The latest Ireland on the Fly podcast speaks to loughs competition angler, Stan McArt, who talks about his 29 caps for Ireland, the innovations gleaned from the competition scene and gives some insights into successful loughs fishing.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from and go to IrelandontheFly.com for more information.
The Eire Bass guide Richie Ryan went out to test a switch rod given to him by his good friend Kevin Mc Loughlin. Not having used such a rod before he said he was sceptical that he’d catch anything as it was May in Cork Harbour and he just wanted to see how it handled. Thinking he was stuck in weed whilst using a Clouser fly the “weed” moved with amazing speed. The picture shows the result, the first reported Bass on the fly in Cork Harbour this year.
Jimmy Frazer, Lough Arrow Fish Preservation Association & District Angling Club, reports that the Mayfly is going well on Arrow. There are good hatches of fly with some falls of spent when conditions are favourable.
John Gorman from Sligo landed 4 good fish on spent in one evening.
Dr David Poppel from Boston USA boated 3 fish to 16″ on a dry mayfly pattern, all returned.
Weather permitting big falls of spent are expected over the weekend.
Jim Clohessy reports from Cork Harbour anglers have had a tough start to the year, but things may be improving..
We’ve had a tough start to the year in terms of wind. There were not many fishing opportunities so Saturday’s run was even more “needed”.
So much to do and so many plans. We decided to hit the reefs and do some lure work in order to get a bend in the rods after such a long lay-up. Port of Cork recently cleaned the slipway in Paddy’s Point so it was perfect for both launch and retrieve. We launched and were soon blasting our way to some western reefs.
I was really looking forward to getting some decent fish on a couple of new lure rods and reels. So we didn’t even attempt a try for mackerel despite there being an abundance of bird life working at some sort of fish. We could see from the outset that there was an amount of life about the place. April/May can fickle angling months. On our way out we saw dolphins and whales working as well. All on a beautiful morning with clear blue skies and sun. There was signs of the forecast fog further to the west and south.
The reefs fished slowly but steadily. We found ourselves having to move around in order to locate fish. The slow drift coming up to high water had us hitting pollack and wrasse but as soon as the flow picked up with the ebb tide the fishing and the stamp of fish get better.
I was doing most of my damage on a 60g Fiiish Black Minnow in orange and yellow while Paul was doing well on a Illex Slim Shad 180. I was alternating between my new rods. I had a 60g Crazy Sandeel on the other. We had a steady stream of Ling, pollack and cod. Water temps were a chilly 11.5° for the most part.
A few years back we had a massive amount of basking sharks show up. Well it looks like it’s happening again at the moment. The place was swarming with some huge basking sharks. Some were quite timid while others were as bold as brass swimming around the boat.
Kit Dunne of Wicklow Bay Charters reports that the smooth-hounds are back in Wicklow Bay for the first time this year. Kit has become the go-to man for specimen hound fishing and has a regular clientele who will be waiting to hear the news that the hound fishing has started again. And it’s not just the hounds, as he also had his first tope and homelyn ray for the year too. So things are picking up in Wicklow and you better get your bookings in…
Angling Charters are offered on a full-day, half-day and evening trip basis and can be tailored to suit your needs. Two boats are 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 angling methods.
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.
Kit Dunne
Wicklow Boat Charters
Telephone: +353 (0)87 6832179 +353 (0)404 67031
Email: dunnekit@gmail.com Website: www.wicklowboatcharters.ie
Salmon angling throughout the entire system has been reported as very quiet Sunday 7th May, although the fisheries on the upper tidal sections and lower freshwater sections have produced their first few Salmon of the season.
Reports have been received of excellent stocks of Sea Trout along the upper tidal sections of the Blackwater, but nobody seems to be actively targeting these.
River levels are very low this week and are not far off mid-summer levels. The fisheries on the upper tidal areas and lower freshwater sections normally fish their best during such conditions.
This large and broad river has a lot of fine salmon fishing spread among many private and club fisheries. They are all easily accessible and most welcome visiting anglers. Spring run improving in recent years. The best grilse fishing is towards the end of the season. For more information see:
Blackwater Salmon Fishery
Blackwater Salmon Fishery has 3 beats downstream of the weir and 2 upstream of the weir. Blackwater Salmon Fishery offers fishing on approximately 5 miles of the river Blackwater. The fishing is spread throughout the middle section of the river to offer good sport throughout the fishing season. Due to the location of the beats, fishing can still usually be offered in low or high water.
