Pascal Brissaud reports from Watermill Lodge on the shores of Lough Erne:
We are pleased to announce to all our precious customers that we can now open our restaurant and accommodation to the public from July 3, 2020.
We are currently preparing our restaurant and rooms to welcome you with the new measures put in place to comply with all the requirements and to ensure the safety of our customers and staff while continuing to apply any new instructions that the government will recommend to the future.
Please note that all our rooms have their own individual access to the front door and that our restaurant has four points of entry or exit and that we have a large ground for a safety distance.
If you would like to book a room or book a table in our beautiful picturesque setting here at the Watermill Lodge, please call the restaurant where a staff member will be happy to answer your request or you can also contact us at water.lodge@yahoo.com.
* Please note that to avoid disappointment, our rooms are already starting to sell out, so don’t hesitate to book your stay here with us.
Prices are as follows, the bed and breakfast for a room with garden view is at the price of £ 99 based on two people, the bed and breakfast in a room with lake view is at the price of £ 109 based on two people, simple occupation for one room on a Bed and Breakfast base costs £ 79.00 and a family room for four is £ 129.00 Bed and Breakfast.
For fishing, don’t hesitate to ask for your quote via email
We look forward to welcoming you again here at the Watermill Lodge THANK YOU!! Pascal and the team
17/6/20 Here is your meteorological report for Lough Currane. Wind Northeast light with reasonable cloud cover at times, humidity 79% and for the rest of the Currane Anglers news, all quiet on the Southwest Front. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 15.5 centigrade.
18/6/20 Good news on the Weather front? The Waterville Weeping vase is expecting 21.8 mm of rainfall over the weekend? All I can say is its better than nothing. On today’s manipulations all quiet on all fronts. Wind North with reasonable cloud cover at times. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 14.8 centigrade.
19/6/20 Well the Grilse secret is out, I can say without any fear of contradiction the Currane Grilse Anglers have failed miserably in their duties in reporting their catches, because in the week or two there have been a few Grilse caught on the troll and all I can say is fair play to a North Kerryman for letting the Grilse out of the Net, sadly it wasn’t on our Net first. Now for today’s action all quiet on the Western front, you have my permission to contradict today’s notes. Wind Southwest light to fresh with good cloud cover. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 15.1 centigrade. Just for the record Kerry is on a Yellow weather warning plus there is strong wind forecasted.
20/6/20 The Currane anglers celebrated with a sparkling water as the Southerly gale’s and rain lashed down on the Waterville Fishery, I do not want to sound pessimistic, but it will be interesting to see how much rain fell before their sparkling water go’s flat, I hope it stayed sparkling. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 15.7 centigrade.
Lough Currane to benefit from a some fresh water after small flood
21/6/20 Well at last we got a flood, as you can see it wasn’t that big going by the pictures, but it will be interesting to see how much the Lake rises in the next two days, plus there is more rain forecasted this coming week. On the Salmon count today the Currane Anglers were all quiet this Father’s Day and today’s notes are in memory of past Currane Dad’s. Wind Southwest fresh with reasonable cloud cover. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 15.7 centigrade.
22/6/20 All quiet on the Southwest Front in all departments this day on Lough Currane as light rain fell for the best part of the day in a fresh wind SSW. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 16.0 centigrade.
23/6/20 All the Salmon Headline News comes from the World Famous Butler’s Pool and at www.watervillegolflinks.ie Professional Golfer, Mr. Liam Higgins, caught a fine Salmon Grilse on the fly. So straight to quote of the day, that’s tonight’s dinner sorted, All I can say is enjoy! Wind South Southwest light and overcast with light rain for most of the day. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 15.4 centigrade.
24/6/20 Made a good drop of rain last night which was no harm. Wind was light and variable from the Northeast to the Northwest. The Salmon were staying deep and putting the Currane Anglers in deep deep Salmon depression. Yesterday’s weather, maximum air temperature 14.9 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
Fishing hasn’t been fantastic and God knows it was a hard slog but I managed a fine stinger after 2 hrs of hauling weed by the stone and on a live stream too. The result was a 100cm and a very thick female stingray estimated between 30 and 35lb.
