Following a reduced programme in 2025, the Daiwa Pairs returns to a full festival schedule in Dingle for 2026. The organisers have now released the Info Pack for the festival, and entries are invited for this prestigious, and enjoyable event. Anglers from all over Ireland and the UK return for this festival year after year, and this year promises to be better than ever.
The dates for the Daiwa Pairs are September 19-25, with registration on the 19th and prize presentation on the 25th. The festival consists of a number of pegged matches on beaches around the Dingle Peninsula, as well as a specimen hunt that rewards anglers for the best fish of each species caught during the week.
We recently shared the exciting news of three new Irish record fish caught by anglers in 2025, confirmed by the Irish Specimen Fish Committee in their annual specimen fish report.
Well, one of those record breakers was Sean Bannon, from Co. Cork, who caught a Thick Lipped Mullet of 5.24 kg at Cork Harbour in May 2025, and smashed the existing record Thick Lipped Mullet by over 1 kg. Sean has now shared the tale of his amazing catch on the Irish Mullet Fishing facebook page, and it makes for a great read. Take it away Sean…
I started the session early in the morning with my ultralight trout rod (Mikado Sensual 2–12g paired with a Shimano Ultegra 2500) and a loaf of bread. While setting up, I had a quick look at the water and saw no fish on the surface and no real signs of life, so I can’t say my hopes were high. Still, I gave it a go.
I mashed up some bread and scattered it into the area I planned to fish, then went back to get my rod and cast straight into the spot. Within minutes, the rod screamed off. The initial run was frightening. It tore straight along the shore at a serious pace. When it finally stopped, it ran straight for the snags and got caught up in some weeds.
I made a quick decision to get into the water to try and change the angle on the fish. As I approached, it took off again and thankfully came free without coming off the hook. I then played the fish while standing in the water for at least another 15 minutes. At this point, I still hadn’t even seen it, but I knew it was bigger than any mullet I’d ever hooked from the sheer power of the runs and the head shakes it was giving.
Once it began to give up, I made my move to try and land it. I didn’t have my net with me, so the plan was to bring it close and grab it by the wrist of the tail and under the belly. Putting that plan into action was another story altogether. I was very lucky the fish didn’t freak out when I grabbed it, because I certainly did.
I was in complete shock at how big it was. I couldn’t believe it. Definitely the highlight of my year, made even better by watching it swim away strong.
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Seans super mullet smashed the Irish record
Irish Specimen Fish Report
Click the image to download a copy
The report is available as a digital download for the moment, but hard copies will be available free of charge from Inland Fisheries Ireland offices nationally in the coming weeks.
Round one of the Ultimate Feeder League 2026 takes place this Saturday, February 14th, at Lough Garadice.
With the persistent wet weather, organisers have had problems with very high water and are unable to use Rockfield and other venues that were originally penned in for the event.
For this Saturday, the following are the sections.
Section A. Grassy Bank – 12 pegs
Section B. Houghton’s Shore – 12 pegs
Section C. Deeps and Cullies Shore – 12 pegs.
There will be a boat to transport gear to Cullies and then the angler can walk through the field to the pegs.
Registration at 8.30am at the church side, Lough Garadice amenity area.
Draw at 8.45am.
Fishing from 10.30 to 3.30pm.
Entry €150 per team (for overall prize money)
Pools on the day €20 per Angler (every 4 pegs €80 paid out on the day)
*The top 3 teams will receive money plus medals overall at the end of the league.
Rules
You can use both paternoster and free-running rigs.
Bomb only to be used to plum up
Feed can only be used through a feeder.
Anglers can be placed in the sections.
Points are awarded 1 to 12.
During weigh-in there must be at least 2 different anglers from 2 different clubs present.
You can change an angler with 1 person if needed. E.g., if an angler that is named on the team is unable to fish, you can have 1 substitute.
Teams can’t have more than 1 end peg during a round, and if a team doesn’t get an end peg in Round 1, they will get one in Round 2, etc.
