Eddy and Ivan who have stayed with Kevin at Melview Lodge many times over the years were back once again for their annual Pike fishing holiday. I it turned out to be a very productive trip for them. The pair used dead bait and both soft and hard lure approach which paid off very well. They managed a personal best catch between them of 151 Pike plus a nice bonus Trout for Eddy.
Ivan with one of many Pike caught
Kevin said, both of them are fishing mad and will keep trying every method until they find one that works.
Kevin has over 30 years experience of fishing in Ireland and is happy to offer a guided tour on your arrival, and to advise where the on-form waters in the area are. We can arrange your bait order so it’s here when you arrive. Melview offers free use of 17ft lake boats with engines to our guests (pay fuel only) and Kevin is happy to assist with any pre-baiting requests. Maps and other information regarding fishing are also available.
Jason O’Brien reports that he and his son had a slow day on Mask Monday 10th of April. There was little to no fly life as temperatures seemed to be down in a northwesterly wind despite the bright sky.
Sean Mogan was their guide for the day, and they covered a great deal of water indeed. In the end it was a trolled diving plug that caught Daniel’s trout, – a red and white pattern. This is Daniels (age 13) PB for wild brown trout, one he will remember for quite some time. He will certainly be a while trying to beat it. The father and son team also had a 1/2 lb fish. All fish released to fight another day.
Daniel O Brien ( age 13)
Later in the week fly anglers on the lake reported good fishing on wet fly with plenty of smaller fish to 1lb /1.5lb willing to take.
A good salmon landed on the morning Wednesday 12 April
In the last week we have seen only one salmon reported from the Munster Blackwater. On Wednesday last week a fine, fresh sea-liced fish was landed by one of Glenda Powell’s anglers on the Blackwater Salmon Fishery beats.
A good salmon landed on the morning Wednesday 12 April
Anglers fishing and taking casting instruction at Ballyduff Bridge fishery enjoyed their time on the water but were not lucky enough to meet a fish while plying their trade.
Flyfishing for salmon
Jason O’Riordan and Ken Whelan are giving a Salmon Fishing Course for beginners and Improvers on the Munster Blackwater, April 23rd, in association with Ballyduff Bridge Fisheries. See here for more details
Go Fishing…
Blackwater Salmon Fishery
Blackwater Salmon Fishery has 3 beats downstream of the weir and 2 upstream of the weir. Blackwater Salmon Fishery offers fishing on approximately 5 miles of the river Blackwater. The fishing is spread throughout the middle section of the river to offer good sport throughout the fishing season. Due to the location of the beats, fishing can still usually be offered in low or high water. Contact Glenda Powell: Lismore, Co Waterford, Email:[email protected] Mobile: +353 (0) 872351260 Telephone: +353 (0) 5853929 Web: www.blackwatersalmonfishery.com
Ballyduff Bridge Salmon Fishery
Ballyduff Bridge fisheries control a number of beats of the Munster Blackwater. The Ballyduff Bridge beat is almost a mile long offering a huge variety of water and is particularly suited to fly fishing. Upstream near the village of Ballyhooley (a few miles outside the town of Fermoy, Cork) we have two beats. The Ballincurrig Beat is one of the most beautiful locations along the river and has an excellent piece of fly water flowing into a deep pool. Just downstream on the opposite bank we have a short but productive beat, called Magners. This beat fishes also well in high water.
Sandrine Marmilloud, France with her fabulous 58cm Sheelin trout
‘I fish for hours, to hold a trout for seconds’ (rollingfins)
Sandrine Marmilloud, France with her fabulous 58cm Sheelin trout
To say that this was a difficult week for fishing on Lough Sheelin would be somewhat of an understatement. Now, into mid-April things are going at a snail’s pace here and one would wonder if duck fly, buzzer, olives, mayfly and sedges will all happen together in a burst when the weather does eventually warm up. The bad fishing was principally down to the insidious and unrelenting cold, coupled (on some days) with the frequently changing wind directions which added another challenging dimension for the Lough Sheelin anglers. Sheelin is a moody, arduous and grueling stretch of water to fish at the best of times so adding in alien fishing weather into the mix leads to a more than testing lake.
Glen Weafer, Dublin with his beautiful trout
Despite the elements working against us this did not deter anglers and there was a steady number fishing this lake during the week and at the weekend. Water temperatures are a good 3 degrees lower than they should be for this time of the year (hovering currently around 9 degrees) and with frequent north and west winds ensuring that the surface chill factor remained high the bulk of the trout went back down deep to feed and insect hatches reduced considerably leaving the majority of the weekly trout catches attributed again to the use of lures and fast sink lines, di5 and di7.
