Persistence paid off for two anglers fishing Lough Corrib recently as their hunt to catch a Ferox trout brought them to Lough Corrib. Bill Shanley and Joe Darby spent 14 hours trolling over a couple of days in the northern part of the lake but were rewarded with some fine Ferox. Fishing over deep water using roach as bait, the pair managed three fish weighing 6, 7 and 11 pounds. Trolling can be hard work at the best of times but as Bill said, the beauty and scenery of the lake can make light of a hard days fishing.
6/8/20 All quiet on the Southwest front. Wind SSE light to fresh with reasonable cloud cover, humility 93%. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 19.4 mm. Maximum air temperature 17.2 centigrade.
Sunset on a bright day
7/8/20 Bright sunshine was the order of the day and very warm with light winds and variable, humidity 88%. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 18.5 centigrade.
8/8/20 There were four boats out manipulating on this blazing sunshine day and as you can see by the video today was an angler’s nightmare and going by the quietness of my mobile confirms this? The wind did eventually get up from the West light, humidity 89%. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 17.9 centigrade.
9/8/20 Blazing Saddles again on Lough Currane, there were a couple of boats out on the Southside, sadly I missed them as you can see from the Southside video. Wind light to calm from the West and bright sunshine with reasonable cloud cover at times. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 19.1 centigrade.
10/8/20 Lough Currane Anglers were all quiet on all fronts, that is not surprising considering there was a light to calm Northeast wind and variable and very humid at 85%. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 19.8 centigrade.
Today Southside of Lough Currane
11/8/20 Again the hot bright sunshine was the order of the day, so you do not have to be a rocket scientist to know that the Currane Anglers were all quiet on the Southwest front. Wind light Southwest and variable, humidity 89%. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 20.4 centigrade.
Bright sun and blue skies for Lough Currane, again
12/8/20 Another hot and humid day for the Currane Anglers, followed by a variable light to calm North-Northwest wind. so, the least said the soonest mended on the Wild Game fishing on Lough Currane. The only good news is there is thunderstorms and heavy rain forecasted for tomorrow? so that should put the Inny Anglers Smiling, plus it would be nice to see a Catch and Release Inny Video. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 20.8 centigrade.
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
Galway based charter skipper John Fleming was happy to report some more fantastic fishing on board his boat the Brazen Hussy II over the last 2 weeks:
Shark season started with a bang with some lovely porbeagles being caught with 4 porbeagles and 1 blue for Shane Naughton’s group. And a couple of days later Tommy Magee and his group from galway hit it big with 5 beagles and 1 blue. These were very nice fish and were up there with the biggest ever landed on the Hussy.
Porbeagle are an endangered species and so all fish landed were tagged and released as part of IFI’s Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme. This programme has been monitoring the movements of porbeagle shark (and many other species) in Irish waters since 1970.
Funnily enough we’ve had our first female porbeagles ever this year.
We then had a rather frustrating days sharking the day after. Dropped runs, spat hooks lines breaking. Just one of those days but we did save the blank and Tom Lynch got a nice blue for himself.
Go fishing…
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
Eddie Butler, skipper of the small boat Shock Waves, reports from a successful trip off the Waterford coast…
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Shock-Waves ready to launch
Tope
Tope - specimen sized
Shock-Waves headed to Waterford at the weekend for a spin out. There was cracking weather from the start and hotter it got. Mackerel were scarce to start and small but we had enough for bait. We headed for tope and not to be disappointed a specimen tope of 163cm for Barry Murphy was soon in the boat. Good tope continued to come to the boat but then it was time to move.
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Blue shark
Blue shark
Blue shark
Blue shark were next. A flat sea to travel on gave us more time for blues with some nice fish to the boat. Paul Twomey was doing the bizz here, best of all we stopped fishing to watch a family of Basking sharks who stayed with us for 30 minutes no more than two feet from us, in all a cracking day out great company and great craic.
River Moy at Foxford. Courtesy of Farson Digital Water Cams
Foxford Salmon Anglers report…
The River Moy has remained in spate for the past 2 months. More rain during the week has kept the river well up. Last week, we had around 20 salmon reported. The fishing is slow which is in keeping for August with very few anglers around. The dry weekend these last few days was a welcome break for us all but it’s to be short-lived so get out and enjoy it. More rain forecast at the end of the week.
