The annual Lisdoonvarna Fanore International Angling Week was held over the first week of August, with 4 competitions over the week on various rock marks in north Clare. There was fierce competition, but all in friendly spirits, as anglers returned to their haunts, many for the first time since before Covid.
Some fantastic fish were landed over the week, including some decent conger eels, with plenty of wrasse, pollack and smaller species too. Most impressive, however, were some of the tope, which must have given some great sport!
Cian Egan with a nice tope off the rocksJoe Byrne with a decent fishA strap conger for this anglerA fine ballan wrasseAnd another one
After 4 days of competition, friendly banter, and we’re sure a few pints of refreshments, the overall winner was Kinvara man Mike Curtin, no stranger to the winner’s podium at this festival! Mike had a very impressive score of 421 points, well ahead of the field.
In second place was Sean Copley, with 257 points, while Joe Ryan took third on 236, just one point ahead of Fionn Byrne. Wexford angler Joe Byrne was 5th on 227.
The winning team again featured Mike Curtin, joined by Fionn Byrne and Jim Whitty. Well done all!
Getting bigger – a nice congerJoe Birney looking comfortable, and catching pollack too!
Overall winner Mike Curtin with a lovely tope
Go Fishing
Lisdoonvarna Fanore SAC is an active sea angling based in north Clare. They hold regular competitions and outings throughout the year, with the highlight being the International Week around the August bank holiday weekend. New members are always welcome. Check them out here to get in touch.
A turnout of thirty three competitors fished the Irish Feedermasters Qualifier number 5 on Sunday on a bright and sunny Lough Muckno.Unfavourable conditions aside some good fishing was seen throughout with venue expert Robertas taking the day off middle Concra on 17.kgs of nice feeder caught Skimmers, topped up by some quality Roach.
His compatriot Rimantas came second off Black Island with 14.5 kgs, followed by Johnny Keith on 12 kgs. The final place on the podium went to Adrian Van Der Heever from Concra middle also.
One key aspect of the Ireland on the Fly podcast is to also bring you information and insights into the different fisheries around the country and so, every few weeks we will be bringing you episodes focusing on fisheries from those who know them best.
These fishery focus episodes will help anglers who are maybe thinking of visiting a new river or lough, to find out when it fishes well and where to get good information also
And if you want your fishery to be featured on future episodes then you can get in touch with us on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly
This episode is on the River Bandon in Cork and Daire and Tom speak to Jason Nash, who grew up fishing the river along with his father and grandfather and where he is now a guide and fisheries consultant as well.
Kit Dunne of Wicklow Boat Charters hosted a pair of up and coming young anglers to some great fishing for tope in recent days.
The junior crew of Tadgh and Órán, accompanied by their dads, managed to land the two biggest tope of the five caught for the evening’s fishing.
Tope all round
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Captain Kit and his young sidekicks
The fish, one of an estimated 45lb and the other 156cm long, were both of specimen size and it was a case of the youngsters really showing the old fellas how it’s done!
Blue skies and calm seas, along with the super tope that were landed, made for a great evening’s fishing for all.
Angling Charters are offered on a full-day, half-day and evening trip basis and can be tailored to suit your needs. Two boats available – Lisin and Castle Maiden. All levels of anglers are catered for. Anglers will benefit from your skipper’s angling experience and local knowledge with advice and guidance on-hand at all times.
SPECIALIST ANGLING CHARTERS
Specialist Angling Charters are offered for those who wish to target specific species, specimen fish or try new methods of angling.
ANGLING COACHING
Whether you’re a Club, Individual, School or Junior you can have an angling coaching session or programme tailored to suit your needs.
Jim Clohessy has taken advantage of the fine weather and calm seas to put some distance between himself and dry land for some ‘deeper water scratching’! Fishing with crew mate Paul, the plan was to ditch the lures for the day and focus on bait fishing, but they only managed to eke out three mackerel and a few launce for their bait – so it was literally a case of the loaves and the fishes! Jim reckons that mackerel haven’t been easy to come by so far this year.
All calm at Paddy’s Point
With rationed bait they still managed to get some good fishing in blistering sunshine, with good numbers of haddock, big whiting, some cod and one decent hake that put up a great fight.
Some of the fish
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A good whiting
Nice hake
There were plenty of haddock
Deep water cod
A blue takes the bait
Jim has been out after blue shark as well lately, but the fish have been slow, even lethargic with a few swimming around the boat refusing to take a bait. Jim has clocked water surface temperatures of up to 18.7°C, which may have had an effect on things.
Frank Maunsell reports from the Owenmore Fishery in Kerry, where perfect water has seen some great fishing:
4th August 2022
We had some terrific fishing at the start of the week. We had a good number of grisle and seatrout caught and released. Even though the water level is a perfect height things started to slow down yesterday. Fish were still taking but we’re only holding on to the fly for a short while and letting it go. The water level will still be high enough for fishing tomorrow but with high pressure forecast for the weekend and fine weather for the rest of the week that will curb the fishing until we get the next rain.
