Luke Aston, skipper of the Clare Dragoon, reports on the baots first sixgill shark of 2019…
Charlene Dillon takes on a monster from the deeps… and wins Catch of the Week
Well the sixgill shark adventures keep on giving! Our first day of 2019 at the sixgill was on Sunday 12 May and after a 1 hour and 20 mins fight Charlene Dillon became the first lady to land a sixgill on my boat. And what a fish it was! At 15 feet long and estimated at 1200lbs it must be up with the biggest fish landed by a woman in European waters.
Charlene’s fought her 15 foot sixgill shark to the side of the boat where it was released. #CPRsavesfish
We got some great photos and watched as it swam away to the deeps again after giving us all a great thrill.
Well done Charlene.
Go Fishing…
Clare Dragoon
Clare Dragoon is a LOCHIN 366 powered by 650HP engine, skippered by Luke Aston and operating out of Carrigaholt Co. Clare…
I have some offers up on my web site www.fishandstay.com and if anybody is interested in putting a trip together please do get in touch. Also I Twitter from the boat on @fishandstay and try to update my face book page www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtSeaAngling fairly often!To experience some of the best deep sea fishing available in Ireland contact Luke. Telephone: +353 65 9058209 or +353 87 6367544 Email:[email protected]Web:www.fishandstay.com
Water levels are dropping nicely on the River Boyne and a few salmon are still travelling through to Navan and beyond. April produced around 15 to 20 salmon with the best fish reported to be circa 20lbs. Fish of 18lbs and 16lbs were also recorded and fly, spinner and shrimp all produced fish. Now into May, some fish were moving over the weekend with at least four salmon caught which were reported to be in the 10-12lb bracket. Nice fish!
Pauric McGeraty reports that the action is non-stop in Cavan with some great catches for anglers staying at Carafin Lodge. Garett and Cecil both broke their personal best on Friday 3rd May at Carafin Lodge. Garett had bream to 8lbs and Cecil had tench to 5lbs and there were also some lovely hybrids and roach caught. With all of the recent angling there has been lots of bait going in so the fish are well on the feed even in tough conditions.
Pauric also had Jock, Alan, Cameron and Jack at Carafin Lodge recently and although the fishing was hard at times but they stuck to it, and had a fabulous catch in the end.
To make a booking
Angling guide Pauric McGearty is based on the shores of Carafin Lough which gives fishermen access to this and a host of other lakes including the beautiful Lough Oughter in Co Cavan. Pauric offers a full range of coarse angling services including a ground baiting service.
In addition, Pauric can provide a guiding service and has a number of boats with outboard motors for hire. His boats include Redfin 5700’s which are equipped with oars, life jackets, anchor and a fish finder. Electric trolling motors are also available for hire and Pauric has a range of fishing tackle for hire that is suitable for all anglers of all levels. So all you have to do is arrive, get your gear on and get fishing. This is a fantastic pike fishing area with many big fish well over 20lb caught each year. The area also produces some spectacular coarse fish catches with bream to specimen size. The lakes in the area also produce some very big trout. For full details of availability, terms and conditions please contact Pauric at
Contact: Pauric Mc Gearty, Carafin Lodge, Innishmore, Butlersbridge, Co Cavan. H12W5C9
Jean-Louis Bigot from pecheirlande has been in contact to let us know that two of his clients had some nice catches recently on Lough Derg. Despite the tough fishing, father and son, Michel and Claude Van de Casteele from France recorded a number of pike the best of which was just short of the magic metre at 98cm. This great fish was taken on a roach like soft bait.
Not long after, the duo managed to boat a beautiful wild brown trout of circa 60cm which took a float fished smelt. Fishing had been fairly tough due to changeable water and air temperatures and a cold breeze but despite all the challenges Michel and Claude were delighted with these two magnificent fish. The trout was estimated to be around 7lbs and was released safely back to the water after a quick photo.
Go Fishing
To make a reservation or booking please contact, Jean-Louis Bigot, PECHEIRLANDE
Ballygreen, Garraunboy, Killaloe, Co Clare, Ireland
Water levels are dropping nicely on the River Boyne and a few salmon are still travelling through to Navan and beyond. April produced around 15 to 20 salmon with the best fish reported to be circa 20lbs. Fish of 18lbs and 16lbs were also recorded and fly, spinner and shrimp all produced fish. Now into May, some fish were moving over the weekend with at least four salmon caught which were reported to be in the 10-12lb bracket. Nice fish!
