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Sheelin anglers find gold at the end of the rainbow

By
Brenda Montgomery
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Lough Sheelin angling report April 3rd – April 9th 

“Success in not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts”

 Winston Churchill

Displaying gold

Although moving towards mid-April, we are still in early season on Lough Sheelin and for this week that meant early season trout tactics and less than prime fishing conditions.  An ideal springtime trout fishing day would be one that opens with sunny skies before transitioning to a cloudy afternoon that promises to make the trout less spooky as they feed in the warmer shallows down along Holywell, Crover, Merry point and around by the Stony Islands.  Putting to one side this piscatorial fantasy, the water levels are still stubbornly high here and are slow to recede due to the sporadic downpours. Some boat owners have been caught out with the volumes of rain and many boats are being flooded and, in some cases, have sunk.  One boat, with the unfortunate name ‘The Floater’ is almost totally submerged at Goreport with only the bow sticking forlornly out of the waves, something like an extract from ‘The Titantic’.

Sinking dreams

Despite flood levels, water temperatures are still climbing and are clinging by the fingertips to 10°C from top to bottom.

The experts tell us that trout become much more active at above 10°C but although trout are moving up through the layers with the odd one going air borne, things are still a little slow in the transition and emergence department.  Day time temperatures peaked at 15°C on some days and with this heat came good hatches of duck fly, spoilt only by strong gusty predominantly southerly winds.  It is very difficult to get the right mix this early in the season and although there were plenty of buzzer hatching, they seemed to be all around the office at Kilnahard with a reluctance to get out on the water where their presence was most needed.  Sheltered areas, away from the chill and chop of the waves resulted in a nice little bit of duck fly fishing with some traditional wet flies – the Cruncher, Sooty Olive, Black Pennell, Dunkeld and Mallard & Claret.

Met Eireann promises a rise in temperatures and with this month forging ahead, happily leaving winter behind,  buzzer fishing should take off in earnest.

13 year old Victoria Sakowicz with her Sheelin catch

Buzzers and duck flies are all members of the globally distributed family Chironomidae, non-biting midges.  Interestingly in certain parts of the world (not at Sheelin) they can be called lake flies, sand flies, muffleheads or chizzywinks but whatever the name, anglers are generally referring to large midge pupae or adults in slow or still water.  An angler who ignores the opportunities buzzer fishing bring on Lough Sheelin does so at his peril, as buzzers make up an enormous part of a trout diet and buzzer imitations particularly from mid-April on will work just as well as lures and produce excellent fishing here. The easiest way to track down a hatch’s coordinates is to actually spot the midges flying off the water.  Epoxy buzzer patterns imitate the midge’s shiny, gas-filled body and patterns that imitate the bursting out or emergence from pupae to adult.  Many buzzers do not survive long enough to get past the pupal stage as the trout are very fond of feasting on these bugs as they writhe and squiggle upwards towards the surface.

There are a mind boggling selection of buzzer patterns but some of the best ones are the Shuttlecock black CDC buzzer (great for to imitate emerging buzzers, letting it drift when the trout are rising to buzzers), a single buzzer on a shortish leader, Silver Bead Black & Gold buzzer (on its own or in a team, the bead gets the imitation down into the water) and a single adult Black Buzzer fished on the surface or pulled to sink below the surface film.  When fishing with buzzers, it is important that you retrieve the flies very slowly.  This is an art that cannot be rushed.

Emerging buzzer pattern

There were some nice trout caught this week, mainly by casting lures with a small amount of flinging of flies.  Successful lures ranged from large to medium, all of which were brightly coloured with some not looking out of place in a hair piece shop. Other popular lures were the Humungus, the Minkies, Snakes and Cats Whiskers. The trout were all in great condition, ranging in colour from butter yellow with well defined spots to a pale silver sprinkled with smaller markings. Angling numbers averaged forty plus on Saturday and Sunday with week days sporting smaller numbers.

The heaviest fish caught was by Dublin angler, Mervyn Clarke using a Silver Dabbler.  The Dabblers are still going strong on this lake with the Sooty, Claret, Silver, Golden Olive, Pearly and Green being the most popular.  I am reliably told that once you have a dabbler on your cast and you can get that cast over a fish then you will catch.

The best areas for fishing successes were Holywell, Crover Shore, Goreport, Bog Bay, Stony and at the back of Church Island.

