Dan O’Neill, fishery manager at Mount Juliet, reports from the Kings River…
On the afternoon of the 17th, with conditions being less than ideal on the Nore, I had to wet the line somewhere. The water height on the Nore at this point was 2.2m. Judging by the river and with time against me I decided to quickly go to the Kings River for a look. Getting to the Kings I convinced myself it was fishable from the bank, which in a way it was. I found a nice little spot without too many branches overhead. After casting for a while I was having no luck but enjoying being out again after some time away from the river.
While in thought and just admiring the surrounding I felt a very familiar knock this was it number one. Leaping and splashing I guided a very welcome brown trout into the net. Wetting my hands and quickly taking the hook out I got a quick picture and away the trout went.
I had one more trout before calling it a day just very happy to have met a trout in such conditions and of course for day one of the season.
Guided fishing
Taking bookings now for guided trips on the River Nore. Anyone wishing to practice a particular technique for trout or learn more about leader setups etc. Full and Half days available, contact me for more information.
Dan O’Neill Mount Juliet
Go Fishing
Mount Juliet has trout and salmon fishing available on site over 2.5 miles of the river Nore. Classes also available for every skill level – learn or improve on your chosen technique. coarse fish ponds also available on the hotel grounds.
Mount Juliet House is set on a large estate, which offers private fishing on 2.5 miles of the middle to lower reaches of the River Nore. Mount Juliet Estate offers fishing of the highest quality, just a short stroll away from the Manor House. There is a fishing room on site in the Manor House for your convenience i.e. for storage and drying of fishing equipment. Mount Juliet Estate can also provide the necessary equipment on site if needed.
Dan O’Neill is the Fishery Manager and is an avid fly angler with great enthusiasm and passion for his sport. He has a wealth of experience of fishing on the fabulous River Nore. Dan can arrange salmon and trout fishing trips and can offer great advice and local knowledge to anglers wishing to visit the Nore and other rivers in the south east.
Fly Casting Instruction
Dan is an AGPAI Ireland qualified single handed casting instructor. He will be happy to arrange casting lessons on the fishery.
Tackle Hire
Fishing equipment and flies/bait can all be supplied.
Dan is also an accomplished fly tyer and has a number of patterns of his own which regularly bring him success which he would be happy to share with you.
Predator & Salt is a new interactive online fishing magazine focusing on predator fishing in fresh and salt water, high-quality photography and articles covering various aspects of modern angling – fly and lure fishing, trolling and big game angling.
Kuba Standera, editor of the magazine, describes the main focus of the new publication as follows: “The magazine focuses on showing the adventure and friendship aspects of fishing, its inclusivity and the conservation of aquatic ecosystems”.
Each issue of this new publication will be dedicated to a specific European fishing destination with Ireland having the honour of being featured in the first issue of the new magazine.
The first issue is 100% dedicated to fishing in Ireland. It covers some of the best fishing destinations worldwide, showing some less-known species and methods to catch them including trolling for albacore and tuna, fly fishing for brown trout, sea bass and pollock up to fly fishing for blue shark. Fishing-related art is also presented. Two Irish-based artists show their wooden & metal sculptures and pencil drawings.
Artur Pike Seeker reports on a recent pike fishing trip…
March is the time when pike start spawning. Fish are picky and lazy. Sometimes it’s really hard to get them to attack. The weather doesn’t help. Sometimes there’s sun, rain, heat cold, wind, calm, in the same day. But if you are a patient and clever angler you can catch a really big fish. Maybe even a beautiful strong, healthy, Irish river pike of 111cm.
Portumna Coarse Angling Club fished a club match on Sunday on pegs 1 to 17 (Town and Stic Ups).
The Shannon was well up following all the recent rains, having risen a further 6 inches and was tanking past the pegs. Nevertheless, it did not let the anglers down and fished as expected. Four of the anglers did not weigh but some decent bags were put together. Pavel did best on the Town section weighing in 12lb 15oz. Best weight in Stic Ups was caught by Sean – 11lbs.
Results
Pavel 12lb 15oz (Town)
Sean 11lb (Stic Ups), Bill 9lb 08oz (Town)
Joe Nolan 8lb 4oz (Town), Bruce Pennell 7lb 12oz (Stic Ups)
Their previous competition was fished on a very cold March 5th, but with lower water. Catches were much better all round with 15 of 17 anglers getting into double figures and first place going to Bruce Pennell with a truly impressive 31lbs 12oz.
Bruce weighed in 31lb 12oz on March 5th at Portumna
Portumna Coarse Angling Clubare affiliated to the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland and are members of the Angling Council the National Governing Body for coarse and predator angling. www.ncffi.ie
Vincent Appleby reports on a busy weekend for anglers fishing Lough Currane…
15/3/2023 Lough Currane was on the wild side, all Salmon and Sea Trout stations were closed as the SSW wind took control as the rain lashed down.
16/3/2023 Just two boats out and all quiet on the SW front but to be fair to the Currane anglers, Lough Currane was filthy after a big flood and the amount of rainfall recorded at Valentia weather station was 34.3 mm. Wind SSW fresh to strong with gusts at times with the odd bit of sun breaking through later in the afternoon.
