Galway Weir

There remains one sluice gate open on the weir, meaning perfect conditions for flyfishing at the moment. The hot sunny conditions made things more difficult, however, but there were still 14 salmon recorded for the week. Spring salmon are continuing to run the river in good numbers, with some grilse starting to appear as well.

Connemara was already fairly dry prior to the heatwave, but water levels are extremely low now, so salmon runs are delayed as fish cannot move upstream in the low water.

The Erriff Fishery produced one fish over the last week , the fish was caught on the 23rd by Jamie Ryan, Wexford, and was taken on a small Cascade on Beat 8.
Ronan Cusack reports that fishing on Mask was tough this week, with a warm breeze and blazing sunshine making angling very difficult. BBQ's, steaks and cold beers seemed to take the place of tackle boxes in many cases!
Reasonable mayfly hatches were reported in the Bay of Islands and the Saints Island areas of the lake towards the middle of the week.
IFI staff members Gearoid Kirwan and Pat McDonnell had a day on Mask on Friday and they returned 11 fish on a combination of wets and dries (best fish 1.5lbs). Billy Graham and his 3 fishing buddies Laurence Gibb, Stephen Ellis and Dennis Hall from Northern Ireland spent the week at Hall's Angling Centre and enjoyed some excellent sport. Laurence Gibb took the top prize that week with a cracking trout of 7lbs. Christy Crotty and John Ronayne, Waterford, had an excellent day on buzzers and nymphs in bright conditions on Sunday last. They returned 6 fish (best fish 2lbs)
Ronan also guides on Mask and can be contacted at cusackronan@gmail.com or on 087 2869487.
Bright warm conditions combined with a lack of fly life made angling difficult on Carra this week. Jim Stafford, Brownstown, fished for a day midweek and he had 3 nice fish (best fish 2.5lbs). Jim also reported returning 10 undersize trout the same day. Three anglers from Northern Ireland fished out of Brownstown on Wednesday last, and they had 3 fish over 13 inches. They also returned numerous undersize fish throughout the day.

Monster Trout on Lough Corrib
Welsh angler and photo-journalist Ceri Jones will not forget his visit to Corrib this year. On his annual pilgrimages in search of the elusive big ferox trout, he had never broken the 20lbs mark until now, with his best fish being a 19lbs cracker which appeared on the front cover of Trout Fisherman magazine last year. He has now smashed his personal best, landing a trout of 23lbs 12oz on Sunday last in baking sunshine. The fish took a large rudd deadbait trolled slowly near Inchagoill Island.

The fish was officially weighed on certified scales, and once ratified, will be the largest officially verified trout from Lough Corrib - although several fish in and around 25lbs have been caught and released in recent years, they were not weighed on certified scales and cannot count for record purposes. With such massive fish coming off the lake, it is surely only a matter of time before the Irish trout record of 26lbs 2oz, set in 1884, is broken on Corrib.
Two visiting French anglers, Gabby Bonnaud and Gerald Ratu, clamed to have their best year yet, with 38 trout, the best of which was 3.5lbs, for a week's fishing at Corrib Wave house, Oughterard.
Corrib Wave can be contacted on 091 552147 or on www.corribwave.com
At Ardnasillagh Lodge, Basil Shields and Tom Coyle had some excellent fishing, to the extent that both hooked fish of over 7 and 5 lbs at the same time on one outing. Joe Murphy also had 4 fish for one day the best being of 4.5lbs.

Sea Angling
John Brittain, skipper of the Bluewater charter boat based in Cleggan, has been finding very good fishing for his clients recently. There are plenty of mackerel and launce around for bait, and the pollack as always are in abundance. Cod don't seem to be as plentiful as they were last year but they are of a reasonably good average size. John has had a couple of very good ray sessions with thornbacks and Spotted Ray in large numbers.
To book fishing or accommodation, contact John and Sue Brittain on 095 21073 or visit www.seafishingireland.net

Local angler Cathal Diviney landed a 5.5lbs grilse on fly, and Moycullen angler John Anderson had an 8lbs fish, also on fly. Michael Browne from Clare had fish of 4lbs and 7.5lbs on shrimp, while Limerick man Brian King had 2 grilse on shrimp and fly. Ian Keating from Dublin landed a nice 8lbs fish on fly, and fellow Dublin angler Gareth Byrne had a 6lbs fish on fly. Martin Kiely from Limerick had fish of 6 and 7lbs on shrimp. Gerry Kelly from Limerick had a fish of 6.5lbs on shrimp and another of 8.5lbs on fly. German visitor Michael Pfetzing landed a 4.5lbs grilse on shrimp, while his compatriot Lars Friebertshauser took the fish of the week, a fine 11lbs salmon on fly.

Water levels are perfect for flyfishing at the moment, and with plenty of fish running the river and such good conditions, angling prospects in Galway are very good for the coming week.

Erriff

There is very little angling pressure on the Erriff at the moment, but water levels are extremely low and rainfall is needed to get fish moving.

A casting and flyfishing course for ladies will take place from Thursday the 5th to Sunday the 8th of July, led by qualified casting instructor mark Corps. All accommodation and meals are included, as well as tuition in all aspects of flyfishing and salmon fishing, and plenty of time on the river to practise the skills acquired. The cost for 3 nights B&B, lunch and dinner, and fishing tuition is €500 per participant. Partners can stay for €300, and may fish the river on the other beats for free. Contact Aasleagh Lodge for information and booking.

