Kevin McGowan submitted a brief report about an unexpected catch from last weekend. He and two friends ventured to the Beara Peninsula for a couple of days of shore fishing. Although conditions weren’t ideal and they had to relocate several times, they eventually settled at a rock mark about four hours away, one they had identified weeks earlier. Kevin had chosen his tackle with thornbacks or bullhuss in mind, but never anticipated hooking a specimen skate.
After a lengthy and nerve-racking struggle, the swell ultimately helped bring the large fish onto the rocks. Although measuring the fish was tricky due to uneven ground and its length surpassing the measuring mat, the anglers estimated it at around 190 centimeters. This remarkable catch from a rock mark earns the title of our Catch of the Week.
Rimantas Kondrackas ran a match on Saturday 31st for CM Lakelands at Houghtons Shore, Lough Garadice.
There were plenty of bites for everyone and skimmers showed up in a lot of the pegs.
1st overall was Irish feeder international Charlie Richards, who fished a brilliant match to win with an impressive weight of 5.225kg. Charlie caught a mixture of skimmers and roach alternating between lines.
Nets ready for weigh in
1 of 8
2nd overall and another impressive performance was Piotr Horbiński, who had a weight of 4.725kg. Piotr caught skimmers, roach and odd hybrids.
3rd overall was Rimantas Kondrackas with a weight of 3.275 kg; Rimantas caught over 20 fish, which included 5 skimmers.
Section winners were Richard Pratt with 2.550kg and Kevin Norcliffe with 2.750 kg.
Nearly all the anglers used VDE Groundbaits and additives.
Vincent Applbey, our Lough Currane correspondent, reports that the lake’s first salmon is still out thre swimming free despite the almost daily efforts of local and visiting anglers.
The last few days of January were wet and windy but not enough to stop the intrepid fishermen. February 1st saw five boats on the lake but no rod benders. The following day was wild and no one ventured out. Better conditions this week but only the odd, fishless boat out so far.
For more information on the daily conditions on Lough Currane, all the craic and news be sure to check out Vincent Appleby’s Salmon and Sea Trout blog for regular reports with back dates, petitions, public consultation notices, readers letters and videos and more of what’s happening in Waterville and beyond
Sea Trout – Catch and release only
Inland Fisheries Ireland wishes to remind anglers that the Conservation of Sea Trout (No.7 or Kerry District) Waterville Area Bye-Law No. 971 of 2019 remains in effect. This Bye-law prohibits the retention and possession of any sea trout (Salmo trutta L.) taken by any fishing engine or by rod and line in the Waterville area i.e. that part of the sea eastward of a line drawn from the most westerly point of Bolus Head to the most westerly point of Lamb’s Head and to all the waters discharging in to it.
The Bye-Law mainly affects seatrout fishing on :-
the river Inny (Knockmoyle) and its tributaries
the waters of the Waterville system, including the Waterville River, Lough Currane, the Cummeragh River and all their tributary rivers and lakes
Notes: Located at Lakelands House Bed and Breakfast and Self Catering Accommodation, on Ireland’s best sea trout lake, Lough Currane. Frank is a professional angling guide and boatman.
Sea angling can be arranged with local operators.
Boat Hire
Boats for hire. All boats and engines are moored on the farm, 300 metres from the house, with easy access from the road with car park and boat shed.
Notes: Having ghillied on Lough Currane for over 30 years Vincent is a great choice for those looking for a guided service or flyfishing instruction on the Lake. All ages are catered for and even experienced anglers will benefit from the watercraft and fly-lore unique to Lough Currane. All tackle is provided and accommodation can be organised if required.
Adrian and his sons Jamie and Adam were out for a day on Lough Derg with Damien Culliney of Anglers Paradise Guiding. East winds were in the forecast and as everyone knew what that meant they were not expecting much.
All was quiet until 11 o’clock when the first rod went. Young Jamie grabbed the rod and was playing the fish like a pro. As Damien was about to net the fish, the second rod went! Young Adam was on the rod straight away. He was playing fish number 2 and guide Damien was unhooking fish number 1, when suddenly the third rod went! Dad Adrian had no choice but to pick up the rod, and he was met by fierce resistance as the fish put up a great fight.
Jamie, Adrian and Adam with their triple hook up
After a cold and fishless couple of hours, a triple hook up was not something that anyone thought was on the cards, but it turned the day right around. The trio had a few more takes that day but it was Dad, Adrian, who had the best of the fish with his 101cm pike. I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear from them again!
