Vincent Appleby reports on another quiet week for anglers fishing Lough Currane…
16/2/2023 In the words of one Currane angler and I quote? No boats out this day and my quote of the day, if your not out there, there is no chance of you catching My Noble Gentleman the Wild Atlantic Salmon. Wind WSW fresh and overcast. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall was 17mm.
17/2/23 Local Gillie Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com reports that there were 3 boats out and very quiet in all departments as the Wild Atlantic Salmon laid dormant. Wind W and veered SW fresh to strong and overcast.
18/2/2023 The Wild Atlantic Salmon had a day of peace and quiet as the Lough Currane anglers preferred to sit on their laurels, need I say more. Wind WNW fresh with good cloud cover.
19/2/2023 All quiet on the SW front. Wind SW fresh and overcast followed by light misty rain.
20/2/2023 Local Gillie Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com Reports on today’s manipulations and I quote, there were 4 boats out and all was quiet. Wind fresh SW and overcast all day followed by misty rain.
21/2/2023 Lough Currane Salmon reels and my Noble angers were all quiet, so quiet in fact one couldn’t even hear the sound of a Yamaha, need I say more. Wind SSW and veered SW fresh, average wind speed 30 Km/h gusts up to 50 Km/h Just for the record the wind veered again this evening into the NW light to fresh and overcast all day followed by misty rain.
Dominic with his wild Atlantic salmon
22/2/2023 Just one Currane angler out on this freezing cold day and that was Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com and Domonic wasn’t out long before his reel started singing the Wild Atlantic 11 ¼ lbs. Salmon National Anthem and Dominic was telling me he had a good battle with his first Salmon of 2023, all I can say is may it be the first of many. Wind NNE light to fresh followed by a few heavy showers.
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.
Those of us who fish for pike know that they can be a moody species. Some days, no matter what you try, they can be in a sulk, and refuse to look at any bait thrown their way. On other days, they just switch on, and they are the days that live long in the memory.
Newbridge District Pike Anglers had one of those red-letter days on a recent club outing to a lake venue where they were fishing for the ‘Dubs Cup’. It was an early start, as anglers checked in at 7.15am for an 8.00am start, but the weather was perfect with southwesterly winds and no rain. After half an hour, the call went up that Danny McEvoy was into a fish and it looked like a ‘good un’. And when cheers went up around the lake, it became obvious that this was no run-of-the-mill pike. All crammed around the scales to see the weight settle at 27.05lbs, double his previous PB and a cracking fish by any standards.
A fish like that would have most of us on cloud 9 for a year, but Danny hardly had time to register his good fortune, as 5 minutes after re-casting his bait, he was in again. When the fish jumped a couple of times, it became apparent that this pike could actually better his previous one… So, the fish was netted and put in the weigh sling and all crammed around again to see the weight settle on 29.02lbs. Two pike for over 56lbs landed in the space of a few minutes is something most of us can only dream about, so congrats to Danny on catching two fish of a lifetime in short succession.
Danny didn’t have a monopoly on big pike on the day, though as there were a couple of other twenties landed and another four doubles, like I said at the start, a day to live long in the memory, especially for Danny.
Inland Fisheries Ireland would like to invite you to a workshop with a twist – to play a serious game about managing diadromous fish species, named DiadESland.
Location: Waterford
Date: Thursday 2nd of March 2023
DiadESland is an interactive role-playing engagement tool developed through the Interreg DiadES project. It gives stakeholders and managers an opportunity to discuss the impact of climate change on migratory fish, rivers and catchments through an imaginary environment. Participants will team-up and play the role of catchment managers, making management decisions to achieve a set of goals for their catchment.
It is an excellent opportunity for networking in an informal setting but with an important objective – to discuss the serious issues facing diadromous fish species in the context of climate change. This session will allow us to discuss future strategies and management recommendations.
Our EU Interreg AA funding allows us to provide our players with a fully catered workshop, and travel costs will be refunded (as required).
There is no requirement for expertise in fish or fish management to play the game and all sectors involved with fish management or commercialisation are warmly invited.
Ballinrobe Community School’s TY class completed their 10 angling programme with a trip to Laois Angling Centre recently. The group were working with angling guide and coach Frank Reilly in a programme supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland and Ballinrobe Angling Club.
