Heraclitus said, ‘No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man’.
We’re not sure how this applies to pike fishing, but angler Callum Morss hit the river last week in search of a big pike and that is exactly what he got! Twice!
On day one, Callum landed this cracking 115cm fish that tipped his mechanical scales to the 28lb mark! The fish was handled carefully and safely returned to the water.
Big fish first time!
Callum decided that if he was going to be catching fish like this he needed to upgrade his weighing scales, so he went out and invested in a digital version.
A few days later, Callum went back to the same spot on the river, chucked out the same bait and hooked into a big fish. After another hard battle, Callum netted the fish which turned out to be the exact same fish he had tussled with previously, although Heraclitus might disagree. The new scales took a few pounds off the fish – which weighed 25lb 1oz the second time around!
Big fish second time!
A good few days of fishing for Callum and further proof that careful unhooking, handling and releasing can help to preserve our precious fish stocks and ensure a sustainable recreational fishery into the future.
… for this week’s episode they speak to Wild Fish’s Rachel Mulrenan, who is the Deputy Director, Scotland, for the wild fish conservation group
A recurring theme of some of the Ireland on the Fly podcasts recently has been looking at the disastrous effects fish farming has had on wild salmon and sea trout with Tom and Daire examining Scotland in particular as a case study where the politicians have – just like Ireland – pursued a policy of increasing fish farming whilst blithely ignoring the accepted scientific evidence about the dangers to wild salmon and sea trout.
And so, for this week’s episode they speak to Wild Fish’s Rachel Mulrenan, who is the Deputy Director, Scotland, for the wild fish conservation group.
Rachel has some really interesting insights into the rise of intensive fish farming in Scotland and why isolated and disparate local communities on the west coast were the ones initially targeted.
They also discuss the closing of one fish farm at Loch Ewe and what that really means and why, despite politicians backing the science around climate change, when it comes to fish farming, they still choose to bury their heads in the sand…..
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.
The C/M Lakelands Feeder Club held the third round of their Lough Muckno league on Sunday, January 15th. Conditions were difficult, cold for anglers with high water for fish, but there were still plenty of bites for the 23 anglers who turned up on the day.
Irish feeder international James O’Doherty managed to bag enough skimmers from his Yellow Island peg to win the day with over 5kg. Steven Whyte was 2nd overall from Black Island weighing in at just under 4kg. Neil Mazurick was 3rd overall with a net of roach from South Lodge, tipping the scales to just under 4kg, while Alan Larkin just made the top 4 with a mixed bag of skimmers/roach and hybrids.
It was a very even match with the top three weights coming from three different sections.
Winter League Round 3
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RESULTS
1ST James O’Doherty 5.550kg
2ND Steven Whyte 3.780kg
3RD Neil Mazurick 3.660kg
4TH Alan Larkin 3.500kg.
SECTIONS.
Bruce Zhou, South Lodge 3.480kg.
Graham Worley, Black Isle 3.180kg
Johnny McKinley, Yellow Isle 2.575kg.
The next round of the club’s league will be in two weeks.
Adrian Browne reports from Oaklandswhere the 3rd round of the Winter League was fished earlier this month…
15 January: Tough start to the year at Oaklands today with a bitter cold wind blowing up the lake and water temperatures still very low made conditions very difficult.
John Browne had top weight on the day, bagging 16.140 kg from peg 7 winning B Section. A close 2nd was Ronan Minogue with 15.00 kg from peg 4.
Winner of A section was Kieran Reeves with 7.700 kg from peg 56.
Thanks to all the lads who fished today.
Next Round 15th February.
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Today’s Results
Section A
1st Kieran Reeves 7.700 kg
2nd Attila Paldick 7.220 kg
3rd Slav 6.140 kg
Section B
1st John Browne 16.140 kg
2nd Ronan Minogue 15.00 kg
3rd Darragh Pepper 3.940 kg
Go fishing
Oaklands Lake in New Ross Co. Wexford is a fishing paradise for coarse angling. It offers a wide selection of fish. The lake can be fished by people of every level of experience from beginners to professionals.
Adrian Browne
Oaklands Lake,
Marshmeadows,
New Ross, Co. Wexford.
Oakland’s Coarse Angling Club is open to new members. The club based in Co. Wexford welcomes senior, ladies and junior members to league and open matches throughout the year fished on a variety of venues.
The club is centred around it’s own water, the magnificent Oaklands lake at New Ross; the 4.5 acre lake stocked with carp, tench, bream and rudd has great facilities including 60 stands which are all wheelchair friendly. This superb facility plays and important role in the introduction to angling for newcomers. Popular events include the NCFFI All-Ireland Commercial Pairs and the Dunbrody Festival.
Oaklands Fixtures 2023
January 8th Open Match
January 22nd Open Match
February 12th Open Match
March 12th Open Match
April 16th Open Match
May 7th Open Match
May 20th & 21st
NCFFI All Ireland Commercial Pairs
Pre Entry Only on NCFFI details to be released asap.
