We have had 10 grilse landed for this period. On Friday 28th visiting angler Martin Nolde had a 3.72lbs grilse from the Falls Pool on a Collie Dog. That evening regular visitor Ian Ferris returned and had 2 grilse of 3.5lbs and 4lbs from the Falls Pool using a Cascade, Ian then returned the evening after and hooked and lost 4 salmon much to everyone’s disappointment.
Another visiting angler Benny Weltz fished during the day on Saturday 29th and had 2 small grilse of 2.5lbs each on a mini-tube fly. The next fish came on Monday July 1st, this time it was first time visitor to the fishery Alex Wilson who landed a 4lbs grilse from the Falls Pool using a Clayton’s Cascade while his dad Andrew lost another. Gerry Merrick fished on July 2nd and released a wild grilse of 3lbs from the Falls Pool on a Stoat’s Tail.
Wednesday 3rd saw the return of Jim Stafford who landed a 2.5lbs grilse from the Upper Garden Pool; Jim was using a fly of his own creation yet to be named. John Phelan was also into action in the Upper Garden Pool with a 4lbs wild grilse which he returned after a short struggle.
We are into the grilse season now and when the rain does decide to make a much needed appearance the fishing prospects look very good.
The difference a few days makes – Beat 9 this week in low water, and below, during the last flood on 24 June
The Erriff on the morning of 24 June
Go Fishing
The Erriff is a spate river draining beautiful mountain scenery and entering the sea at Killary Harbour, near Leenane. The river is split into 9 beats, and is flyfishing only for the most part. The river provides quality fishing for salmon and sea trout in spectacular surroundings. There is also lake fishing available on Tawnyard Lough, on one of the tributaries, providing sea trout fishing from July to September.
If you wish to book fishing please call the fishery office on (095) 42382 or email us at [email protected]
Mid-Shannon angling guide Aaron of A.M. Angling continues to have huge success on the River Shannon with some very happy customers recently. Aaron investigated some new water this week and fished with bigger lures than usual; the results are impressive!
Well done to Barry Melon on a cracking new personal best of 22.10 lb and 112cm – the best fish of 7 doubles caught.
Barry Melon with a new PB – 22lbs and 112cm
Some really good fish were present in the area, with big numbers of roach and other baitfish attracting them.
Another cracking midlands pike
New lake, bigger lures, better fish
You can keep an eye on A.M. Angling and contact the guys through their Facebook page:
The first week of July has been pleasant with dry conditions in most places with light winds and mild temperatures in the low twenties most days; perfect weather for the pleasure coarse angler or boat angler at sea, not so good for the game angler with either trout or salmon in mind. The good spell of weather is set to continue in many parts over the weekend so get out there and enjoy it even if the fish don’t – we might as well.
Having said all that, the salmon fishing hasn’t been too bad this week; the Moy is still fishing well with another 300 fish reported caught up to June 30th. In Connemara, Delphi Lodge reported over 93 fish for the month of June while the Erriff grilse run is building by the day. The Galway Weir has good numbers of fish entering the system too, with the peak of the run happening now and for the next week or two.
Sergio Breton Diez releases a grilse in the Weir Pool on the Moy
In Munster, both the Blackwater and Suir have seen the arrival of good numbers of grilse averaging 5lbs or so. A handful of fish were landed on the Lee. The Ilen has also produced more fish than previous weeks with 19 fish landed on Monday and Tuesday alone – some good double figure fish included in those. Anglers fishing on Lough Currane are catching some salmon and sea trout, early morning starts can make the difference there at this time of the year. We also have mixed reports from Donegal where the Drowse had an estimated 100 fish fish landed for the first part of the week but other rivers, like the Owenea, are struggling with low water conditions.
Anglers are invited to practise ‘Catch and Release’ when fishing for all salmon this weekend, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of July 2019, as part of a Catch and Release Weekend to mark International Year of the Salmon (IYS). Anglers who participate in catch and release over the weekend can submit their catch details via an online form to earn a #CPRSavesFish merit pin. The new #CPRSavesFish Pins Programme will be available to anglers throughout 2019. Anglers are also invited to share pictures of their catch and release on social media using the hashtags #CPRSavesFish and #YearOfTheSalmon to promote the message of sustainability with the public.
One fish that we would not like to see released this weekend is the invasive pink salmon and we would like to remind anglers to report any captures of this non-native species which are once again beginning to turn up around the country. Anglers are asked to kill and tag any fish they land, then hand them over to an IFI staff member who will replace any tags used.
