Daniel Daly from Longford is back again with some great fish caught inside his his 5km area…
Just reporting about the fishing we had during the week we went out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (10, 11, 12 February). My brother Simon and I brought along our good friend David Woods. Between the 3 of us we landed 16 pike ranging from small to beautiful doubles here are some pictures of the weeks fishing.
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All fish were returned safely as always!
Instagram…
You can followDaniel and Simons fishing adventures on their Instagram page ‘Dalys Daily Fishing‘
Last week we watched a review of Marcin Kantor’s pike season and this week we switch gears and follow along with Marcin as he tries to catch his first ever salmon…
Marcin’s notes: Salmon fishing in Irealnd was something I wanted to do for a long time, but didn’t know how to crack the art of fishing for salmon with lures, fly or bait. While salmon fishing can be excellent, if you one haven’t done that type of angling, it can be a daunting exercise to get your head around it. So I eventually decided to ask Glenda Powell of Cork Blackwater for help in catching my very first salmon (Thanks Glenda!!). The quest was longer than I initially expected it to be. It involved fishing the Blackwater, Moy and River Feale. I eventually managed to succeed and along the way I learned to cast a fly for salmon and ended up not only catching 2 salmon, but getting both on the fly! I was fly fishing with a double handed spey rod and learned the spey casting basics. The cast I was using in the video is called double spey cast.
In this video, I show you the quest, the success and give you tips I learned along the way.
Rainfall amounts over the past 7 days were substantially below average for much of the country and most stations recorded below 10mm, less than 25% of what you’d expect. So the rivers in a few places at least came back to some sort of order. And there was some good surf running on a few beaches due to storms out on the Atlantic. Unfortunately it was so miserable that many of those who are lucky enough to be within 5km of a fishing spot never went beyond the front door…
The Blackwaters first salmon of the season was caught at Careysville #CPRsavesfish
Just after we published the Irish Angling Update last week we got word of the first salmon of the season on the Drowes, a 10lb fish taken on a Flying-C in the Old Sea Pool. The Blackwater had its first salmon on the season this week. A 9lb fish was caught on fly and released at Careysville. Anglers on Lough Currane are putting a fair bit of effort into getting a salmon there, but there’s no report of a fresh fish yet.
Chris lands a schoolie bass
For those who fish in the salt we are sharing another video from Chris O’Sullivan’s Inshore Angler YouTube channel. For those of us who enjoy beach fishing, especially a night session, this is one you will appreciate. It may be low on production value but it’s high on entertainment, and puts you in the middle of the action. For novice anglers, the video also contains some good advice on fish handling, and how to ensure fish go back safely and in top condition.
2020 a year in pike fishing
It’s back to memories of 2020 for pike anglers this week. Marcin Kantor has compiled his fishing hits from last season including his PB, a lovely pike of 114cm. It’s well worth a look as all fishing methods get a look in.
And now the weather…
Sleet and snow in the north and east for a time on Saturday morning with further accumulations bringing a risk of some disruption. Elsewhere, there’ll be outbreaks of rain and drizzle as less cold air begins to move in from the Atlantic. By afternoon, falls of sleet or snow will become confined to northeast Ulster with a thaw setting in elsewhere. Further outbreaks of rain for the afternoon and evening, most persistent in Atlantic coastal counties. A contrast in temperatures with highs of 1°C to 4°C degrees in the north and east but ranging 6°C to 10°C in southern and western counties. Strong to gale force southeast winds. The outlook is for the weather for Sunday and into next week to be less cold, but still unsettled with spells of heavy rain. In fact, most places will likely see 1.5 to 2.5 times the normal amount of rain for the time of year, and in the south and southwest it’s going to be really wet with 3.5 to 4 times the normal amounts of rain. Wear a coat…
With the current COVID lockdown and 5km travel restrictions in Ireland, Marcin Kantor has not been able to travel for weeks now. So he put together this video to relive his best of pike fishing memories from 2020…
Marcin’s notes: Pike fishing in Ireland is one of my favourite types of fishing during the cold winter months. Here are my memories of the 2019-2020 season. In the video you will see Big Pike, actually my personal best pike to date of 114cm and 26.5lbs, which is a huge pike by any standards. Also, you will see dead baiting for pike, pike lure fishing and fly fishing for pike. Lots of action, not too much talking to put us all in the mood, so we go out, keep casting no matter what until we catch our dream fish. My biggest pike was caught on quite a small lure – Salmo Slider 10cm sinking version in the pike pattern. But I also caught some large pike while dead bait fishing. Recently I have started fly fishing for pike as you could see from the recent videos and to date caught some big pike on the fly, although not the 20lb pike I’d love to get., and I hope it helps you all get by until we can enjoy our angling again.
