ANGLING NOTES:AFTER A tiring journey, it is remarkable how quickly we revive when we get close to our fishing destinations. Such was the case recently, when we met Paddy McDonnell at the entrance to Lough Callow on the Swindord-Foxford Road, in Co Mayo. His boat is unhitched and ready to go and almost before we have a second breath taken, we find ourselves casting into rising fish. Small Jungle Cock and Sooty Olive patterns are the preferred choice.
Callow Loughs comprise two lakes, one of about 10 acres, the other 100, separated by a road and arched bridge. Both lakes hold excellent stocks of wild brown trout and while most are in the 0.5kg (1lb) range, occasionally fish to 1.5kg (3lb) are tempted to the fly.
During our afternoon session in the smaller lake, we boat about 10 fish and miss many “takes”. These fish are golden and heavily spotted beauties and provide great sport for their size. We squeeze under the bridge to the bigger lake and have further success. All fish are released.
McDonnell has fished these lakes since childhood and is familiar with the shallows and all the hot spots. “Do you see that big house on the hill. Well, I built that,” he says. Before taking up guiding, he had a stint on the buses, then in building and is now a qualified GAIA/APGAI instructor in trout and salmon angling and an FFF casting instructor.
Over dinner in the Mayfly Hotel in Foxford (and later in The Angler’s Rest) we drool over the big fish that got away before retiring to Maloney’s Lodge on the outskirts of the town.
Morning breaks, and the news is good. Water levels on the Moy have dropped to 1.2m and fly conditions are deemed ideal upriver. “Every chance of a springer today,” Paddy says. After a “full Irish”, we visit Tiernan’s Tackle Shop for permits and then on to Ballintemple Fishery. We leave one car at East Mayo Angler’s Association car park and drive to the top end of Ballintemple.
Double-handed rod, shooting head, Swinford blue shrimp fly, chest waders and staff at the ready as we begin the two-mile journey downriver – all the while, Paddy is ironing out deficiencies in our spey casting. “Lift, wait for fly to arrive beside you before driving down on rod butt. Remember the real thrust comes from the lower section of the rod.” Really sound advice.
It takes all of five hours to test Dunleavy’s Flats, Water’s Bend, Murphy’s Pool, Dr Laffey and Wires Pool, alternating between Cascades and Yellow Shrimp, before arriving back at East Mayo car park, empty-handed. Paddy has several “chucks” from what he believes to be kelts and I take a small trout. Ah well, better luck next time!
Paddy McDonnell, apart from his world-class casting skills, has a wonderful gift of explaining and demonstrating in the most simple way, the particular art of casting a fly with single and double-handed rods.
His first article in this month's Irish Angler's Digeston dry-fly presentation is brilliant. Contact Paddy at 094-9251033 or bluecharm@eircom.net
-Breaking news: Trevor Stafford has been appointed manager of Waterville Fisheries Development Group to succeed John Murphy. Trevor has a degree in environmental science, plus qualifications in aquatic science, and he will take up the post immediately. We wish him well in his new role.
I would like to thank John for the tremendous job he did in Waterville, sometimes in difficult circumstances, and for succeeding in putting Waterville fisheries on the world stage.
-Colin Folan is pleased to host a fly-fishing weekend commencing this Friday at 6pm in Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel, Recess, Co Galway.
The course includes instruction on casting, fly-tying, leader preparation and knots, watercraft, fly identification and a half day’s fishing on nearby river. Among the instructors will be Packie Trotter (APGAI, FFF Master) and fly-tyer Arthur Greenwood (APGAI). For bookings tel: 086-8679459 or colfolan@ gmail.com
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