Salmon fishing has been much quieter over the last two weeks, as the main run of grilse slowed somewhat after 6 weeks of excellent fishing. There are still a lot of fish in the river, although the high temperatures and bright sunshine earlier in the week has meant very few fish caught.
For the 6th to 12th July, there were 64 fish landed, including 4 for long-time visitor from the UK Laurence Flood to 4.5lbs on fly and shrimp. Loughrea man Willie Cullinane landed 3 to 5lbs on fly, while Athenry angler Declan Tuffy had 2 fish to 4lbs on fly, and son Adam made a welcome return to the weir, landing a nice grilse of 4.5lbs on fly. Phil O’Donoghue had a 5.5lbs fish on fly, and Galway man James Dunne landed 2 fish to 7lbs on shrimp. Moycullen angler John Anderson caught and released 3 grilse to 5.5lbs on fly.
The following week up to today has seen 35 fish landed. Noel Power landed 2 grilse on fly, as did UK angler David Christie, and Cork angler Tom Beecher. Wicklow man Killian Garvey landed 3 fish to 4lbs on fly and shrimp, and UK visitor Michael Righton had a nice grilse on fly. Eamon Power landed 2 to 5.25lbs, releasing one, while Tipperary angler Denise Curran had 2 grilse on fly also. Kevin Mitchell landed a nice 7lbs fish on fly, and the best fish of the week, a nice 8.75lbs salmon was taken by Henry Cosgrove on fly.
The coming days will see cooler, fresher conditions with rain at times, which should improve conditions for angling. With a great head of fish in the river, the weir is still well worth a visit.
An impressive looking porbeagle shark of approx. 80lbs caught aboard the Brazen Hussy by angler Mikey Heaney
Skipper John Fleming was in touch following a fantastic weekend shark fishing “probably all in all the best weekends sharking we have have ever had, not the highest number of sharks but, 4 porbeagles in 3 days…. this hasn’t been done in Galway in a long long time and to top it off 6 blues”.
An impressive looking porbeagle shark of approx. 80lbs caught aboard the Brazen Hussy by angler Mikey Heaney
We had 2 baby beagles which was great to see (around 40-50lb), and 2 around the 100lbs mark – what a powerful fish they are with long deep powerful runs and long fights. We also landed 6 blues ranging between 70-100lbs. Not a bad start to the shark season!
All the sharks were tagged and released. CPR – Catch Photo Release saves Lives!
A fine 80lbs blue shark for angler Kuba Stan aboard the Brazen Hussy II, with skipper John Fleming
There is still some availability at the weekends and plenty of midweek days to do battle with these fantastic predators. To book fishing with John give him a call on 087 7571320 or check out Blue Shark Angling Galway on Facebook.
A fine 90lbs blue shark for Mac aboard Brazen Hussy II
Denis in happier times with Sue Wherry and a fine Corrib trout on his beloved boat Sheelin Lady.
Declan Gibbons tells us that trout angling activity on Lough Corrib was relatively quiet last week with few anglers on the lake. The very warm weather early this week certainly sent many anglers to the beach/garden/bog, choose your poison! Mayfly are hatching in good numbers, and with the summer hatch usually peaking around the 4th week of July, there could be good sport to come. Some anglers have been having good sport on dry mayfly, while dapped grasshoppers have also worked for many. But despite those positive reports, it is a story of a quiet lake this week with few anglers about to enjoy the sport.
On a sad note, this week saw the passing of well-known Corrib angler Denis O’Keeffe. Denis was a Cavan man who had been visiting Corrib regularly for many years and was well-known among the angling community. His regular visits to Ballindiff, where he was a member of the local angling club, saw him make many friends locally, and he also boated visitors to the lake on many occasions. The esteem in which he was held saw quite a number of anglers from the west travelling to Cavan for his funeral this week, and Ballindiff Bay will be a quieter place for his passing.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Denis in happier times with Sue Wherry and a fine Corrib trout on his beloved boat Sheelin Lady.
