Conor caught this Roach estimated close to a pound and a half on Sunday afternoon
Paul Waghorne has made his annual pilgrimage to Lanesborough and has all the latest coarse angling news…
02 April: As for news on Lanesborough, Steve Blacklidge and son Josh are staying in the village and naturally fished the hot water stretch, amassing lots of small fish to a pound and Pike to 16 lbs. I’ve known Steve for over 20 years and look forward to seeing him each year.
The Lowry clan from Tuam fished the stretch near the bush and gusher catching lots of fish with some topping a pound, but did Conor bring any of his mothers Nutty Crunch for his absent friend?
Conor caught this Roach estimated close to a pound and a half on Sunday afternoon
05 April: Arrived at 07:47, the river looks perfect. No one fishing as yet, although a huge trout was caught by a pike angler yesterday.
I had to have a short evening session, so armed with a stick float rod went through my usual early season routine. I eventually totalled 35 fish, almost exclusively Rudd accept for the odd Roach and Perch. Best went about 4oz although most were sub 1oz.
Steve and Josh braved a day in pursuit of Tench on the disabled swims. Whilst the water temperature may be extremely good for the first week of April, I don’t think it is quite there for the tincas, It would require 12.5c for two or three days for me to try. That saying, fair play for their valid attempt. Remember 2012? when by this time we had well over 50
We have some high pressure over us for the foreseeable future, so I’d expect lots of surface activity at dusk. Sadly, tonight this simply failed to materialise but it was quite overcast.
River looking in fine form, temperature a healthy 9.7c and perfect height for early April. No signs of reed growth, but the lilies are showing.
Reporting from IFI Macroom, Eileen Carroll tells us that the first fish of the River Ilen’s season was a Salmon weighing 13lbs. This fine springer was landed on a Flying C at Madore Bridge by Mr. Jerome Vanreet, club angler.
Go fishing…
The River Ilen is a medium size spate river that fishes best on a dropping flood for both salmon and sea trout. Spinning, worm and fly fishing are the methods used and allowed on club water.
The river is beautiful and a joy to fish, pools along club waters are easily accessible with seats, steps and stiles put in place for the anglers comfort. With selective tree pruning done along the river in recent years fly fishing has become a more available option especially on the lower river with numerous pools opened up to suit fly fishermen, night time fly fishing for sea trout is a pleasure with great stocks of trout entering the river from April.
Eileen Carroll in the Macroom office reports that 1 Salmon of approximately 8lbs was landed by a local angler spinning on club waters.
RIVER LEE ESB FISHERY INNISCARRA
No report.
Go fishing…
The River Lee drains a catchment of 484 square miles of which much is taken up by two large reservoirs. Salmon Angling is confined to an 8 mile stretch from Inniscarra dam to Cork city.
Inniscarra Fishery
This salmon fishery is located between Cork City and the dam at Inniscarra (9 miles). The fishery is run by the ESB (Electricity Supply Board) and an ESB permit is required. There is a fair run of fish with a very good grilse run dependent on water. Permits can be purchased on site from Dan O’Riordan, ESB Inniscarra; 087-9983879.
Lee Salmon Anglers Club
The Lee Salmon Anglers club was established in 1967. It was formed by a group of anglers interested in protecting and promoting the sport of salmon and trout angling on the river Lee. Day tickets available: http://www.leesalmonanglers.ie/
Laune Anglers Work Party that completed this footbridge over the weekend
Billy Downes reports that as of of Monday 4th April the Laune is heading for 1.6m on the gauge at the Laune Bridge…
Perfect water for all methods if a small bit on the high side, should fall over next few days to ideal conditions. The only news of fish are a few nice sea trout – so far news of salmon being encountered in our waters is scarce. Some caught up stream and in the lakes. There are sea trout being landed.
Laune Anglers Work Party that completed this footbridge over the weekend
But as I always say if you get the timing right there is a chance of a fish during the rest of April especially with this nice water and no legal commercial nets to worry about.