Sean Dolan and Shane Galligan with a pair of tench
Feeder fishing proved top choice for Ballinagh lads Sean Dolan and Shane Galligan as they enjoyed an early morning angling session. Both lads hadn’t been angling in years and have recently taken back up angling due to Covid restrictions.
Their morning got off to a busy start with a roach a cast. Then the bites slowed down which could only mean one thing (the big ones moved in). The lads soon found a different bend on the rods and sure enough they landed some lovely tench.
Sean Dolan and Shane Galligan with a pair of tench
The lads are hooked again and are planning their next angling session already
All fish returned to the water safely to fight another day. Well done lads!
Kit Dunne reports that the sea off Wicklow is full of good sized smoothhounds and tope…
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Tope
Tope
Tope
18 June: Cracking Tope fishing here lately. We had two days that produced 14 tope on the first day and 15 tope on the next. There some great fish over the 2 days to 43lb. This morning was the start to another great day. In no time we had 5 tope to the boat, with 3 of them specimens over 40lb.
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Smoothhound
Smoothhound
Tope
Smoothhound
Smoothhound
Smoothhound
20 June: Wind is southerly Force 5 today, but it wasn’t stopping the Hounds. A few hours of fishing this morning produced plenty for Dean Clifford and Damien Cleary including an Irish Specimen 11lb. and 106cm for Jonathan MC Cathy and a Tope for Dean’s crew.
Brian Cooke
This week Brian Cooke hit the 15lb mark, while Derek Greene got a 110cm smoothie. John Mcloughlin had many hounds and a welcome Homelyn Ray.
Darren Kelly
Darren Kelly and Family had a red letter day with specimens for 4 family members. There was a 20.4lb fish for himself and three more specimens at 13.3lb, 16.2lb and a lovely 113cm smoothhound for Young Alex.
Des Chew
Meanwhile, Bert MC Gregor hit the 16lb after his 20.5lb last week. Dan Smith and Des Chew hit the 14lb mark 110cm length.
All in all Covid-19 hasn’t affected the fishing in Wicklow, albeit a late start.
Go fishing…
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.
Lough Sheelin Angling Report June 15th – June 21st, 2020
‘A man can be destroyed but never defeated’
Ernest Hemingway
The fishing was tough going on Lough Sheelin this week due to the weather persistently playing cat and mouse with the anglers. ‘Nothing is certain about trout fishing’ said Arnold Gingrich except ‘its glorious uncertainty’ and over the past seven days nothing could have been further from the truth. Summer solstice or midsummer’s day fell on Saturday June 20th, marking the longest day and the shortest night. Although a day widely celebrated in some circles, it still feels as if we are now on a slippery slope towards winter darkness and the urgency to get in some good fishing is now foremost in the trout fisherman’s mind.
The lonely boatman
Lough Sheelin took no prisoners this week and fishing was tricky and opportunistic. Angling numbers averaged 10 to 15 per day with recorded catches scrambling to make it over the 30 mark.
There is normally a fallow period following the mayfly but I feel this is always down to the unconducive surface trout feeding weather rather than the presumption that the portly trout are lying back allowing time for the food to digest after a spell of ephemeral over-indulgence.
Two’s company
The next phase of insect activity here following on from the mayfly and of interest to the dry fly angler are the summer hatches of caenis, usually in the very early morning and the sedges and buzzer hatches which are generally evening and nocturnal pursuits. Despite the present temperamental ‘summer’ weather, Sheelin has not disappointed from an entomology perspective producing ‘biblical’ hatches of Grousewing sedges, Murrough and Caenis along with the odd terrestrial in the form of beetles, damselflies, daddies and moths.
An impressive hatch of sedge on Sheelin, June 15th
The surface piscatorial larder is full to the brim with all sorts of tempting stuff but still there is little or no surface takes from the trout. Fishing here is irrevocably tied in with the weather; it is a marriage where there will never be a divorce. We have had two consecutive weeks of dropping temperatures and nightly chills, sudden wind changes and downpours all of which have had the effect of reducing insect hatches and causing the trout to stop looking upwards for food and to start looking downwards instead. Trout do not stop feeding because the weather is bad, instead they drop down to the lower water columns and become hooked on whatever abundant food there is available here – daphnia and pinhead fry as well as the bottom dwellers of shrimp and hog louse. Trout will always go for whatever is available to them to stuff themselves with, with the least expenditure of energy so in order for them to latch on to the Murrough or any surface hatch of sedge there needs to be substantial numbers to tempt them upwards and for this to happen we need the weather to behave itself.
