Salmon and trout angling | Coarse angling
Monday 1st to Sunday 7th September 2008.
The Drowes was very quiet this week with hardly any rods fishing over the week with the exception of a few of the season permit holders. September is usually a quiet month on the fishery after the school term starts. As a result there were no fish recorded for the week except for a number of coloured fish caught and released, mainly at the weekend. There are however good numbers of fresh salmon still entering the fishery. The river is running at a nice level and the gauge at the Four Masters Bridge is reading 0.7 at the time of writing. This will ensure good conditions for the coming week though there is heavy rain forecast for the week which could mean the river rises.
The fishing for trout was fair this week on Lough Melvin and some anglers had good days with up to 8 decent sonaghan caught on the wets for their day. There were also some good trout caught. James Doherty, Garrison, landed a trout just under 4lb and other anglers accounted for trout to 2lb. Salmon angling effort was very low and I have only heard of one angler venturing out for the same so there is little to report on this front. The Lough certainly has good numbers of grilse present but as with other fisheries they seem to be very dour!
There were good floods on the Owenea on Wednesday (0.43 metres) and Sunday (0.50 metres) and good water levels throughout most of the week. The gauge average for the week was fairly high reading 0.30 metres. The river was moderately busy with 48 visiting rods fishing for the week. The run of grilse into the fishery continued and fair numbers of fish were caught although, as with other fisheries, the salmon were somewhat dour again this week. On Wednesday, Otmar Butz recorded a 3lb grilse caught on the fly from Gallagher’s Stream on beat 8. Pierre Rumeau recorded 2 small grilse caught on the fly from beat 3. On Thursday, Pierre recorded another grilse of 4lb caught on the fly from beat 9/ Manfred Kaurt accounted for an 8lb grilse caught from beat 5 on the fly. On Friday, James Composton recorded a 5lb fish caught on the fly from Bryan’s Pool on beat 8. Ernie Rolston accounted for a 3lb grilse also caught on the fly from beat 8. On Saturday, Don Fleming landed a 6¾lb on the fly from McGill’s Pool on beat 8. Johnathon McCorkhill recorded a small grilse caught from beat 7 on the fly.
There were some good angling conditions over the week on the Eany. We received a good flood (1.30 metres) on Wednesday and a smaller flood (0.70 metres) on Saturday. The river then fell to low levels on Sunday with the onset of dry weather. The fishery was reasonably well attended with 41 visiting rods fishing for the week. There are good numbers of salmon in the fishery though they remained somewhat dour again this week and were hard to interest. On Tuesday, Alan Cully recorded a 5lb grilse caught on worm from Bonnyglen Falls. During the good flood on Wednesday, Mickey McLoughlin recorded an 8lb grilse caught on the spinner from the Junction Pool. John O’Donnell accounted for 2 grilse caught and lost another two on the spinner and Andy Lennox accounted for a fine 12½lb salmon caught from the Eanybeg on a spinner. On Thursday, John McCloskey recorded a 4lb grilse caught from the Devlin on a spinner. The forecast for the coming week is for more rain so we expect to receive some good water conditions this week.
28 August 2008
Despite the heavy rain and high water levels fishing is reported to be good in most areas.
John Woodsworth, Hull fished Gulladoo Upper and bagged 111lb of fish including Bream up to 5lb. His friend Peter Emmerton also from Hull bagged 95lb, while John Platter fished Gortymone lake and bagged 76lb. Rodney Marsh 72lb and Pete Johnston 86lb.
Some anglers on Rockfield report good bags of Hybrids and Roach while Town Lake Kilelshandra is giving sizeable Tench up to 4lb. Trinity is producing mixed bags with some nice Hybrids and the occasional Bream.
Good bags of fish are being caught on Bunerky with plenty of Hybrids and the odd Bream. Brackley is giving good Bream and Bolganard Bream and Hybrids. The canal below weirs is giving plenty of Bream and Hybrids.
Church Lake, Muddy Lake and Barnagrove are all giving good mixed bags of fish. Most anglers are using boats to access these lakes this week.
The Gowna Festival is taking place this week, more details next week.