A low pressure system located in the Atlantic has steered warm and humid air over the country this week leading to warmer than average temperatures countrywide with below average rainfall for most of the country. While heavy localised showers have brought relief to some fisheries this past week, more widespread showers are forecast for the coming week, some of which will be heavy with thunderstorms. Salmon anglers in particular will be glad to have the rivers flushed through, while lough anglers will be glad to see those loughs topped up and the temperatures brought down for a while at least…

To the loughs first and on Lough Sheelin, where the water temperatures are constantly monitored, fishing has been good during the cooler periods. Temperatures peaked at 24°C in the last fortnight, but early risers and night owls got the best of the fishing. In the west, anglers fishing loughs Conn and Cullin got in on the action when the wind picked up, but the general consensus was that fishing was hard going. Fishing was just as tough for the senior Cong & District Anglers on Corrib as they fished their annual mayfly competition, but it was junior angler Kyle Naughton who stole the show the following week with his 8.5lbs fish, he jointly wins our Catch of the Week along with the O’Neill boys – more to follow on them…

If you can’t be bothered getting sunburnt or soaked on an Irish lough this weekend, maybe listen to the latest Ireland on the Fly Pod with Lough Arrow guide Jackie Mahon, who has seen the good, the bad and the ugly on Arrow so far this year.

On the rivers, we have reports of good trout fishing on the Boyne near Navan this week and, further south, on the River Nore, where teeny flies in the small hours of the morning tricked the river trout, but bigger flies in the evening conquered the pond carp.

On Lough Currane, the white trout have been hard to come by, while the occasional grilse has been taken on the troll. Grilse are starting to make an appearance in the southern rivers, with a good run entering the Lee, a fresh few travelling despite the low water on the Munster Blackwater and salmon to 12lbs for anglers fishing the Bandon. The persistent warm weather and low water conditions made fishing difficult on the Moy, but fisheries in the middle sections did produce a few fish. The Galway Weir fishery has been closed due to water temperatures, but some 24 fish were caught by anglers on the fishery in June before the closure.

The pick of the pike reports from this week came from the Lough Derg Predator Challenge where seventy anglers in teams of two competed for the top prize; this was won by Team Disco Pike.

We received many more reports from pike anglers and other anglers fishing from boats this week. It seems many anglers believe they float so much better when the sun is shining or maybe sunstroke is the reason they mistakenly choose not to wear a lifejacket. All passengers on board a boat or watercraft of less than 23 feet (7 metres) in length must wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device. Angling safety is paramount, we will only publish pictures of anglers who wear a personal flotation device as required.

Coarse anglers have been hard at it in the sunshine in recent weeks with mixed results. the Edenderry festival fished well for participating anglers at the beginning of the month, Gal Charnock won both the two-dayer and the three-dayer there. While there were plenty of tench for the Edenderry anglers, and good numbers for the Athy Anglers during their match, which was also on the Grand Canal, they failed to turn up despite good conditions for the Tulla Anglers at Silvergrove. At Ballyshunnock, Mick Browne won the first leg of the WDCAC Masters and on Lough Muckno in Monaghan, the first Feedermasters qualifier for 2023 went ahead.

The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland have a range of events in the calendar, including Development Days for youth anglers, the All Ireland Youth coarse Fishing Championships and a 12 hour multi species challenge to help raise money for Irish youth teams competing in international events overseas.

Sticking with the subject of young Irish anglers catching great fish, we mentioned the O’Neill boys already – young Anthony O’Neill and brother Daniel landed a whopper at Mount Juliet last week. Fishing with pellets in the estate ponds, Anthony hooked a super carp and had kid brother Daniel on hand with the net – they also net our joint Catch of the Week prize for this week.

As is ever the case when the sun shines and the seas are still, some of the best of this week’s fishing has been around the coast as anglers make the most of calm seas for comfortable offshore excursions. In Clare, the first of the season’s six-gilled sharks was brought alongside the Clare Dragoon while anglers fishing aboard the Lady Gwen II tackled tope, coalies and pollack. In Donegal, the Killybegs Mariners saw the club records tumble as members caught super ling, megrim and grey gurnard. We also received a late report from the Dunmore East Small Boats Festival, where a total of 43 species were caught by the forty competing anglers, well done to them.

Finally, we have the latest edition of the Lure Fishing Podcast where this week host Cormac Walsh talks to James Barry, expert bass angler and fisheries scientist, well worth a listen!

And now the weather….

Tonight will bring scattered thundery showers with spot flooding and isolated thunderstorms. Mild with temps of 12°C to 16°C. Saturday will bring a mix of sunny spells and heavy showers, hail or thunderstorms, with localised flooding. Highs of 18°C to 23°C. Showers will ease during Saturday night. Showery rain will intensify again from the south towards morning. Lows of 11°C to 14°C.

Showers will be heavy once again on Sunday, with the chance of thunderstorms and surface water flooding. Highs of 18°C to 22°C in light southeasterly winds. Showers will become isolated early on Sunday night, leaving mostly dry conditions with long clear spells. Lowest temperatures of 11°C to 15°C in light and variable winds. Showery weather is expected into early next week.

Safe fishing to all this weekend and tight lines, especially here in Ireland. If you’re heading to the coast, 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 [email protected].

All the angling news

Salmon Fishing Reports

• Very low last week on Blackwater, but grilse about
• Salmon to 12lb reported by Bandon anglers
• Good grilse run reported on the Lee
• Warm weather and low water conditions make fishing difficult on the Moy
• Currane anglers catch sea trout , take a break for bass
• Galway Fishery closed, but some nice fish were landed over the past few weeks

Trout Fishing Reports

• Good trout fishing early in the morning on the Nore
• Sunset magic for Sheelin anglers
• Trout anglers finding Loughs Conn and Cullin hard going
• Hitting the jackpot on Corrib
• Ireland on the Fly talks Lough Arrow with Jackie Mahon
• Fly anglers have some nice trout fishing recently on the River Boyne

Coarse Angling Reports

• Mick Browne wins first leg of WDCAC Masters at Ballyshunnock
• Any venue, any species challenge on 07 July
• All Ireland Youth Coarse Fishing Championships @ U15 & U20
• NCFFI Development Days
• First 2023 Feedermasters qualifier held at Muckno
• Tench and hybrids from canal at Athy but roach wins the day
• Tench fail to show at Silvergrove for Tulla Anglers
• Double delight as Gal Charnock wins all at Edenderry
• The young apprentices stalk carp in Kilkenny

Pike Fishing Reports

• Tough going for teams fishing Lough Derg Predator Challenge

Sea Angling Reports

• Mariners make hay while the sun shines
• Six Gill Shark Time on the Clare Dragoon
• Spurred on aboard the Lady Gwen in Clare
• Forty three species for Dunmore East Small Boats anglers