This week we are sharing another video from Chris O’Sullivan’s Inshore Angler youtube channel. For those of us who enjoy beach fishing, especially a night session, this is one you will appreciate. It may be low on production value but it’s high on entertainment, and puts you in the middle of the action.
Chris lands a schoolie bass
Chris and a friend had a night session with plenty of schoolie bass and a few other fish keen to take a bait. While filming was obviously difficult due to the conditions, and lighting (or lack of), the enthusiasm and enjoyment of fishing comes through clearly, and you get a definite sense of what a good night’s fishing is really like. For many of us, there is nothing to beat the rumbling surf in the background and a bit of weight on your line, not knowing what will come through the waves until you can shine your headlight on it. Chris captures it perfectly, well done Chris!
For novice anglers, the video also contains some good advice on fish handling, and how to ensure fish go back safely and in top condition.
Keep fish in a bucket of sea water for a few minutes to let them rest and recover
And if you like the video, feel free to click Subscribe so you can stay up to date with more of Chris’s videos. If you’re on Facebook you can also follow Chris here
The Blackwaters first salmon of the season was caught at Careysville #CPRsavesfish
Well it’s taken a full week and a half, but the Munster Blackwater finally got its first salmon of the season. The fish was caught yesterday, 10th February, at Careysville. Fishery Manager, Patrick Devennie was the lucky angler…
The fish was estimated at around 9lbs caught by myself, on fly (10th Feb in the morning) and returned safely. The fish took a 1 inch copper tube cone head, fished deep on a full sinking Triple D line.
The Blackwaters first salmon of the season was caught at Careysville #CPRsavesfish
The fish was released in the water as you can see from the photo, minimising any further stress or damage to the fish. This is the process we use at Careysville when returning our fish. We do not net nor beach them. Only if they are badly hooked, are we forced to take them to the bank to unhook them.
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 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.
3/2/21 No Brown Tag boats out and the same goes for the C&R manipulators. Wind WSW fresh and overcast.
4/2/21 There were three Brown Tags boats out trolling this day, I will call them the United Nations anglers, sadly the United Nations Brown Tag Anglers could not unite with a Wild Atlantic Salmon. Just for the record there was one C&R Fly Boat out and all was quiet on the SW Front. WNW light with good cloud cover.
5/2/21 Going by spy Gate there were 5 boats out today, 4 which were brown tag boats and 1 barbless boat. Just for a matter of interest, 2 of the brown tag boats today were hand me down tag boats. Wind light to fresh NNW followed by showers.
6/2/21 There were 2 brown tag boats and 2 barbless boats manipulating this day, one of the Brown Tag Boats was a hand me down tag, still waiting for that first elusive wild Atlantic Salmon. Wind ENE light with reasonable cloud cover at times.
7/2/21 Lough Currane was Brownless today but at least there were two Barbless boats out, but with all their efforts they were Salmonless on a freezing cold day and not surprising with a fresh East wind blowing up the lake.
8/2/21 The Mini Beast from the East arrives on the Currane Waters as temperatures barely went above 4C and if you take the wind chill into effect it felt like -0C. Now to the boat count, there were two boats out, 1 Barbless and one hand me down brown tag boat out on this cold day and overcast, wind East light to fresh and variable. Just for record Brownless and Barbless did get a bit of action in the Kelt Department.