The Hatches
Sheelin Duck fly, April 11th 2017
This is the point in the season where traditionally the trout should be moving upwards, to feed on pupa, emergers and adult surface fly. Dennis Moss in his book ‘Trout From A Boat’ refers to this as the ‘transitional stage’ where the fish leave the bottom and move up through the water to feed on fauna. The reasoning behind this move is down to the build up of food – buzzers and olives in the middle water columns and the corresponding dying off of asellus from the bottom which in turns forces the trout to look to an alternative source of food. Nature balances itself out with the decline of one food source coinciding with the proliferation of another.
A Lough Sheelin Olive, April 11th 2017, there were olives at watty’s rock on Friday April 16th
There is no doubt that the Sheelin trout have become a lot more mobile, they are on the move and visible, this fact being supported by the anglers reporting the chopping and changing of successful ‘catching’ areas in the lake and also to the high number of ‘jumpers’ particularly in the bays – Kilnahard and Chambers and at the back of Church Island but despite all our theories, the trout on the whole are still more interested in going down to the cellar to feed rather than reach for the surface. It’s simple to understand why the trout are not feeding on the surface now – there is just not enough fly, what is there is patchy and uninspiring resulting in no incentive to entice these piscatorial creatures to make that changeover in diet.
The tail is still not told for Lough Sheelin’s 2017 fishing season – Note the spots extending on into the end of this very beautiful fish
Frustration and irritation over ride patience at this point in time, as the fly anglers persistently set out accompanied by a vast array of both wet and dry, nymph, emerger and buzzer patterns only to return emptied handed and disillusioned. Trout were reported to be seen to be taking duck fly close to the shoreline in Bog Bay earlier in the week and also said to be feeding on tiny black chironomids, ‘impossible to imitate’ but the catches on fly were poor over the past seven days.
Lough Sheelin’s Buzzer, April 11th 2017 – Impossible to imitate?
The catches
Heading for release April 11th 2017
Some beautiful fish were caught this week with the French catching the highest number (all released ) but the Irish flag was flown with the heaviest fish – a trout of over 6lbs caught by Dublin angler Glen Weafer and guided by local man Thomas Harten.
‘Playing a fish’
The most successful fishing areas of this lake were totally governed by the weather and with bitterly cold winds persistently changing direction it was literally ‘you pays your money and takes your choice’. Fish were seen pitching in every area with the arrival of an olive hatch last Friday, the best areas were Kilnahard, Chambers, at the back of Church Island, Curry pt and Merry pt but I use the word ‘best’ very loosely here as although trout were visible doing their acrobats they were far from interested in pro-offered flies – natural or artificial.
The heaviest fish for this week was a trout of 6.3lbs caught by Dublin angler Glen Weafer.
Total number of trout recorded: 27
Selection of Catches
Sandrine Marmilloud, France – 2 trout at 54 and 58cm, lure fishing.
Ben Mackay, Scotland – 2 trout heaviest at 2lbs wet fly fishing.
Christopher Defillon – 8 trout heaviest at 5lbs, caught on lures.
Matis Andrulis, Dublin – 2 trout, 3 and 4lbs taken on Minkies.
Azuolas Mikenas, Wexford – 3 trout using Humungus and Snakes, heaviest at 5½ lbs
One for the measuring board – Lough Sheelin April 2017
The Flies
Lures – bait imitations, humungus, minkies, zonkers, snakes and streamers fished on fast sinking lines are what worked this week but similar to the previous week, even anglers using the lures worked long and hard for results. The results of course were well worth the effort – gleaming well-conditioned trout tipping the scales in some cases at over 6lbs and the pain of getting there is instantly forgotten.
Muddled nymphs (Arthur Macdonald)
The most successful flies & lures for this week were the Humungus (in gold and silver), Minkies, Snakes, Zonkers, Muddlers, Golden Olive Bumble, the Hare’s Ear, 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.
Fly anglers for now are still waiting in the wings on this lake. Fly anglers, interestingly, I am reminded on a near daily basis are not the same as lure anglers, few anglers fishing this lake alternate between lure and fly, they are either one thing or another. Lure is seen as repetitive and boring by some, ‘dull, uninspiring, affording no comparable challenge to fishing a fly’ I was also informed by one of these ‘purists’ that it’s not about catching fish it’s how you catch them that becomes more and more crucial the longer you fish. There is room for both – Wikipedia defines fishing as ‘the activity of trying to catch a fish’ so whatever legal method provides pleasure and excitement to an angler on Sheelin is more than acceptable – each to their own.
Olive Dun Kevin Sheridan
May is looming in the horizon and this coupled with rumours of other trout lakes alive with duck fly, olives and buzzer rises with in some cases the sighting of the first mayfly make for unsettling times.