The anglers from Ballyhaunis enjoyed their day on Killala Bay
Donal Kennedy reports
On Sunday 16th July a party of anglers from Ballyhaunis ventured out on Killala Bay. At the beginning conditions were fine with moderate westerly winds but this was to change later to fresh WNW winds. The first drift took place well out in the bay over rocky ground. The group tried to catch some fresh mackerel for bait but they were in short supply. The skipper, as usual, came well prepared with plenty of fresh frozen mackerel and as the day progressed they were very much needed. After several drifts and plenty of fish being caught including cod, pollack, ling, pouting, cuckoo wrasse and coalfish the skipper decided to move back into the bay to fish a more sheltered spot. After a few more fish were caught, the group returned to harbour well satisfied with the day’s fishing.
The anglers from Ballyhaunis enjoyed their day on Killala Bay
To book a day’s fishing in Killala Bay contact Donal Kennedy on +353 (0)086 8174509 or visit www.dkennedyangling.ie.
Carrowmore Lake produced over 10 grilse for the week and very good numbers of sea trout up to 3 lbs. Local anglers Mick Noon, John Cosgrove and Jim Mills all had fresh grilse around the 4 lbs. mark. John Long from Dublin was also amongst the lucky anglers who caught grilse on the lake. Green Peter, Muddlers and small shrimp patterns all worked well.
Please note that Carrowmore Lake is a Brown Tag Fishery this year! For fishing on Carrowmore Lake contact Seamus Henry on +353 (0)97 83487 or visit www.bangorerrisangling.com.
Judd Ruane, skipper of the “Pegasus” reported that sea trout fishing on the Moy Estuary slowed down somewhat during the past week. Despite the tricky conditions a number of fine sea trout were caught by his clients. Aidan Spooner and 3 friends from Adare had 9 fish, while the Roger Small party of 4 from the UK boated eight. Other successful anglers included Pat Simpson & 2 friends from the UK with 9 sea trout and Terence Kane and son who had seven.
To book a day’s sea trout fishing visit www.fishingireland.ie or contact Judd on +353 (0)87 6736969.
A happy Norman Goldberg from Germany with his fly caught Moy Fishery grilse
With only 331 salmon reported, fishing on the River Moy was somewhat slower than in previous weeks. The bright conditions and dropping water levels made it more difficult for anglers to tempt fish to take.
However, anglers on the Moy Fishery still enjoyed good fishing mainly on fly. On the Ridge Pool, William Millar, Northern Ireland, had two grilse at 4.5 lbs. and 6.5 lbs., while James Cartwright, UK, landed two. Collin Parks, UK, was successful on the Weir Pool catching 3 grilse and Garrett Byrne from Dublin scored on the Cathedral beat with a nice six pounder. Also on the Cathedral Beat, German visitor, Norman Goldberg, had a 4.5 lbs. grilse on fly.
A happy Norman Goldberg from Germany with his fly caught Moy Fishery grilse
Marvin and Liz Couzens, UK, had a grilse each on Coolcronan, while fly angler, Harry Nash, Dublin, caught two on the Foxford Fishery. Angling around Foxford was also slower than in previous weeks. Yet, a total of 50 fish was reported from the Foxford Salmon Anglers’ waters.
Further upriver on Cloongee and East Mayo, the dropping water levels also impacted on anglers’ success. However, Michael O’Byrne, Meath, had a fine fish on spinner on Cloongee, while Mark Toquard proved that salmon can also be caught in difficult conditions. The French flyangler had 6 fish for his week on East Mayo all on fly, best at 11 lbs.!
It’s a busy time of year for festival anglers on Muckno. Dick Caplice of IADA has all the news…
Of the 100 anglers assembled at the Old Coach Inn on Sunday morning 90 fished our IADA one day national open while the other 10 took the opportunity to walk the sections and set up last minute rigs in preparation for our 5 day July Festival starting Monday morning the 17th July 2017.
All Ireland Garda Open
Indeed our Saturday pre open match, formerly known as the All Ireland Garda Open attracted 80 anglers, 20 of which decided, due to exceptionally windy weather conditions, to also walk the sections and pick up some tips from the assembled top lineout which included several of the English National team entourage.
On Saturday in terrible windy conditions the Co manager of the UK national team Steve Sanders pipped our own Cathal Hughes for 4th place and the top three were taken up by Steve Harwood in 3rd, Mick Smith in Second and the winner was the ever reliable Neil Mallinson on almost 11kgs in poor conditions.
