Pollock fishing on the fly over the weekend was very good indeed our regular diary reporter Richie Ryan proclaimed. ” It’s great to see the big pollock are back on their usual marks. In April we wouldn’t expect the numbers and size of fish we encountered aboard the Doc’s boat “Celine” , but the long settled weather has obviously played its part “.
A good pollack on fly fro Jacques
“We met fish at close on 70 feet at one stage as the wind was slack, I’m going metric inch by inch by the way!” Jacques Bronkhorst remarked to the guide that he’d never caught pollock on the fly at that depth before. Richie agreed, it was a first for him also. Modifying and experimenting as always, Kevin Mc Loughlin was using his favourite salmon pattern for the day which worked very well indeed. He even christened his new rod and brought along his famous pork pies. by all accounts they’re gorgeous!
Participating in the Casting For Recovery retreat in Mount Falcon, Ballina, Co.Mayo
Women cast for recovery at free fishing initiative in Ballina, Co. Mayo
Breast cancer survivors enjoy initiative supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland
Breast cancer survivors gathered in Mount Falcon, Ballina, Co. Mayo last weekend to attend a fishing retreat organised by breast cancer project Casting For Recovery and supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland.
In total, 13 women attended the free fishing retreat which incorporated medical advice, education services, counselling and relaxation techniques. The retreat was delivered by trained professionals including a psycho-social therapist, a health care professional as well as qualified fly fishing instructors and fishing guides.
Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland is a flagship project of The Countryside Alliance Foundation, a charity dedicated to increasing access to the countryside and helping as many people appreciate the great outdoors in the UK and Ireland. Casting for Recovery provides an opportunity for women who gone through a breast cancer journey to attend a retreat at a spectacular venue to learn the art of fly fishing.
Participants in the Casting For Recovery retreat in Mount Falcon, Ballina.
This was the eighth year which the initiative has been held in Mount Falcon in Ballina with participants receiving fly fishing coaching and advice from local volunteers. On completion of the course, they receive a certificate in fly casting acknowledging their new proficiency in the pursuit. Previous participants in the programme in Mount Falcon have taken up fly fishing as a hobby with one participant graduating to fish on the Irish Women’s Team.
The event was supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Sponsorship Scheme which sponsors angling events and initiatives across the country. In 2017, the scheme will support 79 initiatives to the overall tune of €30,000 with a focus on those which help grow Ireland’s angling tourism product and support novice anglers.
Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “We are delighted to support Casting For Recovery’s fantastic fishing initiative and to see 13 women try the sport of fly fishing for the first time. There are a number of health & wellbeing benefits experienced from outdoor recreational activities and fishing is no exception. It can be enjoyed at any age or ability in numerous locations across Ireland.
Inland Fisheries Ireland is committed to supporting community groups nationwide who want to help increase the number of anglers and recognise the huge economic and recreational benefits which angling offers rural areas.”
Sue Shaw, Casting For Recovery said: This initiative provides an opportunity for breast cancer survivors to gather on retreat in a natural setting to learn the sport of fly fishing. Equally important however, the retreats offer an opportunity to exchange information and experiences around their breast cancer journey, make new friends and take some time out for themselves. ”
Participant learns fly casting during Mount Falcon retreat.
The women who took part in the 2017 initiative in Mount Falcon were from Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Mayo as well as Cambridge.
Stan Ryan was out fishing a competition with the The Borough SAC on Sunday in Kilmore Quay. He tells us that there were 16 anglers fishing on charter boats skippered by John Devereaux and Dick Hayes. The weather was excellent and the water was very calm. Pollock , cod, coalfish, ballan and cuckoo wrasse were the main fish caught.
The emphasis was on quality rather than quantity with many cod over 50cm landed. Tom Butler, popular secretary of the club, was enjoying the fishing when he hooked into something special on board Dick Hayes boat, the Enterprise . This turned out to be a trio of cod , the biggest of the three weighing an impressive 11.5 pounds, the largest cod taken in the area for many years. Tom used baited feathers to lure the big fish, the successful bait was mackerel strip.
11.5lb cod for Tom
Go fishing…
Borough SAC
Borough SAC fish throughout the country on chartered angling boats at venues such as Ballycotton, Kilmore Quay, Valentia, Youghal and Dunmore East, arranging 8 club boat and 10 shore events during the season. The club is open to new full membership or Associate membership. Please see forms listed on their website. http://boroughsac.club/ FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Butler, Hon. Secretary – Mobile 087 7603873
Enterprise
35′ Offshore 105. 400 HP Iveco Skipper: Dick Hayes Licence: 235 Base: Kilmore Quay Operational area: Kilmore Quay, Dunmore East, Rosslare Harbour.
Notes: Reef, wreck, tope and general inshore fishing.
Paddy Halpin reports that water levels were very low on the Feale last week and there were only a few anglers out. There was only the 1 fish reported for the week and it was caught on a spinner in the Finuge waters by Brendan Joy and weighed in at 9.5 lbs.
