The Irish Bass Festival was held from 21st to 23rd July. The event was very well attended with over 150 fish reported over the weekend! Read James Barry’s report below:
Hopes were high on the lead up to the festival weekend. The weather was steady (ish) and with a bit of surf running along the coast competitors were confident. The buzz among the anglers was great to see on Friday morning. The 5am start didn’t slow the intense bass chat which took place in the butterfly loft …. tides , wind direction, water clarity, lures. By 7am Friday morning nearly 80 bass anglers were out fishing!
Friday saw a great start to the festival within the first couple of hours it was clear there were some nice fish around and good numbers too. Tactics were simple, find the fish and in the favourable conditions you were on for some action.
An early start paid off
The locals were learning some new tricks from the visiting U.K. “experts” and were getting into some great action while having what sounded like great craic ! …. what the festival is all about !? Reports began to come in of some nice catches coming at last light and through the night. The weather changed Saturday and saw the wind swing east, and it was like a switch! The fishing went quiet. There were some good fish picked up during darkness on Saturday however it was clear the fishing had tapered off from Fridays high and there was a notable drop in air temperature! However the anglers were more than up for the challenge and it didn’t stop Chris Williams and Jody Langley from registering two very nice 70cm fish. Richard Cake, Steve Payne and Mark Padfield long time veterans of the festival were getting among the fish and of course pulling some nicer fish, as they usually do!
One of the over 150 bass reported
The registering of bass caught over the weekend began on Sunday. Most anglers fishing to the deadline or catching up on sleep after fishing all through the night . One particular group in true Irish Bass Festival style fished from 9pm Saturday evening through to 11am Sunday morning! Slowly but surely the anglers began to trickle into us at the butterfly loft to register their fish.
Fine Irish bass
The best three combined category is the section a lot of the seasoned bass anglers aim for and there were some great best 3 registered in with us this year! Paul Medd had a particularly impressive best three for a newbie to the area. Long time festival fishers Tom Lodge and Kenny Bodles also had notable catches along with Alan Houlihan from cork which kept it extremely tight in the category all of the above registering up and over 180cm combined which was looking good until a certain cork angler strolled in on Sunday to register his fish.
It was clear by the end of registration on Sunday (1400) that it was extremely tight at the top with cms separating the best fish. A digital measuring software was used, referenced off the ID tags confirmed the lengths of the registered fish. The measuring and validating of registered fish was done quickly and some very weary heads sipped on coffee and admired the amazing prizes on display form Art of Fishing.
Another specimen bass
Well over 150 fish were reported in to us over the weekend. The majority in the 55-65 size class and some good 70’s which is what the anglers were after….
The results were as follows:
1st & Best Visitor: 77cm Kristian Davies (Prize list: Apia Flow Hunt, Apia lure vest, lure bundle and the Irish Bass Festival Trophy.)
2nd: 75.5cm Richard Cake (Prize list: Apia Foojin R best bower, Apia lure vest and lure bundle)
3rd & Best Three Combined: 74.5cm, 71cm, 69cm : 214.5cm combined Ray Horgan (Prize list: Mikes Custom Rod, Selection of Apia Lures, Apia high end reel & Prowade XT waders )
Juvenile winner: (60cm) Ted Roche (prize list: Apia Rod and lure bundle)
The winner’s trophy
Special thanks to Art of Fishing for putting together what really was some very special prices for this year’s event! Also special thanks to Wexford’s very own Prowade XT bass waders for offering up a pair of custom fit waders for the best three combined category and Mikes custom rods for a custom built needle rod.
We would like to thank everyone for the excellent turn out and the great atmosphere which was around the butterfly loft for the entire weekend. Thanks to everyone who made it a great weekend. Roll on 2018!
Salmon fishing on the River Boyne improved last week with good numbers of fresh fish running the system. Read Christopher Defillon’s report below:
The unusually good weather for Ireland was very enjoyable in the last few weeks, but at the same time it made the salmon fishing even more difficult then normally is. Last week, the rain what we were all waiting for finally arrived to rise the level of the River Boyne, making it possible for some fresh fish run up to the river. The life immediately came back to the river with the first big fall of rain earlier the week. And I headed out with my clients from France to make a first attempt to catch them. After long hours of casting and a few showers we had the first hit but the fish missed the spoon, it was a fresh fish seen the bright silver flash.
My client was determined to catch one on the fly so we changed tactic and switched to the fly rod and it payed off very well as on the second cast he was hooked up, with a lovely fresh run salmon on the end of his line. After a super fight and a quick picture he released a fish in top condition, nice to see a strong healthy fish swim away. We changed pools after a few more casts and soon he was in again this time on the spinning rod with a spoon. We had bites before but the salmon mostly just pushed the lure and didn’t take them properly until this one decided to take the spoon very aggressively.
