Donegal fisherman believes that local angling fair is on par with anywhere else
Donegal Angling Guide, John McLaughlin has been attending fishing events for almost as long as he can hold a rod but the Letterkenny man believes the ‘Angling Fair’ on his doorstep is on a par with anything he has experienced. The North West Angling Fair, hosted by Derry City and Strabane District Council, returns to the Melvin Sports Complex in Strabane on April 9th and 10th… Donegal Democrat, 31/03/17. Read the full article ‘Donegal fisherman believes that local angling fair is on par with anywhere else‘.
Donegal fisherman believes that local angling fair is on par with anywhere else
Rosslare Man Convicted Of Illegal Bass Fishing On Wexford Coast
A Rosslare man pleaded guilty on two charges of illegal fishing for bass at a sitting of Wexford District Court on Tuesday 28 March. Fisheries officer Stephen Byrne outlined how Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) intercepted Declan Ellard in possession of three wild bass and an 80m floating net at Carne Pier in Co Wexford on 14 April 2016. Ellard was also observed servicing the net using a boat… Afloat, 31/03/17. Read the full article ‘Rosslare Man Convicted Of Illegal Bass Fishing On Wexford Coast‘.
Rosslare Man Convicted Of Illegal Bass Fishing On Wexford Coast
Inland Fisheries Ireland says it is committed to protecting the Gweebarra fishery and warns that licencing rules remain in effect
As the angling season opens tomorrow, Inland Fisheries Ireland says that it is fully committed to the ongoing protection of the Gweebarra fishery. This is in accordance with the High Court judgement of Ms. Justice Laffoy delivered on 19th December 2012. Anglers are now being reminded that they must acquire a licence to fish on the Gweebara… Donegal Now, 31/03/17. Read the full article ‘Inland Fisheries Ireland says it is committed to protecting the Gweebarra fishery and warns that licencing rules remain in effect‘.
Inland Fisheries Ireland says it is committed to protecting the Gweebarra fishery and warns that licencing rules remain in effect
Inland Fisheries Ireland announces angling initiatives in Tipperary to receive sponsorship
Angling initiatives which drive participation rates and benefit local economies receive support through Sponsorship Scheme. Inland Fisheries Ireland has announced the recipients of its 2017 Sponsorship Scheme which supports angling events and initiatives across the country. In Tipperary, St Flannan’s Fishing Club will receive sponsorship for a Juvenile Fishing Day… Nenagh Guardian, 02/04/17. Read the full article ‘Inland Fisheries Ireland announces angling initiatives in Tipperary to receive sponsorship‘.
Inland Fisheries Ireland announces angling initiatives in Tipperary to receive sponsorship
Councillor Johnny Mythen spoke last week of salmon and trout becoming trapped because of the weir at Clohamon, and he wants the council to take action. The Slaney River Trust were approved of funding of €15,000 towards works for a proposed Rock Ramp, Smolt Pass and a suitable fish counter at the head of the fish pass on the River Slaney at Clohamon Weir… Enniscorthy Guardian, 01/04/17. Read the full article ‘Weir causing problems for fishing in River Slaney‘.
Playing a March trout in the last light on Corrib in better times. A wonderful shot from Larry McCarthy.
So that’s another month done as we March through 2017. The weather has been a bit topsy-turvy, but that’s what March will do. Unseasonably wintry and unseasonably summery. Sometimes at the same time. Sometimes the fish don’t mind and other times it can be a pain. Coarse anglers found their quarry to be shy of the sunshine at the weekend, while other fisheries enjoyed great sport in the sun. Go figure…
There were a few salmon from the Munster Blackwater in the last week. Amongst the lucky anglers was Keith Barry fishing on the Blackwater Salmon Fishery beats. Next up is the Bandon where another salmon was taken on spinner last week. While the Laune Anglers are not getting any salmon the other fisheries on the Laune are producing a few fish, including sea trout to 3lbs. The sun really smiled on Lough Currane and there were 7 salmon to 12.5lb reported. There has been good fly water on the Feale but only one more fish fell to the anglers trying their luck there. Anglers at Delphi have seen every sort of weather imaginable in the last couple of weeks and only a couple of salmon have been forthcoming. Heading further north into Mayo we have a couple of firsts from our lake fisheries. Lough Beltra produced an opening day salmon on March 20th and this was followed by a couple of more fish last week. There were 2 salmon to open the account for Carrowmore on Saturday as fish of 12.5 and 14.5 lbs were landed. The Moy produced a few more fish last week with salmon landed at Foxford and East Mayo waters. The Drowes reported high water last week but the fish were loving it and a dozen or salmon were landed by anglers.
