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Irish Angling Update 🎣 27 March 2024

Kings River
Kings River

Over the past week there’s been no shortage of rain and the rivers and lakes are high in most places. Spring is well underway and the whitethorn is blossoming in most hedgerows. Temperatures are around average for late March, but it was certainly colder in the last couple of days, with sleet and snow falling in some places. It doesn’t come across as a poor week for anglers though and we’ve a better mix of reports than last week to share with you today…

Salmon angling was probably hardest hit by the high water conditions on rivers up and down the country. We have no news of catches this week, but on Lough Currane, there was some activity due to a good hatch, Duckfly, and those with trout rods moved to make the most of the chance. Anglers hoping to keep a salmon from the Roughty this year have an opportunity to enter the 2nd brown tag draw for the river, but you’ll need to make your application by midnight April 14th 2024. Inland Fisheries Ireland is selling permits on behalf of the Ballina Salmon Anglers Association at their online permit shop to facilitate access to the fishing. This association water comprises approximately 5km of double bank fishing from the weir in Ballina to the confluence with the Corroy River and 1 day, 3 day and 1 week permits are available. Finally, we share a memory from the 2023 season from Andrew McGall to motivate anyone thinking of wetting a line this weekend.

trout

Trout anglers did well on rivers and loughs over the last week. Dan O’Neill was on the King’s River where the trout were coming to a mix of tactics – sunk lure and dry-dropper. Peter Driver shares reports from the Erkina, another tributary of the River Nore, where the trout were coming well to nymphs and dry-dropper set ups. Senan Stanley was catching trout on ultra light spin gear in the Hidden Heartlands. He shares a series of videos which are well worth watching. We also have a report from Lough Mask where one angler enjoyed the healing power of time on the water, and our Cath of the Week. On Lough Corrib where a father and son enjoyed a double hook up on ferox trout. Staying with lakes, anglers hoping to fish on Lough Bofinne or Shepperton are alerted that both fisheries will remain closed until 08 April this year. Finally, in podcast news, Ireland on the Fly talks to Julie Gerry, the only woman to win the Lough Mask World Cup, on breaking boundaries and encouraging youths into the sport.

roach

The first FeederKing qualifier for 2024 was held on Lough Muckno on Sunday, with plenty of small fish caught on White and Yellow Islands but very tough fishing for those drawn on to the Black Island section. The final match of the Erne Anglers Winter League was fished on a fast flowing, high River Erne. The winner was John Potters catching 7.300kg on the pole and whip. Further south Ivaylo Benov, bagging 56.840kg, won the first round of the Oaklands Spring/Summer league. Not too far away a visiting angler, young Cooper Carnahan, had a great time catching roach on waggler in Co. Kilkenny. The VDE Baggers held a match on Creeve Lough at the weekend. On a day when every fish was hard-earned,  Aaron Nabc Hutchmann bagged the top prize with 101 roach for 2.9kg. The 8th leg of the Leinster Open was held at Haughton’s Shore on Garadice at the weekend. Fishing was scrappy and most of the fish landed were on the small side, with roach, hybrids and perch all featuring in catches. In the end, Tommy Dowd took top honours with 7.38kg.

There are a couple of sea angling competitions in this week’s reports. One was fished at Roney Point in Wexford, the other at the Slob Bank in Youghal but both found the fishing to be difficult despite promising conditions. At the other end of the country, Killybegs Fishing Trips were back on the water and enjoyed better fishing with plenty pollack, some coalies and a few wrasse. Jim Murray, of the National Mullet Club, was on to let us know that the Irish Shield for the best mullet caught by a club member in Ireland was awarded to Dave Rigden. The FIPS – Mer World Shore Angling Championships will be held this November in Péniscola, Spain. Meet Ireland’s eight man team here Meet Team Ireland: Shore World Championships 2024, Spain.

Upcoming events…

The NCFFI Predator section are organising the last of the three qualifying events to select the 2024 Boat Team to represent Ireland at the World Championships – to be held in Ireland – and it will take place on Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th April on Upper Lough Erne. For more information see Predator Boat Team 2024 – Qualifier Three, Upper Erne

Newbridge District Pike Anglers will be hosting a junior IFPAC qualifier on the 13th April. Fishing will take place from 11am to 3pm, and the event will be free for all children up to 18 years. For more information see Newbridge District Pike Anglers to host IFPAC Junior Qualifier

After the incredible success of last year, the organisers of the inaugural Kerry Pairs have announced that they are preparing for the second edition of the event in 2024, with a July 20th return to the beaches of Cappaclough and Delis and fishing from 11am – 4pm. For more information see Kerry Pairs event returns for 2024

Agus anois an aimsir…

As we go to press, there are Small Craft and Gale warnings in place tomorrow and over the long weekend for all coasts, so check the forecast before making any plans to go afloat. Inland, there will be a mix of sunny spells and showers tomorrow. Some showers will turn heavy, with a chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11°C in light to moderate southerly winds, fresh at times in the south. Unsettled for the Easter weekend but turning slightly milder with daytime temperatures in the low to mid-teens. Remaining unsettled next week with further showers and rain. That’s what you get for having Easter in March I suppose.