To book fishing on the Erriff or accommodation in Aasleagh Lodge, contact fishery manager Jim Stafford on 095 42252, or visit www.aasleaghlodge.ie for details. The lodge and fishery also have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AasleaghLodge

Lough Mask Produces Excellent Sport in BBQ Conditions

Ronan Cusack fished with Padraig Kerrigan, Cornamona, for a half day on Thursday last and they finished with 13 fish on buzzer (best fish 3lbs all released).

John Webb, Scotland, and Phil McGinnity from Westport fished with Ronan Cusack on Friday and Sunday last. Friday was very windy with blue skies all day, and resulted in only a few undersize fish to wet flies. Sunday saw a drop in wind strength and the lads finished with 7 decent fish on buzzer (best fish 2lbs, all released). Trevor Stafford, Ballinrobe, fished with Jimmy Keogh, Dublin, for a day this week and they returned 17 fish for the day with just 2 exceeding the size limit. Kevin Sheridan had a quiet week this week with only 8 trout (best fish 2.5lbs, all released). Stephan Boyd and Alex Hill, UK, fished on the Tourmakeady side of the lake for 4 days this week and they returned 11 fish for their trip (best fish 3lbs).

To book accommodation or boat hire at Hall's, contact David Hall at 094 9541389 or visit www.lakeshoreholidays.com

Lough Carra

Patrick Thomson from Armagh stayed at Keel River Lodge this week and he had 9 trout on wet flies for his stay (best fish 2lbs). Patrick said the Green Peter and Claret Bumble accounted for most of his fish.

For all your self-catering needs, boat hire and angling information contact Joe and Lucy Flannelly at 094 9541706 or 087 6387701, or email keelriverlodge@eircom.net

The west of Ireland bathed in sub-tropical conditions over the last few days, with the temperature gauge reaching 28 degrees on several days. The hot weather has probably brought mayfly hatches to a gradual finish, after what was generally reckoned to the best mayfly season for many years. Despite cold northerly winds for much of the period, mayfly hatches were very prolific, and angling was excellent for the most part, with some exceptional catches reported.

Eamon Walsh reports that the bright sunshine and warm weather threw up a diverse week from a trout anglers point of view. Certain areas of the lake had rich pickings for those brave enough to battle the sunshine . The best of the fishing was enjoyed at the beginning of the week, prior to the temperatures rising, with some large hatches of mayfly in some areas.

Enda Browne had 2 nice fish in the early days of the week on dry mayfly, Enda also landed a 10.5lbs pike to the same fly pattern! Martin Murphy had 2 fish, the best of which was 2lbs, on the natural mayfly while fishing in the Greenfields area. Frank and Joe Kilfoyle had 4 trout for 6.5lbs to wet fly also in the Greenfields area. Meanwhile, the David Williams party had 11 trout over 3 days, most were released, including a nice fish of 3.5lbs while fishing out of Salthouse Bay near Cross.

Over the weekend there was still plenty of fly life on the water but trout activity had slowed dramatically, with 40 anglers recording a total of 9 trout in the annual Cornamona Mayfly competition on Sunday. Gerry McDonald took first place as well as heaviest fish, with 2 fine trout.

Tommy Kelly reports that fishing in the Oughterard area and on the lower lake is still providing plenty of activity for anglers. The Dublin Amateur Dapping Society had a few great days based out of Lakeland Angling Center, Eden Brophy, Peter Bragain and Peter Kidney each had 9 fish, and David Richards had 5. Noel Kerins and Paddy Curran from Banagher had 8 trout also fishing from Lakelands.

To book fishing or accommodation at Lakeland call 091 552121 or visit www.lakelandanglingcentre.com

At Currarevagh House, Paul Coridia and a friend had 14 trout for 4 days, their best day being Wednesday when they boated 9 trout for an estimated 15lbs. Many of these trout were caught in bays which in recent years were unfishable due to the Lagarosiphon Major infestation, but since the removal and covering program was introduced these bays have once again become a hive of activity for trout and consequently anglers.

Currarevagh House is at 091 552312 or online at www.currarevagh.com

Basil Shields can be contacted on 091 552550 for guiding and accommodation.

As the mayfly trout activity may have slowed during the day in some areas, anglers may be more likely to have success with some evening fishing as the sun sets and temperatures drop back. Anglers might be encouraged to try spent mayfly or sedge pattern to lure trout to the surface. A lot of anglers are engaging in trolling for ferox trout during the fine weather to great success.

Salmon fishing is also worth a try during this period as more are reported to be seen in the lake. It is important to remember that a licence is needed when fishing for salmon, any salmon caught and kept must be tagged and details entered into the anglers log book. A daily bag limit of 3 salmon is in operation from the 12th of May to 31st of August. Licenses can be purchased on line at: www.salmonlicences.ie

Tomi Kurman from the Corrib Predator Team emailed a couple of photos from recent trips out on the lake after pike. Spring is a great time to target big pike as they are hungry after spawning, and while they are not as heavy as later on in the year, they give great sport. Flyfishing is proving very successful at the moment, and all of the clients have had personal bests on their recent trips, including a fine fish of 111cm for Polish angler Piotr.

To book fishing with one of the Predator Team guides, contact them on 085 7318541 (Tomi) or 085 7741578 (Jack), check Jack's website at www.fishingireland.pl or find Tomi on Facebook at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001817618251