Galway Weir
Water levels were at two gates all week on the weir, and fishing picked up considerably over the previous weeks, when high water levels prevailed. There were 57 salmon landed for the week, with many taken on fly, although shrimp and spinning also produced fish.

Long-time German visitor Manfred Wilke had a nice 5.5lbs grilse on shrimp, while fellow German visitors, father and son Wolfram and Matthias Hoppe had 3 grilse each, all on fly. Moycullen angler John Anderson landed 6 grilse on fly over 2 visits, sportingly releasing 5 of these, while Salthill man Simon Lenihan landed 2 grilse on fly. Galway angler Karl Reynolds landed 2 nice grilse of 5lbs each on spinner, while Cavan angler Gearóid McSéan landed 2 grilse on shrimp and spinner. Damien Barron from Offaly took a fine 7.5lbs grilse on spinner, while Northern Ireland angler Davy Hoy, a regular visitor to Galway, landed 2 crackers of 7.5lbs and 8lbs, both taken on fly.

Richard Farrelly from Meath took 2 grilse to 7.5lbs on shrimp, and father and son Jack and Lawrence Flood, visiting from the UK, had 3 grilse each, best fish 6.5lbs, on fly and shrimp.

Good numbers of salmon are running in Galway, and rivers upstream have also produced excellent sport over the last week or so, and with water levels not forecast to rise, fishing prospects for the coming week are very good.

Erriff
Fishery manager Jim Stafford reports on fishing last week. Water levels on the Erriff were still above average for the week. Levels were recorded at 0.76 meters on the 8th. Heavy showers increased levels to 1.1 meters on the 9th and 1.2 meters on the 10th. With no further rain of any significance levels fell to .72 meters by the 14th of the week. Overall angling pressure on the river was light during the week.

Fishing a Cascade in the Falls Pool on Beat 9, Barbara Ceillier, Dublin, caught a fresh-run grilse of 5lbs. Alexander Mills & Gareth Beattie from Co. Tyrone had 3 fish from the School House Pool on Beat 3 and the Sea Pool and Upper Garden Pool on Beat 9 - best fish weighed 5lbs. Arthur Muckian and his son James had one each in the Falls Pool on a Red Shrimp and Orange Cascade.

Hazel Clarke with her salmon grilse caught on River Eriff on Beat 9.

Bill Bullick caught one of 6lbs in the Colonel's Run on Beat 6 on a Curry's Red Shrimp, and Jim Wilson, Mount Falcon, released a grilse taken on a Coolraw Killer in the General's Reach on Beat 8. Brian Stark, N. Irl., fishing the Erriff for the first time, caught a grilse in the Garden Pool on a Cascade and lost another.

Hazel Clarke, U.K., caught one on a Stoat's Tail in the Garden Pool on Beat 9. Anthony Holden landed one in the Bridge Pool on Beat 9 on a Cascade. Andrew Beattie, U.K., caught 2 in the Falls and Sea Pools on a Curry's Red Shrimp. Annual French visiting angler Gerard Garnier caught 3 fish all on Beat 9 on a Cascade and released all fish to the water again.

Total catch for the week was 15 salmon and 8 sea trout.

At the time of writing the report heavy overnight rain on the 16th has increased levels to 1.6 meters on the Aasleagh Guage - so prospects look good for the coming week.

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.

Delphi
David McEvoy reports that Delphi Lodge hosted a good mixture of anglers last week, with some hardened veterans and some who were still trying to catch that elusive first ever salmon. It was the hardened veterans who featured strongly on the catch sheets with Urs Leibundgut and Ciaran Boland to the fore.

Urs landed 5 more fish for his stay. He managed to land the biggest fish last year and so far this year he has landed the smallest of approx. 1lb 8oz in the Meadow pool on a Gaula Temple Dog. He had another off Cooleen's of approx. 2lbs 8oz on a Silver Stoat, one off the Rock pool of 3lbs 8.5oz on an Ally and one off the Meadow of 3lbs 2oz on a Delphi Collie. He also had a springer off Finlough of 7lbs 13.5oz on a Silver Stoat.

Ciaran Boland had two off Finlough, one of 2lbs 14oz and one of 3lbs, both on a Gaula Temple Dog, for his short visit. Klaus Buening had a lovely fish of approx. 5lbs off the Rock pool on a Silver Stoat.

David himself landed two, one off the New Island of approx. 4lbs 12oz on a Willie Gunn needle tube tied by Barbara Ceillier and the other off the Turn pool on a Delphi Collie of approx. 5lbs.