Lough Sheelin was another place where anglers were subjected to everything mother nature had to throw at them last week. Christmas card scenery followed by idyllic, summery conditions and the fish obliged more than one angler. Gary McKiernan had 8 trout to 62cm on wets and Gina Tanczos was back on the lake with guide, Christopher Defillion to mark her birthday with a 6lb trout. Other midlands lakes like Owel and Ennell also produced a few trout on fly and lure. There was a big increase in duckfly hatches on Corrib over the last week and the beautiful weather of the weekend saw a lot of anglers take to the lake to have a go. Catches have increased in the wake of all the activity and some fine trout to 5lb were reported.
Ireland’s International Feeder Friendly Challenge took place on Loughs Sillan and Namachree on Sunday. The flat calm conditions and clear water made it a tough day and the Irish anglers did well to take the title on the day. Munster Coarse Anglers endured similar fishing at O’Brien’s Bridge. Last week they had big bags, but on Sunday just 5lb 9oz was enough to win the day.
There were some good pike to almost 20lb from the River Inny last week. In the Longford area two groups of anglers had lovely pike fishing with plenty of doubles recorded. The best fish was a 22lb pike for an angler visiting from the UK.
Shore anglers reported good bass from venues in Wexford, Waterford and Kerry in the last few days. Some fine fish to 78cm were amongst the fish caught and released by the lucky anglers. Fishing at the first leg of the Tubertini West Coast Shore League in Renvyle was reasonably good, with 93 fish caught, including coalfish, dogfish, rockling and pollack. Although wrasse have not made much of appearance elsewhere around our shores, up in Donegal Bay they were the source of good sport for an evening session or two by the Killybegs Mariners. The weekend saw a few charter boats hit the seas too. It’s great to see reports in from the Clare coast, Galway Bat and Clew Bay. It’s from Clew Bay that our Catch of the Week comes from – a 201cm specimen sized Skate for Darragh McGee.
A specimen sized skate from Clew Bay – first of 2017 and Catch of the Week.
Friday will start with a bit of rain, but the day will brighten with good sunny spells in many places for the morning time. However heavy thundery showers will also break out, these becoming widespread through the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 12 to 15C in moderate southwest breezes. Saturday will be fresh and there will be more rain, mostly in the west, and possibly hail. It will be a cold night in many parts. Sunday will be mostly dry and bright, with good sunny spells in all areas. Pleasantly mild by early afternoon, with top temperatures of 12 to 15C, in moderate southerly breezes. Maybe not the summery conditions of last week but not a bad way to welcome April, what is the old timers say about March “…out like a lamb.”? Oh, and don’t forget that extra hour in the evening, all the better for a last, last cast….
Max Couque from Galway Fishing was back on the water at the weekend. He started his charter fishing season on Sunday and with in 5 minutes of lines down the rods were bouncing to the familiar beat of hooked fish.
Plenty of pollack and coalfish on the first day back fishing
The fishing was productive and enjoyable in the bright sunshine. the biggest fish on the day was a fine pollack of 7lb.
Does it get any better that this?
Make a booking…
Deep sea fishing trip in Galway Bay from Rossaveel. Fish for species such as shark, pollack, ling, ray, mackerel and much more… Licence for up to 12 persons. Smaller groups welcomed and individuals also catered for. For day trips, boat departs Rossaveel around 9am and returns around 5.30pm.