IFI staff Ronan Cusack, Adrian Gorman and Padraig Kerrigan assisted Frank in the programme which included fly tying, knots, casting skills and other activities. As excited for the day on the water was TY co-ordinator hat saw the group, led by course co-ordinator Shane Conlon, who was one of the first of the visiting anglers to catch a fish on the day. By the end of the session everyone had lost and landed a couple of fish or more, and no-one wanted to head for home. Instead they made plans for a second visit to the popular put and take venue.
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Go fishing…
Located at Coolrain, less than 3 miles from the N7, the Laois Angling Center combines the peace and tranquility of the Irish country side with exceptional game and coarse fishing. The four large spring fed lakes, surrounded by mature woodlands, Clonoghil House and farmlands provide the perfect natural conditions for both the fish and fisherman. The lakes are stocked regularly with brown and rainbow trout, carp and tench ensuring a varied and interesting experience.
The modern facilities include large parking area, wheelchair access, tackle hire and light refreshments with picnic and barbecue areas ideal for family and corporate events. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, the Laois Angling Center provides the complete fishing experience.
Opening Hours:
Spring/Summer: March-Oct inclusive, open 7 days a week from 9am until dusk.
Winter: Nov-Feb inclusive, open weekends only and week days by appointment only.
There’s less than 2 weeks to go until the very first Ireland on the Water Expo where you can find all the best marine leisure and watersports products and services under one roof!
Join us on the 4th & 5th March 2023 for the new and exciting marine leisure show, Ireland on the Water Expo, taking place at the Eikon Centre, Lisburn.
Taking place at the state-of-the-art Eikon Centre, Lisburn, which is just off the M1 and with free parking, the expo will be the perfect family day out.
Celebrating everything that is great about the marine leisure industry, from angling to sailing, kayaking and diving, the Ireland on the Water Expo promises to be an event for the entire family to enjoy.
This event covers all aspects of water sports and there will be lots on show for anglers with tackle shops, manufacturers and angling personalities all there for the weekend.
MARA MEDIA is delighted to announce the development of a new and exciting marine leisure show, IRELAND ON THE WATER EXPO.
The inaugural show will take place at The Eikon Centre, Lisburn, on the 4th & 5th March 2023.
Having hosted the successful Ireland Angling Show in Dublin for over 10 years, Mara Media believes that the increasing passion and interest in marine leisure over recent years, calls for a bigger and better show, celebrating everything that is great about being out on the water.
The 2023 show will feature exhibitors presenting a wide range of amazing products and services in the marine sector, from angling, to boats and sailing, kayaking, surfing and water adventure parks.
THE IRELAND ON THE WATER EXPO promises to be an event packed full of activities for the entire family to enjoy.
For those interested in perfecting their techniques or learning about new products, the show will feature talks from a range of experts in all areas of the marine leisure sector, while also giving visitors the opportunity to visit each of the stands and chat to professionals on a one-to-one basis.
Our aim is to develop the biggest marine leisure consumer show in Ireland, attracting visitors from across Ireland and the UK to enjoy our one-stop- shop experience.
To do so, we are fully committed to acquiring a vast array of world-class exhibitors who cater for all aspects of the marine leisure industry.
As an exhibitor, you will have the opportunity to take full advantage of our strategic marketing campaign, allowing us to promote your company across our website and social media platforms.
The past week or so has brought a subtle change in the weather, as slightly milder temperatures coupled with brighter, longer days, signal that spring is slowly seeping into the fabric of our daily lives. It’s not just that temperatures last week were two degrees above average, but you could actually feel the warmth of the sun on your back if you were fortunate enough to be outdoors when it shone. Luckily, with rainfall well below average for the week, there was plenty of opportunity to make it outdoors, where the rising levels of birdsong and the early flowering daffodils reinforced the perception of the season changing.
While all these natural markers herald the coming of a new season, we also have our own angling markers: days, dates and events of special significance that punctuate our yearly angling calendars. One such marker was passed this week, as Feb 15th saw the commencing of the trout angling season on many of our western lakes. It’s a date that’s keenly anticipated by plenty of trout anglers, both in the west and further afield, and while the fishing on the loughs at this time of the year can be patchy at best, just knowing you can jump in a boat, set out on a drift and cast a fly, lightens the heart of many an angler. In fact, for most anglers that do venture out on the loughs on the 15th, opening day is not even primarily about the fishing, but more about the chance to meet up with old angling friends and maybe share a meal and a few stories of seasons past. This year was no different, as the photos of hearty meals cooked over open fires and washed down with a glass of red, speak of a camaraderie that only early-season lough anglers share.
It’s not all about the fishing! A shared meal and good craic makes opening day memories too.