A solid piscatorial weight
Pat Gallagher’s 5.5lb trout caught on a Golden Olive Dabbler
Sheelin’s buzzer

 

Kevin Sheridan with his 3.4lb trout

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.

 

Pleasantly plump – Pat Gallagher’s 6.5lb trout

 

The Observer

Lough Sheelin Guiding Services (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com) 087 1245927

 Christopher Defillon 

[email protected] (+33685964369) evasionpecheirlande.net

https://m.facebook.com/christopher.defillon?refid=0&fref=seaperch#

Michael Farrell @ 087 4194156Telephone: +353 43 6681298 Email: [email protected]

Grey Duster Guiding
Kenneth O’Keeffe
Tel: 086 8984172 Email: [email protected]

John Mulvany  [email protected] 086 2490076

Back of the net – Gary McKiernan’s heavy weight
Early Thorn

Lough Sheelin Guiding Services (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com) 087 1245927

 Christopher Defillon 

[email protected] (+33685964369) evasionpecheirlande.net

https://m.facebook.com/christopher.defillon?refid=0&fref=seaperch#

Michael Farrell @ 087 4194156Telephone: +353 43 6681298 Email: [email protected]

Grey Duster Guiding
Kenneth O’Keeffe
Tel: 086 8984172 Email: [email protected]

John Mulvany  [email protected] 086 2490076

April sunshine

Catches recorded for the week: 42

Heaviest trout: 7lb trout caught on a Silver Dabbler at Chambers by Dublin angler Mervyn Clarke

Selection of catches:

Barry Caffrey, Meath – 1 trout at 3.5lbs using lures.

Ronan MacGrianna, Inniskeen – 1 trout at 1.5lbs on wet flies.

Dilans Zaicevs, Dublin – 1 trout at 5.5lbs

Remigijus Mickevisius – 1 trout at 5lbs using lures.

Denis Brkic, Wexford – 1 trout at 3.5lbs on silver Toby.

Zydrunas Ausra, Westmeath – 2 trout, heaviest at 5lbs using lures.

 

Waiting for Godot

Bread fly working for mullet when conditions allow

By
Myles Kelly
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mullet
"...best of the last trip was 5lb 5oz which I must admit I thought would weigh a bit more from looking at the size of it."

David Norman of Angling Adventures West Cork tells us he is pleased to have a personal 100% success rate for Mullet Bread Fly this season! unfortunately that’s just a two for two result so far has he’s only been out twice due to the shocking weather we’ve all had through the past weeks.

Still, that’s eight fish with a few more lost. Best of the last trip was 5lb 5oz which looked like it would weigh more going by the length of it.

mullet
“…best of the last trip was 5lb 5oz which I must admit I thought would weigh a bit more from looking at the size of it.”

Go fishing…

Click the listing below for more information…

Angling Adventures West Cork

Address Clonakilty Cork Ireland Mobile Phone: +353858492691 Website: anglingadventureswestcork.ie
More information
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Sea angling from Kinsale and Courtmacsherry

Sea angling from Clonakilty to Glandore Harbour

Sea angling from Beara to Galley Head

Sea angling on the Beara Peninsula

 

French anglers get off to a good start at Melview Fishing Lodge

By
IFI
-
Julien with a nice pike

French anglers Philippe, Bruno, Julien and Bernard get off to a great start to their fishing holiday at Melview Fishing Lodge in Longford with 32 pike in two days, which is a great result considering the high water levels.

Bernard gets off the mark

Again, these guys are no strangers to Melview Lodge and the surrounding waters as they have been visiting before and have been looking forward to getting back out on the water. For these guys it was all casting using various hard and soft lures in depths from 2 meters to 4 meters.

Bruno takes from a shallow spot
Philippe with his first

Host and guide Kevin said, the guys have got off to a great start given the high water levels and flooded areas. There will be a full report next week to see how the guys finished up…

Please fish in a sustainable manner

A tough session at Clondorney for Tulla anglers

By
IFI Staff
-
Clondorney , Tulla
Tough times for Tulla anglers

Anthony Weir from Tulla and District Angling Club reports that once again the weather was set against club members. This time the 9 intrepid coarse anglers who fished at Clondorney on Sunday were the victims.

The predictions of double figure weights proved inaccurate, also the venue itself falling foul of the poor conditions, but the 9 stuck it out to the final whistle and everyone caught. Well done to

  • 1st Ian Kelsey 6lb 11oz
  • 2nd Anthony Weir 5lb 3oz
  • 3rd Clive Slater 4lb 11oz

Join the Club

Tulla logo

Tulla District Angling Club is a Pike and Coarse fishing club founded over 50 years ago. They are based in East Clare, Munster, Ireland.

