Billy Crory releasing his 7 lbs catch back to the waters of The Ridge Pool this week
A sea trout competition on the Moy Estuary also produced some fine fishing, with 64 trout landed. The best fish of the week on Judd Ruane’s boat weighed just over 3lbs, a nice sea trout indeed.
In Kerry, a fine 12lbs salmon was reported caught (and released) from the Kerry Blackwater, with a few more fish off the Roughty near Kemare, and on Lough Currane, catches picked up slightly with 7 salmon and a number of sea trout reported.
Over on the Munster Blackwater, catches were described as sporadic but the quality of fish being caught was good, with most fish over 4kgs and not many grilse reported yet.
Lucky angler Ethan with a beautiful doubled figure fish from the Blackwater Valley Fishery’s Ballyduff Bridge beat last Thursday
June to date has apparently been one of the drier Junes on record, but hopefully that drop of rain over the last couple of days will get fish moving and we will see a big improvement in fishing through July.
Trout angling on the lakes has been fairly quiet, with many fish feeding on coarse fish fry now, but Senan Stanley found fish in a feeding mood for his lures when he hit Lough Derg after a break.
Senan Stanley with a nice trout from L. Derg
Sea trout are scarce yet on the Bride, but brown trout angling was reported to be quite good. The River Whispers is fortnightly newsletter from fishing guide Dan O’Neill, and he has a few tips from himself, and other seasoned anglers, about tactics and flies for this time of year on the river.
Peter Driver reports on the fishing on the Nore, which he says can still improve a bit, as well as on the progress of the Irish team at the World Championships om France, where they started very well earlier in the week.
The Irish team in France
PavThe Ireland on the Fly podcast this week talks to flyfishing expert, casting instructor and fishing show organiser Stevie Munn, well known in the fishing community throughout Ireland. Stevie talks about growing up in Belfast during the Troubles, and how fishing offered many an escape from the stresses of those times.
Sea angling suffered from windy conditions on a few days this week, but we still have some great reports in. Young angler Callum had an enjoyable day with uncle Christopher out of Killybegs, catching 11 species, including a most unusual bass from the boat in Donegal Bay.
Shannon Estuary tope
Reef fishing is also producing well there, and guests on the Isle of Aran had some great sport with pollack, ling, coalies and spurdog coming aboard.
On the shore competition scene, JP Molloy was definitely not a surprise winner of the West Cork competition at Bantry airstrip with a fine catch of 22 dogfish. Thornback ray and bull huss also featured in the catch. In Clare, the Fanore club held a competition in slorious sunshine at Ballyreen, with some fine fish caught, including this conger for Tom Faley which is our Catch of the Week.
Catch of the Week was this fine conger eel
Pike fishing is having a lull at the moment, and we have no reports in this week.
In coarse angling, the 2-day Roslea Lakes festival was won by Pete Jones with 9.325kg. Conditions were good for both days of the event, but the fishing was hard with bonus fish deciding the results.
Tench
The Breffni Arms Hotel in Arva recently hosted its 5-day over-50s competition, which proved to be a smashing event. Over the course of the festival, there was some superb fishing, w with plenty of 10kg+ bags and some amazing bags, including Steve Canty’s 50.06kg on Day 1. Read on to see if this was enough to take the title for Stave.
We also have reports from the Tulla Anglers, who held a match at Silvergrove, and Oaklands Fishery, where the Athy Anglers had some very good bags for the second match of their summer league.
The NCFFI All Ireland Method Feeder Final will be held in Oaklands Lake this September, and the first of two qualifying rounds was held at Gaulmoylestown at the weekend. It was a close run thing at the top, as Karl Page with 64.48kg just pipped Johnny Bailey with 64.08kg to top the rankings on the day.
In other newsInland Fisheries Ireland calls all sea anglers to participate in the 2024 IMREC Survey. The Irish Marine Recreational Angling (IMREC) Diary was launched in 2021 to help monitor recreational catches of marine species in our waters. A primary aim of the project is to collect data that will help all stakeholders to better manage, conserve and protect the fisheries resource, thereby providing benefits for recreational sea angling in Ireland and supporting those small businesses involved in the sea angling sector.
And now the weather…
Mainly dry today (Friday) but cloud increasing from the southwest. This evening, rain and drizzle will gradually spread over Munster and Connacht. Highest temperatures of 14 to 19 degrees, with light to moderate west to southwest winds. Rain and drizzle spreading countrywide tonight, and clearing slowly eastwards during the day on Saturday, followed by sunny spells. Highs of 15 to 20 degrees with light to moderate northwest breezes.
Sunday: Mostly dry with some showers in Ulster, and showery rain arriving into Atlantic counties during the late afternoon. Driest and mildest across the midlands, south and east with sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 13 to 20 degrees, all in light to moderate westerly breezes.
Monday: Cloudy conditions with outbreaks of rain and drizzle will give way to sunny spells and well scattered showers. Breezy in moderate to fresh northwest winds. Highest temperatures of 13 to 20 degrees, mildest across the southeast.
Current indications suggest that Tuesday will be mostly cloudy and bring outbreaks of showers merging into longer spells of rain at times. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees, with moderate westerly breezes.
Don’t forget to check the forecast before heading off and if you’re going to sea, check the tides. |
|
All the angling news
Sea Angling Reports
|
|
|
