The Moy enjoyed a very good week of spring salmon fishing with 53 salmon reported.

On the Ballina Salmon Anglers water, Pat Twomey, Dublin, had a 6 lbs. salmon on spinner while on the Coolcronan Fishery the first fish of the season was caught by UK visitor Lorenzo Serrano. Lorenzo won the 2008 Coolcronan Cup with a fine 10-pounder taken on a copper Flying-C and crowned his fishing day with another 7 lbs. salmon which he took on black Flying-C. Also on Coolcronan, Gerard Nevin, Longford, caught a 6 lbs. salmon on spinner.

A happy Lorenzo Serrano with the first Coolcronan salmon of the 2008 season.

The Foxford Fishery produced 5 fish for the week. Amongst the successful anglers were Rupert Banks, UK, with fish of 8 lbs. & 10 lbs., Richard Wallace, also UK, with a fine 11-pounder and Coln Nesbitt, who had a 10 lbs. salmon on the worm.

Cloongee had a very good week with a total of 9 fish caught. German fly angler, Michael Probst, had a 9 lbs. salmon while Peter Reintjens took a 6 lbs. fish on worm. Other notable catches included 2 salmon at 10 lbs. & 11 lbs. for Brendan Lowney, Wexford and a 10.5 lbs. salmon for Mark Murphy, also Wexford. On the East Mayo Association water, Bert Kavanagh, Dublin caught an 8 lbs. salmon on fly while Colum Mullarkey, Sligo, had one at 11.5 lbs also on the fly.

With water conditions in "good order" and with the mild weather continuing, angling should further improve over the coming weeks.

Anglers are reminded that free fishing continues on the Ridge Pool until the first salmon is caught there.

Lough Conn

Fishing conditions were unsettled during the week, with cool north east winds persisting on most days. As a consequence, angling activity was slow on Lough Conn.

However, Jim O’Sullivan and Paul Doyle, both from Dublin, had 3 trout for 3 lbs. fishing from Healy’s Hotel. Patrick and Terence McDonald, Northern Ireland, who were guests of Pontoon Bridge Hotel, had 3 fish (averaging 1 lbs.) over 2 days, while Eamon Ross, Cavan & John Murray, Sligo caught 4 trout for 4 .5 lbs., fishing from Gortnorabbey. Over at Cloghans, Brendan Levens, Dublin, had 2 trout for 1.25 lbs. each. Elsewhere, Mike Gibbons, Ballina, caught 2 trout at 3 lbs. each while trolling a Rapalla.

The Foxford Anglers fished the "Devaney Cup" on Sunday, 20 April. Twenty-four anglers took part and a total of 11 trout weighing 13 lbs. were caught. First place went to Joe Quinn, Ballina, with 3 fish for 3 lbs. Runner up was Adrian Murphy, Cloghans, (2 fish at 1.71 lbs.) and Michael Tiernan Jnr. Came Third (2 fish at 1.67 lbs.). The next event will be fished on Thursday, 14 May. This will be an evening competition and further information is available from Tiernan Brothers, Foxford (Tel: 094-56731).

Ballisodare River

The Ballisodare Fishery accounted for a total of 5 salmon for the week, three of which were released. Heather Chambers had a 6 lbs. fish on a Yellow Ally’s Shrimp while M. Kitchen caught a fine 9 lbs salmon on the worm. The three fish release all fell to the fly with the best of these, a 7 lbs. salmon, caught and released by Gerry McHugh.