Prospects: There is a chance if you venture out.
Billy Downes, Secretary Laune Salmon and Trout Anglers’ Association
Go fishing…
Day permits are the same as last year €25 to the end of July and €35 for the months of August and September. For Beat 3 Permit costs click on: Beat 3 Permit Prices 2017
Be sure to display your permit on the dash of your car with the date and permit number visible and have the other part with you because you will be asked by members to identify yourself as a legitimate ‘One Day Member’ / Permit Holder. Web:www.launeanglersfishing.com Facebook:Facebook Laune Anglers Email: [email protected]
Mick Flanagan has the details of the upcoming Peader caffrey Cup on Lough Lene…
Lough Lene anglers are fired up for next Sunday Peadar Caffrey Cup, and this event is fly only. Fishing will be from 11am- 6pm, with starting and presentation at Fagan’s Point. The Lake has being one of the top venues since opening day on March 1st, and a good turn out is expected on the day.
Barry Conlon with on of Lenes Rainbows
Lough Lene Angling Association
We have received a few enquiries on Lene, and its club controlled, but day tickets are available at the shops in Collinstown.Their is ideal launching facilities at the Cut, and plenty of parking.
There is public access to the lake at “The Cut”. Fishing permits and information on boat hire are available in the local Gala store in Collinstown.
Finally, to join the angling club, you don’t have to be a good angler!, you don’t have to be able to swim!, you don’t even have to be good looking! but You must wear a life jacket at all times when on the water. Web:http://www.loughleneanglingassociation.com/
Midlands Angling provide a top class Guiding service covering many of the top coarse and game waters across the Midlands. Visiting fly anglers have landed some fine trout while out with Midland Angling Guides, pike anglers also recorded some net bursting catches including many pike over 20lbs. Top waters include Lough Ree, Ennell, Owel, Lene, Mount Dalton, and Glore Lake just to mention a few. Michael Flanagan Midland Angling
Pike and Trout angling guide.
Mick Flanagan reports on the predator fishing trip on Lough Ennell…
INDIANAPOLIS ANGLERS
Perch
I had the please of meeting Tom O’Connor and his son Calam last week. The lads are from Indianapolis, Indiana in the U.S.A. Calam has being in Ireland the past 6-7 months working, and is remaining here for a few more he told me. He has travelled quite a bit of Ireland, and visited Westmeath a few times taking in Fore Abbey, the Friary in Multyfarnham. This time around when dad Tom dropped over it was for a day’s fishing, as back home Tom is nuts on fishing and shooting.
Tom and Callam with their pike
Ennell was our chosen lake and we enjoyed a few cracking hours but only managed a few perch and one nice pike. The lads were very impressed the beautiful scenery across Ennell, and also the Mullingar Park Hotel where they stayed.
DUCK- FLY & SWALLOWS ON ENNELL
It’s amazing how nature looks’ after its self, and as soon as the Duck Fly started to appear on Ennell our Swallows arrived. Plus the Gulls were eagerly waiting this bonanza of food. Under the water surface the perch had also homed in on hatching Duck- Fly, and the Ennell trout were showing an interest in surface feeding. Last Sunday Pat Liddy of Mullingar Golf Club was spinning for pike, and one of the bigger Ennell trout hammered his pike lure.
Pat’s trout took a lure meant for pike
This does happen at times, and spinning Lures instead of trolling is starting to produce more trout .It’s not just Ennell, we are told Sheelin, and Ree has produced cracking trout for anglers spinning a variety of soft and hard lures.
Midlands Angling provide a top class Guiding service covering many of the top coarse and game waters across the Midlands. Visiting fly anglers have landed some fine trout while out with Midland Angling Guides, pike anglers also recorded some net bursting catches including many pike over 20lbs. Top waters include Lough Ree, Ennell, Owel, Lene, Mount Dalton, and Glore Lake just to mention a few. Michael Flanagan Midland Angling
Pike and Trout angling guide.