Fish of the week went to Ted Maxted, who is now in his 85th year and had just managed to lose a fish at the bottom of the Meadow pool while David was there to assist. He then managed to land a fish of approx. 7lbs on his own on a Mini tube.

It was also an occasion to remember for Mary Martha Waltz, from California, who has been coming to Delphi since 2006, and was still chasing her first salmon. For the first 5 days of her stay it looked like her luck was out yet again, until Friday, when guided by Peter Joyce on Cooleen's, Mary Martha hooked and finally landed her first ever Atlantic salmon, a sea liced 4lbs 13oz fish. She walked on air for the rest of the day and I don't know if she's come back down to earth yet.

To book fishing or accommodation at Delphi, contact the lodge at 095 42222, or check www.delphilodge.ie

Kylemore

Fishery manager Nigel Rush reports that last week was a very dry week, which contributed to poor river fishing, and fickle winds to poor lake fishing. Just 4 salmon were reported for the week to 7lbs, and 13 sea trout for 12 rod-days. However, with 66 salmon in the book for the season so far we can't complain and it took us until the 13th of August to notch up that amount last year.

Since that report a lot of rain ahs fallen, and the river rose 2 feet on Tuesday. By 11am the Lower Falls were alive with the backlog of fish that had not been given much encouragement to enter the system, and this has improved the fishing no end, with 9 fish for the week so far, with 7 of them taken on Tuesday in fast rising water. Geoffrey Fitzjohn landed 4 to 6lbs, Sean Kelly had one of 4lbs, Patrick Molloy one of 6lb from the Rock Pool and Michael French a 2lbs fish from the Castle Lake. Sea trout are now running in very good numbers, and fishing on the lakes should provide excellent sport over the next few weeks.

To book fishing at Kylemore Abbey, contact Nigel on 095 41178, or mobile 087 9580702, and for latest news check the website at www.kylemorefishery.ie

Lough Inagh
Fishery manager Colin Folan was delighted to report that that sea trout fishing is still very good, and actually getting better as the days go on. In total there were 98 sea trout landed for the week. Most of the fish are being caught on the lake, as there is very little water in the river beats at present. Most of the fish are of equal size (roughly 1lb 2oz), and in very good condition. If we keep going as we are, it will be the best year since the collapse in 1988. John Casey (Galway) had the best fish of the week, a fresh 2.5lbs fish from Pine Island Beat. Billy Grange and George Murray (N.Ireland) fished Lough Inagh for Friday and Saturday and landed a total of 20 sea trout and a small fresh grilse of 3lbs on a Silver Daddy and a Clan Chief. Sean McCloskey and Mervyn Bell (N. Ireland) had a great day with 10 to 1.5lbs on a Jungle Bunny.

Salmon fishing remained slow due to the lack of water, however 6 were landed in total for the week. Dara Noone (Galway) had the best fish, weighing 6.5lbs, caught on a Red Daddy on Lough Inagh.

Colin emailed again on Wednesday to say that 36 hours of rain has driven the water up to flood level. All the beats are fishable and I believe that there is a good run happening. 2 anglers who were out on Inagh on Wednesday morning landed 4 salmon to 12lbs and 8 sea trout. Good fishing should be around for a few days yet.

To book fishing or accommodation at Lough Inagh Lodge, contact the hotel on 00353 95 34706, or view their website at www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie

Lough Mask
Ronan Cusack reports that World Cup fever is in the air and plenty of anglers were out this week testing the water for the forthcoming event, which begins on August 2nd.

Jackie Mahon and a friend from Sligo fished over the weekend and they had 8 good trout from the deep on wetfly patterns (best fish 2lbs, all returned). Jackie also reported returning several black trout very close to the 13inch limit. Shane Kramer and friend from Tipperary fished on Saturday and they had 2 keepers among several undersize trout for the day (best fish 2lbs). Ronan Cusack fished with John Young from Waterville on Friday and they had 5 keepers and again several undersize trout for the afternoon (best fish 1.5lbs, all returned). Mick Dunne Tourmakeady had 4 fish for a day on Saturday last (best fish 1.5lbs all returned). Greg O'Donoghue, Ballinrobe, fished dries for a day earlier in the week and he had 3 good fish in the shallows (best fish 2.5lbs all returned). Declan Gibbons, Cong, had 3 fish for his day on Monday last (best fish 2.5lbs, all returned).

Water levels remain high due to the relentless rainfall and fly hatches are described as sparse.

Ronan also guides on Mask and can be contacted on 087 2869487 or email cusackronan@gmail.com