The recent snow and icy conditions have had some impact on anglers fishing in the last few days but in the previous week or two there was plenty of angling activity.
The River Bundrowes in Donegal has finally produced a few salmon including the first fly caught fish. In Leitrim a couple of fish were reported from Lough Melvin. One salmon hooked and lost at the Blackwater Lodge on a very flooded Munster Blackwater on the opening day. No fresh salmonhave been reported from Lough Currane in Co. Kerry yet though many salmon and sea trout kelts have been hooked and returned safely on the lough in the past two weeks.
Many anglers are still focusing their efforts on pike angling and fishing has been very good with. The best sport is coming from loughs as many of our rivers are in heavy flood. The biggest pike of the season so far was caught a number of weeks ago; a 33.5 lbs. pike from Shreelane lake in west Cork.
Many shore anglers travelled over from the UK for the annual winter shore festival based in south Wexford and despite the very poor weather fair catches were taken on venues in Wexford and Waterford. Well known angling journalist Alan Yates from Kent in the UK won the overall event which was hosted by EFSA Ireland. There were reports of good sea fishing from venues in Cork and Kerry including a specimen bass of 14.lbs.
Finally there are press releases from the North Western Region on restriction on salmon fishing at Pontoon Bridge in Co. Mayo and another from the Eastern Region on a great fly casting event on the River Liffey.
This week’s Catch of the Week comes from Co. Kerry. Michael O’Driscoll was fishing Beat 1 of the River Laune on 26 January when he caught this fine spring salmon.
The water was high and temperatures were cold enough but the fish fell for a bunch of worms trotted down the river.
The fish was weighed at 14.25 lbs.
River Laune
Killarney, Killorglin, Co. Kerry
This is a good salmon river with fishing available through angling associations and the South Western Regional Fisheries Board. Fair to good run of fish dependent on water. All legal angling methods are allowed subject to on the rules of particular fisheries. Rod catches were 638 salmon for 2005 and 869 in 2006. These rod catches also include the Killarney Lakes below. The season runs from January 17th to 30th of September and best time of year is April to September. Daily and weekly permits are available from tackle dealers in Killarney.