Allan Lyons was out for a couple of hours last week on the Liffey at Ballymore. During the afternoon there was a small hatch of Olives. Fishing fairly small was needed to tempt the trout and size 18 klinkhammers and nymphs did best. Allan had the trout in the photo below, 2 more over a pound and a few around 1/2 a pound – all returned.
Tomás and Co had 3 giltheads, 3 flounder and bass on lugworm. Not a bad evening
Tomás Kiely along with his father, Dorgan, and friends, Nigel and Jack, headed out to the Red Strand in West Cork on Tuesday 18th of April for a bit of shore fishing. Using lugworm as bait, on the incoming tide they had a great evening of fishing. At around 10pm, Nigel landed a gilt head around 2 1/2lb. Within 5 minutes Dorgan’s rod bent and he landed another gilt head, roughly the same size as Nigel’s. About 10 minutes later Tomás was bent into another gilt head slightly smaller than the first two.
Tomás and Co had 3 giltheads, 3 flounder and bass on lugworm. Not a bad evening
There were 3 small flounder caught then and just before they were about to leave Dorgan landed a small bass about 2lb which was quickly released back into the water.
Gina Tanczos with her personal best for a brown trout (guided by Christopher Defillon)
‘A little more persistence, a little more effort and what seemed hopeless failure, may turn to glorious success’ Elbert Hubbard
Niall McMenamin, Northern Ireland with Lough Sheelin’s weight of the week a 6lb 2oz beauty caught on a dry Buzzer on Friday evening, April 21st
Making the assumption that most of us believe in a god (90% according to the 2016 census) a recent radio programme caught my attention where a Dr Rob Marshall suggested that we should all perhaps revert back to the old Testament which teaches us that the earth and the water belongs to God and not to us. By anglers adopting this belief this would be of huge benefit to Lough Sheelin in that firstly we would be reminded that nobody owns this lake but that each of us have a responsibility to look after it (to pass on to future generations) and secondly that the weather which has a huge influence on the fishing here, well it’s out of our hands, it is controlled by an outside influence. This might be of some comfort to those who flogged their guts out on this lake for days with little or no success.
Gina Tanczos with her personal best for a brown trout (guided by Christopher Defillon)
The Hatches
Some decent hatches of Buzzer on Sheelin on Friday April 21st
The weather again wasn’t kind to the anglers this week, with little reprieve from a cold intermingled by west to north westerly winds with evening flat calms creating far from ideal conditions. Despite the elements this week did see a change here. On Wednesday afternoon there was a rise in temperature when the previous cold lost its harshness and seemed to be edged with warmth, this change was instantly reflected on the lake which saw huge buzzer hatches and fish starting to move to them. If the temperature was in the double figures, the buzzer hatches were good, if the temperature dropped to the singles, the hatches disappeared and with them the rise of fish.
The first appearance of Olive hatches, Kilnahard
There were great hatches of olives reported but the trout weren’t interested so for this week it was all about buzzer fishing.
Lough Sheelin’s ‘elusive’ Duckfly
The lure anglers fell considerably from their previous top placing with the fly anglers claiming the highest catches on Sheelin over the past seven days and this was all thanks to this small chironomid. For a trout fly fisherman understanding the life cycle of the buzzer makes for a better fly team choose. The hatches can be seen by either looking for the adult fly or by finding the spent pupa bodies or shucks in the surface film.
Sheelin Buzzer shuck, April 2017
It’s important to know what trout rises indicate what stage of the buzzer life cycle that the fish are feeding on. Once the buzzer pupa reaches the surface it tends to get stuck under the surface film and takes a while to push through it. While they are doing this they hang in the film like little commas and the trout cruise along at a leisurely pace sipping the buzzers at or just under the surface. This classic rise form shows no fish at all for most of the time, just a subtle ringlet, a single trout footprint. Other times it’s a head and tail rise as the fish porpoises slowly to take a surface- film chironomid. If trout are on the olives they come after them in a whoosh but there was no whooshing for this week at least.
The Catches
Total number of trout recorded at this office last week was 38. The heaviest fish of the week was a trout of 6lbs 2ozs caught by Northern Ireland angler Niall McMenamin using a dry Buzzer.
Happiness is a Sheelin trout – Anthony Rochford on his first trip on Lough Sheelin caught this 2 ½ lb beauty fishing a drift from The Long Rock
The best fishing areas on the lake were again weather dependent. Sheltered areas, behind coves and island and down along the Western shore were good. Buzzer fishing was best from Sailors Garden down into Corru Bay but again this was depended on wind direction. The pick of the fishing days was Wednesday where along with an increase in heat there was a small drizzle of rain and it was that dampness that seemed to set the midges into overdrive. Times of the day varied but mornings appeared to have the edge on the afternoons and evenings.