For information on joining and club events see the Tulla District Angling Club Facebook page

Tulla Coarse Angling Centre

 

First Irish Pike on the fly for Italian guest of Melview Fishing Lodge!

By
IFI
-
Emmanuel from Italy with his first Irish fly-caught pike

Kevin Lyons of Melview Fishing Lodge reports…

Emmanuel from Italy is over for 5 weeks on a work experience and is a guest of Kevin’s at Melview Fishing Lodge. His passion is fly fishing for pike and trout…so during a little time off, he was able to fit in a few hours fishing. Over the next few weeks he hopes to have a bit more spare time to add to his catches.

Please fish in a sustainable manner

 

Irish Angling Update 🐟 6 April 2023 🎣

By
IFI Staff
-

It seems as though we are never too far away from another weather record being broken these days and, following hot on the heels of our fourth driest February on record, March 2023 was the wettest in Ireland’s 83 years of recorded weather history. Air and soil temperatures continue to stay above long term averages though, and as we head into the Easter bank holiday weekend, water temperatures have just about started to creep above the magical 10°C mark in most of our inland waterways…

For many lough trout anglers, 10°C is the point at which the trout start to look up for their food instead of just looking down, and surface activity becomes more noticeable on the loughs. On Lough Sheelin, with temperatures just below the 10°C mark, the first proper hatches of duckfly made an appearance this week and traditional flies fished close to the surface worked well. Over on Lough Arrow, the season kicked off on April 1st and blustery conditions tested the rustiness of the anglers there after their late start.

Sheelin sunshine

River trout anglers had to contend with high, coloured water but Dan O’Neill still put his guests over the fish on the Nore and, not far away on the Barrow tributaries, a cracker of a trout fell to a lure fished well through a deep pool for Levi Caffrey. In Mallow, another fine trout took a shine to a silvery spinner for Thomas Coyle, who thought he’d hooked something silver but was as happy with his gold reward! On the subject of silver, we have reports from a number of rivers that salmon smolts have begun making their journeys to the sea. Smolts will readily take a trout fly, so we’d like to remind anglers to handle these precious little travellers with care.

trout barrow catch and release
A super trout from the Barrow about to be carefully released

As the days lengthen, the adult salmon are picking up pace heading in the opposite direction to their tiny relatives. In Mayo, the Ballina Salmon Anglers on the mighty Moy recorded their second salmon of the season, and Carrowmore Lake is starting to produce some spring fish. In County Kerry, the Upper Caragh has added a few more fish to their record books and the Currane anglers have had some success with a number of double figure fish falling to both fly and lure.

Bernard releases his salmon on Lough Currane
Bernard releases his Currane salmon

On the coarse angling scene, we would like to remind anglers that the National Coarse Fishing Federation has been appointed by FIPSed (the world governing body for sport fishing) to host the World Club Feeder Championships on Lough Muckno on April 22nd & 23rd. Anglers are requested to refrain from fishing at the venue in the week building up to the event. The NCFFI are also looking for volunteers from affiliated clubs to assist with stewarding the event – please register your interest at www.ncffi.ie on the micro website dedicated to this Championship.

In other coarse fishing news, Inniscarra Lake hosted the third round of the Munster Teams of Four League while the Iascaire Feeder Fishing Club took their foot off the gas for some great pleasure fishing in the north midlands.

A very notable pike was caught this week as Artur Pike Seeker caught the pike he has been seeking for so long with an exceptional river pike of over 120cm in length. Artur wins our catch of the week this week for landing the fish of his dreams. On the competition scene, the Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs held their final qualifier on the Grand Canal at Vicarstown at the weekend, with some fine canal pike featuring in the catches.

120cm pike

To saltwater and the UK’s National Mullet Club have launched their ‘Irish Shield’ for the biggest mullet caught by a club member here in Ireland. David Rigden is the current holder with a 7lb 8oz thick lipped mullet. On the beaches, the Killybegs Mariners have been flat out with flatties and trout, and the Menapia SAC launched their 2023 competition season. Conditions looked good for South Shore SAC for the fourth round of their master series on Tinnebearna Beach last weekend, but the fishing wasn’t up to scratch in the early part of the session, and a late flurry of dogs saved the day.