Map showing Great Western Lakes included in public consultation process
Plan covers Lough Corrib, Lough Mask, Lough Carra, Lough Conn, Lough Cullin, Lough Arrow, and Lough Sheelin.
A public consultation on the long-term management of the Great Western Lakes has gotten underway this week and Inland Fisheries Ireland is urging the public, especially the angling community, to make a submission.
Covering Lough Corrib, Lough Mask, Lough Carra, Lough Conn, Lough Cullin,Lough Arrow and Lough Sheelin, the draft plan aims to address some of the many factors that impact on the ecological wellbeing and status of native fish stocks.
The draft plan is available from the Inland Fisheries Ireland website at www.fisheriesireland.ie/westernlakesplan or by visiting Inland Fisheries Ireland’s offices in Galway, Ballina or Limerick. The deadline for making a submission is 5pm on Tuesday, September 20th and those wishing to make a submission are being encouraged to use the online questionnaire which will guide them through the headings of the plan. Unfortunately, any submissions received after the deadline has passed cannot be considered.
During the consultation period, a series of open evenings will take place where members of the public can discuss, seek clarification and ask questions on the draft plan with Inland Fisheries Ireland representatives.
Last week we brought you news of the Irish U20s team, who IFI are proud to have sponsored to participate in the Coarse Angling Youth World Championships in Slovenia. Well this week we are privileged to be able to bring you the news that our very own Charlie Richards came out on top of all of the competing anglers to win the individual Gold Medal! This report from the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland who organise and support Irish teams competing in FIPsed angling championships:
Young angler Charlie Richards returned home from Slovenia yesterday a World Champion in coarse fishing sport.
Team Ireland travelled to the River Sava in Slovenia to fish against youth anglers from 14 world nations. The Under 20 team consisting of seasoned juniors Rhys Walsh and John Browne along with Charlie also included two young anglers Brian Clarke and Donagh McSherry making their first appearance on the international circuit.
Team Ireland 22. Front: Coach James O’Doherty, Rhys Walsh, John Browne. Rear: Nick Richards (parent of Charlie), Donagh McSherry, Brian Clarke, Charlie Richards
The team did well during the practice week catching the bonus fish required to fish against those teams experienced in catching small fish, mainly bleak with small vimba and chub. Yet it was Charlie who during the competition weekend was able to hold his own in the small fish race, netting small carp of 70 to 90g the equivalent to 10-12 bleak. Third in his section on day one Charlie finished first in section with 6kg 48g on day two to finishing with 8kg 512g. This helped to stretch his advantage as he finished an equal 4 points with England’s Callum Jennings 7kg 791g and Slovenian Kemen Rožič Šoštar securing the gold medal on weight.
World Champ Charlie
The 17-year-old from County Leitrim first made his debut on the world stage with the Under 15 squad at the Youth World Championships in Inniscarra in 2017, and has now made history for Irish coarse angling as the first youth medalist.
Team Ireland ranked 12th at the 35th World Coarse Angling Championships for the Under 20’s organised by the world freshwater sport fishing body, FIPSed Fédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive en Eau Douce. The squad led by Manager Gavin Walsh was supported by coach James O’Doherty and the parents of those participating were assisted with funding from the federation and Inland Fisheries Ireland, with their groundbait sponsored by Sensas.
Charlie takes the plunge to celebrate his success
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The NCFFI’s Youth Team Manager Gavin Walsh who previously led a junior squad to a gold medal team win at the Celtic Cup in 2011, says: – ‘I am extremely proud of all the team and delighted to see the passion and hard work from Charlie come good for him as an individual. I hope this gold medal will revitalise the dreams and ambitions of young anglers across the island and keep coarse angling sport relevant’.
The Gold Medal
The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland, NCFFI is a not for profit, non-funded NGB has represented coarse and predator angling across the island since 1963. The federation presents up to nine teams on the world stage annually and supporting coarse and predator at home has hosted six world championships since 2013, including the World Youth Angling Championships of 2017 on Inniscarra Lake in County Cork.
The fourth and final draw of 2022 took place earlier today (August 8th 2022) to issue the remaining 38 brown tags for salmon angling on the Lower River Lee.
The measures are included in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations, signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, T.D.
Under brown tag regulations, an angler who wishes to ‘harvest’ a wild salmon, i.e. to take or keep it, must attach a brown tag as well as a standard blue tag to the fish.
Thank you to everyone who entered the draws throughout the year.
Those entrants with a winning number will receive their brown tag in the post from Inland Fisheries Ireland in the coming days. The winning numbers were as follows:
401
403
406
408
409
414
416
422
430
438
439
441
442
443
445
446
449
452
453
454
457
459
463
464
471
474
475
477
479
480
481
486
489
490
493
498
499
502
In addition, 5 reserve numbers were selected, in case the offer of a brown tag is not taken up by those with a ‘winning’ number on the original list of 38.
