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Last casts for 2025 and first for 2026 – Fishing with Steve

By
Paul O'Reilly
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Steve McDonagh, of the Fishing with Steve YouTube channel, has been busy over the Christmas break with a couple of new videos posted up for his subscribers.

For his last session of 2025, Steve fished one of his favourite river swims – a spot where he has had good success in the past and one that was finally fishable after high water levels had eventually subsided.

For his first session of 2026, Steve is joined by fellow pike angler Rob McMasters in Monaghan, where they had hoped to fish for big pike on a popular trout fishery. They started out with high hopes for this session, but unfortunately their chosen venue was packed with other anglers who had the same idea!

Instead, they headed back to a much bigger lake that Steve’s regular viewers will recognise. To make things even more interesting, this session took place during a Wolf moon, a time many anglers believe can seriously influence pike behaviour. Would it work in their favour…?

If you enjoy Steve’s videos, don’t forget to give them a thumbs up and subscribe to the Fishing With Steve YouTube Channel. 

Steve can be contacted at:

For all your fishing tackle needs checkout Steve’s sponsor https://www.sportfins.ie

Pike Fishing around Castleblaney

A look back at the 2025 season on Delphi

By
IFI Staff
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Fishery manager David McEvoy has published the 2025 Delphi Fishery Newsletter, and as always it makes for great reading.

Packed full of information that looks back on the weather, the fishing and the people of the 2025 season, David’s wordsmithery brings to life the trials and triumphs of a difficult season that produced some good fishing at times.

Finlough

Although catches, like most other fisheries in the country, were down on average, there were some good stories to tell. The average size of the grilse last year was the heaviest they have recorded at Delphi, averaging 4.8lbs. And sea trout catches were exceptional, the highest recorded for many years, with some red letter days – notably for Dan O’Donovan and Denis Daly who had 21 off Glencullin for one day in late August.

But don’t take our word for it, stick the kettle on, head over to the Delphi website here and check it out here over a cup of tea.

Go Fishing

Delphi

 

Monasterevin & Fisherstown Team League Draws to a Close

By
Shane O'Reilly
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The Monasterevin & Fisherstown Match Anglers three-man team Winter League concluded recently, with the third and final round held on a cold Grand Canal.

Sensas angler Conor Browne took individual honours on the day from end peg 31, catching over 100 fish for a winning weight of 7lb 2oz, mainly small roach with a few perch and hybrids. Second place went to Caster Blasters’ Ron Durkin with 3lb 12oz of small roach.

In the team standings, Sensas secured the overall league title with an excellent final-round performance, scoring just six points across the three sections. A close battle followed, with Matrix Gold finishing second overall on 32 points. Nytro moved up from fourth to claim third place on 33 points after outscoring Matrix Silver in the final round, with Matrix Silver finishing fourth on 34 points.

Results round three, 3 man team:
1st.. Conor Browne-7lb 2oz
2nd..Ron Durkin-3lb 12oz
Teams;
1st..Sensas – 6 points
2nd..Nytro – 9 points
3rd..Matrix Silver – 11 points
4th..Caster Blasters – 13 points
5th..Matrix Gold – 16 points.
Overall teams;
1st.. Sensas – 20 points
2nd..Matrix Gold – 32 points
3rd..Nytro – 33 points
4th..Matrix Silver – 34 points

Mixed fishing but great craic at National Boat Teams fundraiser in Cobh

By
Myles Kelly
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Cobh SAC report on their annual Fundraiser for the National Boat Teams …

Cobh SAC hosted the annual Fundraiser for the National Boat Teams on December 28th with 32 anglers braving the cold. The Fundraiser is the highlight of the year for many, a fun competition with prizes for the longest of each species caught, best score, best newcomer, and more. Depending on the number of prizes provided by the anglers, this has occasionally extended to best beard and best hair.

Surrounded by dolphins and the occasional seal, fishing was mixed with boats changing location in search of different species as the day progressed. The fleet landed corkwing wrasse, dabs, dogs, pollock, poor cod, pouting, red bream, thornback ray, tub gurnard and whiting.

Awards and Results

Longest Round Fish – Tim O’Herlihy 46cm Whiting
Biggest Score – Tomasz Kujawa
Longest Dab – Peter McKeon
Longest Dogfish – John Griffin

Best Lady Angler – Siobhan Cherry

Best Visiting Angler – John Bellamy all the way from England

U21 Angler:

1st Noah Tarhan
2nd Kevin Roche
3rd Sean O’Herlihy
4th Jack Walsh
5th Finn Purcell
6th Cerdic Reponen

Boat Winner – John Angles

1st Closest – Mark Greenwood
2nd Closest – Heniek Matczak
3rd Closest – Tomasz Zbiczynski
4th Closest – Eoin Moriarty
5th Closest – Dave Cherry

Best supporter of Irish Teams Piotrek Nowakowski.

Thank you to our skippers Alan Kennedy of Lagosta 2, Tony Lane of Camden Mist, Dylan Geary on behalf of John Barry of Cuan Bawn and Alan Treacy on Osprey. Thank you also to the anglers who were able to donate prizes on the day and boat Captains Pat Condon, John Dennehy, Dan Lynch and Piotrek Nowakowski.

