Anglers who target specimen-sized fish eagerly await the publication of the Irish Specimen Fish Committee’s Annual Report, which catalogues the number of trophy fish recorded during a year. The Specimen Report for 2022 has just been published online, with the print version due out next week. The report contains over 420 fish of specimen size and also lists two new records that were set during the year: a Gudgeon of 51.02g for Terry Jackson and a Gilthead Bream of 3.768kg for Robert Quin. The report can be downloaded from the ISFC website at this link.
Mick ‘the Fish’ Flanagan from Midlands Angling & Shooting and his pal Marty Smith have kicked off their 2023 trout fishing in the midlands with some fine lough trout this week. The pair were out on Lough Lene for opening day and then again on cool, misty Thursday and they took their chances well on both days, with both browns and rainbows to 4lbs on the spinning rods.
Midland fish for Mick and Marty
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Midlands Angling provide a top class Guiding service covering many of the top coarse and game waters across the Midlands. Visiting fly anglers have landed some fine trout while out with Midland Angling Guides, pike anglers also recorded some net bursting catches including many pike over 20lbs. Top waters include Lough Ree, Ennell, Owel, Lene, Mount Dalton, and Glore Lake just to mention a few. Michael Flanagan Midland Angling
Pike and Trout angling guide.
Cormac Walsh from BassfishingIreland and the Lure Fishing Podcast talks to Cal Gleeson
This week on Cormac Walsh’s Lure Fishing Podcast his guest is Cal Gleeson. Cal is well known for his Youtube channel Fishing with Cal.
Cal is an excellent angler full of knowledge which he is always very willing to share and in the podcast they chat all things bass fishing from rods to lures to ideal conditions.
Cal is a big fan of the Samson Lures and has had some great success on them last year, have a listen to what he has to say about them and much more.
I got some exciting news during the week, I will now be offering a guiding service on the beautiful Glencar Lough, with Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout as the targets. I am very excited to be laying down roots here as this was one of my grandfathers favourite lakes for Salmon and Sea Trout fishing. Yellow can be a fantastic colour for Glencar, and Teal and Yellow was my grandfathers favourite fly for Glencar and it was never off his cast, that with a size 8 Green Peter and a Daddy Long Legs. Back in those days there was no such thing as a Dabbler, so these days we have a few more options.
Glencar Lough, Irish Loch Ghleann an Chairthe, meaning Lake of the Glen of the Pillar Stone, is locally known as Glencar lake. It is a short 15 minute drive from Sligo on the borders of Sligo and Leitrim, and you will enter W.B. Yeats country where Glencar Lake is situated with it’s wonderful waterfall which inspired Yeat’s “The Stolen Child”:
Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.
Excerpt from The Stolen Child
The lake gets a really good run of Salmon, Spring fish and Grilse. The average size of the Salmon is 4 to 5 lb and spring Salmon is 8 to 10 lb. For Salmon, June, July, Auguest and September on Glencar can be good. When you have the first good run of Grilse on it in the middle of June, or when you get a flood of water, you can get a good run and it can be superb. You need a breeze on it though, as it’s down in a valley.
Some of my grandfather’s own flies
Green Peter
Teal and Yellow
Daddy long legs
Green Peter
The lake also gets a good run of Sea Trout with average sizes around 1 & 1/2 lb. Sea Trout fishing can be superb some days, especially after a good flood of water. If you get a lot of rain it can be brilliant 2 days later when the water starts to clear.
Glencar also has a resident stock of small Brown Trout, and it can get a good hatch of Olives, Mayfly and Sedges. Sea Trout are also taken regularly on these patterns. The best Sea Trout in recent years caught on the fly weighed 6 & 1/2 lb and the best Salmon was 22 lb. The fish can be very free rising especially when freshly run.
Glencar is also unique in that if there is a turn in the weather and you can’t get out on to lakes such as Melvin or Erne, you can go to Arrow as it’s inland, or Glencar as it’s sheltered and it’s down in a valley.
A licence is required to fish Glencar Lake for Salmon and Sea Trout, and a permit is required from Sligo Anglers which I can arrange on the day. You can review the Salmon and Sea Trout licence options on the Inland Fisheries website. The fishing dates:
– For Salmon- 1st February to 30th September
– For Seatrout: 1st February to 12th October
– For Brown Trout: 15th February to 12th October
Notes: Provides guiding on Lough Arrow, Melvin, Glencar Lake & Lough Gill .
Clients from all over the world from England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Usa and South Africa. Total C&R on Jackie’s boat while guiding.
