The Western Regional Fisheries Board
Western Region Angling Report September 26th. 2000
by Danny Goldrick
Lough Corribby Danny Goldrick
Although the lake was rising from heavy rain during the past two weeks, brown trout fishing was considered to be the best ever for the time of season. There has seldom, if ever been the high quality of angling on Corrib or any other lake in Ireland as that witnessed throughout the season.
Many anglers are astonished at the large catches recorded and a few are now releasing their catch as they feel there is an overkill by far too many fishermen, especially coming so close to the end of the season (September 30) when trout are moving towards the rivers for spawning.
22 members of Irish Ladies Fly-Fishing Team fished a trial match and they recorded 12 trout for 18.8 lb., first place going to Grainne Kelly who had 2 trout for 4.66 lb. In second place was Anne McWilliams from Belfast who also had 2 for 3.29 lb., and Susan Brown had 2 for 2.29 lb. 66 anglers fished a wet fly competition to honour the late John Gill, who worked in Fisheries and Lough Corrib between the 1950's and 1980's. Philip McConnell from Galway won the competition with 4 trout for 8.58 lb. In second place was Dr. Paddy Gargan, Central Fisheries Board, who had 3 trout for 5.16 lb., and Steve Tierney took third place with 2 for 4.21 lb. Sixteen-year-old Pio McGauley landed the heaviest trout of the day, an excellent fish of 4.10 lb.
Pat McDonnell, Shannon Regional Fisheries Board officer, and a friend from Athlone had 9 trout for 15 lb in just one day's wet fly fishing. Seven anglers fished from Donal Connolly's Nonaim Lodge at Glann and they had some excellent trout fishing. One angler, Stephen Dochery from Inverness, in Scotland, landed 15 trout in 3 days for 29.25 lb., 13 of which were released again. He had one @ 4 lb and two @ 3 lb each. Gerry Joyce fished from the same place and he took a 9.25-lb salmon. Helmut Piccho from Austria had 4 for over 6 lb, all of which were released again. Stephen O'Dowd from Melbourne, Australia, spent and evening on the lake with Donal Connolly and he had 2 trout for 4 lb., Donal having 2 to his own rod.
In addition to the above, for the Oughterard area, 70 anglers landed 160 trout for 274 lb in 120 rod days, mostly all to wet fly and some to the dap. Peter Kelly and Pio McGauley, two local youngsters, landed 9 for a day to wet fly, all of which were returned again to the water. John Ryan and a friend took 8 for 13 lb for a day, and M.J. Watson from England had 6 for 10 lb for a day.
Over two weeks, 248 anglers fished in the Greenfields/Cornamona area over 348 rod days, recording 457 trout for 595 lb. A lot of the fish were caught in deep areas of the lake, in up to 60-feet of water where trout were feeding on plankton. This has been happening for the past few months, following on the same sort of pattern, which took place, last season and that which is presently happening at Lough Mask. Tom McMahon won the National Garda two-day angling test last week, having 6 trout for 7 lb 12 ozs. Vinny Connell had 5 for 6 lb 10 ozs and Joe Power had 2 for 4.2 ozs to take 2nd and 3rd place respectively. 32 anglers competed and they took 59 trout for 73 lb in 64 angling days.
28 members of the Ennis Anglers' Club also fished a competition from Greenfields and they caught 31 trout for 37 lb. Four trout for 5 lb won first place for John Moroney. Ger Kenny had 3 for 4.5 lb and Toddy O'Loughlin had 4 for 4 lb.
The Skoda Last-Cast wetfly competition from Greenfields included 122 anglers for a day and they landed 136 trout for 164.25-lb., Tom Coyle from Galway taking the honours with 10 trout for 10 lb 15 ozs. Second place went to Cyril Murray with 9 for 10 lb 10 ozs., and Frank Moran was third with 4 for 8 lb 5 ozs.
Damien Walshe was the winner of the Headford versus Fermoy competition with 7 trout for 8 lb 5 ozs. Tony Regan had 5 for 5 lb 9 ozs for 2nd and Bruce Vaughan had a 4.25-lb fish for 3rd place. 64 rods competed and they accounted for 66 trout for 79.75 lb.
Other outstanding catches to wet fly included 15 for 21.5 lb to Doris and Gerhard Gwinner for two days; 26 for 33 lb to Steve Cole and Dave Drake for 3 days; 38 for 51.25 lb to Niall Frank and friend for 6 days, and Malcolm Patrick 7 for 10.5 lb for one day's fishing.
Charlie Lawlor from Offaly landed 5 nice trout for 8.25 lb, and Tuam anglers, Jimmy Acton, Paul Parsons, John McCarty and Tom Grehan had 22 in 4 days.
Back to top of report
Lough Mask
We have reports of excellent brown trout wet fly fishing over the past two weeks, particularly when weather and water conditions were favourable. The best wet flies included the Green Peter, Bibio, Olive Bumble, Mayfly and sedge patterns.
The result of the National Wet-Fly Inter-provincial encouraging when the 72 anglers recorded 107 trout for 130.32 lb. Connaught won the test with 34 trout for 37.6 lbs and the team's best rod was Tom Sullivan from Cornamona who landed 6 trout for 5.95 lb.
Ulster's S. McCarty had the top, overall, weight of 7.26 lb and six trout. The Leinster team had 27 trout for 29.87 lb; Munster had 19 for 27.61 lb and Ulster had the same number for 22.67 lb. 13 anglers out of the 72 failed to catch fish.