Contact Glenda Powell: Lismore, Co Waterford,
Email: info@blackwatersalmonfishery.com
Mobile: +353 (0) 872351260 Telephone: +353 (0) 5853929
Web: www.blackwatersalmonfishery.com
Fortwilliam Fishery & Self-Catering Cottages
Fortwilliam Fishery offers two miles of double bank salmon and trout fishing over five beats on the river Blackwater.
Our salmon include – Springers, May Salmon, Grilse, Back End Salmon, and in Summer sea trout.
Our beats provide a wide variety of water, suitable for both beginners and the more experienced fishermen.
Fortwilliam Fishery, Glencairn, Lismore, Co. Waterford, Ireland
Web: www.fortwilliamfishing.ie Email: fishing@fortwilliamireland.com
Tel: (00353) 87 8292077 or 058 75299
Blackwater Salmon and Trout Fishery
Blackwater Salmon and Trout Fishery control a number of beats of the Munster Blackwater. The Ballyduff Bridge beat is almost a mile long offering a huge variety of water and is particularly suited to fly fishing. Upstream near the village of Ballyhooley (a few miles outside the town of Fermoy, Cork) we have two beats. The Ballincurrig Beat is one of the most beautiful locations along the river and has an excellent piece of fly water flowing into a deep pool. Just downstream on the opposite bank we have a short but productive beat, called Magners. This beat fishes also well in high water.
Contact Jason Corcoran:
Ballyduff, Co. Waterford.
Tel: +353 (0)586 0146
Mobile: +353 (0)87 720 5690
Web: www.blackwatertroutandsalmon.ie
Careysville Fishery
Careysville Fishery offers some of the best salmon fly fishing in Ireland and includes 26 named pools. It is considered by many to be one of premier beats for salmon fishing in Ireland. Wading is excellent and among the numerous streams, pools and glides there is a great variety of fly fishing to suit both complete novice and challenge the most competent of fly casters.
Careysville, Clondulane, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
Email: fishing@careysville.com Mobile: +353 (0)86 2378788
Web: http://careysville.com/careysville-fishery/
Lismore Castle Fishery
At Lismore Castle & Golf Course Fishery, we offer nearly two miles of two inter-linked beats, the Castle Beat & the Golf Course Beat.
The legendary Castle Beat consistently ranks as one of the top Salmon beats on the River Blackwater, for the number of Atlantic Salmon caught per rod. The Golf Course Beat offers about 1.5 miles of fishable water through meandering majestic countryside. The Golf Course beat offers a number of bewildering pools suitable for unmatched spinning and bait fishing.
For bookings contact Joe Willoughby on Mobile no. 00353 87 8295449 or Email: info@lismorecastlefishery.com
Website: www.lismorecastlefishery.com
Blackwater Salmon Anglers, Mallow
We provide Day Tickets for some prime Salmon fishing in Mallow Co. Cork. We have excellent fly water, shrimping worming and spinning also. We also have very competitive Day rates and we have very recently upgraded our fishing.
Tickets available from “The Bridge House” and “Vincent Downes Menswear” Mallow.
Facebook: Blackwater Salmon Anglers
Upper Bridgetown Salmon Fishery
Located on the Munster Blackwater in the south of Ireland. Situated mid river between the towns of Fermoy and Mallow. A productive left bank beat in stunning surroundings.
For bookings contact Conor Arnold: +353 87 755 4682
Facebook: Upper Bridgetown Salmon Fishery
Loungueville House Salmon Fishery
For details on availability and conditions of fishing for salmon and trout on the Longueville House waters please contact them at
Contact : Longueville House Hotel, William O’Callaghan
Address : Mallow, Co. Cork.
Telephone : 00 353 22 47156
Email: info@longuevillehouse.ie
Website: www.longuevillehouse.ie
There were no salmon reported on the river during the past week
With no rain over the last couple of weeks the river has shrunk right back to summer levels. It has become very apparent over the last few years how low the river gets during a dry spell as the wetlands along the river catchment have largely been wiped out over the years through reclamation and afforestation. The river has lost a lot of its water holding capacity and is slowly turning into a spate river.