Trout anglers on the rivers are reporting good hatches of fly and good evening rises; the best of the river fishing will usually be confined to the late evenings in Ireland in July, with the warmer, brighter days keeping the fish sullen until the sun fades. On the loughs, the hatches of sedges are increasing in numbers; once again, the best chance of good fishing at this time of year will be either very late or very early, the days bookended by sedge fishing at one end and caenis at the other.
Pike anglers are having good fishing in the midlands with some excellent catches reported; these include numerous 100cm+ fish taken by lure anglers. Some really exciting piking can be had this time of year, with fish willing to chase after diving lures, flies and even surface lures, before water temperatures become too warm and the fish become less active as a result.
Barry Melon with a new PB – 22lbs and 112cm
On the canals, while we have had reports of excellent tench fishing in the last week, particularly on the Grand Canal, we were disappointed to learn of a fish kill on the Royal Canal at Kilcock, an investigation is currently underway. We encourage all anglers to remain vigilant and to continue to ring the IFI Hotline 0818 34 74 24 with any illegal fishing reports, pollution reports, fish kills or sightings of invasive species.
On the Lower River Bann the 25th European Coarse Angling Championships was held last week, Team Lithuania won the team event and Ramon Ansing of the Netherlands took the individual Gold Medal, congratulations to them.
Anglers line the banks of the Lower Bann
To the coast and charter boats are making the most of this fine spell of weather and some excellent reports have come in this last week. An exceptional smooth hound 0f 22lbs was landed in Wicklow during the week. Willie Roche of IFI and the Irish Specimen Fish Committee gets Catch of the Week for this super fish. In the south we have reports of good fishing for skate and blue shark along with a wide variety of wreck species coming aboard. Back on dry land and some good bass and wrasse have been landed on the south west.
Willie Roche releases his 22lb smooth hound – our Catch of the WeekA Ballinskelligs bar of silver
The Irish Federation of Sea Anglers are also hosting the Home Nations Shore Event this weekend in the Kingdom of Kerry, anglers were met with conditions more akin to Belize than Glenbeigh this morning for day one of the event – the best of luck to the Irish teams competing.
Sunshine and blue skies on Glenbeigh beach
And now the weather……….
Rather cloudy to start the day on Saturday with patchy rain. Drier and sunnier weather will soon develop in Ulster, extending slowly southwards to much of Connacht and north Leinster during the afternoon. Mostly cloudy elsewhere with further patchy outbreaks of rain. Maximum temperatures of 17°C to 21°C.
Sunday will be mostly cloudy across southern and western parts of the country with a few spots of light rain or drizzle in places. Brighter and mainly dry elsewhere though, with the best of any sunshine across Ulster and north Leinster. Top temperatures will range from 16°C to 21°C, in light variable or northwesterly breezes. Becoming mainly dry on Sunday night with variable cloud amounts and some clear intervals. Lows of 7°C to 12°C, coolest in Ulster. Light variable breezes.
Some drizzle early next week as the days become warm and humid with temperatures in the high teens and low twenties in light westerly breezes.
The Bishoff family from Switzerland enjoyed some good sport with John Quinlan of Thatch Cottage Fishing Lodge in a rather cool Ballinskelligs Bay, County Kerry.
Ballinskelligs bar of silver
The bass and some big wrasse were biting with some cracking fish landed.
If you’d like to go on a guided trip in Ballinskelligs Bay with saltwater lure and fly fishing expert John Quinlan, details follow…………
Go fishing…
Thatch Cottage Fishing Lodge
Lure and fly fishing for bass normally begins mid to late March with April and May often giving superb sport. Please get in touch to check for best times and availability. If you fancy a spring bass fishing break just give John a call on (066) 947 4721 (or +353 66 947 4721 from abroad).
June was an excellent month for angling here at Delphi, with a total of 93 fish landed. Conditions were relatively good throughout, although water levels dropped off towards the end of the month. Total rainfall was 143.8mms (5.66”). Hopefully we will get some water in the next week or so as there seems to be a good head of fish in the system and I’m sure there are more to come.
Nice Water on the Bundorragha
Fishing continued to be good since my last update, with fish landed almost every day. There were seven landed on the 17th, three off the river and four off Finlough. Pat O’Dwyer had one of 3lbs14.5ozs off the Meadow Pool on a Collie Dog; Jonathan Durkan also had one from the Meadow of 3lbs8ozs on a Delphi Collie and Luke Drea had one from the Quarry of 3lbs14ozs on a Collie Dog. On Finlough, Alexander Mills had one of 3lbs6ozs on a Silver Wilkinson Shrimp and Philip McGarrity had three, two on a Delphi Collie of 3lbs10ozs and 4lbs7ozs and one of 5lbs15ozs on a Dee Sheep. We blanked on the 18th and then there was one landed on the 19th, a first ever salmon for Tom Moore from the Rock Pool of approx. 4.5lbs on a Sunrae Shadow.