Anglers Paradise Ireland is owned and managed by Damien Culliney, a well known angler and chef in the Clare region and a man passionate about the inland waterways and natural history of County Clare. At Angler’s Paradise, we love the thrill of Game fishing and Pike fishing in equal measure and can take our clients to some of Europe’s most unspoilt rivers and lakes in search of trophy predators and the realisation of their angling dreams.
Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, today announced the launch of a second public consultation on the draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2026. This consultation provides stakeholders and members of the public with a further opportunity to comment on the draft Regulations before they are finalised.
Announcing the launch, Minister Dooley said:
“I want to thank all the stakeholders who took the time to submit their views on the first consultation process. 326 submissions were received and your constructive feedback, alongside the scientific advice, has informed the updated draft regulations.
This second consultation provides stakeholders with another opportunity to review the measures being proposed and to share their views before the regulations are finalised. I would again encourage you all to participate in this process.”
The first consultation attracted a significant response from a range of stakeholders, demonstrating a shared concern for the long-term conservation and management of wild salmon and sea trout stocks. All 326 submissions received within the consultation period have been considered and a consultation report, summarising the key themes raised by stakeholders, has been published on the consultation page. The feedback received has informed a refinement of the draft regulations.
Declining stocks continues to be a significant challenge. In their 2026 Catch Advice, TEGOS (the Technical Expert Group on Salmon) report that the number of wild salmon returning to Ireland has progressively declined from well over 1 million for much of the 1970s to under 200,000 in recent years. The decline stocks are also evident in catch statistics published by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), with current catches at less than half the levels seen in the 2000s.
In this context, the Minister has written to IFI, asking them to review the existing approach to salmon management and to consider what options are available for the protection and recovery of stocks. This work, backed by scientific advice, will inform future policy decisions in this area.
The Minister also said:
“The continued decline in stocks is of great concern to me. I have asked Inland Fisheries Ireland for their views on the existing salmon management regime and to consider what options may be available to address the ongoing decline in stocks, up to and including a moratorium on the harvesting of salmon.”
Sunday offered a rare and welcome break from recent harsh weather for the first leg of the South Shore 2026 Master Angler Competition at Morriscastle. Conditions were excellent, with a big tide, gentle roll, and good colour in the water, leading to plenty of optimism at the start of the match.
Fish were caught early across the beach, with rockling, flounder, and dabs making up most of the catches. Returning anglers Joe Cummins and Rob Moore settled quickly, landing fish early on.
In Zone A, Anto Scanlon, Gordy Hardman, and Niall Carabini fished consistently throughout. Gav Fogarty was unfortunate to lose a quality spurdog at the surf after playing it into the beach. Anto Scanlon went on to win Zone A and take the overall victory with a strong bag of 17 fish.
Zone B saw a fast start from Ciaran Fogarty and Ian Daly, with Thomas Keogh also among the early fish. A dramatic final cast from Thomas produced a double spurdog and a whiting treble, tying the zone with Ciaran. However, Ciaran claimed Zone B on fish count with 17, with Alby Allan finishing third.
Pools were won by Gordy Hardman with a 46cm spurdog and Thomas Keogh with a 33cm flounder. The Golden Peg competition remains ongoing, with several hundred euro still in the pot.
Richard Dodd reports on Borough SAC’s first competition of 2026, fished on Killiney Beach…
Killiney Beach – Saturday 31 January, 4pm–8pm
January 2026 will go down as the month the weather tried to wash Ireland into the Atlantic. Three winter storms barrelled in one after another, each one wetter, louder, and more dramatic than the last. Rain hammered the East coast so relentlessly that even the ducks were complaining, and the wind blew so hard from the South‑east that seagulls were seen walking instead of flying.
At one point, I even spotted a neighbour building a boat in his garden. The worrying part wasn’t the boat—it was the animals lining up two by two. That’s when you knew: this was going to be an interesting month for fishing.
Despite the chaos, Borough SAC prepared to launch the 2026 season. With the storms still swirling and the ground squelching underfoot, our secretary Tom Butler took it upon himself to rally the troops. Phone in hand, he rang members one by one, offering encouragement, motivation, and possibly mild emotional blackmail. Whatever he said worked—ten brave anglers committed to facing whatever Killiney Beach threw at them.
Bait, however, was another story. The tackle shops looked like they’d been looted by a hungry otter. Worms were nowhere to be found, so most anglers turned up armed with fish baits and hope.
On Killiney beach
Pegging the beach fell to myself, and arriving early proved essential. Blackrock SAC were also fishing from 4pm to 9pm, and several pleasure anglers were already set up. Space was at a premium, but the beach was marked out in time. The beach itself looked like it had survived a Viking raid—weed piled high on the tide line, and the general look of a place that had been slapped around by three storms in a row. Still the weather gods must have felt guilty. The rain stopped. The wind eased. The sea calmed. And suddenly, against all odds, it looked like a perfect night for fishing.