IADA One Day National Open
Sunday saw an improvement in conditions reflected slightly in catches but still somewhat under par for this great venue. With 90 anglers lining out all but the Black Island section was used and it was reserved for ad hoc anglers wishing to fish off match, which many chose to do.
The lineup was truly top class from at home and abroad with that man Steve Harwood prevailing once again by one full Kg from home favourite and international angler of the highest quality anywhere, Shane Dunne. Steve is becoming very hard to beat on this venue which he call his own at this stage due to his uncanny interaction with the place, simply winning off all sections, believing their less favoured reputations.
Would one bet against him winning yet another festival next week, given his almost unbeatable pedigree on this venue at this time.A large selection of top anglers already assembled in Castleblayney however over the past few days, will have other ideas.
Steve Harwood
Overall results list from Todays IADA Irish Open which of course was again topped by Mr Harwood, who between them (6) they shared a fine prizefund of over €3000, are as follows.
1st Steve Harwood
2nd Shane Dunne
3rd Rory O Neill
4th Craig Ellis
5th Ray O’ Sullivan
6th Brenton Sweeney
July Festival
Day 1
Slightly disappointing 45 man entry to our much anticipated July Festival but more disappointing is to see a number anglers having arrived at the draw, leave when they had weighed up the opposition, thus reducing our plus fifty entry somewhat. To say a class field dipped for pegs at 9am is an understatement, with the cream of the UK crop lined up to do battle over 5 days, on a venue that has it all, not least the finest access, parking, facilities, organisation and convenience to pegs, to be found at any wild coarse venue home or abroad.
Craig Ellis
With a star studded field lined up, all eyes were on the merest hint of an advantage when pegs came out and early days the big list of prematch favourites were seen to come through the first hurdle unscathed with no disasters at least.On favoured pegs were Mallinson, Ellis and Cadwalader going to White, while O’ Neill O’ Sullivan and Winters looked good going to Concra upper. Simon Wilsmore on a strong peg at concra lower would surely threaten but reliables Hopkins, Steffen, Darren Davis and John Freeborne were all on productive Yellow Island which would surely yield top placings on day one.
Fishing was better on Monday
Concra middle as the draw unfolded was termed the section of death with a host of stars pitched against each other and of these it was expected that Les Thompson Johnny Jowett , M Wainwright and that man again Harwood would figure prominently and so it turned out to be.
With the venue returning to form and the weather if anything a little too good, too sunny and too warm, battle commenced at 12 midday with five full sections of 9, going for it in earnest.
Some complaints of net setting by a survey team on the water might be a little overstated and while it is unlikely that this protracted incident had much affect on day one results we are in ongoing contact with the operators with a view to minimal disturbance.
While naturally no conclusions can be drawn from the day one results, it is significant that all of the prematch favourites are up there, on fine opening day weights.
Thompson 13.325kgs
Wainwright 11.5kgs
Ellis 10.5 kgs
Willsmore 11.5kgs
K Johnson 9kgs
J Jowett on 10 kgs
Mallinson 10.5kgs
Cadwallader 10.6kgs
Hopkins 10.5kgs
and that man again; Steve Harwood on 12kgs.
Day 2
Stormy conditions on Muckno on Tuesday – but tee shirts and pole still possible
Stormy waters on lough Muckno today failed to dampen spirits with top anglers prevailing despite seriously disruptive winds on White and Yellow Islands. Mere mortals would have yielded to the elements but todays squally conditions on two exposed sections saw the best anglers around make the necessary changes that saw fish just keep on coming. Unusual it was to see Neil Mallinson and beside him Craig Ellis throw small feeders into the teeth of a forceful wind but adapt they did to great effect. This was replicated on White Island where Rory ‘O Neills moaning was barely audible over the sound of wind and crashing waves. Here also some serious skill was displayed resulting in only slightly reduced weights from the fine showing of yesterday. Credit to a fine field of top anglers who are even at this early stage viewing the rotation for any hint of a chink in competitors armour or some slightest benefit that might accrue due to weather changes on the way, that might leave some sections difficult and challenging.
Likewise some are seeing the move to three days on sheltered Concra as a possible game changer when their closest challengers have to deal with open squally waters elsewhere on this great lough. We shall see!!!!!