The 20th saw Jonathan Durkan land two more, one from Cooleens of 3lbs2ozs and one from Finlough of 3lbs, both on Delphi Collies. That brought Jonathan’s total to nine fish for four days, which I’m sure will have made his trip home from Australia even more memorable, along with all the socialising of course.
A ranched Delphi fish
The 21st, Ash Mathews had one of approx. 4.5lbs from Deadmans on a Willie Gunn and Ed Pettigrew landed a fish of 3lbs14ozs in the Road Pool on a Beaded Nymph. Michael Wymes, on his first visit to Delphi this year then stole the limelight when he landed a magnificent fish of 12lbs15ozs from Finlough on a Delphi Collie.
Week 26 saw the return of a group of very experienced anglers. They managed to land nineteen fish for the week. We had some rain on the Sunday which put the river from 13 to 30, which kept us going most of the week. As is often the case with this group Yvonne was first off the mark with a fish of 3lbs14ozs from the Rock Pool on a Collie Dog on the 24th. There were seven landed on the 25th, one off the River and six off Finlough. Nico had one of approx. 2.5lbs from the rock Pool on a Collie Dog. The remaining fish, all off Finlough were landed by Werner, 4lbs11ozs on a Delphi Collie; Geoff Lucas, 2lbs14.5ozs on a Collie Dog; Fredo, approx. 2.5lbs on a Collie Dog; Thomas Kopp, a first ever of 2lbs7ozs on a Collie Dog and Martin Nolde had two, both of approx. 2.5lbs on Willie Gunn’s. There were eight landed on the 26th, all off Finlough bar two. Nico had one of 4lbs6ozs from the Meadow on a Silver Stoat and Holger had one from the Whin of 5lbs4ozs on a Collie Dog. On Finlough, Thomas landed three of 3lbs5ozs, 4lbs14ozs and 4lbs15ozs, all on a Willie Gunn. Fredo had one of 3lbs3ozs on a Delphi Collie and father and son team of Martin and Manuel had one each of 3lbs12ozs and 6lbs1oz on a Collie Dog.
Mattias had two on the 28th from the Whin Pool of approx. 5lbs and 3lbs6ozs, both on a Collie Dog. Finally, young Luca Mittmann managed to land the only fish of the day on the 29th,of 5lbs6ozs off Finlough on a Willie Gunn. At the moment our water has dropped to 5, which makes fishing difficult. Rain would be most welcome here in the next few days as there are plenty of fish about. D.Mc
As predicted, the rain of last Sunday had a positive effect on salmon running the system. Fish were reported on several beats above and below Lismore as well as above Fermoy towards Mallow. The fresh grilse appear to be arriving in better numbers, averaging 5lbs, as well as some large fish still being encountered even as far as just below Mallow where some double figure fish were reported as caught and released, although these were a bit coloured.
Most are falling to fly and hopefully the grilse will continue to increase in numbers from now on. The improvement in fish running has encouraged some more fishermen to get out on the river to try their luck which is also good to see. We are now left with 3 months to the end of season so fortunes would want to be improving from here on out.
RIVER LEE
Five grilse for the week at the Kingsley Weir, best weight was 5lbs.
INNISCARRA FISHERY
Two peel and one salmon reported for the week. The two peel were 4lbs and 5.5lbs, caught on shrimp and returned alive. The salmon weighed in at 8.5lbs; it was caught on a fly and was also returned. All catches were by local anglers.
It was reported that on Monday, 24th of June, twelve salmon were caught; smallest was 7lbs and best was 12lbs and these fish were mainly caught spinning. On Tuesday, June 25th, three salmon and four grilse were caught – again mainly spinning.
There was also a good run of sea trout with fish up to 3lbs being caught.
With the hot, dry, sunny weather the Owenea ran at very low levels all week. On Monday the gauge read 0.10m and the river gradually dropped to low summer levels over the week. By the end of play on Sunday the gauge only read 0.06m. The gauge average for the week was a meagre 0.08 metres! It is hardly surprising there were no reported fish caught over the week. There were 9 visiting rods fishing over the week in the very testing conditions. It is a difficult achievement to book a holiday and get conditions right for salmon fishing!
For info/bookings etc. on the Owenea Fishery –
Tel: 074 9551141. (9am to 1pm April to May & 7am to 1pm June to Sept).
Trout fishing was somewhat slower this week, probably due to the very bright and hot conditions, although there were decent winds. A few grilse were reported with most hooked and lost for some reason but in truth the salmon fishing was slow given the numbers of grilse that must be in Melvin now; this is probably due to the bright warm conditions once again.