Lough Derg Anglers Association writes that many of the questions about the native fish stocks of Lough Derg will be addressed when the results of a major scientific study are revealed to anglers in the Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe on Wednesday, April 12th, at 7.30pm.
Nenagh’s Joe O’ Donoghue, the PRO of the Lough Derg Anglers Association, is urging all anglers to turn up to learn of the very interesting findings uncovered in the study, known as the Lough Derg Native Fish Biodiversity Project.
Mick Gough, the Killaloe based Chairman of the Association, said it is vital anglers turn up, as it is they who played the central role in the success of the project, by collecting fish samples for the scientists to study.
“The results of the project are extremely interesting, particularly for anglers, so we are urging members from all of the 13 clubs around the lake, or anyone with an interest in the conservation of our native fish, to come along to Killaloe on Wednesday night, April 12th, as there are some very interesting findings from the project,” said Joe O’ Donoghue, who pointed out that the study was initiated by anglers because of their concern over declining trout catches. Huge trout of 17.4lb trout from Lough Derg
It has long been suspected that there are different species of trout in the lake, traits that in turn determine issues such as the food these fish feed on and the rivers they run to spawn. The findings of the study will ultimately determine the management of the trout in the catchment in order to conserve stocks and maximise the angling resource of the lake and its rivers as top class game fisheries.
So come along to the launch and find out if the Gillaroo trout, once plentiful in the lake, is still present. And find out why the silvery Croneen, that behave and look so like sea trout, never actually go to sea. Find out, too, why stream rehabilitation is more effective in preserving trout stocks than hatcheries.
The project has also produced some really interesting information on lamprey eels and pollan stocks – the latter once so plentiful in Derg that it was fished on a commercial basis.
Fran Igoe, a voluntary scientific advisor to the project for over a decade, praised anglers in helping to gather almost 2,000 fish samples for the scientists involved in the project. “This is a great example of a large scale community-led project involving citizen science in an effort to get quality information that can be used to support good planning and management,” says Dr Igoe, a freshwater biologist.
Dr Igoe will be present in the Lakeside Hotel on Wednesday, April 12th, to explain many of the findings of the project, as will Dr Paulo Prodohl, who with his team in the Department of Biology of Queens University in Belfast, conducted genetic analysis of the trout, while the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, carried out stable isotope analysis to determine the diet of the fish.
Among those invited to attend the event are representatives of Inland Fisheries Ireland and the ESB, who provided juvenile trout samples from streams and rivers for the project, and the Lough Derg Sub Aqua Group and the Lough Derg Science Group, who also helped with the study.
“This is going to be a very special night for anglers who want to see the future of Lough Derg as a top class angling resource preserved for future generations,” said Joe O’Donoghue.
Drogheda Coarse Angling Club held a club match on sunday at Yellow Island, Lough Muckno. 10 club members fished between pole and feeder with mostly pole producing more fish.
Yellow Island can be a productive venue
The anglers enjoyed decent conditions, great craic and some very satisfying fishing. The results were as follows:
1st John Woods 7.825kg
2nd Paul Murray 7.675kg
3rd Shamie winters 6.450kg
The anglers had some decent bags of fish
Join the club…
Drogheda Coarse Angling Club is actively recruiting new members so if you are interested in joining this progressive club why not get in touch via their Facebook page at Drogheda Coarse Angling Club
Kit Dunne shows its all about making the most of the weather opportunities as there are some good spurs, huss and early tope off Wicklow…
Cecil with his spurdog
02 April: We had a specimen Spurdog for Cecil Kelly on board before the weather turned on us. Tough day at the office…
18.1lb spurdog for John Mellerick
04 April: Too windy yesterday but today was better. There was a specimen Spurdog for John Millerick, 18.1lb. Des Chew, Christy Lane and Nicky McEvoy also did well 7 Huss plus 2 early Tope to top off a cracking day which finished with 3 specimens in the boat.