Pauric McGeraty reports that the action is non-stop in Cavan with some great catches for anglers staying at Carafin Lodge. Garett and Cecil both broke their personal best on Friday 3rd May at Carafin Lodge. Garett had bream to 8lbs and Cecil had tench to 5lbs and there were also some lovely hybrids and roach caught. With all of the recent angling there has been lots of bait going in so the fish are well on the feed even in tough conditions.
Pauric also had Jock, Alan, Cameron and Jack at Carafin Lodge recently and although the fishing was hard at times but they stuck to it, and had a fabulous catch in the end.
To make a booking
Angling guide Pauric McGearty is based on the shores of Carafin Lough which gives fishermen access to this and a host of other lakes including the beautiful Lough Oughter in Co Cavan. Pauric offers a full range of coarse angling services including a ground baiting service.
In addition, Pauric can provide a guiding service and has a number of boats with outboard motors for hire. His boats include Redfin 5700’s which are equipped with oars, life jackets, anchor and a fish finder. Electric trolling motors are also available for hire and Pauric has a range of fishing tackle for hire that is suitable for all anglers of all levels. So all you have to do is arrive, get your gear on and get fishing. This is a fantastic pike fishing area with many big fish well over 20lb caught each year. The area also produces some spectacular coarse fish catches with bream to specimen size. The lakes in the area also produce some very big trout. For full details of availability, terms and conditions please contact Pauric at
Contact: Pauric Mc Gearty, Carafin Lodge, Innishmore, Butlersbridge, Co Cavan. H12W5C9
Jean-Louis Bigot from pecheirlande has been in contact to let us know that two of his clients had some nice catches recently on Lough Derg. Despite the tough fishing, father and son, Michel and Claude Van de Casteele from France recorded a number of pike the best of which was just short of the magic metre at 98cm. This great fish was taken on a roach like soft bait.
Not long after, the duo managed to boat a beautiful wild brown trout of circa 60cm which took a float fished smelt. Fishing had been fairly tough due to changeable water and air temperatures and a cold breeze but despite all the challenges Michel and Claude were delighted with these two magnificent fish. The trout was estimated to be around 7lbs and was released safely back to the water after a quick photo.
Go Fishing
To make a reservation or booking please contact, Jean-Louis Bigot, PECHEIRLANDE
Ballygreen, Garraunboy, Killaloe, Co Clare, Ireland
A wet and windy May fills the barn with corn and hay; a wet May and fine June makes the farmer whistle a merry tune……
We’ve had a cool start to May with slightly below average temperatures in many areas and cool winds from the north and east at times that would skin you if you didn’t prepare for them. The good news is that from Sunday onwards we will see an increase in temperatures in all parts with good sunshine in places; not exactly good fishing weather later in the week, with mainly dry and gentle northerlies and easterlies dominant from Wednesday, but we won’t complain (though we might not fill that barn with corn and hay……)
On the loughs there have been good hatches of fly and trout fishing has been pretty good, Lough Mask has trout feeding on olives, campto buzzer and mayfly while Derg has been producing fish to mayfly patterns. Sheelin has been good at times; fish there have been caught on both wet and dry buzzer patterns and mayfly are starting to show in the usual areas. On Corrib, spells of sunny and calm weather this week meant the mighty buzzer accounted for many fish. Mayfly fishing is improving by the day and the slight increase in temperatures, along with cloud and gentle southerlies forecast from Sunday through Tuesday, should see good mayfly fishing before easterlies and clear skies take over again for the rest of the week.
On the rivers and as the saying goes ‘first floods in May, smolts away’ and if you are fishing small wet flies or nymphs you are likely to catch small, silvery salmon smolts as they begin their long journey to the rich feeding grounds off of Greenland, the Norwegian Sea and the greater expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean. If you happen to catch one, make sure to unhook it gently with wet hands and return it safely to continue its difficult journey to sea and beyond in this International Year of the Salmon. Even better still – use barbless hooks and let you’ll find they wriggle off by themselves most of the time. Back to trout and there are reports of good trout fishing from rivers around the country, like the Nore, with an increase in fish feeding at the surface and more abundant fly life to encourage them.
Fly caught pike Italian style in Mullingar
On the predator scene, pike fishing has been good this week with pike feeding hard after spawning season. The midlands, Erne and upper Shannon loughs are all producing great fishing for visiting anglers and one group of four Dutch anglers had a pike bonanza with over 200 fish for their stay. Some nice pike are also coming off the big loughs in the west as are some fine ferox trout.
