top 5 anglers
Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who took part. Thank you to Brenton Sweeney and Enda Hickey for facilitating the series of matches.
Keith Barker is no stranger to big bass but at the weekend he he surprised even himself by beating his PB by 5cm…
I would like to report my fish caught at the weekend from a shingle beach in Co. Waterford, taken on light lure gear, on a neap tide on the 6th of October
The fish was a 85cm European sea bass Improving my personal best by 5 cm.
The gear I used was aMajorcraft triple cross 10-30gr eu custom 902m paired with a Penn slammer 2500DX reel
A small neap tide flooding with 2 hours to high water, hooked in shallow water in the shore break, hooked with a belly weighted EVOBASS sabre 130 in white soft plastic.
Sea anglers will be particularly interested in the new series of marine maps that Infomar have been releasing recently. And not just sea anglers, indeed anyone with an interest in geography, maps, the marine etc. Because these maps are truly stunning and beautiful creations that bring oceanography and art together, and would look great on any wall.
Infomar (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) is a 20-year, DECC-funded joint programme between the Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute, surveying our unmapped marine territory and creating a range of integrated mapping products of the physical, chemical and biological features of the seabed.
Now Infomar are releasing a new series of marine coastal maps, the Bluescale series, that are not just beautiful to look at, but also very detailed and informative about our coastal topography. We spotted them on the Infomar Twitter (@followtheboats), where they announced that one new map will be released every week – teasing us! 9 weeks later, the library is looking better and better…
While these sample pics may look great, the full-resolution maps are amazingly detailed, and what’s more absolutely FREE! They can be downloaded from the Infomar gallery here. The large jpeg files are perfect for printing and framing, and would look great on any wall. Some of them will certainly be going up on ours!
September started with a heatwave and it ended with a storm. October is going the early heatwave route too, but not without getting more than a bit of rain and wind out of its system first. So, while we can look forward to some decent fishing over the weekend, in this Update, we’re looking back on what was a tough week for anglers…
Closing day salmon on Delphi
There were a few fish about on Currane as the salmon season drew to a close, and the Inny produced a few takers too, but overall weather conditions weren’t great. It was a similar tale from fisheries like the Laune, Erriff and elsewhere which makes 23 fish on closing day at Delphi and 125 for the week on the Moy seem pretty special.
September was dogged by poor weather but ferox anglers had good sport on Corrib through 2023
Trout anglers found the Nore, like a number of other rivers, in flood as the season closed. And so quite a few started their stockie fishing a little earlier than usual. Those on the lakes like Corrib, Conn, Cullin and O’Flynn did little better as the weather made for unsafe conditions for much of the week. Hopefully there’ll be some decent fishing before 12 October on Sheelin, Owel, Ennell, Derravaragh, Lene and the other fisheries that remain open for the next 6 days.
Very little to report on the coarse front, but the report we have makes good reading. Johhny Keith had 18kg on the whip in a competition on the Newry Canal, plenty of encouragement for any coarse angler thinking of hitting their local water for a chuck at the weekend.
It was much the same for pike anglers. Fishing Belturbet at the weekend, Ger Power endured miserable conditions on Saturday and bright sunshine on Sunday, but still managed a PB of 22lb. Down on Lough Derg the going was tough and windows of opportunity short, but the pike were feeding and some lovely fish were landed.
The perch were biting too and anglers Paul Bourke and Senan Stanley had good numbers of fish and some beauties heading for 40cm. On the podcast front, Ireland on the Fly talks Pike on the Fly with specialist guide Stuart Wylie.
To the sea and its shores now. Bass Guide Richie Ryan, in Cobh, gives a run down of his season and, again, September was not a great month, but he holds out hope for October which is a great month for bass, and gives fly anglers something else to target with the close of the game fisheries. Staying in Cobh, the 2023 EFSA Boat & Line Class Championships was fished in Cork Harbour in September. Visiting anglers did well with German, Marcus Wuest, Norwegian, Petter Skudal and French man Francis Couzinet taking the top 3 spots in the line class competition. The team event was won by Ireland with France second and Norway third. You can read the full report here: EFSA Boat & Line Class Championships 2023 – Cobh, Co. Cork Ireland
A foggy day at Monatrae
Shore angling reports came in from Monatrae just over the border from east Cork and back in Broadstrand in West Cork. Anglers at both venues endured poor conditions but the fishing in Monatrae was decidedly better on the night. Still onshore, but this time in Belmullet, anglers reported some good fishing over 4 days at a variety of venues. Highlights were conger to 20lb and good pollack fishing. Not too far away Newport SAC fished their final competition of the season on Clew Bay. The anglers had a great day out with the local charter boats on one of the rare calm days September had on offer.
Sally Gilvarry accepting the Maurice Dalton Cup
In other competition news, the All-Ireland Open Shore competition for the Jimmy Smith and Maurice Dalton Cups was held on Benone beach, Co. Derry. 104 anglers took to the beach on Benone in what was the most keenly contested all-Ireland in many years. The wild weather did the beach no end of good and everyone was catching in the first few casts. Juniors, Seniors, Ladies and Club events were held, and you can read the full report here: Jimmy Smith/Maurice Dalton Cup Results.
Irish Specimen Fish Atlas
The Irish Specimen Fish Committee has just published a new book documenting and analysing specimen fish catches in Ireland from 1955 to 2019.
It promises to make an interesting read for any angler interested in learning about specimen fish and how catches of specimen fish have evolved over time.
Find out more about the Irish Specimen Fish Atlas and how to buy your copy at:
A warm and generally dry weekend and start to next week with temperatures a few degrees above the norm. Temperatures at night are unlikely to drop below 16C and during the day they’ll rise as high as 24C. Exceptional for October! There may be some foggy mornings but the worst should clear by early afternoon. Not much to expect on the wind front, just light south to south west breezes. Rain again on Tuesday, but temperatures still up around 20C. Sounds like a good weekend to be on the water…
The 
