Angling News
Angling News - WRBD Galway 17 July 2013
By Kevin Crowley
18, Jul 2013 - 07:45

Galway Fishery

It has been a tremendous summer so far for salmon fishing in Galway, with great numbers of grilse still running every day, even 6 weeks after the run started in earnest. The hot weather of the last week has slowed fishing somewhat, however, with temperatures in Galway reaching 29 degrees at times! Despite the high temperatures, there were 40 fish landed for the week, with many more fish met by anglers and not landed. German angler Manfred Wilke had one grilse on shrimp, while IFI's Markus Muller caught and released a nice 4lbs grilse on fly. Galway angler Bert Lynch took a 7lbs fish on shrimp, while Dr. John Casey from Clifden had 2 grilse on fly. Moycullen angler Neil Spellacy returned from holidays to bag a 5.5lbs fish on fly, and Northern Irish angler Terry McDermott landed 2 grilse to 6lbs, both on fly. UK visitor Laurence Flood landed 2 grilse on shrimp, and fellow UK angler Andrew Pease had a nice 5.5lbs grilse on fly. Italian angler E. Ramozzi took a grilse on fly, and local angler Declan Tuffy landed a fine 7lbs grilse on fly while fishing a single-handed rod, enjoying great sport. Margaret Downes landed 2 grilse on fly, as did local man Dave Lenihan, while regular Dublin visitor Colm Adams took 2 nice grilse on shrimp. John Hetherington has 3 grilse landed at the time of writing, taken on fly and shrimp, with hopefully more to report as he is still fishing.

Water levels are perfect for the fly at the moment, with one gate open on the weir, and with such a good run of fish at the moment, fishing prospects remain excellent in Galway.

Lough Corrib
The current heatwave means that fishing on Corrib has been seriously curtailed, with most anglers either heading for the beach, or just fishing very early or very late. Very few boats have been out, and there were no reports for the week. This time of year sees the peak of the Caenis hatches, and anglers prepared to rise early and get on the lake for first light may be rewarded with excellent dry fly sport. Sedge hatches are also peaking at the moment, and fishing very late, well into darkness, can provide similarly good sport.

Lough Mask
Fishing guide David Connor reports that the best fishing on Mask over the last week was on a couple of days when we had cloud cover in the mornings, with the fish switching off once the sun appeared. The heatwave has had an effect on fishing here, with few boats out, and anglers taking advantage of short windows when the hot weather broke briefly to target fish.

David and his father Martin fished from Cushlough on Saturday morning, hoping the cloud would last all day. They enjoyed some good fishing in the deeps off Devinish and around the Shindilla Islands. David himself managed to land 7 with 3 of them just undersize, and the best of the rest was about 1.5lbs, while Martin landed 1 good trout weighing 2.5lbs. All of the action happened before 2pm, when the cloud cleared and the fish switched off.

David offers a guiding service from various points around Lough Mask, and can be contacted at davidmconnor@live.co.uk or 087 3946989.

Erriff Fishery
Fishery manager Jim Stafford reports on fishing for the first 2 weeks of July, with early rain and good conditions followed by baking heat and low water.

10-year-old Chloe Stafford with her grandad, fishery manager Jim, and her first ever salmon, caught at the Erriff Fishery, July 2013.

Water levels were favourable at 1.3m on the 1st July. Heavy rain increased levels to 1.6m on the 3rd. With warm sunshine levels fell to 0.7m by the 7th, and slowly dropped to 0.55m by the 15th. Angling conditions were favourable early in the week but with glorious sunshine and temperatures in the mid twenties fishing did become more difficult.

Brent Vinall with his first ever salmon, which he caught while participating in a beginner's salmon angling course at the Erriff Fishery during July, 2013.

Jorg Newman from Berlin, fishing the Erriff for the first time, caught and released his first Irish salmon on a Black Shrimp fly in the Holly Pool on Beat 8 - Jorg also released 2 sea trout caught in the Sea Pool. Herve Rodrigue, France, caught a fresh-run grilse of 5.25lbs and released another of 4lbs - both fish were caught on a Hairy Mary in the School House Pool on Beat 3. John Dardis, Kildare, released 2 sea trout and retained a grilse of 4.5lbs caught on a Cascade in the Garden Pool on Beat 9. Fishing a Shadow Shrimp, the Twin Rocks on Beat 7 produced a grilse of 6.5lbs for Enda Kenny from Enfield, Co. Meath. David Glazman, Los Angeles, California USA, caught a good sea trout in the Middle Garden Pool - then fishing a Black Shrimp pattern hooked into his first ever Atlantic salmon but was unlucky to part from the fish after several minutes when the fish was almost ready for the net - David was impressed with the power of this good sized fresh run bar of silver.

Enda O'Connell from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, hooked 7 fish in a day on Beats 5 and 6, and managed to land 3 - best fish was estimated at 10lbs and was released. A few days later Enda also released a fish estimated at 11lbs which was taken on an Ally's Shrimp in the Broken Bridge Pool on Beat 5 - Enda's son Hugh retained one of 5.5lbs taken on a Cascade in the Garden Pool and released another grilse taken in the Falls Pool on Beat 9.

Accompanied by the Fishery Manager and fishing a Yoshi John (a fly tied by Yoshi Toide from Japan)in the Lower Garden Pool on Beat 9, Chloe Stafford (aged 10) caught a fresh-run grilse of 3.25lbs - this was Chloe's first ever salmon.

Michael Vincent, Athy Co. Kildare caught a grilse of 4.5lbs in the Colonel's Run on Beat 6 on a Cascade. Martin Davison, NI, caught a good fish of 8lbs on a Cascade in Joyce's Sand Hill on Beat 5.

The local angling club had a day on the river on the 7th and Peter Coyne and Gerry Turner caught a fish each in the Sea Pool and Falls Pool on Beat 9.

A very successful Salmon Angling Course was held at Aasleagh Lodge and the Erriff River from the 4th to 7th July. There were 8 participants on the course. Participant Tony Brown from Donegal caught his first ever salmon on fly in the Garden Pool. Brent Vinall, a course participant from the UK, also caught his first ever salmon - the fish was taken on a Cascade in Joyce's Sand Hill on Beat 9 - Brent went on to catch another one of 4.5lbs on a Green & Gold 3 days later when angling conditions were far from ideal. Rene Janjo, Switzerland also caught his first Irish salmon in the Falls Pool on Beat 9 on a Silver Stoat.

At the time of writing the river is baked in glorious summer weather and while everyone is enjoying the fine summer weather the anglers are hoping for rain.

The total catch for the period given the angling conditions was a respectable 22 salmon and 12 sea trout.

To book fishing or accommodation at Aasleagh Lodge, contact Jim at +353 95 42252, or check www.aasleaghlodge.ie for details.