At the end of the week we had 7 salmon all together. The weather and water conditions all improved compared to the last few weeks, plenty of salmon running at the moment and all the legal methods are working very well.
Fly caught Boyne salmon
Into a salmon on the Boyne
Cracking fish – fresh from the sea!
Another fine Boyne salmon to be release
To book a day with Christopher you can contact him at:
Wexford angling guide Sid Jones reports more good bass fishing from the south east; Sid was up all night again during the week and recorded ten bass for his efforts – well worth staying awake for! After landing a 69cm fish on his first cast Sid fished on and landed eight more in the 50-65cm range and then one cracking fish of 74cm long by 38cm girth – a well fed bass!
A fine Wexford Bass
Sid reckons he could have had another five fish but didn’t connect properly with any of the takes – it must be a nice feeling to miss five bass in a night’s fishing and not be too upset! Sid was fishing solo for a change so didn’t have a fishing buddy to take the photos for him but he did take a couple to send to us.
Needless to say all of the fish were returned to fight again another day (#CPRSavesFish). If you’d like to fish with Sid you’ll get him using the contact details below – just be ready for a long (and hopefully rewarding) night’s fishing!
The Garavogue River produced a good number of salmon up to 8 lbs. over the past weeks. Most fish were caught at Kelly’s Bridge on a variety of methods including worm, prawn and the fly.
Amongst the successful anglers were Anthony Walsh, Sligo, with 9 salmon (4 released) for July all on fly and Lee Gethins, Sligo, with 3 fish also on fly, best at 5 lbs. Keith Trotter, Sligo, had two nice fish at 8 lbs. and 7 lbs., both on prawn, while Pat Fox also Sligo, had an eight pounder on spinner. Sligo angler, Charlie Kelly, scored with a fine fly caught 3 lbs. sea trout at Kelly’s Bridge.
Sisters Dara & Bronagh Murphy from Dublin with their Ridge Pool catch
Over the past two weeks the Moy system had a reported catch of 1,178 salmon bringing the total for the season to 5,513. While the week ending 23rd July saw excellent conditions with anglers catching good numbers of fish throughout the entire system, angling was a little patchier during last week as water levels fluctuated most of the time.
Anglers on the Moy Fishery enjoyed good sport with the majority of the fish being caught on fly. Amongst the successful anglers were Trevor Shreeve, UK, with two grilse on fly from the Ridge Pool and Gerhard Reidy, Limerick, who caught and released a grilse also on the Ridge Pool. Gerhard was also successful on the Cathedral Beat and the Fresh Water Beat where he had two more fish on worm and spinner. Fly angler, Jim Ryan, Tipperary, had 3 grilse on the Cathedral Beat (2 released), while Jimmy French and William Millar, both Northern Ireland, had a grilse each on the Weir Pool also on fly. Sisters Dara and Bronagh Murphy, Dublin, had two grilse each on the Ridge Pool. Their fish weighed between 2.75 lbs. and 4.5 lbs. and were caught on worm and fly.
Sisters Dara & Bronagh Murphy from Dublin with their Ridge Pool catch
Gian Luigi de Nardo, Phillip Martin, Mervin Couzens and Trevor Shreeve all enjoyed good fishing on Coolcronan mainly on worm and spinner, while Gary Perks and Mike Hornsby, UK, had a cracking week on the Mt. Falcon water catching a total of 28 fish, most of which were released. Swiss visitor, Patrick Zolliker, had a five pounder on Gannon’s on bubble & fly, while 15 year old Matthew Bradley from Northern Ireland caught his first ever salmon on the Foxford Fishery. Matthew actually went on to catch two more fish all on worm!
Angling was also good on the Foxford Salmon Anglers’ waters, East Mayo and on Cloongee where Brian Everard, Meath, had two grilse on worm while Dermot Seymor, Mayo, caught and released a 5 lbs. grilse on fly.
Junior Fishing Clubs and Youth Groups announced finalists in film competition
Four fishing clubs have been announced finalists in Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Fish & Film Competition. The competition, which was launched in June to encourage young people to spread the word about fishing, asked entrants to take film footage of their fishing adventures which could later be promoted online.
Junior members of Ballyshannon and District Angling Association (Co. Donegal), Newport Sea Angling Club (Co. Mayo), Whitelake Angling Club (Co. Westmeath) and Sphere 17 Youthgroup (Darndale, Dublin 17) submitted entries which are being showcased online. The clubs will now progress to the next stage of the competition.
