New Seasons Resolution!
Another season has landed. My new seasons resolution is to explore more, fish more and fish better, think like a trout! I was itching to get back at the rivers. I wanted to check out new water so that’s what I did. I walked a wee stream for miles and it was decent, lots of walking between fish but I like that. I did spend some time blind fishing streamers in corner pools but it wasn’t working. Sighted fish were few and far between but they were big and keen to eat pretty much anything as long as it was well presented. I had one on a Cicada and another on a #6 leggy dry stonefly! The reason I always use a dry as an indicator..
October is quiet on the guiding front, not sure why but it will give me time to fish myself. I have some things I want to do. Mostly exploratory to keep the learning curve moving the right way. Watch this space!
I added a few pics of Moher Lake in County Mayo in the West of Ireland. John O Malley and myself used to hitch there in our teens getting in all sorts of trouble with bailiffs, parents and even a wee run in with the law, but mostly just having a great time fishing as free as birds. Mrs McDonnell who we rented the boat from would let us camp on the lake. We’d fish it from dawn til dusk! So many great memories. I went back with James while I was back home. I was happy to go back for a trip down memory lane and James had never been. I heard it was well stocked last year so I expected the same this year. The farmer who rents out the boats said it was fishing very well but we only met one stocked fish all day. I could tell it was in a while by it’s well mended fins and bright flanks. We had non stop action with about 50 little native browns, about 3 to the pound, maybe 4. Sadly the lake wasn’t stocked this year but the IFI are still taking full price to fish it. Unfair? Yes, I think so. Still a nice day out!
Lots of availablity this season for guided fly fishing in the south of New Zealand. February is full and March is almost full but plenty room besides. You can contact me via my website or email me ronan@sexyloops.com
Tight Lines, Ronan..
A small headwater stream. Lots of walking between fish.. ..but worth it! Blue skies, snow on the ground, cool and crisp.. ..some magnificent fish around! Snow melt should keep the rivers full for a while. This tank was sipping down little mayflies, I threw a #6 indicator dry to him and he sipped it down just the same! The next day one took a cicada.. Just under 8lbs.. Stunning! Now a 1.5hour walk back to the truck. Day 2. Feckin freezing! And 50kph wind.. A cotton bag made a good hat! Yesterday the draw string made new laces for my boots.. Great start.. About 4ks later, this! Same fish.. Magnificent 2 days on the water over 3 streams. Moher Lake in Co. Mayo in the West of Ireland. Fishing with my good friend James. Corned beef and tomato sandwiches! Lovely! We landed about 50 of these.. ..Small, but these are adult browns. The lake wasn’t stocked but we still paid full price! We were hoping to get into some 1 to 3lb stocked browns – big enough to fight back!