Flies for sale
2023 started off for me with an email from Fulling Mill to say that my fly patterns have just arrived in the UK and are up on the Fulling Mill website. The range consists of wet Mayfly, Spent, Stimulators and Daddies. The patterns have been working the last number of seasons throughout Ireland, the United States and the UK with great success. I will also be working closely with Fulling Mill on some new products which will be launched soon, so keep an eye on my page for updates.
All the Hughes brothers out again for their monthly outing!
First full days on the lures, no dead bait in sight and I have to say its been the most enjoyable day I have had in ages! Lots of perch to keep up entertained then of course a few nice pike included, even I caught a nice one on the perch gear!
Non stop bites all day, we didn’t see the time pass by, it’s great to see the temperature on the up and the fish becoming more active!
Bill, Sean and John who are regulars to Melview Fishing Lodge in Longford were up once again to try their luck for good pike fishing. Using various dead baits they were able to produce some great pike over their few days of fishing.
John is happy with this oneBill with his 3rd of the day
Their total weight was 246lbs. with fish to 97cm with a good few very large fish lost at the boat. Host and guide Kevin said: “Not a lot I can show these guys now as they have been a number of times now and know the waters well. Another good trip and enjoyed the company guys, already looking forward to seeing you again soon. Thanks lads.”
Kevin has over 30 years experience of fishing in Ireland and is happy to offer a guided tour on your arrival, and to advise where the on-form waters in the area are. We can arrange your bait order so it’s here when you arrive. Melview offers free use of 17ft lake boats with engines to our guests (pay fuel only) and Kevin is happy to assist with any pre-baiting requests. Maps and other information regarding fishing are also available.
Paolo and Son Filippo from Italy decided to arrange a short pike fishing trip to Melview Fishing Lodge in Longford, and what a great fishing trip it turned out to be for them. Their first day was a guided one to show them around the water and their day turned out to be a good one producing some nice Pike to 96cm.
All smiles for Filippo with another nice pike
The following days they gave it a go on their own. They managed some very nice pike using both lures and dead baits. On two of the days they lost a couple of very big pike well over the meter just at the net. Host Kevin said, the guys had a great time and Filippo even managed to beat his personal best which he was over the moon at. Well done guys and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Kevin has over 30 years experience of fishing in Ireland and is happy to offer a guided tour on your arrival, and to advise where the on-form waters in the area are. We can arrange your bait order so it’s here when you arrive. Melview offers free use of 17ft lake boats with engines to our guests (pay fuel only) and Kevin is happy to assist with any pre-baiting requests. Maps and other information regarding fishing are also available.
From fly fishing with US Presidents & Tiger Woods – Sean McManmon’s life on the fly
For this week’s episode Daire & Tom speak to Sean McManmon, a hugely experienced fly angler, and someone known as Mr Salmon in some circles in Ireland.
After decades working in the K Club he has guided US Presidents, rock stars, supermodels and golfing greats such as Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara.
From tales of giving the Secret Service the slip to catching 19 salmon in a day, Sean has a lifetime of memories, insights and most importantly, great stories and sums up exactly what fly fishing is all about in a life well-lived.
If we get to fish half as much as Sean has and seen half as much as he has seen, well, I think we’ll be happy with our fly fishing lives….
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.
Vincent Appleby reports on another quiet week for anglers fishing Lough Currane…
23/2/2023 Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com reports, Just four boats out and all quiet in all departments. Wind light with reasonable cloud cover.
24/2/2023www.fishingwithdom.com reports on today’s manipulations on Lough Currane and I quote, 4 boats out and all quiet. Wind NNE light followed by good cloud cover.
25/2/2023 There were four boats out this day and for all their reels were slack and silent. Wind ENE light followed by bright sunshine all day.
26/2/2023 There were four boats out this day and for all their efforts the Wild Currane Atlantic Salmon stayed dormant. Wind ESE fresh followed by good cloud cover.
27/2/2023 It was reported to me today that a lot of Currane and none Currane anglers are under the impression that the Waterville Fishery i.e. The Butler Pool, Lough Currane, the Commeragh River and Upper lakes are still under the Brown Tag rule, I can assure you this is incorrect and thankfully we are a Blue tag fishery. Now to today’s manipulations, well I can say there was no blue tagged Wild Salmon caught today. Just for the record there were 5 boats out. Wind SSE light to fresh followed by reasonable cloud cover.
28/2/2023 Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com reports on today’s proceedings, there were four boats out and their reels stayed cold. Wind ENE light and overcast.
1/3/2023 All quiet on the SW front in all departments. Wind ENE light and variable followed good cloud cover and cold.
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.
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