Luckily, this year’s opening day saw a fish caught that did justice to the importance of the occasion. Ian Turner, fishing with Wild Atlantic Angling Experiences guide Jasper Mathews, hooked and boated a fantastically marked 9,8lbs ferox while trolling lures on the Corrib. It’s great to see such a fabulous fish landed and returned on opening day, and Ian’s super trout wins this week’s Catch of the Week. Hopefully, it’s a sign of a bountiful year on the loughs for all.
Ian Turner with a beautiful Corrib ferox caught on the opening day of the 2023 season
For those fly anglers who are planning a trip to the loughs this year, you could do a lot worse than stick a few of Jackie Mahon’s patterns in your fly box. Jackie has been collaborating with Fulling Mill to make a selection of his patterns commercially available, and, in his latest report, he spends a bit of time giving us the lowdown on some of his top patterns. For those looking to brush up on their angling skills, one date to mark on your calendar is the weekend of 15/16 April, when the Munster Fly Fishing Fair will be held in Clonanav. Featuring a host of industry experts from the tackle trade along with fly tyers and casters, this free event promises to be an activity-packed fishing fair.
Moving on to salmon fishing and we were pleased to hear that Delphi fishery got off the mark for the season as Bob Hadden landed a 6lb 15oz salmon while fishing the Meadow Pool with an Ally’s Shrimp. As luck would have it, Bob was back in action 4 days later as he managed to land the second Delphi salmon of the season to make it a super start to the fishing year for him.
Danny Hagan with one of his two 20+ pike from the Erne system
To a different type of predator now, and Dan O’Neill, better known for trout angling on the River Nore, had a busy day out chasing perch with his young son Anthony and his pal Rares on the River Barrow. Having got the youngsters set up and catching a fine stamp of fish on lures, Dan was able to get his fly rod out and tempt a few on the fly.
In Wicklow, Kit Dunne managed a quick trip out to a deep water mark in search of some winter spurs, and while they didn’t find huge numbers, he still managed to get a specimen for one of his punters. On the competition scene, South Shore SAC headed to Wicklow north beach last weekend and found the conditions to be almost too good, with the calm-ish seas limiting bites and only a couple of anglers managing to master the whiting to put in decent scores. Cork Sea Angling Club had their first competition of the year, and also kicked off their species hunt with a trip to Cobh. Fishing was tough, with numbers low, but the species side of things didn’t disappoint, with 12 species recorded for the evening’s fishing. Finally, bass anglers will be interested to hear the latest episode of The Lure Fishing podcast, as the host Cormac Walsh speaks to all-round angler Marcin Kantor, with a particular focus on bass fishing.
To wrap up this week, we have a discussion on a recent paper exploring the stewardship role that anglers play in the protection of particular aspects of nature such as rivers, lakes, habitats, and fish species. As anglers, we have a deep connection to the environment in which we spend so much time and which gives us so much enjoyment. Through participation in our sport and through contributing to social activities such as angling clubs we acquire an understanding of and share knowledge about our local environments, which, in turn, fosters a sense of responsibility for doing the right thing to protect those environments. A quick browse through our weekly reports shows that we have a number of very active angling clubs in this country, and many of them are open to new members. Maybe now is as good a time as any to sign up for some social fishing…
And now the weather
Friday afternoon will see rain spread from the south west to all areas of the country by the late afternoon. It will become windy overnight on Friday and it will be a wet night with widespread rain which will turn heavy in places. The rain will clear on Saturday and it will be a mostly dry but cloudy day with patches of light rain or drizzle with fresh westerly winds. Sunday will also be a cloudy day with most of the country remaining dry. The mild, cloudy weather with broken spells of rain will continue at least until Tuesday, before turning colder from mid next week.
Cormac Walsh brings us episode 3 of The Lure Fishing Podcast and in this episode Cormac chats with top lure angler Marcin Kantor. Marcin is an excellent multi disciplined angler who is as comfortable fishing for pike or perch as he is for bass or salmon. In this week’s pod the guys cover all of the angles on Irish bass fishing and you can listen in on the following platforms:
Erasmus students from France working with the Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust in the conservation hatchery...
Environmental stewardship is an idea that describes concern about biodiversity loss and the work of trying to change natural things back to the way they should be. Stewardship focuses on care and responsibility, where each person can make a change. It happens when groups of people, most often local people, work together to manage a part of nature that they love (for example, a river, forest or bogland); this part of nature is usually one that is important to their wellbeing and linked to their sense of place and identity.