Lough Currane on 9 February 2021
9/2/21 Lough Currane was all quiet on all departments and I mean quiet. Wind East fresh and overcast and cold air temperature 4C felt like -0C.
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
Opening Day on the Drowes 2021 - not a fish in sight
The River Drowes had its first salmon of the season on Friday. The honours went to local angler Joe Broderick from Bundoran. Joe caught his fish, a lovely 10lb salmon fresh off the tide, just after midday from the Old Sea Pool on a black Flying C. Water temperature was 6°C and the level was at 0.7m on the gauge.
With lockdown there’s not many fishing or taking advantage of the stove on Drowes Fishery
It has been a very quiet few weeks on the Drowes. With the lockdown there’s not many fishing or taking advantage of the stove on Drowes Fishery. Fishery owner Shane Gallagher reminds all anglers that current 5km travel restrictions remain in place until March 5th, but he looks forward to seeing more anglers on the fishery then.
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River Drowes
The Drowes Fishery is one of Ireland’s premier spring salmon and grilse fisheries. The river is some 5 miles in length, with over 70 named pools, flowing from Lough Melvin at Lareen Bay and entering the sea at Tullaghan, just outside Bundoran. The Drowes has a wide variety of water suitable for all fishing methods, including several miles of good fly water and deeper slower moving pools suitable for spinning and bait fishing.
In the end last week was all about rain. Average rainfall was 2 to 4 times more than normal. The ground is totally sodden, the rivers and lakes are full and every extra drop that falls is rolling over the wet ground and going straight into the waterways. Not ideal for angling…
Despite all that there was some big news this week. A couple of more rivers opened on February 1st and Delphi marked their opening day with a couple spring fish including the first salmon to be released this year. We also heard reports of fish from the Laune and Flesk in Kerry as January drew to a close but none yet from Currane or any of the Donegal rivers. Unfortunately the floods on the Munster Blackwater meant no fish there either. On the subject of salmon angling, we want to remind all the salmon anglers who have not yet returned their logbooks from last season to please get them into us; the information is key to work on conserving salmon.
First Catch and Release salmon of 2021 – Delphi Fishery
Pike angling also features this week and Siggy Latour of Tir na Spideoga on the shores of Lough Allua was out on the lake last week. She was rewarded with some great fishing which was crowned by pike of 101cm.
Siggy with her 101cm pike from Lough Allua
A new season opens shortly on Corrib, and this year anglers will have a new option for accommodation, boat hire and guiding, with the opening of Birchall Guesthouse on the western shore of the lough. Good luck to all involved, it’s great to hear of success stories for the angling sector after the year we’ve had.
Lockdown news
As the days get longer more and more anglers will be thinking of starting their own season. Just a reminder that the lockdown has been extended until March 5th. Angling is permitted as exercise once you stay within your 5km area and adhere to all other public health advice. We outline what the implications are for anglers here.
And now the weather…
Saturday, will be mostly cloudy, with just a few bright or sunny intervals. Further scattered showers in Leinster and east Ulster. Mainly dry further west. It will be cold with highest afternoon temperatures of 4°C to 7°C, and light to moderate north to northeast breezes. Sunday will be a similar sort of day and again dry for the most part. After that the outlook is for the weather to be bitterly cold and wintry into next week. The Beast from the East is back, but will his bite be worse than his bark?
Well, there ain’t no sea in my 5km radius, so like many other sea anglers I’m restricted to tying rigs and making plans for fishing once we can travel a bit further. And what better way to do it than to learn from others about their successful rigs, and how they tie them…
James Raymond from Irish Angling Adventures is back with another rig tying video. This time, he shows us how he ties the up-and-over rig, a very useful setup for fishing clean ground for a range of species. The video is very useful, and James explains in a very easy to understand way how to tie the rig, and when to use it also.
