Ronan's Report

No trip to Ireland is complete without a few days on Corrib. It’s a lake that has rarely been very kind to me but that does not stop me wanting to go back. It’s an amazing lake. It would take a lifetime to get to grips with the entire 44,000 acres. Maybe multiple lifetimes. There is still so much of Corrib I have not seen. It’s an explorers dream with deeps, shallows, points, bays and islands making up the lake. It encompasses many townlands on it shores from Galway to Oughterard to Cornamona to Cong to Headford. The fishing varies from early to late season with very specific times of different fly. The chironomid first, then the olive (a small mayfly), then the large danica mayfly then the sedge. Of course the fly seasons overlap but with such specifics in trout food, the fly and method selection is very important. There are many other flies on the water too just to add to the puzzle. Caenis and terrestrials for example. Traditional wet fly techniques have taken a back seat to various nymphing methods in the passed 20 years, especially with chironomid and olive fishing. Let me know if you ever want to go and I’ll connect you with the right people.

I had 3 days out while at home. John and I went out on day 1. John hadn’t been out for a while so he was unsure where the good fishing was. We went to some trusted deep water where wet fly fishing can produce the goods. John got 1 of about 1.5lbs and I blanked. 

Day 2 was with Dad and Tom Doc. This was a social outing as much as a fishing day and the craic was great. We went out in Toms dad’s boat. A beautiful custom built Philbin Lake Boat. A pleasure to be out in. That boat has seen some action and anglers over it’s lifetime, and she still looks new. We fished very close to where John and I fished but we were on the fish. Tom is a guide on the lake and fishes most days so he knows where the fish are. It didn’t take long for us to start moving a few. This was my day as it turned out. Out of 8 landed I had 6 with the best over 3lbs. I was delighted, as was Dad and Tom. Lunch on Inchagoill with the traditional Kelly Kettle was super. The cup of tea from Tom’s Kettle will not be beaten! It’s so good that I decided to bring my Kelly Kettle to NZ. Thanks Tom for a great day out..

Day 3 – I didn’t expect much. The forecast was for horrendous wind. Rain too, and the lake was high and rising after rain. The reason for going out was give the New Zealanders who were over for the wedding a taste of Corrib. We had 3 boats. John and Fraser in one, Dad and Damien in another and Myself, Wesley and Mark in mine. It was a day where open water would have been very dangerous so we stayed in relatively sheltered bays. The craic was good but the fishing was bad. The pints flowed afterwards which made the world good again!

Still lots of space available in the current season for guided fly fishing in New Zealand. Contact me on ronan@sexyloops.com or visit my website.

Tight Lines, Ronan..

Day 1.

Conditions were promised perfect but they weren’t. It was cold, misty and cloudy. However, I was on the river and looking forward to the day whatever it brought. I knew I’d have the river to myself because bad weather deters most anglers from rivers best suited to sight fishing in NZ. Some, not many, but some fish were visible and feeding and I hooked about 2/3rds of the 15 or so fish I saw. I landed four. 6.5, 8.5, 8.5 and 5.5lbs. At least 2 of the fish I lost were over 8. One I had in the net; I had to get downstream of the fish in fast water to net him. I let the line go slack to let him fall back into the net. With my outstretched arm in the fast water I hadn’t the strength to lift him quickly due to the drag from the mesh in the fast water. The fish swam out of the net and in his next run he threw the hook. I didn’t mind. All the fish took my size 16 nymph trailing behind a weighted one 5′ under a dry. I’ll put a photo of it in my next blog. This was a great day. I enjoyed it all from the 1.5 hour walk downstream to getting back to the truck in the evening.

Day 2.

Conditions were promised perfect and they were. I saw about 5 fish and didn’t hook one.

Happy Easter everyone! I have no plans yet but they will include water………

Ronan..

PS. I remember about 10 years ago to this day fishing on Lough Corrib with my good friend Damien O Malley. We stayed at a B&B in Cornamona, Co. Galway. The woman of the house assured us that she would not cook us meat for our breakfast the next morning (because practising Catholics don’t eat meat on Good Friday, or cook it in this case!) so we better catch a fish. Thankfully Damien did!

All the fish in the blog were released of course!