Ronan's Report

I’m learning more and more about Corrib pike and about pike fishing in general. I’ve been disillusioned with irish fly fishing for the last few years and thats because i concentrated too much on trout fishing. Most of that was on corrib which is the most challenging water i have ever fished for trout. It’s dam near impossible at times and therefor just not fun. Pike fishing is fun. The anticipation of counting down a Di 7 into the depths before a steady retrieve back to the boat, or gurgling a surface lure across some lilly pads really keeps me focused. Chances will come and the takes are fan fuckin tastic… These magnificent fish have been getting stronger and stronger all season and now they’re ripping line off the reel. I had to start the engine to follow one on Saturday, she was my best pike so far and bent the net. Its definatly time to get a new one now! That fish was more than twice as long as the mouth of my old one! “Lesson to be repeated until learned!” as Graeme Williams would say.

More piking this weekend.. Happy Easter!

Ronan..

Yesterday i went exploring known trout water on Lough Corrib for pike. It was slow but on one drift I lost a fish between 15 and 20lbs and another around 8lbs. There was a carpet of adult chironomid on the surface in the same bay and I only saw 2 or 3 trout rise. Its very worrying and the story seems to be the same all over the lake. I saw some olives on the water but i suspect the olive fishing will be as good as the buzzer fishing. What can be done to bring this lake back to life? Who, if anyone is at fault? I’ll be out exploring again tomorrow…

Ronan..

I’m a bit late with the blog this week because i’ve been out fishing every evening. I’ve been chasing small trout from local mountain lakes. They keep me sharp! Anyway, here is the news..

Dad and I enthusiastically set off on Saturday morning hoping for a decent day buzzer fishing on Corrib. Conditions were good. We fished hard all day and rose one fish for our efforts. Reports from the lake are terrible.. Competition results really sum it up. 20 anglers out in a competition on Sunday for zero fish. Yes, ZERO.

As planned John and I set off early on Sunday morning  to meet up with other Irish pike fly fishermen. We are all members of the PFFA, the meeting was arranged through the forum which is for members only. The Irish Pike Fly Fishing Association has very few members so why not join us and come along to the next fishing meet! Here is a link.. http://www.pffa.co.uk/clubmembership.htm

John and I arrived 10 minutes late and the lads were already on the water so we got rigged up quick and started fishing. Johns fly resembled a dead parrot and i suggested he change it.. the words hardly left my mouth and i was made eat them! John was in (he asked me not to tell you that this was his first pike of 2011 so I wont because I’m a true friend). After a good battle I netted johns superb 20lb plus pike. We need a scale (and a bigger net!). That was all our pike action that day. One of the other lads had an 11lb fish and moved lots more.

For the last few hours we targeted trout. This worked out well because they started rising in the evening to adult chironomid (duck fly we call them over here). We had 14 on buzzers, small wets and dries. That was 12 fantastic hours on the water.

Tomorrow I’ll be on corrib (for pike! but I’ll have a trout rod too).. or maybe somewhere new? not sure yet…

Good Luck! Ronan..

I started the day doing a few drifts close to reeds for a pike. John was with me for a while in the morning and moved 3 pike to my 0 but got none into the boat.. when he left i went down the lake in search of buzzer feeding trout, I found none but rose one trout of about 1lb blind. on the same drift something told me (God I think!) to reel in the trout flies and fire out the big dog for a pike. I did. I counted down the first cast for about 5 seconds then stripped away, 1,2,3,4 boom! A super fight followed from a large tail walking pike of about 17lbs. Because it was the first cast in open water more suited to trout (or so i thought) i assumed there must be loads of pike in the area. I did a lot more drifts in similar water but did not get another pull. This day on the water taught me 5 things.

1. I need a bigger net (a weigh net preferably).. two failed attempts because the fish was too long!

2. I need a tripod for the camera so that I’m not fumbling around trying to set it up on a boat seat and I need to know the distance to be away from the camera so that i don’t cut the head off any more fish!

3. While fishing for trout it pays to make a few casts every hour for pike. Pike water can be discovered this way that wouldn’t otherwise be.

4. Don’t hold a pike like a trout. (as in pic!) I reckon the best way to hold them is gently but firmly by the gill cover while supporting the flanks or belly.

5. When God speaks, Listen!

Next weekend John and I are heading to Lough Lene to meet and fish with a gang of anglers from the Irish Pike flyfishers association. More on that in about a week. Have a good one!

Ronan..   PS. I also learned that Paul should send me a free hat!

A good pike finally, and one I'll never forget..