The who’s who in Coarse angling hold onto the top ten placings with an awsome lineup all just within 4kgs after day two.
Neil Mallinson held on in the wind today from a grafting Darren Davis who again returned 10kgs. Kevin Johnson made somewhat of a move today on 11kgs and will now challenge seriously as will the ever consistent Mark Wainwrtight who also returned 10kgs. Spare a thought for Craig Ellis who adapted and grafted on stormy yellow island for a great weight just short of 11kgs. John Freebourne again showed his class with just under 12kgs for a move into the top five. Just over 2kgs off the lead in 4th place Tony Hopkins today improved his day two weight to return a magnificent 12kgs. Top three still crowd each other at the head of affairs, in the form of Muckno expert Simon Wilsmore who had a sparkling day weighing in over 11kgs and enjoying himself to boot. Les Thompson many peoples favourite grafted hard today for over 9kgs to add to his winning weight of day one, now finding himself in a fine second place going into day three. We said that he was going to be hard to beat and so it is, from any peg, this man just gets better and better, semingly in complete control of the peg, the section, the venue and even the elements.
Results after 2 days
Barring something unforseen this man Steve Harwood is moving inexorably into the favourites position to take this Festival again, having today scaled a great weight, of just inder 13kgs from what most regard as a modest peg.
Top ten listed below will do well to hang on with a host of stars following closely, in the clear and certain knowledge that if the draw bag gods favour them, then this Festival result is not a foregone conclusuion, by a long shot.
Katie Sandersonwith her 3lbs. wild grilse - released
#CPRsavesfish
Osgur Grieve has the angling report for the Erriff 12th – 17th July…
Our run of fish continued with a total of 18 salmon landed for the period. Regular visitor Andrew Beattie finished up his holiday catching a total of 14 salmon, his best weighing 8lbs. 10 of these were wild and were released.
Andrew Beattie poses with his wild 6lb grilse before releasing it #CPRsavesfish
David Gaffney fished with us on Friday 14th and despite low water conditions of 0.64m managed 2 wild grilse of 2.5lbs. and 4lbs. which he released from The Hill on Beat 5 using a red Ally’s shrimp. Charles Finch released a fine summer salmon of 8lbs. from the falls using a small Icelandic fly. The 15th saw the return of regular visitors Enda and Rosemary O’Connell, Enda was into action straight away releasing a wild grilse of 3lbs. from the middle garden, awhile later Rosemary lost a fish also in the upper garden.
Visiting angler Roy Sanderson released 2 wild grilse of 3lbs. and 4.5lbs. from the upper garden with the help of his daughter Katie. Gary McFarlane persevered and that afternoon caught a 4.96lbs. ranched grilse from the upper garden using a red Ally’s shrimp.
Katie Sandersonwith her 3lbs. wild grilse – released #CPRsavesfish
Sunday 16th Rosemary O’Connell was into action in the morning catching a ranched grilse of 5lbs. from the upper garden on a Cascade and Enda also had a 3.5lbs. wild grilse from the middle garden. That evening Ryan Richardson also caught a ranched grilse of 4.67lbs. on a Jock nymph in the middle garden.
Despite low water and bright sunshine on Monday 17th visiting angler Gerard Coye (NI) caught a ranched grilse of 4.23lbs. from the upper garden and lost 2 more using a Garry dog. Tuesday 18th was a quiet day with the fish proving hard to tempt, a rise in water levels should wake them up once more. At the moment the river is low reading 0.62m on the gauge but there is rain forecast for the next few days so hopefully this should improve water levels and the fishing once more.
Flies that worked well this week included Red Ally’s shrimp, Cascade, Curry’s red shrimp, Garry dog and various black and silver flies.
The Royal Enfield CAC Junior Summer League was fished yesterday at the Longwood viaduct…
While the weather was perfect the fish were a little bit more shy today, but we had some great fish caught. We had 23 Anglers with 8 girls and 15 boys taking part.
Top weight tonight went to Bridgette Cummins who had 1lb 9ozs.
Second was Jack Brazier with 1lb 5.5ozs
Third was Ross’s Monaghan with 1lb 4ozs
Joint fourth were brother and sister pair of Cillian and Niamh Flynn with 1lb 1ozs
Many thanks to our NCFFI coaches tonight as all nights