‘I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day’
Vincent Van Gogh
The mercurial waters of Lough Sheelin
We are moving through the last month of summer and the weather this week has been once more dominated by heavy and in some cases persistent rainfall, reminding me of a very apt quote from Hal Roach – ‘You know it’s summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer’ and true enough temperatures soared into the early twenties giving warm balmy fishing conditions. Even though many of us have lived in Ireland our whole lives, we somehow think that this summer will be different – and then it rains, the quips about the Irish summers are never ending – ‘the Irish summer fell – on a Tuesday this year’ etc. etc…but rain only puts a halt to our angling gallop, the trout are largely unperturbed and carry on feeding.
The Irish summer
It feels like August and the imminent approach of autumn is reflected in a slight change of shoreline colours and the mewing call of the buzzards who hang in the air over Sheelin.
Sheelin’s peter – Agrypnia varia
This week was all about chasing piscatorial dreams shrouded in the evening shadows – trout surfacing for the dusk sedges of green peter and murrough. Many dry fly purists are uncomfortable fishing in the dark, some dismiss it as being similar to wet fly fishing in that you are casting out blind and not actually having the satisfaction of seeing the fish taking the fly. It is a difficult time now as the only real surface action is more or less only happening during the unsocial hours of evening and at nightfall. ‘Normal people have no idea how beautiful the darkness is’ a seasoned sedge angler remarked to me this week but he left me pondering on the word ‘normal’ rather than the subject of darkness.
Evening fishing on Lough Sheelin, August 8th
Angling numbers this week were reflected by the meteorological conditions, dwindling to one or two boats on the really soggy nights and increasing to a maximum of a dozen or more at drier times.
Sheelin’s Peter
This week was all about sedge fishing and in particular – Agrynpnia varia – the Green Peter. There were some great lumps of trout caught on various dry fly imitations of this sedge with the peak times clocking in between 10 and 11.30 at night. Sedge hatches varied from ‘patchy’ to ‘not too bad’ to ‘good enough’ depending on what area of the lake was being fished which was again dictated by wind direction. All the bigger fish from 3 ½ lbs up to the top weight of 6 ½ were caught on dry fly whereas a respectable number of 1 – 2lb fish were caught on teams of wets.
54 cm of perfection, caught on a dry Peter sedge
Going through the week:
Bank holiday Monday was dry and sunny. Anglers are reporting lots of small fish of 1 – 1½ lbs showing up around Inchacup, Rusheen and Derry pt. in particular. There were some nice 3 ½ to almost 5 lb fish caught on small dry peter patterns from 10pm onwards. Tuesday was humid and blustery with fresh to strong south westerly winds gusting across the lake.
Joan Garahy with her 5lb Sheelin trout
Anglers reported plenty of fish on the move and some catches were recorded using wet fly patterns – Dabblers, Red Tailed Peters, Golden Olive Bumbles and also on some small emerger patterns like the Klinkhammers. Night time fishing on the dries – small sedges and green peter patterns brought in some trout of over 3, 4 and one of 5lbs. The Southern end of the lake fished best on this particular night.
3lbs 9ozs on a dry Peter
Wednesday was the pick of the fishing days with westerly winds falling to light in the clearing rain, temperatures stayed around 19 degrees and the evening shaped up for some good sedge fishing in the half light. A beautiful solid trout of almost 5lbs and measuring in at 54cm was caught by James Casey on a small dry peter after 10pm. A Royal Wulff and a small sedge or Klinkhammer were getting some action out in the middle of the lake but although these stimulated a rise it was difficult to get a take.
4lbs of Sheelin magic caught on a dry Peter, August 4th
Thursday retained the high temperatures but got breezy with south westerly winds making fishing challenging, a few smaller 2lb fish were caught around Goreport on dry sedge patterns out in the open water.
4lbs 8ozs
Friday, August 7th was punctuated by one heavy shower and after that temperatures climbed into the 20’s and the southerly breezes slackened off to mirror calm conditions for the evening, fishing was slow both during the day and for the evening and although a number of boats were out, only a smattering of trout were recorded, heaviest at 3 ½ lbs on a Sedge Emerger.