Lough Sheelin’s ‘Pink Moon’
The so-called “Pink Moon” arrived this week, visible over Sheelin on Tuesday night. Although referred to as pink it actually isn’t. The first full moon in April is named after the pink wildflowers that often begin to bloom around this time of year, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. On Tuesday the moon, according to Space.com was on the exact opposite side of the Earth as the sun and appeared its fullest. Under the bright brilliant full moon Northern Ireland angler Alex Doyle throwing in his last cast landed himself a 4 ½ lb fish as he was coming into Chambers.
Nico Vindret, France guided by Christopher Defillon, Lough Sheelin April 2017
An expensive spinning rod and reel were found on Kilnahard pier on Saturday March 18th, the owner can have these back by contacting me on 087 2141500
House Rules
A catch & release policy is actively encouraged on the lake at all times
Back with a splash
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
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.
5 year old Noah Breen Johnson isn’t taking any chances on the water this season and neither should you
Water rarely gives second chances and a life jacket is just that – it saves your life.Life jackets are required by law – SI No 921 of 2005 – Pleasure Craft (Personal Flotation Devices and Operation) (Safety) Regulations 2005.
We would implore anglers and all other users to wear life jackets for their own safety as well as it being the law.
Please put on and keep on that life jacket until you are back on dry land.
Tobias and Christian from Switzerland with cod and pollack
Rory O’Connor of the Molly O had a great day’s fishing in Dingle Bay on Easter Sunday. His anglers hit on nice Pollack, fine Cod and an attack of Mackerel.
Cod on the Molly O
Siegy Grabher, skipper of Siouxout of Valentia Island told us his visitors from Switzerland had great angling on Monday around the Skelligs.
Tobias and Christian from Switzerland with cod and pollack
Go fishing…
Molly’O
Molly O is a Tyler 42 with twin Caterpillar V8 engines. All rods are Penn with Penn Senator reels (No extra charge) Large selection of lures. Full list of safety equipment aboard. Species fished Cod, Pollack, Ling, Coalfish, Mackarel, Skate & Shark. Whale, dolphin & bird watching tours available.
The charter boat “Sioux” is an Offshore 105 equipped with a 300 hp Ford Sabre Turbo Diesel engine. The season for most species is from April to the end of September; cod, pollock, ling, coalfish, whiting, haddock, mackerel, garfish, pouting, plaice, ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, grey and red gurnard, seabass, mullet, skate, ray-thornback, conger eel, dogfish, bullhuss and blueshark (July – September)
Niall Finnegan from Tuam caught this Bream during the night an ounce shy of 6lb. Connor’s Roach was 1lb 10oz. Both caught after dark on maggot.
14 April: Niall Finnegan from Tuam stayed on an extra night after the relative success of the previous night and was rewarded with a 5lbs 15oz Bream but as all anglers were plagued with liners, I can presume they were not in the mood for feeding. In addition, I believe the hot water temperature dropped overnight. I just hope yesterdays theory of the station going off-line is not going to happen.
15 April: A very mixed report this morning, during the night there was a lot of commotion as the Roach continued to spawn. Most anglers struggled, so much so that you’d be forgiven there were no fish present. One angler however, claimed about 50 hybrids with several Roach. I don’t know what he did differently, whilst not in a particularly favoured swim below Ryan’s Gate, opposite the gap being a wee bit shallower, but the result speaks for itself.
At 08:00 about 16 anglers arrived from Dublin. The sunshine will probably hamper their returns although I’m sure those who can, will catch a few. The weekend campers are now losing some zeds in preparation for tonights assault. With the lake temperature only just reaching the magical 51f (10.3c) I’d hope for a lot more fresh fish coming into the stretch for the next few evenings.
14:00 With nearly 20 anglers present, I was surprised at how much has been caught. some are doing very well considering they are so close together. There is a fierce wind and float presentation is not as easy as in previous days.
22:00 Overall, the group from Dublin fished quite well today with a top weight of 31lbs. The best Roach was 1lbs 10oz but most worrying were that some pegs actually blanked. This evening, as last night, the river was alive with fish topping everywhere. I had a better session catching about 20 fish for an estimated 10-12lb. There were far more female Roach on the Roscommon side this evening, so spawning must be imminent.
Flano and Miro have been joined by Chris Ganley, so I hope between them they have a half decent catch. On the lower disabled pegs, the first (recorded) Tench has been caught by Brian Furey, although just a baby, you can see from the picture it was a much loved catch.
The first of many? Brian Furey had this wee tinca this evening
16 April: I cannot believe how quiet the stretch was this afternoon, just a group of children and odd Piker. I suppose the mid day rain put off most of the casual danglers? Only Miro and Flano remain on the final night of their three day visit. When I spoke to Miro just before 9, he was just starting to catch some hybrids.
