Angling Notes: Probably the largest gathering of anglers with disabilities converged on one of Dublin's most popular angling venues last Thursday for a memorable afternoon of fun and enjoyment and a helping of some excellent fishing.
The Irish Wheelchair Association in conjunction with the Eastern Fisheries Board chose Corkagh Park Fishery in Clondalkin for this inaugural event because of its central location, twin lakes and wheelchair accessibility. South Dublin Mayor, Therese Ridge, got proceedings underway with the first cast at noon.
What an occasion it was. At least 70 anglers, some casting a line for the first time, took up all the vantage points on the coarse and trout lakes for four hours of sheer enjoyment. The number of helpers and onlookers well exceeded 100 and by close of play more than 100 fish were landed, recorded and returned.
The Drogheda team, comprising David Smith, Laurence O'Brien, Angela Eivers and Anne McGuirk, were clear winners with 24 fish, and each were presented with a fishing rod and trophy by Pat Burns of Ireland Angling Exhibition.
Corkagh Park Fishery is open daily from 10am until dusk. The coarse lake holds good numbers of carp, some to 5.5kg, and was recently stocked with roach, perch, tench and rudd. The trout lake contains rainbow trout, all of which are in prime condition, helped by the inflow from the Camac River.
Managing director Godfrey Donoghue, said: "I would like to thank all competitors for coming along today and I hope this event will encourage more anglers with disabilities to sample what is one of the most enjoyable hobbies on offer."
• Contact: 087-2650495 or fishing@ireland.com
• Come west, anglers, was the message from the Newport River and Lough Beltra area in Co Mayo, as salmon angling picked up recently. On the 14th, the Newport Anglers Club held a competition on Beltra West. Although only two boats ventured out, they rose a number of fish and caught four. Martin Hughes found success on a Beltra Badge at the mouth of the Crumpaun River and Eamon Kennedy landed two on a Green Peter at Clarke's Point.
On the Newport River, Robert Meyer caught the first grilse of the year on a Silver Stoat at the Cement Bridge Pool and Pat Smith managed two over two days on a Garry Dog tube fly. Last Sunday week, Peter Varian, Don Fleming and George Donald caught one each on the river. Beats most productive were the Wood Pool and Pat McDermott's Pool on Garry Dog 2" tubes.
The message from fisheries manager Kieran Thompson is: fishing is excellent at present and we have plenty of availability. Last Tuesday only one angler is out on the lough and none on the river, he said. (Tel: 098-41222) or newporthouse@eircom.net.
• Helen Ryan from Dublin asked me to mention her father, Billy Waldron from Mullingar, who recently caught a 5.4kg salmon on Lough Conn. "Not bad for an old hand!" she said.
• At a time when bass are beginning to return to their pre-1987 stock levels, it is timely to remind anglers and commercial interests of the conservation by-laws which apply to this species.
Conservation By-law SI 298/2005 imposes a bag limit on anglers of two bass in any 24-hour period and includes a total ban during the spawning season from May 15th to June 15th, 2006. For the commercial sector, the ban prohibits the catching and sale of bass (other than those imported into the State) from July 1st, 2005 to June 30th, 2006. Breaches of these strict conservation by-laws should be reported to respective regional fisheries boards. infoerfb.ie and www.srfb.ie
• On Conn, 180 anglers reported 220 trout. In a very welcome development, the majority of anglers are returning the bulk of their catch. They are to be commended for their efforts to conserve stocks in the lake that is still recovering after some very lean years, according to NW fisheries chief executive, Vincent Roche.
Best flies over the week included Fiery Brown, Golden Olive Bumble, Claret Bumble and various Mayfly patterns including spent Mayfly.
Some great fish were caught on Arrow with trout beginning to take Mayfly. Ivan and Jonathan Frazer, Gerry Martin, David Gray and Philip Murray managed 18 ranging from 1.1kg to 2.3kg. Mayfly, Yellow Woulfe and buzzer fishing late in the evening produced best results.
Despite the heavy rain and gale force winds, Mask fished very well last week with 240 anglers recording 1028 trout, with the best at 2.3kg. Wetfly, dry fly and dapping all accounted for fish, with mayfly, olive and buzzer patterns most successful.
On Corrib, conditions were extremely bad at times with few anglers able to venture out. The Mayfly hatch was patchy and localised, although good hatches of olives were reported from the Greenfields area. When the weather moderates, the lough should provide great mayfly fishing, and it is possible the late hatch may mean mayfly fishing well into June, according to fishing inspector Kevin Crowley.