‘Keeping things going’ An egg laying Murrough, August 3rd
The weekend sported tropical day time heats of 22 -23 degrees with bright sunshine, described as ‘pure torture’ by the anglers and the trout stayed deep with no real evidence of their existence until the cool of the evening. There were very poor and in some places, non-existent hatches of peter so the trout made only a small number of perfunctory surface visits and few catches were recorded for both of these days.
5lbs on a dry Sedge pattern, August 5th
Peter sedge fishing depends on a new hatch every evening, if the fly doesn’t hatch, there is nothing for the trout to rise to. The Peter fishing and all the exhilarating expectation that comes with it is ending, their season is winding up but hopefully they will persist in some places on this lake for a week or two more to allow us to squeeze the last drop out of this magical fishing. Of course there are plenty of other small sedges that will continue to hatch when Agrynpnia varia has left the room and the trout will surface for a big enough hatch of these but it is that big meal in the form of Murrough and Peters that the heavier fish find hard to resist as they temporarily forgo the packed larder down in the lower regions to head for the surface.
Sedge water
32 trout were recorded for the week, interestingly all the day time, wet fly fish averaged around 1½ – 2½ lbs with few exceptions while the evening/dusk fishing on the dry sedges and emergers produced trout averaging 3½ – 6lbs, confirming the suspicion that the heavy weights do make the effort to surface for a well presented dry fly. Presentation of course is important but if the fly isn’t acceptable to the fish, no presentation is good enough, so presentation is secondary and it is the fly and its design and footprint that are of paramount importance in dry fly fishing. Having the right fly pattern in the right size and knowing exactly how to fish it are crucial when dry fly fishing the evening rise.
A Peter among Peters
The flies that did rose and caught trout were large Murrough patterns, small dry sedges (12 -14), small dry Green Peters, Peter Emergers, Shipman’s, Bobs Bits, Hoppers, Claret Bumble, Silver Daddy, International Dabbler, Sedge hogs, small Klinkhammers, Stimulators, Sedge pupae, Daddies, Zulu, the Grey Duster and a Red Tailed Peter. For those anglers after the daphnia feeders, head for the open water using a bright orange fly. When fishing small dry sedges along sheltered areas it is best to use a floating line with a 4 – 6 lb. leader.
Chocolate and Claret Drops – Jackie Mahon
The Chocolate Drop Sedge is a great pattern to carry with you at this stage when the sedges are in full swing or as big a swing as you are going to get, weather permitting. As well as having a delectable name the Chocolate Drop is designed to sit in the surface rather than on top of it which gives this fly a realistic profile which trout tend to take with more confidence. One of the best methods to fish this fly is to twitch it across the surface of the water to imitate a struggling sedge but it can be pulled, skitted or just left to drift.
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Green Peters
Golden Olive Bumbles
Peters from a trout's stomach
Sedges - August 2nd
Lough Sheelin's Peter sedge
At this stage of the fishing season some areas of the lake have been over fished and the trout have become wary so for the evening sedge fishing it might require some trial and error to find a less frequented spot. Popular areas for fishing are Corru, Goreport and Lynch’s point down into Bog Bay, also Chambers, Kilnahard, Wilson’s point and down along Holywell. Some trout were caught in the middle of the lake but if anglers are focusing on the dry fly fishing there will never be a crazy rise in open water so a better plan is to try bays and inlets for the caddis hatches.
The darkness is light enough
Some years ago when I first started to write the Sheelin angling report I used to get very caught up in all the gadgetry around trout fishing especially the flies and all those different and fancy names and colours but now I have learned that no amount of flashy fly design and gear can substitute for sound knowledge, on-the-water experience, analytical thinking and routinely practiced skills. The most productive piece of fishing gear I have finally realised is not in a tackle or fly box, but rather, in your skull. Your brain, filled with essential fishing knowledge, is the ultimate key to consistent success and this is why the best anglers are not those with the most (and most expensive) gear, but rather, the most knowledge.