Recreational fisheries are an excellent example, where unique local knowledge and skills have made anglers key long-term players in the conservation of rivers and lakes. Unfortunately, social change has increasingly blurred this role in recent years, and other environmental sectors are now seen to be more active in preserving wildlife and habitats.
Erasmus students from France working with the Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust in the conservation hatchery…
In their paper Reviving the unique potential of recreational fishers as environmental stewards of aquatic ecosystems,Fisheries researchers Dr Sam Shephard and Robert Arlinghaus, and ethicist Charles List have developed a new environmental stewardship framework in which nature experiences within a mentoring community, such as a fishing club, build a strong sense of attachment to a natural place, e.g., a river or lake, and feelings of responsibility for that place.
The community can develop deep knowledge of how different problems might affect their natural resource, and understanding of how they can work together to manage the system and help return it to its correct natural state. When tested against the newly developed model, it was discovered that recreational fisheries have very strong potential to develop good stewards of underwater ecosystems compared with other environmental actors.
Securing the future of angling through its youth development
The experienced and highly involved anglers in fishing clubs and communities nurture other members through promoting positive behaviours, outlining angling responsibilities and raising awareness of their roles outside of just trying to catch fish. Individual anglers and communities of fishermen between them develop an understanding and connection to the natural world they inhabit, one that is hard to achieve in other parts of society. They work directly to protect and enhance the rivers and lakes they fish in, along the way broadening the understanding of these environments and developing the skills need to help protect and conserve them.
This outcome is likely because excellence in angling depends on unique place-based skills and knowledge of what to do (or what not to do) to ensure sustainable and responsible use of fish populations and their habitats. Awareness of the need for sustainability in fishing may be increased through the catch, kill and eat aspects, which makes the angler a part of the food web and helps to teach them the principles and limits of living systems.
The Carrickmacross Coarse and Junior Development Club
There are, of course, many cases where anglers can cause environmental harm, but the development of personal stewardship will always be limited by negative underlying factors. Recreational fishing is an effective method of bringing participants at least some of the way, and stewardship excellence may emerge when anglers develop under the direction of experienced mentors and by working together with a mix of other interested parties. Cooperation from experts in different areas such as scientists, managers and policy makers can also help to unleash the stewardship potential of anglers and engage their capacity for the common good.
DAI and Rinn-Shannon & District Angling Club introductory fishing day
There always will be areas of recreational fishing that do have serious environmental and moral implications, like overfishing and fish welfare, but many of these can be resolved through better governance and management; more difficult is replacing the positive grassroots stewardship capacity provided by anglers, recreational fishing communities and local angling clubs.
Members of the Iascaire Feeder Fishing Club have been exploring for hidden gems in Leitrim lately. With hundreds of small lakes to choose from, the angler who goes off the beaten track can uncover some super fishing in lakes that may not have seen a rod and line in years.
The guys were exploring in the Carrigallen area and were using the experiment as a test of their skills for fishing a completely new venue – and they were not disappointed, with 167 fish landed between two anglers for the day’s fishing. not too bad for a day of winter fishing on a new venue.
A bit late to the party with this report, but Delphi reported it’s first springer on the 5th of February. The fish was landed by Bob Hadden from the Meadow Pool, and weighed 6lbs 15oz. Bob was fishing a Gold Ally’s shrimp. The salmon was a ranched fish of hatchery origin and was taken as per fishery rules.
Bob Hadden with the first Delphi salmon of 2023
4 days later lightning struck twice, when Bob landed the second Delphi fish of the year! This time a wild fish, estimated at 6lbs, landed in the Duck Run. The Allys shrimp doing the business again!
After recent rain, the river rose from 12 to 50 on the gauge, falling back slowly now, and hopefully more fresh salmon will be running.
Go fishing…
At Delphi Lodge, with many years of experience with the timing of the best runs of fish, we have in place a price system that offers both great value fishing and lets our anglers know when they have the best chance to catch a fresh run spring salmon or a summer grilse or Delphi sea trout.
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
A fish like that would have most of us on cloud 9 for a year, but Danny hardly had time to register his good fortune, as 5 minutes after re-casting his bait, he was in again. When the fish jumped a couple of times, it became apparent that this pike could actually better his previous one… So, the fish was netted and put in the weigh sling and all crammed around again to see the weight settle on 29.02lbs. Two pike for over 56lbs landed in the space of a few minutes is something most of us can only dream about, so congrats to Danny on catching two fish of a lifetime in short succession.