Ballyshannon and District Angling Association’s film entry focused on a Junior Fishing Day, held at Lough Unshin while Whitelake Angling Club’s submission shows a couple of young fishing enthusiasts enjoying a quiet day’s fishing and presenting the viewer with their angling skills. Meanwhile, Newport Sea Angling Club’s entry highlighted the club’s recent National Junior Competition / Daniel Peacock Memorial event held in July and shows the excitement of a real competition day and Sphere 17 from Darndale take viewers on a sea angling trip to Ireland’s Eye.
The clubs are now appealing to the public to watch and share their film entries which can be found at www.fisheriesireland.ie/fishandfilm. The finalists will go forward to a junior fishing competition where they will compete against other entrants to be in with a chance of winning the top prize of €1,000 fishing tackle voucher for their club or one of the €250 runner up prizes which are also up for grabs.
Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “It is fantastic to hear from the next generation of anglers to find out more about what drives them to keep up fishing. These entries really give a taste of what fishing is all about for junior anglers – I would like to commend them on their fantastic entries and wish them the best of luck at the next stage of the competition which sees them enjoying a free day’s fishing.”
Lough Sheelin Angling Report (24th-30th July 2017) by Brenda Montgomery, Inland Fisheries Ireland
‘We need to sit on the rim of the well of darkness and fish for fallen light with patience’ – Pablo Neruda
There’s an old saying which goes: “If there is enough blue in the sky in the morning to make a pair of sailor’s trousers then it will be a sunny afternoon” – well, for the past week, the sailor would have had to have done without his trousers as each day was marked with heavy overcast skies and thundery downpours.
This unsettled weather is all down to an air mass stuck somewhere over the Atlantic, a stubborn ridge of low pressure which brought with it plenty of showers and difficult winds, a poor spell of ‘high summer’ weather which in turn was reflected on Sheelin with tricky and challenging fishing.
Typically, this was the week which I decided to take off as annual leave with enthusiastic plans to fish Ireland’s angling jewel myself, independently armed with my own ‘hands on’ knowledge to write this report. While I can give a painfully detailed account of the weather, the same cannot be said of actually landing a trout.
Weather has always had a big bearing on how this lake fishes and in particular wind directions, strengths and frequency of changes. The lake at the moment is discoloured, a combination of the warm weather, previous lack of rain and a regurgitation of Sheelin’s eutrophic past and some of its present.
Since the early 1970’s Lough Sheelin has had and still has a problem with excessive nutrient loading. Science as defined by the Collins dictionary is ‘the study of natural things and the knowledge that we obtain from them’ and there has been a huge amount of study done here, both within the Sheelin catchment and on the lake itself, providing us with invaluable information. However, it must be also remembered that useful as it is, science cannot put a value on anything, only we as caretakers of this unique stretch of water can.
On a more positive note, cooler temperatures and more rain will inevitably clear the waters and return clarity here.
Giovanni Marenghi London with his magnificent 60cm troutA 57cm trout from Lough Sheelin Guiding Services
Day time fishing was still all about fishing the wets and on the blind and it was the Silver Invicta, Pearly Invicta, Mallard & Claret, Dunkeld, Raymond, Dabblers (Silver, Peter Ross and Claret) and the Bumbles that achieved the highest successes. The Silver Invicta is very much a staple on Sheelin and has proved itself consistently down through the years.
This trout fly is great all year but best in late summer to autumn. Designed long ago by James Ogden, it is a complex pattern that has lived on because of its effectiveness. The pattern suggests insects and really resembles caddis and also small fry. It is a great pattern to use during a sedge fly rise, probably imitating a hatching caddis or returning egg-laying female caddis that descends beneath the water.
The trout are still latched on to the fry – this and the discoloured water meant that a good choice of fly was something with a bit of bling or glitter in it, perhaps silver wound into the body. On failing with this, avoiding those areas where the shoals predominated would be perhaps the best plan of action. Generally smaller fish were being caught in the shallows while the 3lb plus weights were in the deeper cooler areas.
Perch Fry – Kilnahard Harbour, Lough Sheelin , 29th of JulyGary McKiernan with a midnight fishLough Sheelin’s female Murrough – The Great Red SedgeKen Reilly from Navan with his Sheelin fish
The unreal and the real – Lough Sheelin’s Green Peter Sedge
While there was some day time fishing and five or six boats ventured out on the lake on most days during those office hours, the bulk of Sheelin’s fishing successes were in that last half hour before dark and into the night and for this we are talking predominantly about the sedges/caddis or Trichoptera.