A popular river with a good name for salmon and sea trout fishing. Most of the fishing is held by clubs, but day tickets are widely available. Find out more at:
Bandon Angling Association have set up a guiding service in conjunction with Jason Nash, Peter Aspinwall and Phil Dewey. Details of the guiding service are provided on the website and they are looking forward to making memories and enhancing people’s fishing experiences on the river Bandon. Day tickets and club membership are also available.
Web: https://bandonangling.com/
Dunmanway Salmon & Trout Anglers Association have 10 miles of fishing between Togher Castle and Manch Bridge (Fly Only). Day / Season tickets from Dunmanway Salmon & Trout Anglers Association +353 (0)23-8855196
Ballineen and Enniskeane Anglers have 4 miles of fishing and day tickets are available for visiting anglers. Day tickets available from Tom Fehily grocers in Bridge Street, Ballineen. Tel: +353 23 47173
Kevin Lyons from Melview Fishing Lodge reports on the recent fishing for a group of Dutch clients:
Dutch anglers Thomas, Nick, and Johan were here once again after a long layoff from travelling to Ireland due to the Covid travel restrictions. During their previous visits, they have had some great Pike fishing, this time with the weather conditions changing, they had some days better than the others. However, they managed 62 Pike for the five days which was not too bad considering the weather. Casting both soft and hard lures produced some nice fish to the boat for them. They are already looking to return in early October for another trip; thanks for a great week, guys and look forward to seeing you again soon.
ALL FISH RETURNED UNHARMED.
Drumlish Road, Clonrollagh, Longford, Co. Longford
Tel:+353(0)43-33-45061 Mobile:+353(0)87-268-7441
E-mail: info@melviewlodge.com Web: www.melviewlodge.com
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.
The first salmon of 2022 was landed on the Erriff Fishery last Saturday. Seamus Nee was the lucky angler who took advantage of nice water. Fishing Poleen pool on Beat 4, Seamus used a McDermott’s Bugger (no, we haven’t heard of it either!) fly to tempt the wild fish of approx. 12lbs.
The fish was released, as all wild fish now are on the Erriff, and Seamus was more concerned with getting the fish back safely than getting a photo. Well done Seamus, and hopefully this is the start of some good spring fishing. With broken weather and plenty of showers about, water levels are very suitable for fishing at the moment.
The Erriff System is comprised of the Erriff River and the two small loughs of Tawnyard and Derrintin. The River Erriff is one of the premier salmon fishing rivers in Ireland. A spate river, it is characterised by lively streams and deep fish-holding pools. It has 8 miles of prime angling water, divided into 9 beats. Beats are un-crowded with only two rods on most and a maximum of 3 sometimes. Angling is rotated on a daily basis.
Telephone: (095) 42382
Although high winds early this week kept most boats in port, the weekend was fair and some good fishing was had. John Fleming hosted a group of anglers from Oughterard and Tuam, and they enjoyed a great days fishing, with good size pollock taking baited feather and hammering lures, sidewinder sandeel proving very successful.There were lots of coalies moving with some decent ones through them, and a few nice whiting going too.
The previous day, John had a group out to target wrasse. Fishing was slow, with lots of small coalies robbing the baits, and few pollack feeding. They did manage to catch some nice wrasse all the same.
To book fishing with John aboard the Brazen Hussy II, give him a call on 087 7571320
A regular day is between 9am- 6pm from either Rossaveal, Spiddal or Galway depending on species being sought after. Fishing on the inshore reefs for pollock, cod, ling, wrasse, conger eel and mackerel can be reached in 10 minutes from departure, while our offshore reef marks are within 45 minutes of departure. Our ground fishing for tope, spurdog, ray, bullhuss, turbot, plaice and the giant common skate can all be reached within the hour which ensures the most amount of time is spent fishing.
The shark season usually starts at the end of June and runs into late October, this is the ultimate angling adrenaline rush with these hard fighting blue and porbeagle sharks all being tagged and released safely.
Package deals available
Address: Baile an tSagairt, Spiddal, Co. Galway.
Telephone: +353 (0)87 7571320
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlueSharkAngling
Blue Shark Angling Galway,
Phone John Fleming : +353 (0)87 7571320