Dave Mehigan, Lough Currane
17/3/2023 Lough Currane celebrates in Style this St. Patrick’s Day and for good reason, Mr. Dave Mehigan caught a fine St. Patrick’s Day 7.5 lbs. Salmon while trolling with his Guide. Wind SSE light fresh followed by heavy showers.
18/3/2023 All the action comes from the fly department. Currane renowned fly angler Mr. Declan McEneaney while flyfishing with his guide Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com caught the first 10 lbs salmon on the fly this Season. So congratulations to Declan and his Guide Dominic. I asked Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy what fly did Declan catch it on and he told me that it was on a Brod O’Sullivan special, or you can say this first Salmon caught in 2023 is in memory of my good friend Mr. Brod O’Sullivan R.I.P
For the rest of the Currane anglers it was all quiet. Wind NE light fresh, followed by reasonable cloud cover. Just for the record there were 8 boats out and by all accounts there a few Kelts caught on the troll.
Gary Humphrey, Currane
19/3/2023 Renowned UK Currane fly angler Mr. Gary Humphrey had his prayers answered. He went out on this wild day with his Gillie Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com and just for the record Mr. Gary Humphrey was Mr. Brod O’Sullivan’s client and you can say Brod guided Gary and Dominic to a fantastic day on Lough Currane and here is their facts of the day. While trolling down the Southside of Grassy Island they caught a fine 12lb salmon and had a great battle by all accounts.
The action didn’t stop there because they headed for the fly department and yes you have it, within a few minutes the fly rod was bent double. Again their C&R 10 lbs. Salmon gave Gary a great battle. As Dominic netted his fine Salmon, Gary said, “Thank you Dominic for a great day’s fishing”. Dominic replied, “Don’t thank me, thank Brod R.I.P.”
The second fish was carefully released
Wind SW fresh to strong. Just for the record Gary and Dominic were the only boat out today.
20/3/2023 Lough Currane was on the wild side this day, there were 4 boats out but their reels were all quiet. Wind SSW fresh to strong followed by heavy rain for most of the day.
21/3/2023 All Currane anglers were at a standstill today as a strong SSW wind took control of today’s proceedings, as the rain lashed down all day. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 12.3 mm and just for the record that doesn’t include the rainfall in mountainous areas.
Big flood on the Butlers pool, Lough Currane
22/3/2023 Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com reports on today’s action, no boats out, another wild day with a strong wind from the SW plus a big flood yesterday and Lough Currane rising fast, amount of rainfall yesterday 33.6 mm and again this doesn’t include the rainfall in mountainous areas.
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
The rivers and lakes of Waterville drain a large catchment and are regarded by many as the foremost Salmon and Sea-Trout fishery in the country. The lake system is well developed with access to boats and guides being readily available to the tourist angler. The Sea-Trout caught here are renowned for their size and quantity. For more details see:
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.
Dan O’Neill reports on a trip to the River Barrow in search of perch at the weekend…
Taking a look at the weather forecast I was not fully filled with hope for the coming days. Usually I would tie some flies, grease reels, practice some casting when the weather get this way, but my apprentice Anthony had different ideas. “Lets try for a perch!”, was my morning alarm call which sounded a lot better than my usual alarm tone. Full of knowledge from watching his latest you tube videos Anthony was all chat about how he was going to approach the tricky conditions on the River Barrow today.
Arriving at the location the river sure did look angry, churning and pushing quickly down by the banks. I could feel Anthony looking at me as I was lining up the rods, thinking I was going to admit defeat and head home for the fly vice or lawn for some casting. Not this time. With a healthy supply of garden worms and very colourful box of lures away we marched to the canals. As we approached the lock gates we saw a couple of young anglers trying the usual little spot so decided to move a little further on, having a few casts as we approached the area we had decided to fish. The water at this point was quite dirty so we both decided to fish worms on a float near a sunken tree.
Anthony with a perch
It wasn’t very long before the float made its way to the depths being tugged down by a our first little stripey. I find seeing a float disappear something that gives me a unique feeling which judging by Anthony’s excitement gives him the exact same feeling. As the rain got a little heavier we began to move around a bit, fishing to features that looked perchy. We had quite a few nice sized perch but nothing very big so the chase continues.
As the day came to a close we shared some riverbank stories , Anthony now beginning to have stories of his own as his angling journey evolves. I no longer get away with “the one that got away” stories. So I am on a journey to make stories with Anthony that he can share with friends and his own children in many years to come when I hopefully become the wise grandad that uses the old age fishing tackle, tackle that is currently the leading technology in angling. How times change.