Make sure to check the forecast before going afloat and if you’re going to sea, don’t forget to check the tides. Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Beannachtaí na Cásca ort!

IFI Staff
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].


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Ireland on the Fly – Julie Gerry, the only woman to win the Lough Mask World Cup, on breaking boundaries and encouraging youths into the sport

This week Daire & Tom are joined by Julie Gerry, former winner of the World Cup on Mask – and the only woman to have won it to date, she’s captain of the Irish Ladies Fly Fishing team, and now also Youth Officer with the Irish Trout Fly Fishers Association.
Julie tells how, despite the success of Irish fly fishing teams, it is still a struggle to get more youths and women into the sport, and how maybe we should be looking to copy the successful programme in Northern Ireland based on the Foyle River Catchment Outdoor Group or FROG CIC as it’s known.

*Listen & follow on Apple/Spotify*

Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

West Cork and District have a tough day on Youghal’s Slob Bank

slob bank, youghal

West Cork and District SAC fished the third match of their club competition at the weekend…

The Slob Bank was the venue for our third club competition of the year, hopes were high of good numbers of fish before the match, unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way. Fishing was very slow on the day. Barry O Rourke took the flat fish pool with a fine 39cm Flounder and Gavin O Connor took the round fish pool with a 28cm Whiting.

The match was won by Stephen O Donovan with 8 fish consisting of 7 Whiting and a Bass. Second with 5 fish was Derek Kenrick and Barry took third place with 3 fish. We have a bit of a break now until our next match in May on Ballybrannigan, hopefully the fishing will have picked up by then.

Results

1st- Stephen O Donovan -8 fish -211pts
2nd- Derek Kenrick -5 fish- 136pts
3rd- Barry O Rourke -3 fish – 106pts
4th- Fiona Ryan – 2 fish -52 pts
5th- Gavin O Connor- 1 fish- 33pts

bass and whiting

All about West Cork and District SAC…

West Cork and District logoThe club was formed on march 19th 2009, in the small picturesque harbour town of  Kinsale County Cork. We’re an inclusive club, this can be seen in our membership profile; from anglers who are new to match fishing all the way up to members of the Irish World Shore Team 2010, two of which are in the club! The club holds circa 10 competitions per year, members are encouraged to practice a catch and release policy in the interests of conservation. Anybody wishing to join our club is always welcome, just use the contact us page and we will give prospective members full details.
Web: http://westcorkanddistrict.webs.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/West-Cork-and-District-SAC/

Go fishing…

Sea angling from Mine Head to Knockadoon Pier

Double delight for father and son duo on Corrib

No messing about... two cracking ferox in under an hour!

Lough Corrib has been throwing up a fair number of big ferox of late, and Tomi Kurmann of Tomi Guidedfishing has been in the thick of the action. Following a successful trip last year, where Nichola Ward landed a monster ferox, dad Nicky came back this year to try his luck, this time bringing his son Sean. The aim was to beat Sean’s PB trout, and hopefully to get one over the magic 75cm specimen mark.

With bad weather looming in the afternoon, they were up against time to make the most of their session. But the lads are seasoned specimen hunters, and under the guidance of Tomi it only took them 40 minutes to get the job done. And they got it done in style, as they recorded Tomi’s first double hook-up of the year, bringing a 70cm and 78cm trout into the boat simultaneously! With the foul weather quickly approaching, they were able to retire to base at midday.

No messing about… two cracking ferox in under an hour!
A few cm over the magic 75cm mark

Dave Rigden wins National Mullet Club Irish Shield

mullet
Dave Rigden and his 6lb 3oz mullet - winner of the Irish Shield
Jim Murray, National Mullet Club, was on to let us know that the Irish Shield for the best mullet caught by a club member in Ireland was awarded to Dave Rigden. Dave is no stranger to the Irish anglers and is especially well known in West Cork with his very popular Sheepshead Fishing Blog. Dave has this on his special catch:

I caught the trophy-winning fish in mid-October. I was on a six-day mullet fishing break with Dave Matthews, an old friend from England. We were both fishing a shallow, fast-flowing swim, Dave from one side and me from the other, and we’d both had a number of 2lb and 3lb mullet by mid-afternoon.

mullet
Dave Rigden and his 6lb 3oz mullet – winner of the Irish Shield

As the tide started to creep up, threatening to force me off my swim, I contacted some bigger fish. In quick succession I lost one in a snag, pulled out of another trying to bully it away from the same snag, then was lucky enough to land the 6:03 after a very lively scrap.