Reserve 1. 503
Reserve 2. 505
Reserve 3. 507
Reserve 4. 508
Reserve 5. 511
Salmon Anglers – Lower River Lee, No. 5 or Cork District: Brown Tags Required
Salmon anglers not in possession of a Brown Tag must fish using Catch and Release methods i.e., single or double barbless hooks. Use of worms is not permitted. A Salmon cannot be taken unless the angler is in possession of a Brown Tag. If a Salmon is taken both a Blue and Brown Tag must be affixed to the fish. Failure to do so may result in penalties. Catch details must be recorded on the Anglers Logbook promptly.
A wise angler once told me that this might be one of the coolest summers we ever have, and looking back at the month that’s gone, July was warm and dry, with temperatures above average everywhere and rainfall below average everywhere. Record maximum temperatures for any month since records began were clocked at no less than nine official weather stations around the country – with the Phoenix Park recording a temperature of 33.0°C on Monday, July 18th (the station’s highest daily maximum temperature ever recorded from records going back to 1881).
Having said all of that, sunshine totals were lower than their long term averages nearly everywhere and winds were not particularly strong, with no gales or storms recorded at all during the month. Light winds mixed with warm, dull, dry weather sound like the perfect conditions for chartering a boat to tackle some of the saltwater species around our shores, and that is where we start this week, as the CHART bluefin tuna fleet tagged several monsters in the interest of scientific research. After a couple of boats recorded their first fish on or around July 26th in Donegal Bay, the rest of the boats in the area got in on the act and fish have been coming thick and fast ever since. Some fish have also been sighted off the south coast, so hopefully it won’t be long before the rest of the CHART fleet can get some action.
All smiles aboard Leah-C
Other charter boats have been doing well targeting mixed species, with Sioux getting good results on the hunt for ling and conger in Kerry, blue shark fighting hard in West Cork and hounds, huss and tope making up the numbers in Wicklow. Also in Wicklow, Greystones Ridge AC are calling all tope anglers to participate in their Monster Tope Festival on August 20th and 21st. It’s a mix of tope fishing with prizes for other species too (ray, bull huss, lesser spotted dogfish, spurdog and smooth hound), and there are great prizes on offer – contact [email protected] for more info. Speaking of species mixes, the Killybegs Mariners’ species hunt continues and club members have caught all creatures great and small from shore and boat there this week.
There was a drop of rain during the week that gave some rivers in the west and north a badly needed top-up, but in the east and south rivers remain low and, in some cases, quite overgrown with weeds and reeds – a topic of discussion on the Ireland on the Fly Podcast where River Suir Angler George McGrath chats with Ken Whelan, Daire, and Tom on the subject.
Joy unconfined for Michelle – our Catch of the Week!
The coarse angling festival calendar continues and we have results from both the Clones Angling Festival and the Lough Muckno July Festival, which unfortunately had to be fished with a much reduced field of anglers. In Fermanagh, a couple of pleasure anglers, Niall and Michelle, who were fishing for roach and perch got quite a surprise when they managed to land a tench or two from a local lake that they didn’t know contained tench! Michelle wins our Catch of the Week for the joy on her face at such a surprise! Further afield again, we wish the Irish U20 coarse fishing team the best of luck as they compete in the FIPSed Coarse Angling for Youth World Championship which is taking place on the River Sava in Slovenia.
Good luck to the Irish team competing on Slovenia
In other news…
The Annacotty Fish Passage Project is underway and to create greater awareness, Inland Fisheries Ireland is hosting a Public Information Meeting on Tuesday, August 23rd 2022 at 6pm. The venue is the Castletroy Park Hotel on the Dublin Road in Limerick.
The M.C. on the night will be Noel Davidson of The Entrepreneurs Academy and there will be presentations from the project team at Inland Fisheries Ireland followed by a ‘Questions & Answers’ segment with the audience.
Anyone with an interest in this project and all stakeholders are invited to come along. To find out more about the project or to register for the Public Information Meeting on August 23rd, please visit www.fisheriesireland.ie/annacotty
And now the weather…
Lowest temperatures of 6°C to 10°C overnight on Friday, some pockets of mist and fog will develop as winds fall light and variable.
Saturday morning will be dry and sunny in the south and east but drizzly in Connacht and Ulster, spreading to all parts. Drier again by evening with sunny spells. Highs 16°C to 21°C, warmest in the southeast in light westerly winds. Mostly dry overnight with clear spells, but patchy drizzle near northwest coasts. Lows of 9°C to 14°C, with a few mist and fog patches in a light westerly variable breeze.
Mostly dry with sunny spells and the odd shower on Sunday, highs of 17°C to 21°C in light breezes. Dry overnight with clear skies, lows of 9°C to 14°C. Warmer on Monday and Tuesday of next week, highs of 18°C to 23°C.