June 3rd, 4th & 5th
South East Classic
3 different venues in 3 days
Pre Entry only (30 peg limit) *
June 11th Open Match
June 25th Open Match
July 8th & 9th
2 Day Dunbrody Festival
(38 peg limit) Pre Entry Only.
Book @ Oaklands *
July 23rd Open Match
August 20th Open Match
September 3rd Open Match
September 17th Open Match
October 8th Open Match
October 29th & 30th
2 Day Feeder only.
November 5th Open Match
November 12th & 13th
2 Day Silver fish Only.
December 3rd Open Match
All Events wich are * this years contestants will have first perchance on
2023 events.
Vincent Appleby is back again in 2023 reporting from Waterville…
17/1/2023 Great to be back reporting on the No Spin No Fly’s just Facts zone on this opening day of the 2023 Salmon and Sea Trout season. So let’s get down to today’s facts. For starters there were 9 boats that ventured out on this freezing cold day.
As you can see by the photo there were a good few Currane anglers fishing out of Waterville Boats and at watervilleboats@gmail.com and come lunch time they headed in for a well-deserved whisky and finished off with a fine fry and a glass of wine.
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Lough Currane opening day bacon and cabbage at the Lobster Bar
Lough Currane opening day bacon and cabbage at the Lobster Bar
Lough Currane opening day bacon and cabbage at the Lobster Bar
Sadly there were no Salmon caught this opening day. Just for the record there were a few kelts caught. Well, Currane anglers may have had a cold start to the 2023 season but they made up for it in the Lobster Bar this evening when they had the traditional Lobster Bar Bacon and Cabbage and as you see by the photos a good time was had by all. So a big thank you to the Management and their staff for a great opening of the 2023 season.
Snow on the Kerry Mountains
18/1/2022 Facts of the day are the Wild Atlantic Salmon were all quiet on the Currane front, just for the record there were 3 boats out manipulating their skills, there were only a few kelts caught and released. Wind NNW light to fresh and overcast.
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.
South Shore SAC were on Kilcoole Beach at the weekend for their first shore competition of 2023. 75 anglers turned up, eager to shake off the post Christmas cobwebs and maybe test out some new gear that Santa might have brought… The weather forecast looked good for the day, and with rumours of coalies putting in a show in recent catches, all were enthusiastic to get the baits out there.
It quickly became apparent that the very fine weed suspended in the water was going to cause problems, as it stuck to mono and then gathered on the tip ring on the retrieve. Some anglers got their teeth into the problem, finding their choppers the most efficient way of dealing with the nuisance.
On the fishing front, there was a good variety of fish with whiting, coalies, dabs and codling all on the roster. But it was a familiar face that emerged at the top of the pile, as Alby Alan continued his scintillating form from the end of last year to top the table with 30 fish for the day.
We’ve had a pretty sodden start to the new year, with above-average rainfall dumping plenty of additional water onto what was already super-saturated ground. The inevitable result is that rivers are running in flood and lakes are encroaching ever further into the fields. And with high winds currently whipping the country, creating tricky conditions on both fresh and saltwater, it’s hardly a great incentive for anglers to get out on the water and blow away the Christmas cobwebs. Unfortunately, this can be seen in the scarcity of angling reports we have in for the week.
We are still awaiting news of the first salmon of 2023, and there are a few hardy anglers on the banks of the Drowse most days braving the elements in the hope of being the first to feel the surge of a new year salmon. At times like this, when angling is tough, and angling reports are sparse, we’re thankful to have the odd podcast or video to keep us in touch with all things fish related. The ‘Ireland on the Fly’ team have been busy over the winter months knocking out regular podcasts, and this week they have been speaking with Cork angler Ronan Collins. Ronan is a well-travelled angler with a particular grá for salmon angling, and in this podcast, they discuss some of the far-flung places he has fished over the years. Andrew McGall is another angler who makes regular contributions to these pages, and this week he posted a video on his YouTube channel giving some insight into how to target salmon travelling through a river system and he also has some handy tips on how to wade a river safely.
It won’t be long now before some of our trout fisheries begin to open, and trout anglers can cast a line once again after their winter break. To help kick-start the new season, well-known competition angler Peter Driver is running a masterclass on early-season river fishing, which is scheduled for the River Blackwater in April. Places are likely to book out quickly, so if you are interested, don’t wait too long to apply.
We normally have a few pike angling reports every week at this time of year, but things have been very slow to get going so far in 2023. We only have one report for this week, as Simon from Guided Predator Angling broke his duck for the year with a decent pike to the boat in foggy conditions. Simon saw plenty of other anglers out on the day, but not many were catching, so he was happy to have something to show for his efforts, and his hard-got pike wins this week’s Catch of the Week.