The Americans refer to it as the ‘blue hour’, that time when the light dwindles, fading into darkness, from 11pm past midnight and into the early hours of the morning, when the water comes alive with sedges. Lough Sheelin’s blue hour was from 11 to 12pm and on those nights when conditions were right (i.e. the weather was behaving itself – a slight wind, good cloud cover and heat), there were good hatches of Peters particularly around Lynch’s point and colossal numbers of a vast variety of sedges on the wing on the outside of Chambers Bay – the most easily identifiable being the longhorn (Oecetis ochracea) and the Grousewing. There was also good evidence of Murrough around Lynch’s Point, Derrahorn, Goreport and Bog Bay.
While there was no shortage of sedges, the same could not be said of the trout who showed a consistent disinterest in the nocturnal surface activity. Continuous blustery conditions effectively killed off any potential rises. There were nights when there were good rises of trout but the window of opportunity was small, usually lasting at a stretch of 30 minutes. As one angler put it to me, it was as if the fish were all texting each other not to rise when an artificial was cast on to the water but this could be paranoia taking over! Although the trout could be targeting the adult sedges, they could also be homing in on ascending pupae so selecting a scruffy busy looking fly pattern which sits high on the water is a good plan as besides possessing appeal to the forging trout, their surface area holds them in the zone for longer.
Green Peters
Along with the sedges, there were reasonably good buzzer hatches particularly in Chambers Bay, along Orangefield and into the Sailor’s Garden. Best artificial were small black Buzzer patterns, CDC Emergers and Stimulators, fished static or very slowly usually on an intermediate line.
There was evidence of bloodworm around Corru, Goreport, Bog Bay and Sailors Garden with the trout mopping them up in the late afternoon. Bloodworm fishing requires precision and the important thing about fishing these larvae is to cast the imitation directly in front of the line of feeding, using a bloodworm pattern on a floating line. Angler Mick Kelly ties the best Sheelin bloodworm pattern so if you talk nicely to him, he might part with one.
It’s all about the night – Carlo Negri from London with his 51cm fishRed Arsed Green Peter – Kevin SheridanNed Clinton with a fine Sheelin trout
The shine of gold – a beautiful night time catch by Michael Farrell – Lough Sheelin Guide
A 55cm trout from Lough Sheelin Guiding ServicesLough Sheelin tying its anglers into knots with its Rustic Shoulder-Knot MothThe Siler Invicta – an excellent day time fly for SheelinA Daddy BrownGary McKiernan with his evening troutAn emerging sedge KlinkhammerSheelin’s Small Magpie MothA trout caught on the ‘humble bumble’
The flies most used this week by anglers were the Murrough, the Green Peter, a Small Brown Sedge (12-14 or smaller), Stimulators, Klinkhammers, Gorgeous George, Yellow Humpies, the Fiery Brown Sedge, the Chocolate Drop, hoppers, the Hare’s Ear Sedge, CDC Emergers, the Alexandra, the red-tailed Green Peter, the Sedge Invicta, the Pearly Invicta, the Mallard & Claret, G&H Sedge, the Black Pennel, the Claret Pennel, a variety of Bumbles and the Silver Invicta.
The best areas for fishing on the lake this week were Lynch’s pt (good for Murrough) , Chambers Bay, the middle of the lake, Ross Bay round to Derrahorn.
Lough Sheelin could be the definition of challenging at the moment, there is no set pattern or sequence to successful days, each day or even hour is different – a blank evening on a perfect fishing Tuesday could be contradicted by excellent fishing on a wet ‘dirty’ Wednesday. There are no rules and, in a way this is where the appeal lies for this lake, that and of course the chance that you could be rewarded with a Sheelin heavy weight.
Events:
The McDonnell cup will be held on Saturday August 12th from 11am until 6pm from Kilnahard pier. This competition has been fished catch & release for the past five years, which proves to be very successful. Measures will be provided for all boats with the cup awarded to the longest fish. The competition is open to members of the club only, but membership is available on the day. There will be lots of prizes on offer and this day is generally viewed as a great day out.
For further details contact Thomas Lynch on T: 087 9132033.
The McIntyre/Guider Cup will be fished in September (date to be decided).
The LSTPA Stream Rehabilitation Competition will be held on Sunday October 1st (details later)
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 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.
John Fleming, skipper of the Brazen Hussy II, reported of a porbeagle bonanza in Galway with big and small sharks being caught tagged and released unharmed.