Although some hatches of the greens were reported earlier in the week around Crover and the odd spent on the surface in the evening this section of the season is wrapping up to be replaced by sedge, daphnia and caenis.
Trout view
At the moment caenis are hatching in their millions on Sheelin. Trout love this miniature mayfly but before we all get excited caenis fishing is definitely not easy. Firstly if you have dodgy eyesight just tying a caenis fly pattern on your hook can be a challenge in itself, secondly weather conditions have to be nigh on perfect – mirror calm or with a slight corduroy ripple. Caenis is very small, for the fly angler maybe size 20 at the most and down to size 28 at times, you literally have to have the ability to be able to see a speck on the surface at 10 metres. This tiny insect hatches all at once, literally thousands at the one time on the water and with so many naturals it really is pot luck as to whether the trout will find the artificial among the dozens sitting upon the surface film which of course greatly reduces your chances of a hook up. A good pattern to use is Davie McPhail’s simple CDC caenis but if you can’t get your hands on that, a tiny F-fly will do almost as well.
If anglers have difficulty with fishing the standard mayfly – Ephemera danica then be warned the Caenis is another universe of difficulty. It is not called the Angler’s Curse for nothing plus you have to be on the lake around 5am……..
Caenis
Many of the Sheelin trout have moved on to Daphnia and pinheads. Head for open water if chasing the daphnia feeders and remember that depths are important; these water fleas swim downwards on bright sunny days and upwards towards the surface if it is dull or as darkness approaches. Brightly coloured traditional flies like the Dunkeld or Kingfisher Butcher have worked well on Daphnia-feeding trout for hundreds of years but Orange Blobs have recently appeared on the scene with a reasonable degree of success. If trout are focused on the pinhead fry either avoid these areas of the lake, usually the bays and inlets or cast a floating fry imitation and pray hard.
The weather has hampered a lot of the sedge fishing up to now and although there have been some good hatches of murrough, trout in general have shown no interest.
It is still early days for the sedge fishing here so if meteorological conditions improve there is a lot to look forward from Sheelin’s caddisflies.
The creepy crawlies
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The last dance
Sheelin's Caddisfly
Sheelin terrestrial
Opening out - a Sheelin Murrough
Measuring a sedge
Mayfly silhouette
Longhorn sedge
Limnephilus flavicornis
Heptagenia sulphurea
Ephemera danica
Damsel fly
Come into my web - a former mayfly and the two spiders who ate it
Cheer leader
Caenis
Breaking free
Caenis on water
Bejewelled caddis
Alder fly
A Welshman's Button
A Welshmans Button
A Sheelin sedge
A Miris Striatus nymph (a terrestrial bug nymph)
34 trout were recorded for this week, with the heaviest trout weighing in at an impressive 8lb 1oz caught by Gary McKiernan of Lough Sheelin Guiding.
Trout caught averaged 2½ – 3½lbs.
Fish catches this week were caught on a variety of patterns. Teams of wets were used as dry fly conditions deteriorated. Anglers were still using spent gnat patterns with the Wulffs in Grey, Green and the Royal being responsible for a modest number of catches.
Sheelin scenes and selection of catches
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Throwing a line
The weight of the week a 65cm fish from Gary McKiernan (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com)
Summer at Sheelin
Over 3lbs
Stones in water
2lbs 2ozs
A dawn lineup
A day time catch on Lough Sheelin
Early morning fishing
A midsummers day catch
Lough Sheelin at dusk
Lough Sheelin at dusk
A Sheelin average
Midsummer fishing
Letting it go
Fishing the fairy pool
'Bar of Gold' a 59cm trout (www.loughsheelinguidingservices.com)
Into the night
A spent gnat trout
Lough Sheelin in Summer
Before release
Minding the children
Pinhead fry (June 15th)
Reflecting
Ship to shore
Sheelin shoreline
Reflection
Successful flies were Claret Bumbles, Golden Olive Bumbles, Bibios, Klinkhammers, dry Buzzers (sizes 8-12), Grey Duster (size 10), Spent Gnat patterns, Stimulators, Dabblers (Green, Golden Mayfly and International), the Octopus, Welshman’s Button, Chocolate Drop, Muddlers and small dry sedges.
