The last few weeks have been tough, even though Lough Inagh (my local fishery) and the river that leaves it have been producing all time record salmon catches, including 8 salmon in one day. I have had a few fish but unfortunately have not always been able to get on the part of the system I’d like to due to angling pressure, Massively high water, Gale force 10 winds or being otherwise tied up with something non fishing. There are great prospects until the end of September once this front passes. If your thinking about some salmon fishing to end your season I recommend Inagh, Its fishing very well. Talk to Colin, He’ll set you straight. 003539534706.
The season is nearing its end and there are a number of things I didn’t get to do and probably wont at this stage. I wanted to spend a few days fishing the midland lakes around Mullingar, Travel North for salmon, South for bass, East for carp, the list goes on. It’s impossible to do everything. All in all I have no complaints. I had a very good season and thankfully its not over yet. The weather is shite at the moment… Wind, rain and very high and often slightly coloured water are the norm which makes things tough. Things will settle down soon and the fishing will fire again!
New Zealand 2011 is is rapidly approaching and I have prepared nothing yet. I haven’t even tied a fly. I’ll get myself into gear soon (I leave in less than a month). If anyone has any flies they would like me to try either here in Ireland or in NZ or Oz or anywhere for that matter just send them to me, I will be happy to oblige. This would of course be a selfless act! (Ronan Creane, Roundstone, Co. Galway, Ireland.)
Electric Picnic 2011 was an epic event. Free to roam between hundreds of random acts with random strangers and friends alike, all with the same purpose… Fun with a healthy dose of madness! I will never miss it again if I’m in Ireland when its on.. I might even fly home for it!
I’m serious about those flies. Send them and I’ll fish them for you! It will be like fishing vicariously through me 🙂
All the best for now… Ronan..
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Electric Picnic 2011
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Me and some fairies!!
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Yes, this is Ireland! By the way, Nico’s first fish on fly was an Arctic Char (on an Irish Lough). What are the odds??
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Typical NZ camping!
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Cant wait to gat behind the wheel of my Daltona again.. NZ 2011, I’m ready for you! (once i tie a few flies!!!)
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This is why NZ gets into your blood…
On warm, sunny days when trout or salmon are unlikely to take a fly, pollack will always oblige. I went out to Deer Island, about 45 minutes from Roundstone in my boat last Monday to target them. I brought my 11 year old cousin, Patrick, out with me. I set up a boat rod for him with 6 feathers and a 6oz weight and it wasn’t long til the rod hit the gunnels! I didn’t help him. He got stuck in and hauled what turned out to be 3 good pollack from from the depths. It made my day watching Patrick battling to get the fish into the boat. I filleted the fish for him, He made a fiver on one and fed the family with the rest. A proud moment no doubt!
I had a few pollack on the fly and a sandeel. No sign of any mackerel yet which is strange.
The highlight of the week for me was on Lough Inagh at 11.30am yesterday morning. I was fishing a sinking line in shallow water. As i raised the rod tip to recast, bringing the bob fly towards the surface, a salmon nailed the fly, jumped, then took off ripping line off the floor of the boat before making the reel sing for about 70 meters. What a fantastic moment! I kept in control of the fish as much with the engine as the rod and reel. The salmon weighed 8 or 9lbs and took a silver and red daddy. I was using 6lb flourocarbon.
Have a great weekend! I’ll be busy on the water..
Ronan..
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Some of the 12 bens, Connemara..
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Don’t know what this is!!
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Ideal fly water for pollack. A fast sinking line is essential!
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Patrick buckled into 3 pollack!!
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2 of the 3 fish.. I remember the excitment of hooking a fish at that age. It hasn’t changed!!
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A natural in a boat and with a rod.. I’ll be teaching him to cast a fly next week!
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Perfection! They really are fun on fly..
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Inishlacken..
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Back to Roundstone at high tide..
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My personal best Atlantic Salmon off a lake!
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Thanks David for taking these pics!
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Back home. This is an important fish to have on the redds. All Inagh details on previous blog.
It’s been a mixed week of fishing. I’ve been doing some guiding for anglers after salmon, chasing pike and trout on Corrib, targeting monster browns on Lough Inagh as well as seatrout, salmon and normal sized browns. One client had an arctic char, they’re very rare over here and usually small, but very pretty and there is something very special about catching them. Unfortunately i didn’t get a pic! In my 16 years fishing Inagh I’ve only had about 7 or 8 char.
I have no idea what’s in store for the next few days.. I might target pollack around the rocks from my boat, might try for a salmon, might be working!
By the way, if anyone wants to hire me as a guide, give me a call! +353 87 770 1986
For info on staying at the Lough Inagh Lodge call Maura on 00353 95 34706 or log on to http://www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie/
For fishing bookings and info contact Colin Folan on 00353 95 34706 or 00353 86 867 9459
Have a great August bank holiday!
Ronan..
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A toothy pike!!
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Damien happy with his pike snack! He broke in a good brown on the first drift of the day..
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Finally into a fish!
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One brown at the end of a long day on Corrib.. This fish took the nameless tail fly i tied for Kylemore Lough on a Di4.
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A nice 10lb+ Corrib pike..
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David Creane and myself rowing from Annaghdown to Knockferry on Lough Corrib. The impellor failed in Dad’s 15hp yamaha. 1hr50mins later we were happy to see the van!
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Andrew, Harry and Peter Killeen, Father and sons. One grilse for the table and one returned. I drove Peter’s Porshe to Roundstone for lunch. This was a day when its fun to be a guide!
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A couple of flies I tied to target ferrox on Inagh.. no joy for me yet this year. Strangely enough, warm sunny days with a gentle to moderate breeze account for most of the really big browns..
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My cousin David from birmingham enjoying his first day fly fishing!
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Lough Inagh.. the yellow spec in the center is the “Lough Inagh Lodge”
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This 11lb Inagh ferrox was caught and released a few days ago. I was chasing salmon at the other end of the lake with clients!