Early season tope
Go fishing…
Angling Charters are offered on a full-day, half-day and evening trip basis and can be tailored to suit your needs. Two boats available – Lisin and Castle Maiden. All levels of anglers are catered for. Anglers will benefit from your skipper’s angling experience and local knowledge with advice and guidance on-hand at all times.
SPECIALIST ANGLING CHARTERS
Specialist Angling Charters are offered for those who wish to target specific species, specimen fish or try new methods of angling.
ANGLING COACHING
Whether you’re a Club, Individual, School or Junior you can have an angling coaching session or programme tailored to suit your needs.
Paddy Halpin, IFI Limerick, has the report from the Feale for the week past…
Another quiet week on the Feale with only two fish reported for the week. On Monday local man James Allman had a nice fish of about 7.5lbs while fly fishing on the Killocrim/Finuge stretch.
7.5lb salmon on fly for James
We had a good fresh on Tuesday and a few anglers were out trying their luck but only the one fish reported and it was caught well up river in the Tralee waters by Darren Hussey. This fish weighed in at just over 10 lbs and was also caught on a fly.
Darren’s fish was 10lb, also caught on fly
Water levels are dropping again but is still nice water for fly fishing.
Go fishing…
The River Feale is among the outstanding salmon and sea trout rivers of Ireland. The River rises in the mountain district of North Co Cork and flows westerly for 75 km (46 miles) through the county towns of Abbeyfeale and Listowel and enters the sea south of Ballybunion. For the final 10 kms (6 miles) of its course, it is known as the Cashen River. Throughout its meandering journey to the sea it flows through a picturesque landscape of heather bog land, fertile valleys and rolling hills. Its main tributaries, flowing from both North and South, combine to add in excess of 160 kms (100 miles) of fishable waters.
About 50% of the main River Feale and the Smearlagh River is controlled by 5 angling clubs. These clubs are some of the best angling waters and each club offers day tickets for visiting anglers.
North Kerry Anglers Association issues daily & weekly permits for fishing on 9 miles of the Feale & Smearlagh rivers. Web: www.northkerryanglers.com
Killocrim/Finuge Angling Club
Killocrim/Finuge Angling Club control approximately 6.5 kms (4 miles) of water downstream of Listowel. Web:killocrimfinugefishingclub.com
Brosna / Mountcollins Angling Club
Brosna / Mountcollins Angling Club control about 13 kms (8 miles) of double bank fishing from below the Owveg River confluence, up past Mountcollins, to within a short distance of Ahuan Bridge. Tel: +353 68 44251
For any angling query please contact the Limerick office at [email protected] or by phone 061-300238.
Brown tags
Brown tag fishery: Under the salmon tagging regulations, this year the River Feale is designated as a brown tag fishery.The brown tags for the River Feale bear the code F3. Anglers must affix a brown tag along with a blue tag to any salmon which is retained. This means that salmon retained on the River Feale will have two tags attached. All brown tags (including 1st tag) will be issued from IFI officers ONLY . Please ring 087-7639236 to arrange to receive your first brown tag prior to commencing fishing
Additional brown tags will only be issued by IFI staff, they may be contacted at 087-7639236 and they will arrange to meet and issue an additional tag upon verification that the previous brown tag has been used, i.e. a fish has been caught and recorded in the logbook.
1 brown tag will be issued at a time to each angler.
If you acquired a 1 day or 21 day licence which has expired, or you have finished fishing for the season, and you have not used the brown tag then this must be surrendered to an IFI officer prior to departure by phoning 087-7639236. IFI would like to thank you for your co-operation with this.
If an angler has used his brown tag or doesn’t have a brown tag in his possession to use then he must fish catch and release methods, i.e.single barbless hook and no worms.
Brown tags will continue to be issued until the angling quota is reached.
To report a suspected pollution or poaching activity please contact the 24 hour hotline on 0818 34 74 24
