Visiting German anglers capture four salmon on the fly at Delphi Lodge

HISTORY was made last Sunday at Delphi Lodge in Leenane, Co Galway, as the salmon season got off to a blistering start with four fresh salmon caught on the fly by visiting anglers from Germany.

According to fishery manager, David McEvoy, over the past 29 years at Delphi a salmon has been caught on six occasions on opening day and two fish on one occasion. “This year’s start of four salmon is a great omen for the 2015 season,” he said.

For your chance to catch a springer, Delphi is offering salmon fishing in February for €80 per rod per day. A package for four rods has become available with cottage for the 24th to 26th February. Cottage cost is €440, plus energy.

Mike Sheridan from Dungarvan landed the first springer on the Blackwater Lodge Fishery on spinner at the Hut on Lower Kilmurry last weekend. “The spinner came out of the fish when netted and was promptly released,”

says proprietor, Ian Powell.

Lough Melvin also weighed in with its first salmon caught by Niall Sweeney off Bilberry Island last Sunday.

This year’s Salmon Atlantic Trust (AST) auction is in full swing and many lots still have affordable bids. Supporters who prefer not to use the internet can call 0044- 01738-472032 and AST will post out a catalogue.

There are also some late lots available including salmon fishing on the River Stjordal (Norway) and River Dee at Crathie (Scotland); sea trout fishing on River Dovey (Wales); salmon and sea trout fishing on the River Dart (Devon), and trout fishing at Devil’s Brook Lake (Dorset).

Details of all lots and on how to register your bid are available at atlanticsalmontrust.org/auction.

Artist Martina O’Brien is

running an exhibition in three locations along the river Dodder. Her work is on the relationship between the knowledge of the Dodder Anglers’ Club (DAC) members and their ingenuity in creating flies matching the insect life to be found along the south Dublin waterway.

Martina has worked closely with DAC in exploring the mixed environmental, angling and artistic elements involved.

Of particular note is the “talk and walk” this Saturday, starting at 10am at the RDS Library and Archives and finishing at Waterways Centre. Guidance will be provided by Dr Karen Till of NUI Maynooth, Dept of Geography; Katherine Atkinson of Create and members of DAC.

The art exhibition runs until the end of this month at the Red Rua Gallery, Tallaght; RDS, Ballsbridge and Waterways Centre, Grand Canal Quay. Martina can be contacted at www.martinaobrien.ie.

This weekend’s Angling Expo promises to be bigger and better with up to 17 new exhibitors

added to the list. The show takes place in the National Show Centre in Swords, Co Dublin, over this weekend.

A line-up of entertainment will include celebrities challenging for the “Battle of the Anglers” and a family zone with experts on hand to encourage kids to learn how to fish.

For the first time, Scott MacKenzie and Mads Perdersen will join regulars Hywel Morgan, Glenda Powell and Stevie Munn on the casting demo teams.

At a sitting of Galway District Court earlier this month, Judge Denis McLaughlin convicted two men of illegal fishing, and issued fines and costs totalling

€1,850. The two men were charged with illegal use of a net and illegal possession of a net in contravention of the 1959 Fisheries Act.

Inland Fisheries Ireland has a confidential hotline to encourage the public to report incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution and invasive species at 1890-34 74 24.

The Ulster Angling Federation’s annual general meeting will be held in Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim this Thursday

at 7.30pm. Guest speakers are Alan Morrow, Department of Agriculture, and Lionel Knobbs, Loughs Agency.

angling@irishtimes.com