West Cork and District got their 2023 season underway on the Slob Bank with a fine turnout of 21 anglers including several new faces. A new addition to the shore competition scene will be the collaboration of West Cork and District SAC and Tralee Bay SAC to host the Kerry Pairs competition. One pair will fish on the same peg and work together, something completely new on the match scene.

Kerry Pairs
Kerry Pairs

As the season moves on, the charter boats are getting back on the water, and Wicklow Boat Charters have started where they left off last season with some super specimen spurs from the east coast. In Donegal, Saoire Mara got the first trip of 2023 out of the way with 12 different species and, in Kerry, Fuego hit some early season specimen pollack out from Caherciveen as did the Brazen Hussy II in Galway Bay. 

Easter is here, and many parents are wondering what they might do to keep the kids from driving them mad! What better than a day on the sea? Fun all round and by the end of it you’ll travel home with a car full of kids who want nothing more than to sleep soundly for the night.

Joey Gough with one of his Specimen Spurdog, longest at 119cm
Joey Gough with one of his Specimen Spurdog, longest at 119cm

Podcasts

This week from the Ireland on the Fly podcast, the guys have another Book Club episode. In this instalment, Daire and Tom speak to John Gierach, the prolific and best-selling fly fishing writer who has been an inspiration for thousands of fly anglers around the world.

In Other News…

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has urged anglers and watercraft owners to help stop the spread of invasive species by carefully checking, cleaning, and drying their boats and equipment when travelling from one waterway to another this Easter.

In particular, IFI is asking users of the River Shannon and its tributaries to take action to halt the proliferation of non-native species that may cling to crafts as they move along the waters.

IFI is recommending that owners of motorised and non-motorised watercraft do not move them from the Shannon or its lakes, tributaries, and interconnected canals to other waterbodies.

And now the weather

Most of the country will have a dry Thursday evening with late spells of sunshine. Highs of 9°C to 12°C in a light breeze, turning chilly overnight with Lows of -1°C to +3°C and a touch of frost in places.

Friday will be mainly dry with spells of hazy sunshine. Highs of 12°C to 15°C in light to moderate southerly winds. Cloud will thicken overnight on with drizzle developing towards morning. Lows of 4°C to 9°C in light to moderate south easterly winds.

Patchy rain developing over the west on Saturday; however, it will stay dry for most other areas. Highs of 9°C to 13°C with overnight lows of 7°C to 10°C in light winds.

Easter Sunday will be a dull day with patchy rain and in the morning which will become more persistent in the afternoon. Highs of 10°C to 13°C in moderate to fresh southerly winds.

Monday will be a brighter day with some sunny spells but occasional heavy showers in the afternoon. Highs of 10°C to 13°C in moderate westerly winds.

Safe fishing to all 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].

 

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Pollack a Plenty in Galway Bay

By
IFI Staff
-

We recently featured two Galway Bay charter boats back in the water after refits.

Well, both have been out with customers over the last week, and apparently the pollack fishing is going really well at the moment.

Plenty of fish on the ground, most of a decent size. As well as pollack, there were cuckoo wrasse, coalies and ling taking baits too.

 

Go Fishing

Brazen Hussy II

To book fishing with John aboard the Brazen Hussy II, give him a call on 087 7571320

A regular day is between 9am- 6pm from either Rossaveal, Spiddal or Galway depending on species being sought after. Fishing on the inshore reefs for pollock, cod, ling, wrasse, conger eel and mackerel can be reached in 10 minutes from departure, while our offshore reef marks are within 45 minutes of departure. Our ground fishing for tope, spurdog, ray, bullhuss, turbot, plaice and the giant common skate can all be reached within the hour which ensures the most amount of time is spent fishing.
The shark season usually starts at the end of June and runs into late October, this is the ultimate angling adrenaline rush with these hard fighting blue and porbeagle sharks all being tagged and released safely.
Package deals available

Address: Baile an tSagairt, Spiddal, Co. Galway.

Telephone: +353 (0)87 7571320

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlueSharkAngling

Leaca Rua

To book a fishing trip with Julian, give him a call on 086 323 4638, email [email protected] or check out the website at www.galwayfishing.ie

Deep sea fishing trip in Galway Bay from Rossaveel. Fish for species such as shark, pollack, ling, ray, mackerel and much more…

Licenced for up to 12 persons. Smaller groups welcomed and individuals also catered for.