Round 3 of our Light Lines league is on Sunday 11th January. Another opportunity to learn from the best in Ireland.

Go fishing…

logoCobh SAC is a very active club with a great series of competitions across the year.

The club is very welcoming to new members.

If you are interested in joining the club or fishing any of their competitions contact them via Facebook.

 

Big developments at Lough Derg’s Irish fishing Tours

By
Myles Kelly
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Paul Bourke at Irish Fishing Tours has announced some big changes for 2026…

Just taken delivery of not one, but TWO new boats; a Finval 595 Fish Pro, powered by a 150hp Suzuki and a Finval 515 Evo, powered by a 100hp Suzuki!

Both are fully kitted out with the latest Garmin electronics and the Rock solid Garmin Force Pro trolling motor, sitting proud on Pega boat trailers — absolute weapons on the water.

Huge thanks to Brian Connaughton of Wildhunter.ie and his team and to Frank Schaper  of Finval Berlin for all the help supplying and fitting these builds. Top-class service from start to finish.

I am taking bookings for the 2026 season now. Contact me on [email protected],
www.irishfishingtours.com or Paul Bourke 087 1953554

Go fishing…

Irish Fishing Tours

Address Garrykennedy Tipperary Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 87 1953554 Website: irishfishingtours.com
More information
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New Year’s Open Match for IASCaire anglers

By
Paul O'Reilly
-

IASCaire Feeder Fishing Club braved the bitter cold for a New Year’s Open Match on Rockfield Lough on January 3rd. After a freezing night of sub-zero temperatures, the hardy anglers who turned up knew it was going to be a tough day on the water – and it was certainly that!

Fishing proved to be every bit as difficult as they expected, but a beautiful, still winter’s morning made it all worthwhile. The sun breaking through the cold was something special, an unreal sight over the lake for everyone involved.

The big positive on the day… no-one blanked!

Top 3 Results:

  • Irmantas Sriupsa – 3.700kg (Bream Weather!)
  • Damian Foltyn AKA Irish Feeder – 2.490kg
  • Mariusz Kilian – 2.320kg

Well done to all involved and great to see the New Year started on the bank

KILLESHANDRA coarse angling centre

Leinster Coarse Anglers publish their 2026 Competition Calendar

By
Shane O'Reilly
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The Leinster Coarse Fishing Federation has announced its competition calendar for 2026. It’s a pretty stacked roster that will keep members busy on the banks… We hope to be reporting on many of these events throughout the year, so stay tuned!

Ronan Murray & Trevor Martin win Ardee Anglers final boat comp of 2025

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

The Ardee Pike Anglers held their final club boat competition of the year, with a great turnout on the day. All boats managed to catch fish, although some crews enjoyed more success than others.

First place went to Ronan Murray and Trevor Martin, who also recorded the longest fish of the competition at 105 cm. Second place was claimed by Ian McGur and Robbie McShane, with Francie O’Hare and Anthony McCabe finishing in third.

In the overall standings for the longest fish competition across the year, Ronan Murray and Trevor Martin secured first place. Second place went to Ian McGur and Robbie McShane, while third place was shared by Lenny Hollywood and Ronan Murray.

Lurgan Coarse Anglers remember past members at Muckno Match

By
Shane O'Reilly
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The Lurgan Coarse Anglers held their annual Memorial Cup match at South Lodge on Lough Muckno recently. 26 anglers turned out to fondly remember past members who are no longer with us. Fishing was tough due to extremely cold conditions, but top weight on the day was Andy Chapman who had a 3.750kg bag of roach with some hybrids and a bonus skimmer to win the match.

Top 4 Overall
1st Andy Chapman 3.750kg
2nd Steven Whyte 3.575kg
3rd Piotr Horbinski 3.550kg

4th Scooby 3.075kg

Ryan Blair and Drew Ferguson win inaugural South Shore SAC Winter Pairs Competition

By
Shane O'Reilly
-

The report below was summarised from the South Shore SAC Facebook Page:

The inaugural South Shore SAC Winter Pairs Competition was held on Sunday, 28th December, at Kilgorman Beach. With light easterly winds and favourable conditions, 20 pairs took part, travelling from both north and south to support the event.

Fishing was promising from the start, with flounders taken close in and whiting found by those casting further. Ryan Blair and Drew Ferguson quickly set the pace on Peg 17, catching consistently, while strong performances were also reported from Team Ryan. Elsewhere, catches were patchy, consisting mainly of small bass, flounders, whiting, dabs, and pup spurdogs.

As darkness fell, spurdogs appeared in numbers, and the final hour and a half produced fast and hectic fishing, with some pairs landing up to 15 fish.

Ryan & Drew came out tops on the day

Ryan Blair and Drew Ferguson won the competition with a total of more than 1,000 points. Gary and Tony Foster finished second, followed by Eric Gasparro and Cian Corcoran in third. Stephen O’Reilly and Thomas Markey placed a very close fourth, just one point behind third.

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