5 anglers from Garrison, Co. Fermanagh, landed 100 trout over 5 days, returning 60 again to the lake. Pat McDonnell from the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board had 5 for 11 lb for day, helped by a friend who had the best at 3.75 lb.
Over two weeks, 135 anglers caught 235 trout for 307.32 lb in 177 angling days.
Back to top of report
Lough Carra
There are reports also from this lake that brown trout angling is quite good at the moment, some of the successful wet flies being Mayfly patterns and small house fly patterns. The Golden Olive bumble was also very successful, taking quite a few trout. All the reports say that lots of trout were seen rising all over the lake, mostly all in the half to 1.5-lb size. James Quinn and his two brothers from Loughrea reported excellent fishing, rising and hooking a lot of trout. Of the several dozen trout to net, all but 8 were put back over two days. Over 63-rod days, 43 rods reported 39 trout taken for 43 lb, best 3 lb to James Quinn.
Back to top of report
Galway Salmon Weir Fishery
At the moment, development and enhancement works are being carried out to the river downstream of the Cathedral bridge, so most of the fishing is being done at the weekends. For salmon fishing apply to: Seamus Hartigan, telephone: 091 562388.
Back to top of report
Bunowen And Carrowniskey
Water levels were good for salmon fishing at both rivers but most of the fishing was at the Bunowen River where 3 salmon in the 5 to 6 lb size were caught by Mr. Buxton from Partry, Ballinrobe. Mr. Terry Brown caught a 9-pounder. In recent days, anglers landed 6 more fish, 4 on the Bunowen and 2 on the Carrowniskey. Water levels are first-class at time of this report so fishing should be good until the end of the month, when all salmon fishing ends for this season. Enquiries for fishing and permits to Charles Gaffney, The Bar, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, telephone 098 66150.
Back to top of report
Moher Lake
Anglers fishing the lake say the larger trout are taking much better than during the hot weather. The Westport children's competition was a big success with an excellent catch on the day. Toby Gibbons, the secretary of the Club, says he never before had to weigh-in as many trout and he paid tribute to the Fisheries Board for the success of the lake. While most of the trout ends on September 30, as also does all salmon and sea trout fishing, brown trout fishing continues to October 12th on Moher Lake. Enquiries for boats and fishing to Margaret and Michael McDonnell, Liscarney, Westport, Co. Mayo, telephone 098 21638
Back to top of report
Lough Inagh Fishery
The Green Peter, Claret Bumble, Bibio, Black Pennell and Daddylonglegs were the successful wet flies in taking 95 trout and 4 salmon during the past two weeks. Ned Cusack and Peadar O'Maoilan from Moycullen were best with 12 to their boat for an afternoon, and Mark Helmore from Clare landed 8. Mattie Sullivan landed a 5-lb salmon, Ronan Power had 1 for 6 lb while Malcolm Greenhalgh from England had the heaviest at 10 lb. All trout, of course, were returned again to the water. Enquiries for boats and fishing to Colin Folan at 095 34706.
Back to top of report
Kinlooey Lake, Aughergower, Westport
No report from this fishery was available this week
Back to top of report
Kylemore Fishery
At the time of this report Kylemore Lake, the largest of the three Kylemore lakes, has suitable water levels for salmon and trout fishing, this following very heavy floods in the preceding days. Mark Wilson from Northern Ireland and his friend landed 23 trout for a day. Mr. Roach and Mr. McDonnell had 4 for a morning's fishing, rising one salmon by the road drift. A second boat this week reported having 3 trout to one rod, losing several others. Enquiries to Kylemore House, telephone 095 41143.
Back to top of report
Erriff Fishery:
There is no up-to-date report from this fishery.
Back to top of report
Coarse Angling
Donie McWeeney won the Galway Coarse Angling competition on Sunday last which was fished at Ross Lake. It took 9.500 kilos of roach to win on the day, followed by Cathal Hughes' 9.400 kilos for second place and Jim Garvey's 7.100 kilos for third. Cathal Hughes is just back from the European Coarse Angling Championships that were held in Italy. He was the only Connaught representative on the Irish team and his performance was the best on the Irish side, coming 24th. Italy won the event, followed by England and Hungary. Ireland was 16th. Cathal has been fishing with the Galway Coarse Angling Club from juvenile level, progressing over the years to junior and senior level with the Irish Coarse Angling Team. Over the past few years, he has won many important competitions throughout Ireland and he is regarded as one of the top anglers in the 32-counties.
Back to top of report
Sea Angling
Weather conditions over the past two week hampered most of the deep sea angling boats. However, there were days when the boats reported lots of good fishing, including close to shore success for flat fish. There was great excitement of Warrington's, Brain Beth's 65 lb monkfish while fishing off the White Sea Horse boat, owned by Vinny Keogh from the Helm Restaurant in Westport, telephone: 098 26194. A number of interested media people were trying to establish if the fish was recorded with the Irish Specimen Fish Committee, it being well over the specimen weight and falling short by 8 lb for an Irish record. Mackerel and pollock continue to be very plentiful all along the West Coast.
Back to top of report
Previous Reports:
Angling Report 12/09/00 Angling Report 05/09/00 Angling Report 29/08/00 Angling Report 16/08/00Lake Reports:
Lough CorribLough Mask
Lough Carra
Galway Weir
Bunowen And Carrowniskey
Moher Lake
Lough Inagh Fishery
Kinlooey Lake
Kylemore Fishery
Erriff Fishery
Coarse Fishing
Sea Fishing