Marie Christine of France with one of 48 pike caught and released on the Erne system by her group
To coarse fishing and the NCFFI All Ireland Feeder Club Championships were fished at Inniscarra over the bank holiday weekend with five teams of five competing for the title; CM Lakelands Green came out on top and an average bag of 10kg per angler per day across all competitors really highlighted the quality of the venue. Some fine specimen sized bream and tench are being caught by pleasure anglers further up the country in Cavan.
On the salmon front, we would like to give special mention in this International Year of the Salmon to the Salmon Protection Programme being headed up by Ballyduff Bridge Salmon Fishery; anglers who provide a video of themselves safely releasing a salmon back to the river will have their names drawn from a hat for the chance to win an array of prizes including fishing tackle, one year’s fishing on the Ballyduff beat and fishing day tickets on some of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s salmon fisheries. Other fishery owners are encouraged to take part; for more information see https://www.facebook.com/Salmon-Protection-Program-276995096518432/
Salmon fishing has been quiet this week, the lack of a good, wet south westerly wind keeping levels low in many areas. The bigger rivers that hold water for longer like the Munster Blackwater and the Moy have had a steady trickle of fish; a few grilse are also starting to turn up as the season pushes on. In the south west, there are reports of occasional fish but rain is badly needed to kick things off. Lough Currane produced a few fine salmon after a quiet spell and our Catch of the Week goes to Judge David Burton’s released 7lb fish #CPRsavesfish.
Judge David Burton and the first C&R salmon of Currane for 2019 – this rare occurrence wins our Catch of the Week
In the salt, one or two tope are being landed in the east and lots of spurdog are getting caught in the west. Bass are showing up in Cork harbour and for charter boats heading a little further from the south coast, the offshore reefs have provided great angling for pollack, coalies, cod, ling and conger with a few wrasse and others thrown in for good measure.
Eoin Griffin and Sam Collins with a lovely pair of pollack
And now the weather……..
On Friday night showers will die out and clear spells will develop with lows of 2 to 5C in a light northerly wind.
Saturday will begin dry with good sunshine. Cloud will increase in the afternoon bringing a few light showers. Highs of 10 to 14C, mildest in the south in a light northerly breeze. Dry with clear spells on Saturday night. Cold with lows of 0 to 2C in the north with some frost forming, 3 to 5C elsewhere. Light winds veering southerly overnight.
Sunday will be a dry day with hazy sunny spells. The west will see the best temperatures with highs of 15 to 17C. Elsewhere, highest temperatures will generally fall between 14 and 16C though the light southeast breeze will keep temperatures a few degrees cooler in along eastern and southern coasts.
Monday to Wednesday will continue dry and settled. Highs of 14 to 19C, best in the west. Winds will be mainly from a southeast direction keeping temperatures cooler along eastern and southern coasts.
Junior anglers Josh and Sam Collins along with Eoin Griffin had super fishing at the weekend. The trio were hooking a fish a drop from the get go at a rocky mark outside Cork Harbour. There was no shortage of good pollack, and every third fish or so was a small cod.
Eoin and Sam with a lovely pair of pollack
The tactic for the day was soft plastics behind a jig head. The only time the lure was changed was when it had taken such a beating from the fish it was too raggedy and ripped to sit on the hook any more!
Just enough time to unhook, get a photo and then back it goes…
Sunday proved a great day to be out. Apart from the pollack there were also huge numbers of mackerel and the boys enjoyed the spectacle of the gulls and sea birds feeding hard; gannets diving and even a couple of fin whales paid a visit along with a few dolphins and even a cheeky seal.
Go fishing…
Small boats can be hired locally and there is also a number of charter boats operating from the harbour.
John Fleming reports from aboard the Brazen Hussy II fishing out of Spiddal, Co Galway:
The Hussy’s spurdog record was smashed yesterday by the Tinnemanns family of Mastbracht, Holland. Dad Jan and company are fanatical anglers and were very, very happy with yesterday’s outcome.
Spurdog bonanza on the Brazen Hussy II
We had 34 spurdog landed and released yesterday, 6 were specimens and 3 of those fell to Jan’s son Nick, the biggest of which was 112cm.
Specimen spur for Nick
The excitement was unbelievable when they started to feed.
Very happy crew and skipper!
Another of the 34 spurdogs landed and released
One for everyone in the family!
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
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