Hoppers worked well for some anglers and fished on a slick these can be brilliant in their imitation of those terrestrial insects. The Balling buzzer late in the evening around Bog Bay was good for some.
The artificials
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Trout nymph patterns
Summer fly pattern
Scruffy pattern
Scruffy patterns work well on Sheelin
Murrough pattern
Claret Hoppers (Alchemy Fly Tying)
Caenis size 20
June fishing patterns
The places that produced catches were down along the Western shore of the lake, Stony Island, at the back of Church Island, Merry Pt., Wilson’s pt, Inchacup, Chambers Bay and from Kilnahard down to Crover, Crane Island, Bog Bay, and Sailors Garden and into Goreport, Lynch’s Pt, Derrysheridan and Derry Pt.
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times
Catch & release
Please remember anglers to abide by BYE-LAW 949 which strictly prohibits from June 14th 2017 onwards:
The taking of any brown trout of less than 36 centimeters.
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.
A salmon puts a good bend in the rod at Carrowmore
Declan Foley reports for Bangor Erris Angling club on Carrowmore Lake:
17 June: Considering the amount of anglers on the lake in the past week the fishing has been as expected excellent with beautiful angling weather contributing to ideal conditions.
Many local anglers having caught up to 2 or 3 fish per outing with most being released which is really great to see. Anglers that had great days in the last week were Darren McMaster who caught and released two Salmon on Tuesday last. Dave Lennon caught and sportingly released a fine Carrowmore Salmon and also caught and landed and released a second Salmon – well done to Dave.
Safely in the boat and unhooked, time for a quick photo
The title of best fish of the week goes to well known local angler John Cosgrove who has braved many a hard days fishing but on Sunday caught a beautiful fish of 14lb which is pictured. John also caught and released a number of other fish over the past week as well as 7 sea trout all of which were released. John commented that ‘It was the best days fishing he ever had’ which is some statement from a man who lives in Bangor Erris and has fished the lake for many years.
Back the fish goes #CPRsavesfish
Other anglers who did well for the week were Mervyn Corway and Ronnie Mayock who both caught and landed and released Salmon and Mervyn had a seatrout nearly 2lbs weight. Vincent Rigney lost a Salmon and Kept one of about 6lbs or so.
On Tuesday the 16th 5 Salmon were released. Tom Conlon and John Cosgrove were amongst the lucky (or skilled) anglers. It is heartening to see so many fish being released this year and this will no doubt contribute to future improved angling on the lake and we appreciate the sporting anglers that do so whilst we appreciate that there is nothing wrong at all with keeping a fish for the pot!
There were numerous other fish caught and released during the week and angling for the coming week is expected to be equally as good as Sea Trout continue to stream into the lake as well as fresh Salmon. Declan Foley www.bangorerrisangling.com
Go fishing…
Carrowmore lake is located 2km North of Bangor Erris and has an approximate area of 1000 hectares of fishing water which ranges in depth from 1 to 6 metres. The lake is frequented by very healthy stocks of Spring Salmon, Grilse, Sea Trout and also has a substantial number of resident Brown Trout.
Fishing in this lake is confined to boat fishing only and with the permission of the fishery manager. Boats for hire are clinker built design fibre glass and average 19ft in length.
Please note that Carrowmore Lake is a Brown Tag Fishery!
For fishing on Carrowmore Lake contact Seamus Henry on +353 (0)97 83487 or visit www.bangorerrisangling.com
19 June 2020: We are going to get the first flood for months this week end. Fish have been moving up the river in the low water and with the rain they will make the lake. So all is looking good for the 29th.
There are approximately five miles of fly fishing along the main part of the Owenmore River in Kerry, with 33 named pools and an additional 180 acres of lake fishing in this Kerry beauty spot. The salmon, grilse and sea trout begin to run in April. The runs continue through spring and summer into early October.
The longest days of summer are upon us, with many anglers making the most of the long days and late sunsets to get some fishing in. The weather has been a story of extremes this week, some parts of the country seeing spectacular thunderstorms and torrential rain while nearby rivers haven’t received a drop of rain. Consequently, fishing success has been very much related to local weather for many. More and more anglers have been getting out with travel extended to your own county, with a further relaxation hoped for from the 29th.