The club had their 2nd leg of the 2026 master angler at Benone Beach on Saturday 7th Feb fishing 2pm to 7pm but also this was the first outing using a new score system in the style of a modified smaf score system
With the flags raised at the firing ranges the club set up 100 yards before the barrier and pegged back down towards the ramp.
Fishing on the first couple of pegs looked like it was going to be a good day with some nice turbot and flounder coming in from the first couple of casts, but wasn’t to be and got really slow up until darkness started to set in when a few more decent turbot started to appear along with the flounder with Karl finding a bass of 38cm. The last hour fish activity was at its best when most members started to add fish to their score cards.
All in all was a tough session but at least the weather played ball unlike the last club match.
Recent weather has continued to challenge anglers around the country, with spells of heavy rain and harsh easterly winds dominating conditions, particularly in the east and south where recovery from Storm Chandra is still ongoing. Many rivers and lakes remain very high, with flood conditions in places making fishing difficult. Sea angling has also been impacted, with conditions along the east coast proving especially challenging due to significant swells and unsettled seas, while opportunities elsewhere have also been limited. Overall, the past week has been largely unproductive for angling, with poor weather and high water levels continuing to limit opportunities. Despite the challenges, last weekend’s brief pause in the weather, with calmer and drier conditions, offered a short window of better angling opportunities.
Starting with pike fishing, there have been some good reports from the River Inny in recent weeks. The river has been fishing well, with the top fish weighing 26.2lbs, caught by a Kildare angler deadbaiting on the ‘Competition Stretch’ near Coolnagun Bridge. However, recent rain has brought rising water levels and discoloured conditions, and sport has dipped somewhat over the past few days.
From Lough Derg, Damien Culliney of Anglers Paradise Guiding reported a rare triple hook-up for his guests, father Adrian and his two young sons, Jamie and Adam, despite far from favourable conditions. After a cold, fishless couple of hours, a three-fish run was the last thing anyone expected, but it completely turned the day around. The trio had a few more takes afterwards, with Adrian landing the best fish of the session, a 101cm pike.
As expected, sea angling has been exceptionally slow of late, with anglers struggling in difficult conditions. Aside from a few competitions fished last weekend along the east coast at Killiney Beach and Morriscastle during a brief break in the weather, there would have been little to report…were it not for a remarkable surprise catch: a specimen skate landed from the shore in West Cork. Kevin McGowan caught this impressive fish, estimated at 190cm, from a rock mark he and his friend had only discovered a few weeks earlier. This catch is a worthy winner of our “Catch of the Week”.
Our “Catch of the Week” – Kevin’s shore-caught skate
We are concluding this week’s Irish Angling Update with news from Lough Melvin where the first salmon of the 2026 season was caught on the lake’s opening day, Sunday, February 1st. The 7lb fish was landed by Sean Maguire while trolling a Yellow Belly minnow.
Other news
Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2026
This week, Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, 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. The consultation will be open for 30 days, closing at 5:30pm on Thursday, 5th March 2026
Job Opportunities
Inland Fisheries Ireland has launched a national recruitment campaign to fill several seasonal roles, including Fisheries Officers and Research Assistants, with positions available across the country. The outdoor roles will begin in April and offer opportunities to work in rivers, lakes, and coastal environments. These seasonal opportunities would be well-suited to those with an interest in protecting, managing and conserving Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources.
And now the weather
Tonight will be mostly cloudy with areas of mist and fog. Patchy rain will persist in the north, while scattered showers will occur farther south, with the heaviest and most frequent rain in the southwest. Winds will be light, becoming easterly or variable, and temperatures will drop to between 3 and 7 degrees.
Mist and fog will be present in some areas tomorrow morning. Cloud and patchy rain will continue across northern regions, while it will be largely dry elsewhere, although scattered heavy showers will affect the south. Sunshine will be limited, with daytime temperatures reaching between 7 and 11 degrees and light, variable winds.
The weather will remain unsettled as low pressure continues to dominate, bringing further spells of rain or showers. Temperatures will stay around or slightly above average.
Don’t forget to double-check the forecast before heading off, and if you’re going to sea, check the tides.
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
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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.”
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