Go fishing…
For a full list of classes in various different aspects of fly fishing or guiding please contact Dan on the below details
Growing up in the countryside of Gowran, Co.Kilkenny, I started my fishing journey on the River Barrow with my dad, which is where I caught my first fish, a lovely brown trout. The Gowran River was also a short walk from my homeplace, and on the days my dad couldn’t fish, I would walk through the fields and fish the Gowran River. My love for fishing grew and took me to Mount Juliet Estate, where I began guiding at 13. I went on to become fisheries manager at Mount Juliet Estate and, to this day, enjoy taking out hundreds of clients every year fishing on the River Nore. I enjoy all types of fishing and guide all over Ireland. I am an Apgai Ireland-qualified casting instructor and have Ambassador roles with Cadence and Yeti. I joined Fulling Mill as an endorsed pro guide and am part of the Patagonia pro team. My angling journey has been an exciting one and hopefully will continue to be.
I take out all levels of anglers, from beginner to experienced. I enjoy what I do and count myself very lucky to be able to meet and guide new people to what might be their first Irish fish.
Ken Whelan was in touch to let us know about the launch of the Harbour to Headwaters project, a project which focuses on creating awareness of the rich biodiversity in the Avoca-Avonmore River Catchment.
The launch will take place on Wednesday, 22 Mar 2023 from 16:30 to 18:00 at the Arklow Maritime Museum, North Quay, Y14 Y744, Arklow.
Harbour to Headwaters is a collaborative project between County Wicklow Partnership, Arklow Town Team, Wicklow County Council, the Local Authority Waters Programme, East Wicklow Rivers Trust, and Arklow Maritime Museum. The project was LEADER funded by The Department of Rural and Community Development and co-funded by SSE Renewables, LAWPRO, and Coillte.
The project aims to create awareness and enhance a knowledge of the biodiversity that currently exists in the Avoca River Catchment and encourage ecotourism throughout the catchment area, i.e. from the ‘Harbour to Headwaters’.
Inland Fisheries Ireland, the state agency responsible for the protection, conservation, development and promotion of freshwater fish, habitats and sea angling has been awarded Esri Ireland’s Community Engagement award for the work that was done as part of the IMREC (Irish Marine Recreational Angling Survey) project.
Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), held their 2022 Customer Success Awards ceremony in the Marker Hotel on 9th March last. The Community Engagement Award recognises organisations that demonstrate excellence in communicating and collaborating with citizens & external communities of interest, promoting more informed decision-making and supporting community engagement on important initiatives.
Inland Fisheries Ireland team with their award L-R (Pat Mannix, Claire Colfer, Eoin Leonard, William Roche and Diarmuid Ryan)
Inland Fisheries Ireland’s angler diary web app, developed using ArcGIS Survey123 technology from Esri, turns sea anglers into citizen scientists by enabling them to gather and upload real-time information, from any device, about their catches. This information is then automatically transferred to a shared repository, called ArcGIS Hub. This technology allows Inland Fisheries Ireland to provide a community engagement platform that organises people, data, and tools through information-driven initiatives.
Importantly, the free IMREC web app provides the angler with a unique personal electronic diary of their fishing activity which is visible only to them. The information acknowledges anglers as important fisheries stakeholders and will be used to support management and conservation decisions at national and EU level.
Last week saw snow,sleet and hail along with bitterly cold easterly winds and temperatures dropping below zero at times. So, it was no surprise that fishing was described as “hard” and “tough” throughout most angling reports we received. By the end of the week, the arctic air brought angling to a complete halt in a number of places. This was the case on Lough Sheelin, which showed a consistent representation from the angling fraternity up until Thursday but then the elements took over and trout fishing came more or less to a standstill.
A bitterly cold Lough Sheelin
On Lough Corrib, Connacht Predator Anglers also fought the elements while fishing their “Trout Masters” event. Staying in the west, the crew of Tomi Guidedfishing continued their successful hunt for big ferox including a trophy trout of almost 90cm, which wins our Catch of the Week.
Trophy ferox trout
River trout anglers might be interested in the newest episode of Ireland on the Fly podacst. This time, Daire and Tom speak to George McGrath of Gundog & Fly YouTube fame about the River Suir, one of the finest wild brown trout rivers in Europe.
Given the atrocious weather conditions, it’s no surprise that sea angling reports were also quite scarce this week. However, Killybegs Fishing Trips braved the elements in Donegal Bay catching some fine pollack and a few cod in freezing conditions. Further south, members of Cork Sea Angling Club explored a new rock mark and were rewarded with some fine painted and thornback ray together with doggies, dab and coalies.
Finally, anglers in Ireland will once again have the opportunity to catch and release bluefin tuna in 2023 through the continuation of the highly successful Tuna CHART catch, tag and release programme that has been in operation around our coast since 2019. Experienced charter skippers are being invited to apply to join the 2023 Tuna CHART programme between the 21st of March and the 4th of April 2023 by filling out an application form online at www.fisheriesireland.ie/bluefin
And now the weather…
The outlook for St. Patrick’s Day is for a mix of cloud and some sunny spells with widespread showers. The showers will be heavy and prolonged at times with a chance of thunderstorms mainly in the west. Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in moderate south to southeast winds, easing later. The weekend will see more showers spreading in from the west turning heavy at times. Winds will be moderate to strong from westerly and southwesterly directions. Current indications suggest that low pressure will continue to dominate our weather next week bringing further spells of rain and showers but with good dry periods as well. Highest temperatures generally ranging from 8 to 12 degrees.
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