Lighter winds this week have facilitated sea anglers on both charters and small boats, with good fishing reported from all around the coast. Many charter boats are now back operating, albeit with reduced passenger numbers. Good charter fishing was reported from Galway, Clare, Sligo, Cork and Wicklow. Small boat anglers also got in on the action, with great pollack, cod and bass fishing reported from Cork.
Salmon fishing picked up in a few rivers that received rain at the weekend. Delphi and the Erriff both had huge thunderstorms that lasted hours on Sunday. Fish ran on the ensuing flood, and both fisheries reported fish caught. The Blackwater also got a lift in water levels, and fish started running, both salmon and sea trout. The Galway Fishery had a great week with fly anglers catching a lot of fish. Other fisheries remained low, but still saw salmon caught, including the Bandon and Laune fisheries.
Sedge hatches are getting underway on many lakes, including on Lough Sheelin. Unseasonably cold weather last week probably saw the end of the mayfly fishing, but the sedge hatches bring a welcome boost from now on.
For all the hopeful salmon anglers out there IFI have made salmon licences available from their online shop. The licences will be sent directly to your phone/computer where they can be printed off. Tags wil follow in the post and anglers can fish C&R while waiting for the tags to arrive.
We are all still operating under the Covid-19 restrictions which is limiting our movements around the country. We urge anglers to adhere to all government guidelines relating to Covid-19 in the hope that we can continue our path towards recovery. IFI is continuing to review the government advice as it comes out and publishing a roadmap for return to the water which gives guidelines on what anglers can expect at each stage of our recovery.
Many charter boat skippers, angling guides and guesthouses will have gaps in their schedules over the coming months due to cancellations from foreign tourists so this year could be a good year to get out there and take advantage of their angling knowledge and sample some of the best fishing Ireland has to offer. IFI have a list of charter boats and angling guides on their website and, as restrictions relax over the coming weeks, now would be a good time to make an enquiry.
A reminder to sea anglers – as part of the Irish Marine Recreational Angling Survey, IFI in consultation with stakeholders have developed a behaviour and attitude questionnaire to inform about the state of sea angling in Ireland. If you consider yourself a sea angler, regardless of your level of ability or enthusiasm, we would love to hear from you.
And now the weather….
Any rain that fell in the last fe days was mostly concentrated in the eastern half of the country, but that is set to change this weekend. Rain will spread from the west on Saturday, with some heavy bursts, especially in the south. moderate to fresh winds over the weekend will usher in showery weather for Sunday and Monday. The weather looks set to remain changeable thereafter, with low pressure situated to the north and west and higher pressures to the south and east.
Safe fishing to all this weekend and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.
Re-Opening After Covid is a series where we will be featuring angling-related businesses that have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, and are getting back on their feet now. With the new requirements for physical distancing and continued vigilance, angling businesses like many others face challenges. They may have to restrict customer numbers, limit their interactions, introduce new working methods. And of course, the primary requirement is to keep themselves, their customers and families safe.
Bluewater Fishing
Our next featured business is Bluewater Fishing, a charter boat and B&B run by John Brittain and his wife Sue, near Clifden, Co. Galway. John has been a charter skipper since 1991, and like everyone else has never faced a challenge like Covid-19 before. As a “non-essential” business, he and Sue were forced to close both the B&B and stop operating the boat over the last 3 months.
Thunder!
Now back on the water and looking forward to reopening the B&B and welcoming guests shortly, John is just relieved to be back working, although his first trip was rather hampered by a thunderstorm! As he reported:
“I am finally back in business again for my 29th season with a pair of new engines. We have started fishing again with reduced numbers which is comfortable. Fishing has been good except for my first day out with a group of local anglers. We got to the ground south of Inishturk, stopped the engines and with that the heavens opened with claps of thunder lightening and the heaviest rain possible. Eventually we did what the fish had done and went home. Next day was better and here I am with my first 2020 pollack. “
John with a nice pollack
To Book
Bluewater is now back taking bookings for charter fishing, with reduced numbers to allow for social distancing. John’s primary concern is for the safety and welfare of his customers, and I know he will look after anyone who steps aboard.