For day trips, boat departs Rossaveel around 9am and returns around 5.30pm.

For evening charter, boat departs at 6.30pm and returns approx at 9.30pm.

Telephone: +353 (0)86 323 4638

Email:[email protected]

Web: www.galwayfishing.ie/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlueSharkAngling

 

Inland Fisheries Ireland issues Easter alert to anglers and craft owners over invasive species spread

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has urged anglers and watercraft owners to help stop the spread of invasive species by carefully checking, cleaning, and drying their boats and equipment when travelling from one waterway to another this Easter.

In particular, IFI is asking users of the River Shannon and its tributaries to take action to halt the proliferation of non-native species that may cling to crafts as the latter move along the waters.

IFI is recommending that anglers, and motorised and non-motorised watercraft owners/users, do not move boats or craft from the Shannon, and its lakes, tributaries, and interconnected canals to other waterbodies.

Francis O’Donnell CEO, Inland Fisheries Ireland, commented: “Many people will take to the Shannon and other waters during the Easter holidays. We are appealing to users to be vigilant and proactive in reducing the advance of invasive species in inland Irish waters.

“We are asking users, in so far as is practical, not to move their boats between waterbodies. Our preference is that no movement of any watercraft from the Shannon and its tributaries is undertaken.

“However, if people must do so, then to please make time to disinfect their boats and fishing equipment. This will curb the spread of harmful organisms such as the Quagga mussel, which was first detected on the Shannon in 2021.

“The growth of certain alien species has a dramatic contamination impact on the watercourse.  Aquatic invasive species, either flora or fauna, are detrimental to Ireland’s native fish populations and their delicate habitats and ecosystems.

“Users should always assume they are going from a contaminated waterway to clean waterway and take precautions to ensure they don’t carry any alien species with them,” said Mr O’Donnell.

There are currently 10 key aquatic invasive species in the River Shannon, according to latest research from the Invasive Ecology Laboratory at the School of Biology and Environmental Science at UCD.

Anglers, boat owners, cruisers, sailing, and recreational waterways users on kayaks, canoes or jet-skis are being asked to implement preventative biosecurity measures in line with Check, Clean, Dry protocols, such as:

  • Checking craft, equipment, and clothing/footwear after leaving the water for mud, aquatic animals or plant material – removing anything found and leaving it at the site;
  • Cleaning equipment, clothing and footwear, as soon as possible – using hot water – paying attention to ropes, bilges, trailers, the inside of boats, and areas that are damp and hard to access;
  • Drying and draining all parts of the craft/ trailer and equipment/clothing before leaving the site, and allowing to air dry for at least 48 hours.

Members of the public who encounter invasive species can report sightings via: https://invasives.ie/what-can-i-do/report-sightings/. IFI is also requesting that citizens help protect and conserve fisheries resources on the Shannon and elsewhere in Ireland, over Easter, by reporting incidents or suspicions of illegal fishing to its confidential phone number 0818 34 74 24

Latest Episode of Ireland on the Fly – Book Club Ep #4: John Gierach, All the Time in the World

By
IFI Staff
-
It’s a very special guest for this week’s episode of Ireland on the Fly.  He has been an inspiration for Daire and Tom as well as thousands of other fly anglers around the world, and with every new release, his musings, essays and reflections on a life lived through fly fishing have kept so many people entertained down through the years.
For the latest Ireland on the Fly Book Club episode, Daire and Tom speak to John Gierach, the prolific and best-selling fly fishing writer, whose first collection Trout Bum, in 1986, opened the door to so much and his latest book, All the Time in the World, is out now.John explains why he sees himself as a writer first and angler second, discusses the hard work and process behind his writing success and also delves into why he headed west to Colorado to begin a life lived based solely around fly fishing.

Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify at:

Second salmon of the season reported from the Moy

By
IFI Staff
-

Moy Catchment angling report

The following is the angling report for the period 27th March – 2nd April. On Tuesday, 28th March, Ballina Salmon Anglers reported their 2nd salmon of the season. The lucky angler was local man P.J. Brogan who landed a 5.5 lbs salmon from an area known locally as “the boxes” in Ballina. The rest of the week was quiet, with no salmon recorded for the system. With water levels dropping at the moment and not a lot of rain forecast for the coming Easter weekend, the number of anglers out fishing should increase; let’s hope we have more to report for next week.

                                P.J.Brogan with his 5.5 lbs. salmon from the Moy

 

 

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