ANGLING NOTES:I WAS a little apprehensive before accepting the invitation to sample the fishing in Northern Ireland. With few exceptions, it had been 20 years since I last ventured North, opting instead to fish favourite venues on the southern side of the Border, writes Derek Evans.
However, the lure of the glowing angling reports of late from the Northern fisheries soon changed all that and last weekend extinguished any remaining anxieties.
As guest of Charles Plunket, who looks after the 470-acre Belle Isle Estate at Lisbellaw, Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh, I stayed in the walled garden cottage, a century-old house now completely refurbished with breathtaking views of Upper Lough Erne. Since the reopening of the Shannon/Erne Waterway in 1994, boat traffic has increased dramatically and pass within a stone's throw of Belle Isle.
Lough Erne is divided into two sections - upper and lower - and perhaps through claiming territorial rights and habitat, coarse fish frequent the upper section while wild brown trout prefer the lower. That said, the two distinct species regularly encroach into each other's territory.
The upper lough is unrivalled in Europe for coarse fishing. Catches of 90kg of bream are commonplace and in peak season, it is possible to double this weight. Roach are plentiful and can be caught on nearly every cast but perhaps the lough is best known for its pike-fishing - which is, quite simply, phenomenal.
Dutch, French and German anglers flock to the area to avail of the bonanza. Recently, six Dutch anglers caught 444 pike over six days, the best was 95cm in length. Specimens over 13.6kg have been taken and it is a tremendous "doubles" water. Trolling, spinning and fly-fishing are favoured methods and boats are available for hire at a nominal charge.
For my visit, however, I opted to try mayfly fishing on Lower Lough Erne. This entailed a 30-minute drive from Belle Isle through Enniskillen town on to Blaney and Enniskillen Angling Club. Here I met my boatman, Colin Chartres. I knew I was in good hands, after all, Chartres has FFF and APGAI casting qualifications and 30 years experience of fishing the lough.
Reports of good catches during the week to evening-spent knat left us searching extensively throughout the day for mayfly hatches. This proved difficult in the bright sunshine and when found were short lived. However, we did manage to rise some trout and I lost a good fish and caught one of 0.4kg. I also caught a "jack" pike on a wet mayfly!
The Erne and Melvin Angling Clubs have a vibrant stocking programme in operation for some eight years and release thousands of fingerlings into the system each year. Broodstock are stripped in October and samples sent to Queen's University in Belfast for genetic testing to determine the strain.
My second day on the Colebrooke River was marred because of low water. I had intended to spend time fly-fishing for trout, instead, renowned master casting instructor and riverkeeper Patrick Trotter brought me on a guided tour of this limestone enriched river.
Still in Fermanagh, the Colebrook is about 30 miles long has its source in the Sliabh Beagh Mountains. It flows through Maguiresbridge before entering Upper Lough Erne. As secretary of Maguiresbridge Angling Club, Trotter is passionate about his river and, in particular, the three-mile club water stretch.
As we walked the riverbank, I was taken aback by the quality of water, the controlled overgrowth, numerous weirs and above all, the tremendous stock of trout. Probably the best time for fishing is from mid-March to May with dry flies and nymphs the favoured patterns. "I take my clients fishing from 7am until midday and, in the evening, from 8pm to dark," he said.
Anglers wishing to sample the excellent array of coarse and trout angling can stay at Belle Isle. For booking details, tel: 028-66387231 or e-mail: charles@belleisle-estate.com
Don't miss next week's Angling Notes for the second of our monthlyIrish Times /Jimmy Tyrrell's Irish Flycraft lough and river flies reader competition.