Darkness into light
When all is said and done, there are only so many places for fish to live and hide in any given body of water, only so many available things for a trout to eat, and only so many things they regularly love to eat. Discover where and what those are, and you will find and catch fish or at least have the best chances of doing so. This of course is not easy particularly on a temperamental lake like Lough Sheelin, it will require some diligent effort and plenty of experimentation, and even if you find the trout, you can’t always make them take your fly, no matter what. Sometimes they are just not hungry or active and nothing you can do will ease their lockjaw but this is why it is called fishing and that it why it is so challenging, fun and a great source of educational adventure, if it was easy most of us quite simply would not bother. The more you learn, and the more you solidify that knowledge with experience, the more successful you will be and is any classroom more beautiful than Lough Sheelin to be in?
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times.
4lbs 8oz release
Extra care is needed when playing and releasing trout during periods of high water temperatures as additional stress at these times will decrease the survival rate of hooked and released fish.
BYE-LAW 949 strictly prohibits:
The taking of any brown trout of less than 36 centimetres.
For a person to fish with more than 2 rods at any one time.
To fish with more than 4 rods at any one time when there is more than one person on board the boat concerned.
For a person to take more than 2 trout per day.
All trolling on the lake from March 1st to June 16th (inclusive).
To fish or to attempt to take or to fish for, fish of any kind other than during the period from March 1st to October 12th in any year.
sedge time on Lough Sheelin
Join the Club…
For anyone interested in joining Lough Sheelin’s Angling Club – The Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association please contact Thomas Lynch @ 087 9132033.
4lbs 10ozs caught using a dry Peter sedge fly, August 2nd
Lifejackets
We would implore anglers and all other users to wear life jackets for their own safety as well as it being the law.
Life jackets are required by law – SI No 921 of 2005 – Pleasure Craft (Personal Flotation Devices and Operation) (Safety) Regulations 2005. Water rarely gives second chances and a life jacket is just that – it saves your life.
Please put on and keep on that life jacket until you are back on dry land.
Please remember All anglers are required to have a Fishery Permit to fish Lough Sheelin which must be purchased BEFORE going out on the lake.
Ted Wherry on Lough Corrib with a stunning 6 pounder on dry sedge
Declan Gibbons reports from Lough Corrib…
Angling the week gone by proved more fruitful and rewarding to anglers than the week previous with sedges and fry patterns proving the best and some action on daphnia.
Starting off in the Cong area, father and son duo Conor and Kyle O’ Mahony from Partry on Sunday last had a day’s fishing on Corrib, they both caught a fish each in the Inchagoill area with Kyle landing his PB on the fly with a fish a 1.5 lbs.
Young Partry angler, Kyle O’Mahony, with his PB on fly 1.5 lbs. at Inchagoill
Ted Wherry of Mayfly Lodge Ballynalty and Friend Kevin Sheridan for four afternoons had good fishing landing fish on all four outings with Ted landing the best of the fish at 6 lbs. on a dry sedge.
Ted Wherry with a stunnign 6 pounder on dry sedge
In the Cornamona area, Richard Molloy of Ballard Shore Boat Hire & Self Catering (+353 (0)87 2879339) reports of a group of five anglers for the week enjoying good fishing in the Dooras area landing numerous fish mainly on dry Daddies, best fish 3 lbs. and all fish sportingly released.
In the Greenfields area, Waterford father & son Duo John & Sean Ronayne on Tuesday and Wednesday last had 11 fish for two days with the best fish 3 lbs. all sportingly released.
Young Waterford angler, Sean Ronayne, successful on Corrib
Watch their release video…
In the Oughterard area, Basil Shields of Ardnasillagh Lodge (+353 (0)91 552550) reports of Dublin anglers Eddie Rowe and Mark Rogan landing 11 fish for two days with the best fish being 1.75 lbs. on daphnia.
Dublin angler Eddie Rowe staying at Ardnasillagh Lodge with Corrib Trout
On Thursday last, Cork angler Eddie O’Callaghan had two fish best fish just a little over two pounds.
On the Lower Corrib on Friday last, Galway angler Harold O Toole had five fish on dry sedges with the best fish being two and a half pounds.
The Government has decided based on NPHET advice that the current public health measures will remain in place, the country will NOT be progressing to Phase 4 of the Roadmap to Reopening Society and Business until 31 August 2020 at the earliest. Inland Fisheries Ireland offers the following information to anglers as a guideline only. Government advice to stop the spread of coronavirus is BE RESPONSIBLE, BE SAFE.