For evening charter, boat departs at 6.30pm and returns approx at 9.30pm.
45 min drive from Galway.
Stefan Martin from Killybegs Mariners SAC reports on the wrasse fishing around Donegal Bay…
Beautiful colours in the sky
Stunning, calm, spring evening on Donegal Bay and the sky lit up crimson red as the sun went down behind the hill. Got up the shore after work for 7pm knowing it got dark just after 8 so figured there would be a good few casts in an hours lure checking.
A quick photo before the releaseThe wrasse were happy to oblige
Plenty of colourful wrasse attacking a bounced along the bottom shad they were regurgitating small mussel shells as they were unhooked for release, a great hours fishing and a glorious Atlantic sunset to boot, hard to beat the extra hour in the evenings
Stefan Martin Killybegs mariners SAC
Go fishing…
Join the club
Killybegs Mariners sea angling club, Co Donegal runs a shore league, boat competitions and angling trips around Ireland doing the sport we love.
A pollack in great condition for one of the anglers on Sunday
Séan Maguire skipper at Fishing Adventures in Co. Clare reports on his start to the season…
Plenty of mackerel about already
25 March: First day out today on the Lady Gwen II, and what a day to be on the Ocean. Whitefish were scarce with only a few pollock, but a good sign of mackerel.
Ling
26 March: Very nice day again on the Ocean, with much better fishing. The mackerel eluded us today but we had some species including ling, pollock, coalies, pouting and wrasse.
A pollack in great condition for one of the anglers on Sunday
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
On Saturday John Quinlan of Thatch Cottage Ireland, reported wonderful weather and good numbers of bass on the fly. Dave Yarlington was enjoying an early fishing trip to Kerry where he was blessed by not only sunshine, but also some entertaining fishing.
Dave Yarlington brings a bass to the hand
Sunday saw Sea Bass Hunter Tomasz Eckert had a very fat bass of 60cm on lure. the next day he had no luck despite bringing a second angler out for the day.
One fat bass for Sunday
On Tuesday his luck turned and he had 3 bass, a few small sea trout and one super sea trout of 60cm. He was out again yesterday and had two Sea Bass, including the biggest Bass of this season – 61 cm.
Wednesday saw more bass landed, including one of 61cm
Lure and fly fishing for bass normally begins mid to late March with April and May often giving superb sport. Please get in touch to check for best times and availability. If you fancy a spring bass fishing break just give John a call on (066) 947 4721 (or +353 66 947 4721 from abroad).
Inland Fisheries Ireland have designed a survey to evaluate the Irish bass fishery, bass angling and the current regulations in place which relate to the bass fishery in Ireland. If you fished for bass in Ireland in 2015 or caught bass in Ireland in 2015 while targeting other species your input would be welcome. The survey should take 10 -15 minutes to complete and respondents who participate have the chance to win a day’s guided bass angling. Results of the survey will be reported on in August/September 2016 and the report will be made available to the public via the IFI website. Data collected as part of this survey will be analysed by both IFI staff and the Socio-economic Marine Research Unit of NUI Galway; this data will be protected and will not be made available to others.
IFI has established a National Bass Programme to collect data on bass in order to provide scientific advice to support management and conservation of Ireland’s bass resource. Bass is Ireland’s only marine fish species which is managed for angling. The programme is being developed to determine the status of bass stocks and also to improve understanding of their ecology and biology in Ireland for the long-term sustainability of the species. See further details on www.fisheriesireland.ie/Projects/national-bass-programme
Deep sea fishing trip in Galway Bay from Rossaveel. Fish for species such as shark, pollack, ling, ray, mackerel and much more… Licence for up to 12 persons. Smaller groups welcomed and individuals also catered for. For day trips, boat departs Rossaveel around 9am and returns around 5.30pm.