Last Monday, Frank Nugent had one small fish with more circling the boat, while David Quirke had a nice blue. However, Saturday was the day within about 10 minutes of getting the lines out a porbeagle was hooked. Then two beagles were circling the boat and hooked and landed; both of them between 80 lbs. and 100 lbs. The lucky anglers were Davey Hall and Darren. Phillip was up next with a porgie well in access of 100 lbs., a fantastic fish that fought for a long time. Another blue came over the rail for Davey while Phillip was in the big porbeagle. Darren then hooked another beagle, a bigger fish again, estimated around 200 lbs. which unfortunately pulled the hook. What a day! Four beagles in the boat, 3 lost and a nice blue as well!
One of the many porbeagle shark landed onboard the Golden Hussy IIAnother fine porbeagle from Galway
A happy Damien Martin from Clonmel with his two Corrib trout
Declan Gibbons reports
Angling has been mixed on Corrib during the past week with some guides reporting of a slow week while others enjoyed good fishing. Mayfly and Sedges are the hatches most prevalent at the moment with some anglers catching fish on the dap.
On Wednesday last, Damien Martin, Clonmel, had two nice trout for 5.5 lbs. whilst being guided by Phillip Comber (+353 (0)86-2786301) of Old Stone Barn Self Catering.
A happy Damien Martin from Clonmel with his two Corrib trout
On Monday last, Kevin Molloy (+353 (0)87-9604170) had two visiting Australian anglers out catching two trout for their day while trolling; one fish weighing 6 lbs. and the other 5.5 lbs.
Basil Shields of Ardnasillagh Lodge (091-552550) reported excellent fishing on Corrib for the week gone by with anglers enjoying great sport on predominantly mayfly. David Dawson, visiting angler from the UK, had 21 fish for three days fishing on mayfly and olive patterns with the best fish being 2.75 lbs. Tommy Coulter and Friend from Northern Ireland had 13 fish for three days also on mayflies and olives. Derek Rooney from Balbriggan in Dublin had two fish for his days on Corrib, while Colin Wright from Belfast caught 14 fish for four days angling also on mayfly and sedge patterns. Peter Stinger, a visiting angler from the USA, had 18 fish for four days fishing at the Lodge on a mixture of wet and dry mayfly with the best fish weighing 2.5 lbs.
Anglers and lake users are being advised to be cautious and vigilant about the security of their boats and angling equipment as there were a number of thefts recently around the Corrib. Suspicious activity and behaviour has been noted around Lough Corrib with one theft of a boat, engine and trailer and a second theft of fishing equipment. Any suspicious activity should be reported to the Gardaí.
Michael Twohig (Right) receiving the Ballinrobe anglers trophy from chairman Kevin Egan. Also photo bombing in the background is Michael Twohigs coach Mick Fogerty.
Ronan Cusack reports
There is plenty of excitement around the shores of Lough Mask this week as anglers squeeze in any spare hours to practice for the up-coming World Cup at the weekend.
Overall fishing on Mask has been slow in recent weeks, as anglers focused their attention more on salmon or family holidays. Reports over the weekend show an improvement with some good fish coming from the deep.
Ballinrobe and District Anglers held their annual club competition on Sunday last with a total of 62 anglers participating. First place went to Kanturk angler Michael Twohig with 4 fish for 6.85 lbs. In second place was Ronan Cusack who also had 4 fish for 5.86 lbs and in third position was Neil Foley from Cork with 3 fish for 3.47 lbs. Denis Kelleher from Ballinrobe had the heaviest fish which weighed 1.94 lbs. There was also an inter club competition between Kanturk and Ballinrobe on the day which was won this year by Kanturk.
Michael Twohig (Right) receiving the Ballinrobe anglers trophy from chairman Kevin Egan. Also photo bombing in the background is Michael Twohigs coach Mick Fogerty.
Ballinrobe anglers Neil Smith and Kevin Bettie had a good day in the shallows last week. The lads finished with 4 keepers plus a number of undersize after the day (Best fish 3 lbs. all returned). Tom Haskett and Sean Dixon fished together out of Cushlough on Saturday and they had 5 fish (Best fish 1.5 lbs.).
Well-known lady angler, Dorrie Gibbons, organised the annual “Cast a line for Autism competition” on Saturday last which was supported by 60 anglers from across the country. Anglers had the choice to fish either Mask or Corrib for the event. There was a total of 24 fish caught on Corrib weighing 19.68 kg and 25 on Mask for 12.54 kg. First place went to Derek Madden from Roscommon with 3 trout for 3.25 kg (Corrib). In second place was Basil Shields with 4 trout for 3.13 kg (Corrib) and in 3rd position was Michael McDermott from Castlerea with 2 trout for 2.37 lbs. (Corrib). The best lady angler was Mary Millar with a trout of 1.55 kg (Corrib). There was also a secret weight prize which went to James Cummins from Ballyshannon. James had 3 tout weighing 1.54 kg (Mask).