Shield

 

Find out more…

The National Mullet Club was founded in 1975, the Club continues to promote the sporting capture of our three mullet species, and is underpinned by a strong conservation ethos.

Just some of the benefits of membership:

  • Two quality “Grey Ghost” magazines per year
  • Four newsletters
  • Exchange information and learn from other Club members in the UK & Ireland
  • Meet up at fish-ins organised by members with specific location knowledge
  • Access the huge online archive of over 1,000 articles, available to members via the website

Sheepshead Fishing Blog is updated monthly to include a round up of all Dave’s angling adventures.

Go fishing…

Sea angling in the south west

 

No salmon to report from Currane but Duckfly up for trout anglers

Sheelin Duck fly, April 11th 2017
Sheelin Duck fly

Vincent Appleby reports from the shore of Lough Currane…

21/3/2024 The Currane anglers were all quiet in the Salmon department, be it fly or lure. So on that note we head for the Brown Trout department. It’s good to hear the Duckfly are in full flight so local gillie Sion Braine reports that he caught a few nice Brown trout today. Wind SW, fresh and overcast all day. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 0.7mm. Amount of sunshine was 8.4.

22/3/2024 The Currane anglers were all quiet in all departments this day. Just for the record there were 3 boats out manipulating their skills. Wind light to fresh, followed by reasonable cloud cover. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 2.3mm, amount of sunshine 0.0.

23/3/2024 www.fishingwithdom.com reports that there were 4 boats out and sadly their fly and trolling lines were all slack. So on that note we head for the weather department and for starters Kerry is on a yellow rain warning from Sunday, so click, www.met.ie/weather-forecast/waterville-kerry   www.met.ie/warnings-tomorrow.html   Now back to today’s weather, wind NW veered NNW light to fresh followed by showers. Yesterday’s weather amount rainfall 1.0mm, amount of sunshine 7.9.

24/3/2024 Just two boats out this day so straight to Currane’s quote of the day and that comes from www.fishingwithdom.com and I quote, “two blanks if you get my drift”. Wind SSE veered SW light to fresh and variable, followed by rain throughout the day. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 3.7mm. amount of sunshine 5.0.

25/3/2024  The Currane anglers were all quiet in all departments this day. Just for the record there were 5 boats out and all had slack lines. Wind NW light, followed by heavy showers at times. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 24.4mm, amount of sunshine 0.0, total amount of rain so far 107.8mm.

26/3/2024 www.fishingwithdom.com reports that there were 12 boats out manipulating their skills this day and by all accounts all their lines were slack. Wind NE light and variable. Yesterday’s weather, amount of rainfall 18.8mm. maximum air temperature 9.8c. Sunshine 1.4.

Vincent Appleby
Eureka Lodge, Caherdaniel West, Co. Kerry.
Telephone: +353 (0) 87 207 4882
E-mail:[email protected]
Web: www.salmonandseatrout.com

Sea Trout – Catch and release only

Inland Fisheries Ireland wishes to remind anglers that the Conservation of Sea Trout (No.7 or Kerry District) Waterville Area Bye-Law No. 971 of 2019 remains in effect. This Bye-law prohibits the retention and possession of any sea trout (Salmo trutta L.) taken by any fishing engine or by rod and line in the Waterville area i.e. that part of the sea eastward of a line drawn from the most westerly point of Bolus Head to the most westerly point of Lamb’s Head and to all the waters discharging in to it.

The Bye-Law mainly affects seatrout fishing on :-

  • the river Inny (Knockmoyle) and its tributaries
  • the waters of the Waterville system, including the Waterville River, Lough Currane, the Cummeragh River and all their tributary rivers and lakes
  • the waters of Ballinskelligs Bay

FLEKSI

A new online survey has been developed by IFI for the Currane catchment to gather anglers’ knowledge – the survey method called FLEKSI was developed by IFI to help give an insight into the status of the fishery. Currane Anglers are needed for Citizen Science survey to examine fish stocks

Go fishing…

Find out more about Lough Currane…

The rivers and lakes of Waterville drain a large catchment and are regarded by many as the foremost Salmon and Sea-Trout fishery in the country. The lake system is well developed with access to boats and guides being readily available to the tourist angler. The Sea-Trout caught here are renowned for their size and quantity. For more details see:

Waterville lakes and river system

Guides and boat hire

Cloghvoola Fishing Lodge

Address Cloghvoola Waterville Kerry Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 66 9478009 Website: cloghvoola.com

Fishing with Dom

Address Spunkane Waterville Kerry Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 87 2051515 Website: https://fishingwithdom.com/

Fly Fishing on Lough Currane

Address Termons Waterville Kerry Ireland Mobile Phone: +353(0) 87 922 8659 Phone: +353(0) 66 9474146 Website: flyfishingatloughcurrane.com

Lakelands Farm

Address Lake Road Waterville Kerry Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 87 4160200 Website: lakelandshouse.com

Neil O’Shea

Address Caherbarna Waterville Kerry Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 87 9942792 Phone: +353 66 9474527 Website: oshealoughcurrane.com

Old Daly’s Supermarket & Filling Station

Address Murreigh Waterville V23 X459 Ireland Mobile Phone: +353669474842 Website: dalysfoodstore.ie

Salmon & Sea Trout Fishing

Address Eureka Lodge Caherdaniel West Waterville Kerry V23 XD63 Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 87 2074882 Website: salmonandseatrout.com

Waterville Boats

Address Spunkane Waterville Kerry Ireland Mobile Phone: +353 (0)87 2202355 Phone: +353 (0)66 9474800

Plenty pollack for Killybegs Fishing Trips

Killybegs Fishing Trips were back on the water and had plenty pollack, some coalies and a few wrasse. Read their short report below…
Nice to see the fish back on the take again after a poor fishing last weekend. Nothing huge but plenty pollack going all the same. Some coalies and a few wrasse as well.

Go Fishing…

Fiona Tee

Address: Moneygold, Grange, Co. Sligo.
Telephone: +353 (0)87 6224348
Email: [email protected]  

Web: https://www.killybegsfishingcharters.ie/

Fine Mask trout the perfect tonic after spell under the weather

Michael Righton was in touch to tell us about a fine Lough Mask trout he caught on Monday:

He was fishing out of Cushlough, and the lake was flat and calm. He had been in hospital for the previous 3 weeks with a very rare virus and had been quite ill. As a consequence, he chose not to go out too far as he was fishing on his own and wanted to see how he coped in the boat. The lake was very high, but he decided to fish the shallows. He came across some hatches of very small buzzers along with some caenis, but there was no sign of fish showing to them.

A deep-shouldered Lough Mask trout

As the day progressed, he saw two fish jump at the end of a bay, a place where he had come across fish before and set his boat on a drift in that direction. He was fishing a 5lbs leader with 3 flies, and a slow figure of 8 retrieve on an intermediate line. As he approached the end of the bay, he had a gentle pull, but nothing came of it. However, another 30m down the drift, he had a nice solid pull and connected with a fish. The trout pitched straight out of the water and then put up a very dogged fight to the net. The fish measured 52cm and was nice and plump, and Michael estimated from tables that it weighed 4 lbs plus. He caught it on his self-tied Gold-head hares ear nymph, which was duly removed, and following a quick photo, the trout was returned to the lough.

No doubt a trout like that was the perfect tonic after his spell in hospital, a worth winner of Catch of the Week.

A self-tied goldhead hare’s ear was too tempting for the trout to refuse…

Fair weather brings foul fishing for South Shore SAC…

Having experienced plenty of foul days over the winter months, the 27 anglers who turned up to fish the 2nd leg of the South Shore SAC Master Angler at Roney Point were greeted by unusually clement weather, with mild temperatures and a gentle westerly breeze. What could go wrong…?

Well, plenty as it seems, as anglers were left looking at each other in puzzlement as their first casts failed to produce any bites, and so it continued with their second casts and their third casts…

It seems the fish prefer the lousy weather after all, and while the turn of the tide did bring an uptick in catches over the final hour, unfortunately there were still a few blank scorecards at the end of the competition.

Dogs made the difference on the day

It turned out to be a battle of two Fogarty’s, as Gavin Fogarty steamed to the top of Zone A with 9 fish on his card. Brother Ciaran performed similar feats on Zone B, with his 10 fish leaving him top of the Zone, and just pipping his brother to the overall win.

Full report on the South Shore SAC Facebook page.

Results as follows:

Newbridge District Pike Anglers to host IFPAC Junior Qualifier

Newbridge District Pike Anglers will be hosting a junior IFPAC qualifier on the 13th April. Fishing will take place from 11am to 3pm, and the event will be free for all children up to 18 years. There will be three categories, Under 9, Under 13 and Under 18, and there will be plenty of prizes kindly donated by Southside Angling and IFPAC.