Anglers can now travel throughout the country without restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place. However, visiting international anglers should refer to government guidelines on ‘Arriving to Ireland from another country’ for up to date advice.
General Guidance for everyone
Follow Government protocols and public health guidelines.
Outdoor gatherings for group exercise up to 200 people.
Observe physical distancing by keeping at least 2 metres apart.
Park legally and responsibly if driving to outdoor amenities.
Respect our emergency services and avoid activities that could potentially lead to emergency call outs.
Respect the environment, animals & wildlife and dispose of waste properly.
Travel separately, unless from the same household and visit outdoor areas at off peak times if possible.
It should be noted, any change to the over-arching ‘Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business’ may result in an amendment(s) to this table. Currently, we strongly advise the suspension of all angling competitions involving international competitors. To stay safe, anglers should follow public health guidelines:
Can travel with no restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place.
In groups with physical distancing.
Boat Anglers Game Coarse Pike Sea
Can travel with no restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place.
Max 2 anglers per boat unless from same household
Maintain physical distancing at slipways and access points.
Sea Anglers Shore
Can travel with no restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place.
In groups with physical distancing.
Phase 4
31 August
Outside your region
Bank Anglers Trout Salmon Pike Coarse
Can travel with no restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place.
In groups with physical distancing.
Boat Anglers Game Coarse Pike Sea
Can travel with no restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place.
In groups with physical distancing.
Maintain physical distancing at slipways and access points.
Sea Anglers Shore
Can travel with no restrictions, apart from local lockdowns that may be in place.
In groups with physical distancing.
Business Owners can determine when your business may reopen in accordance with the Government’s ‘Roadmap to Reopening Society and Business’ . The Roadmap gives a list of essential businesses which can reopen in phase 1 and an outline of other businesses which can reopen in subsequent phases. Once you have determined the phase under which you can reopen your business, please ensure you adhere to the ‘Return to Work Safely Protocol’
It was another very wet week as the classic Irish summer reigned supreme. Over the past seven days, rainfall amounts were above average, well above average in some places. Malin Head recorded 68.8 mm, close to three and a half times its average. With all the rain it’s no surprise that it was a cloudy week, with sunshine levels as little as 40% of what’s expected for the time of year. Despite the cloud cover temperatures were pretty good. This may have contributed to some of the fantastic reports listed below…
Sarah Healy poses with her salmon before the release #CPRsavesfish
We have salmon reports in from 10 rivers in Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Galway and Mayo. The common theme is that salmon are about in good numbers. Given the numbers of fish about, and the numbers of anglers pursuing them, now more than ever we need remember to Catch Photo, Release.
Ciaran Reilly, Loughrea, with a beautiful Corrib trout
The unsettled weather was not so productive for trout anglers. Those heading out on the lakes found it particularly tough at times due to high winds. Corrib and Sheelin both had some good fishing to report but all in all results were pretty mixed. The rivers had been fishing well and we have a lovely report in from the Nore. Unfortunately, the high water seen on many systems has slowed down the trout fishing.
We have 2 coarse angling reports this week one from Muckno where the roach remained reluctant to bite and the other from Lough Sillan where decent catches of mostly roach were recorded.
We have lots of sea angling to report on, both boat and shore. Big fish abound, with skates, sharks and bluefin tuna all featuring. Michael O’Callaghan and his anglers on the Leah C win Catch of the Week for tagging and releasing the first bluefin of the year. Anglers are reminded to only fish from the bluefin tuna charter boats listed here.
A new Government of Ireland campaign has been launched to tackle a growing littering issue throughout the country, particularly in some of our most scenic locations which have recently become littering hotspots. It is a joint initiative of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Waterways Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Sport Ireland, The Department of Community and Rural Development, the Office of Public Works, Coillte and Leave No Trace Ireland. We ask all anglers to do their part. Find out more here – National Awareness Campaign launched promoting responsible behaviour outdoors to combat increase in littering
And now the weather
Dry and warm over the weekend. However, heavy spells of thundery rain will occur on Monday and for a time on Tuesday. The good news is that will remain warm til the middle of next week. I’d be making excuses to go fishing if I was you…
Safe fishing to all this weekend and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.