I had 48 Roach this evening and came away very disappointed. Why? you may ask, I ran out of ground bait at 20:25 and couldn’t get to 50 with just loose fed pinkies. With many fish nudging a pound, I suppose I had well over 20lb and possibly more. They were much easier to catch and I seldom had to run through my swim to get a bite.
17 April: There is still much surface activity on the navigation channel indicating that the Roach are in vast numbers again. Why there aren’t more in the hot stretch is beyond me. Perhaps if it was brighter, the shoal which annually sits under the bridge has already arrived and we simply can’t see them? Two experienced match anglers armed with long poles fished the stretch near the gap with both having equal amounts of success. An estimated 25lbs each with a lot of Roach topping a pound, but averaging 3-4 oz as far as I could see.
On the navigation channel, Nigel Jelly from Leicestershire fished with a stick float to amass an estimated 40lb bag which like my previous catches, was made up almost exclusively of male fish. He was just packing up as I arrived, so I carried on to get 48 fish again. Unlike yesterday, I did not run out of ground bait, but the last 30 minutes or so, really struggled. I can only guess that the fish came up in the water as dusk beckoned and my bait simply sailed by under them?
On the disabled swims, Aiden and Phillip are fishing into darkness trying to tempt a Tench. Aiden has had a 3lb Male, so there is every chance he may increase his tally.
18 April: Geoff Wood arrived early and fished upstream on the Roscommon side but noticed as the sun rose, the fish dropped back under the bridge. Arnie from Roosky was there mid morning and was catching steadily. By evening it seemed like it had been a slow day. I presume Arnie didn’t fare too well as he was gone by the time I walked over to see him. For the evening session, there were quite a lot of bodies around, but very few fish caught. Phillip had two Perch which took worm intended for Tench.
Due to the biosecurity risks posed by the Asian Clam populations anglers can only use the specially provided keep-nets, available both sides of the bridge – from the Daybreak Filling Station, Ballyleague and Bridie Holmes Fishing Tackle Shop, Lanesborough.
Séan Maguire skipper at Fishing Adventures in Co. Clare reports on his recent fishing trips…
Cold but some good fishing to be had
11 April: A fresh and chilly spring day at sea today, but high spirits, good fishing, and great fun.
Respecting your catch, contemplating nature…
16 April:New service Fishing Adventures – Eco friendly fishing! If inside of you struggles nature lover and fishing lover, we have found a way to merge them both. Eco-fishing is an adventure that will give you double pleasure. You with like-minded people can fish a variety of species and release all fish safely to the Ocean, enjoying the harmony of life against the background of magnificent scenery. In addition, we tag all the sharks that we catch, before releasing them. The eco-fishing tour is held only once a month. Sign up to ensure you have a place on the boat.
PollackLing
17 April: Couldn’t think of a better way to end Easter weekend, calm seas and great fishing, a great time had by all.
Go Fishing…
Fishing Adventures, Doonaha, Kilkee, Co Clare
Fishing Adventures will cater for whatever fishing you desire. With state of the art electronics, quality fishing gear, and large deck space, the Lady Gwen II is a stable and comfortable boat to fish Telephone:
Séan Macguire +353 (0) 87 7508758 or +353 (0) 89 4431182 Email:[email protected]Web:www.fishingadventures.ie
Writing in the Leitrim Observer, Jarlaith O’Gallagher reports that Sunday April 2, saw the opening of Lough Rowan trout season for 2017. You may recall, it was the first day this year the Sun decided to let us all know that it hadn’t entirely forgotten us. It wasn’t long after dawn when the first car towing a boat cut through the morning mist on the road to the lake. It was the first of over 20 boats that took to the water on the opening day to try their hand at landing one or two of Rowan’s hard fighting rainbow trout… Leitrim Observer, 18/04/17. Read the full article ‘Wonderful day for opening of trout season‘.
The Tipperary Star reports that a leading scientist on invasive species has warned that Tipperary rivers and lakes are facing a threat from non-native species. Dr Dan Minchin of the Lough Derg Science Group, warned at a meeting of Lough Derg anglers that the Asian clam was now being found in the lake and would colonise the entire waterway within a decade. He was speaking at a meeting on the Lough Derg Native Fish Biodiversity Project… Tipperary Star, 18/04/17. Read the full article ‘Asian clam threatens Tipperary waterways‘
Pondweed research aims to help combat pollution of waterways
A study has shown a direct link between the presence of invasive species and pollution, writes Niall Murray in the Irish Examiner. THE battle against pondweeds and other species that can damage the environment and tourism when they invade rivers and lakes needs to be supported by more work to prevent human pollution… Irish Examiner, 18/04/17. Read the full article ‘Pondweed research aims to help combat pollution of waterways‘.
Pondweed research aims to help combat pollution of waterways
Grey Duster Guiding