Selection of Catches
David Reilly, Tullyallen – 1 trout at 6lbs using a small Sooty Olive.
Anthony Rochford fishing with angling friend Larry O’Sullivan – 1 trout at 2 ½ lbs fishing a drift from the Long Rock on wets.
Portadown anglers – 4 trout heaviest at 4lbs fishing wets in Bog Bay.
Mick Kelly, Dublin – 4 trout heaviest at 3lbs using Buzzer patterns at Watty’s Rock.
Davey Kidd – 3 trout on Wednesday April 19th at 3, 3.5 and 4lbs on wets.
Mathew Brady, Cavan – 1 trout at 5lbs on a Dunkeld.
Martin McCoy, Northern Ireland – 1 trout at 2 ½ lbs on wets.
Navan angler – 1 at 5lbs
Christopher Defillon – 1 trout at 61 cm on lures
Paul McMenamin, Northern Ireland – 2 trout at 1 ¾ lbs each on wets.
Damien Willis, Cavan – 3 trout on April 21st on Buzzers, heaviest at 3lbs.
Niall McMenamin’s weight of the week – 6lbs 2oz (released)
The Flies
There are hundreds of variations of trout buzzers including epoxy buzzers, flashbacks, quills, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Shipman’s Buzzers, emergers, balling etc.
The Dunkeld – a Scottish attractor pattern that has proved its value on Lough Sheelin for years – Kevin Sheridan
At this stage of the season, I was reliably informed, that you should fish on ‘the track of the water’ in other words that stretch of water that is sheltered somewhat, rippled, where the edges of this aquatic runway are rougher than the calmer medium.
‘Another day at the office’ Mick Kelly’s fish on April 21st caught on Buzzer patterns
Another tip passed on was to perhaps stick to one fly as two might create too much of a disturbance for the timid surface feeders.
The most successful flies were the teams of wets, predominantly Buzzer imitations on di 3, intermediate and in some cases floating lines with a sink tip. A size 14 dry Buzzer pattern proved successful for some whereas the 1867 Dunkeld attractor pattern proved that it’s important to stick to the old tried and tested patterns by catching a 5 pounder for its user. Other good flies were the Silver Dabbler, the Fiery Brown Dabbler, the Claret Dabbler, the Claret Bumble, Bibios, the Silver Invicta, the Connemara Black, Black Pennell, the Cock Robin and the Sooty Olive.
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times
‘Escaping’
All anglers are required to have a Fishery Permit to fish Lough Sheelin which must be purchased before going out on the lake.
A Catch and Release policy is strongly encouraged at all times.
Please remember anglers to abide by BYE-LAW 790 which strictly prohibits
All trolling on the lake from March 1st to April 30th (inclusive).
From May 1st to June 15th – no trolling between 7pm –6am and no trolling under engine between 6am – 7pm and
June 16th – October 12th – no trolling under engine between 7pm – 6am.
No trout less than 14 inches should be taken from the lake
Catch and release
Join the Club…
For anyone interested in joining Lough Sheelin’s Angling Club – The Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association please contact Thomas Lynch @ 087 9132033.
Tidy Towns learn to value Waterways in Carrick-on-Shannon
Over sixty people gathered from Tidy Towns groups in the Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon last month for a Networking for Nature event organised by Leitrim County Council and the Waters & Communities Office. Joseph Gilhooly Director of Services with Leitrim County Council welcomed and commended the Tidy Towns on the excellent work they do in their communities… Leitrim Observer, 21/04/17. Read the full article ‘Tidy Towns learn to value Waterways in Carrick-on-Shannon’.
Tidy Towns learn to value Waterways in Carrick-on-Shannon
Exploiting our marine resources: Bantry Bay kelp project questions unanswered
IT is difficult to imagine that the after-dinner, residents’ lounge conversation among any group involved in how our seas’ resources are managed, exploited or shared would be a cheery, celebratory affair. Commercial fishermen would complain about their tiny share of EU fish quotas. They may fret about Brexit and our capacity to protect fisheries from an emboldened, free-again British fleet. Inshore fishermen will say the 2006 ban on drift netting has not reversed the collapse in salmon populations but it has hit their incomes… Irish Examiner, 21/04/17. Read the full article ‘Exploiting our marine resources: Bantry Bay kelp project questions unanswered‘.
Exploiting our marine resources: Bantry Bay kelp project questions unanswered
An international expert has warned of a threat to fish life in the river Suir from invasive species. The warning comes as the new Blueway on the river in Clonmel opens with extra numbers of boaters using the river. Dan Minchin of the Lough Derg Science Group highlighted the risk of non-native organisms to our waterways at a recent meeting attended by Inland Fisheries Ireland, anglers from around Co Tipperary and scientists from Queens University Belfast… The Nationalist, 21/04/17. Read the full article ‘Threat to river Suir fishlife‘.
Grey Duster Guiding
