Previous Reports:
Angling Report 08/05/01 Angling Report 01/05/01 Angling Report 24/04/01 Angling Report 08/04/01 Angling Report 19/02/01 Angling Report 03/10/00 Angling Report 26/09/00 Angling Report 12/09/00 Angling Report 05/09/00 Angling Report 29/08/00 Angling Report 16/08/00
The Western Regional Fisheries Board
Western Region Angling Report May 16th. 2001
by Danny Goldrick
Lough Corribby Danny Goldrick
The big news this week is that the Mayfly is up and anglers are beginning to take trout to the dap and to wet fly. While the fly is just about starting to rise, the Mayfly season will be in full swing by this coming weekend. In recent days there are reports also of massive hatches of chironomid fly and big rises of trout feeding to them. A few anglers have landed quite a few trout to dry chironomid tyings over the week, including 6 averaging 4 lb to Danny Goldrick; 3 to Oliver Ryan for over 14 lb and 1 to Marty Beatty of over 4 lb. The David Ebdon party fishing from the Camillaun Angling Centre, Oughterard, are averaging 6 to 8 fish per day, best 3.5 lb, 2.5 lb and 2 lb. The same party landed 94 trout during their visit from England last Mayfly season, all but one been released again to the lake. A Welsh party staying at the same Centre are averaging 3 to 4 trout per day, and a Dundalk visitor had one of 5.25 lb. Seven-year old Christopher Forde landed a 2 lb 10 oz fish to a dry fly, one of the youngest anglers on the lake this season.
The long, sunny days with high temperatures and lots of flat calm days, didn't seem to affect trout angling on the Greenfields/Cong/Cornamona side of the lake, where 86 anglers fished over 145 days, trout fishing was also good and where the Mayfly hatches are best of all, 243 trout for 345 lb having been caught mainly to wet fly. Here, again, chironomid hatches were heavier than seen for a long time and some anglers were able to take trout to nymph patterns. Pat day from Headford used mayfly patterns to take 3 trout for near 6 lb in 20 minutes on Monday evening, all packed with chironomid fly when spooned. Peter Walsh from Cornamona fished over 4 evenings for 9 trout for 14 lb, all to wet fly, and Tom Munroe from the same place had 14 for 20 lb to the dap, helped by a friend. In three days Philip Gradwell landed 8 for 13.5 lb in 3 days. Not included in the above returns are 26 trout caught by 4 Dublin anglers while fishing from Maura Reilly's Inishkeeragh Lodge, Headford.
Back to top of report
Lough Mask
Dry fly, wet fly and some trolling accounted for 64 trout for 104 lb by 37 anglers fishing over 89 days, best weighing 11.5 lb and 10.5 lb. There was little sign of Mayfly at the weekend but hatches of Olives and chironomids were excellent, attracting some big rises of trout in sheltered bay in late evening. In two days wet fly fishing Greg Donohoe from Dublin, a weekly visitor to the lake, landed 9 trout for 13 lb, and Harold O'Toole from Galway had two big trout of 11.5 lb and 10.5 lb to the troll. M. Caffrey used the same method for 2 fish for 10 lb and 9.5 lb. Four and a half year old Ashling and 9-year-old Emma Lausher from Dublin went trolling and they 3 trout for a day. In 5 days Belfast anglers S. Marron and T. Figgis had 13 trout for 17.5 lb, all to wet and dry fly. Joe Creane, Tom Byrne and Kevin Bradley landed 27 trout over two days, all of which very sportingly were returned again to the lake.
Back to top of report
Lough Carra
There were fairly good hatches of Mayfly on the lake all week but Olives and chironomid hatches were far greater. Trout angling was good when conditions were favourable. However, it was reported that while lots of trout were seen feeding there were times when they were hard to catch. Over the week 43 anglers landed 54 for 69 lb in 98 angling days. With better hatches of Mayfly expected in the coming week, anglers' catches should improve greatly. Joe Creane and Tom Byrne landed 4 trout to the spent gnat on Sunday, while two North of Ireland anglers had 9 for 12 lb to the stimulator wet fly pattern. P. Despard and two friends from Belfast had 4 for almost 7 lb, and T. McWeeney and friends had 6 for 9 lb, best 2.75 lb. P. Vernan and a friend from Dublin landed 5 for almost 7 lb to wet and dry fly.
Back to top of report
Galway Salmon Weir Fishery
Only 8 salmon were caught for the week when water levels were quite low (just one sluice gate open). The heaviest of 13.5 lb was caught by Ashley Mathews. Damian Nolan from Limerick landed one 13 lb, also to wet fly. Alan Lewis from Belfast also fished fly and he took a 12 lb fish. Three grilse were caught over the week. Enquiries for fishing to Seamus Hartigan, telephone: 091 562388.
Back to top of report
Bunowen And Carrowniskey
No report from this fishery yet
Back to top of report
Moher Lake
A note from the Westport Angling Club secretary, Toby Gibbons reads: Just to let you know we had a wonderful evening on Moher Lake. We had a mixture of senior anglers and some new anglers ( lads who are getting in to fly-fishing). We caught 27 stocked trout and about 15 natural trout (which we put back). I had the heaviest bag of trout - 3 fish weighing 4.25 lbs. Seamus O' Malley and Adrian Kelly also had three trout each, both weighing in at 4 lbs. It was a very successful get together and a first outing for many of our anglers who had not fished due to foot & mouth precautions. For permits and boat hire telephone: 098 21638
Back to top of report
Lough Inagh Fishery
No report from this fishery yet
Back to top of report
Kinlooey Lake, Aughergower, Westport
Permits and boat hire can be obtained through John Scott's Shop, Aughergower, telephone: 098 25119
Back to top of report
Kylemore Fishery
No report from this fishery yet
Back to top of report
Erriff Fishery:
No report from this fishery yet
Back to top of report
Coarse Angling
There has been some excellent fishing at some of the Moycullen lakes in the past two weeks, young Cathal Hughes having between 30 and 50 lb of mainly skimmer bream for a few hours fishing some evenings.
Back to top of report
Sea Angling
Reports from Westport say there is excellent deep sea angling, the calm and sunny weather a big help in allowing boats to fish every day. Pollock, wrasse and mackerel make up the bulk of the catch. All the boats are in operation from Westport Quay and Vinny Keogh's number is: (098 26398/26194/26427).
Back to top of report
Lake Reports:
Lough CorribLough Mask
Lough Carra
Galway Weir
Bunowen And Carrowniskey
Moher Lake
Lough Inagh Fishery
Kylemore Fishery
Erriff Fishery
Coarse Fishing
Sea Angling