For sea anglers, we would like to remind you of a big upcoming event in Wexford, where the Irish Winter Shore Angling Festival will take place over three days from the 26th to the 28th of January. Over 130 anglers are expected to converge in Kilmuckridge for what is a key event on the shore angling festival calendar.
In other news, Adaire Springs fishery has set the dates for its 2023 spring fair, which will be run on the weekend of the 29th – 30th of April. They are putting together a roster that will appeal to all types of anglers, with plenty of demos and seminars for the adults and a Kids Zone to keep the younger ones enthused.
Finally, anglers fishing the River Lee this year will need to have a brown tag in addition to their blue tag if they want to keep a fish. This is a conservation measure to ensure that a sufficient number of salmon are able to spawn in the river to maintain recruitment levels. As per last year, the brown tags will be issued via a lottery, and applications are now open for the first round of that lottery, to be held on January 27th.
And now the weather
It will be breezy on Friday morning with some scattered showers, which will die out by mid-afternoon. Showers will again push in from the west in the late afternoon, accompanied by fresh and gusty winds. Rain will become widespread overnight but will begin clearing on Saturday morning. There will be sunny spells and showers on Saturday, with those showers possibly turning wintry on higher ground. Temperatures will be between 4 and 7 degrees, but it will feel colder due to the wind. Sunday will be a cool and bright day with spells of sunshine and showers, some of which will turn to sleet. The weather will remain in this unsettled pattern, at least until the middle of next week.
For all shore anglers itching to get back out on an Irish strand, the Irish Winter Shore Festival is less than a fortnight away. This event has become a key feature on the sea angling calendar and organisers, EFSA Ireland, expect 130-140 anglers to converge in Kilmuckridge for three days of competition this January 26th – 28th.
The chosen venues will be:
Thurs, Morriscastle 2 zones Left & 2 zones Right,
Fri, Ballinesker 1 zone L & 3 zones R,
Sat, Curracloe 1 zone L & 3 zones R.
Fishing will take place Thursday & Friday 12pm to 5pm, Saturday 10.30am to 3.30pm.
Trout anglers looking to up their game this season will be interested to hear that Blackwater Trout and Salmon Fishery has teamed up once more with Peter Driver to host a Trout Masterclass…
We are delighted to announce our first Trout masterclass of 2023.
On the 1st of April, Peter Driver of Piscarifly will be giving a full day’s masterclass in an early season of Trout fishing.
Peter is the current National TAFI River champion and has years of experience fishing rivers all over the world. On the day, Peter will cover topics such as River Craft, Trout Behaviour, Beat Managment, Nymph, Wet Fly and Streamer Fly Fishing, and lots more.
Spaces will be limited, so get in and book early.
For the full day, including masterclass, one to one coaching and lunch cost is 90 euros per person.
Blackwater Trout & Salmon Fishery offers fantastic wild brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon fishing on the Munster Blackwater, with one of the best beats the Blackwater river has to offer.
They offer guided days on a daily or weekly basis and also cater for full packages to include, fishing, guide, accommodation and packed lunch.
Rod and wader hire is also available, airport pickup and drop off can also be provided.
Guiding
Guided fishing on the Blackwater Trout and Salmon Fishery beats.
Casting instruction
Individual tuition on all aspects of fly casting. Single spey, Double spey, Snap T, Roll cast, Jump roll etc. plus salmon behaviour and river craft.
For all your fly tying and fly fishing needs. Stocking rods, reels, clothing water etc
Guiding
Want to improve or learn any aspects of your fly fishing? Then why not give us a shout and we will look after you. Fishing available locally on the River Nore at Thomastown and other club water by arrangement. We have also teamed up with Blackwater Trout and Salmon fishery to offer you an amazing fishing experience with over 8km of amazing river to be discovered.
Full & Half Guided days
One to one coaching
Master classes
Groups and Clubs welcome
Nymphing. Dry Fly. Wet Fly. Streamer. Dry Dropper
Instruction
Peter Driver is a qualified casting instructor with APAGI, and advanced qualified fly dresser with APAGI. He specialises in competition nymphs and fishing, Irish lake flies, streamers and lures.
As a qualified casting instructor with APAGI I Peter offers casting clinic’s and lessons, to suit your desires. Being able to cast correctly and have a good understanding of the mechanics of casting is a solid foundation in fly fishing that will pay off in your fishing, be it rivers or lakes.
For so many of us, fly fishing is also about the people, places and experiences we have, especially whilst discovering new places.
And so, for this latest episode of Ireland on the Fly, Daire and Tom speak to Cork fly angler, Ronan Collins, whom Daire first met in Greenland last year.
Ronan has fished in many far flung places around the world and is a particularly keen salmon angler with incredible stories from Russia and elsewhere, plus he also introduced Daire to the wonders of yacht-rock, but more on that later in the show…
Speaking to Ronan and hearing his stories about fly fishing around Ireland and the world is a reminder that it’s about fly fishing and about so much more.
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.
Boat Hire
Salmon and Sea-Trout fishing Guide