Joe Caffrey
As the first casts hit the water, every angler had the same thought: “Please don’t let the weed ruin this.” At 4pm sharp, the competition began. Concerns about weed vanished almost immediately—conditions were excellent, and the sea fished beautifully throughout the session. Joe Caffrey opened the scoring with the first fish of the night,a lively whiting,and from there the action never slowed.
Peg
Angler
Fish Caught
Notes
1
Tom Butler
12
Still had time to ring people mid‑session (probably).
2
Richard Dodd
29
Included a 34 cm coalie and 22 cm dab.
3
Seb Dungan
11
Quiet but steady.
4
Donald Mullen
13
Included a 23 cm rockling.
5
Jim McDonald
17
Strong performance.
6
Joe Caffrey
9
Started the night with the first fish.
7
Martin Corr
16
Consistent as always.
8
Willie Roche
12
Solid session.
9
Stan Ryan
16
Matching Martin fish for fish.
10
Mick Murray
9
Rounded out the field.
Total Fish Caught: 144, all whiting expect for 2 dabs, a coalie and shore rockling, thank god for whiting. Every single one returned safely to swim another day.
A Brilliant Start to 2026 Against all expectations—and after a month of storms, floods, and questionable ark‑building. Great turnout. Great conditions. Great craic. If the rest of the year follows this trend, 2026 is shaping up to be one of our best seasons yet. And if the weather tries to wash us away again well, at least we know Tom will ring everyone until they show up anyway.
Join the club…
The Borough Sea Angling Club is made up of a group of active anglers. Usually we hire 2 or more charter boats for our 8 boat competitions. The 10 shore competitions have a hardcore group that fish mainly on the east coast. Usually there are 2 competitions around the Ardmore / Youghal area. Some members are also involved in pike, coarse and trout fishing. Usually there is at least one tour abroad each year to various destinations.
The Newbridge District Pike Anglers got their 2026 competition season underway on 25th January. While the intention was to fish a river, widespread flooding across the country meant options were extremely limited, and the decision was made to fish the canal instead.
Eighteen members made the trip on the day. Conditions were favourable, with anglers meeting at 7:30am, on the bank by 8:00am, and fishing until 4:00pm. Members were given the freedom to move along the venue, allowing plenty of water to be covered. A small number of anglers also chose to try the river, but with water levels high and heavily coloured, all fish counted in the competition were taken from the canal.
A total of 15 fish were caught and safely released, including two small doubles. It was great to be back on the bank with the members, with plenty of good craic and banter enjoyed throughout the day. Thanks go to all who took part, and congratulations to the winners.
Full results:
1st: Darron Dunne — 12.08 heaviest fish, 22lb bag 2nd: Dave Murphy — 11.15 heaviest fish, 19.15lb bag 3rd: Darren Doyle — 8.10 heaviest fish, 13.12lb bag
Sunday marked the third running of the Leinster Pairs, held at Ballycommon. Eleven teams took part in this excellent event, organised by none other than Sean Ward and Dean Murray.
Weather conditions were much improved compared to recent outings, much to the anglers’ delight. However, a light breeze would have helped to create some ripple on the water—but that’s canal fishing for you.
The results on the day were as follows:
1st Place: Pat Bartley & Colin Oliver — 6.08
2nd Place: Mark Leonard & Michael O’Connor — 5.7
3rd Place: Brian O’Donoghue & Jack Langan — 5.4
The fourth and final leg of the Leinster Pairs 2026 will take place on Sunday, 15th February.
Sunday saw 25 anglers take on the River Erne for the eighth round of the Winter League in near biblical water conditions. Despite the extremely high water, the match was a success, with all competitors catching fish.
Fishing took place across Bellenaleck Marina, Round O Jetty, Cha Cha (high and low), and Ardhowen Jetty. With so much water in the system, all sections were very tightly contested, with single fish often making the difference.
Top rod on the day was Jack Tisdall, who claimed victory from Ardhowen Jetty with 3.8kg. He was followed closely by Ewan Weed in second place with 3.69kg, while Aaron Hutchman finished third with 3.53kg.
Bellenaleck Marina fished slower than expected, though Edgaras Griskaitis won the section with 1.8kg, narrowly ahead of Maciej Paul Bober. Other section winners included Paul Eyre at Cha Cha with 2.96kg and A. Gregg with 3.27kg.
Overall, it was a tough but successful day, and attention now turns to the next match in the hope of more favourable conditions.
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
