Angling notes: Challenging week on Lough Sheelin but with some great trout catches

Lough Sheelin saw about 50 boats on the lake each day last week. It was a week of clashing reports, the only common dominator being that it was difficult fishing. Gaffney’s Bay had a spectacular hatch on Wednesday and Thursday reflected by some great trout catches.

Spent started to go out on Saturday evening and then a wind blew up changing direction and the spent went back in, according to fisheries officer Brenda Montgomery.

Welsh angler Marco Orsi caught the heaviest fish for the week, a nine-pounder on a Dry Mayfly. Trout recorded: 371.

Favourite flies were Dry Mayfly, Stimulator, Silver Invicta, Green Peter, (Royal, Claret and Grey Wulffs), (Silver, Claret and Green Dabblers), Spent Gnat, Red Humpy, Golden Olive Bumble, Cock Robin, Gorgeous George, Octopus and Buzzer patterns.

Crover House Hotel, which overlooks the lake, is offering dinners up to 11pm to cater for evening fishing and self-catering Chestnut Lodge (087-906 0331) is open for business at very reasonable rates, including use of boat.

Lough Arrow had a good week with all methods producing catches. The mayfly is up with plenty of anglers out and a lot of small to medium-sized fish evident, however, some better fish to 5lb fell to dry flies.

Gregory Doherty, Northern Ireland, had five, the heaviest 2.5lb; Martin McDaid boated eight; and John Murray caught five (three released). The Murphy family from Kilkenny had about 20 for the week, heaviest 2.5lb.

Tomasz Paluszkiewicz, Sligo, and friend Marciej Osmanski, fishing out of John Hargadons Lough Arrow Boat Hire, boated 15 trout on wet and dry flies over four days. Their heaviest fish measured 60cm (about 5lb). All were returned.

On Corrib, Miko Keane reports the Cornamona area produced quite good angling with mixed weather conditions and mixed hatches. The Cornamona Club held its annual May competition on Sunday with visiting angler Keith Curtis taking top prize with three trout for 8.07lb. The top four spots were taken dapping.

Deirdre Forde from Camillaun Lodge Angling Centre (camillaun.com) reports the mayfly fishing continued well despite difficult fishing conditions on Monday and Tuesday.

Larry McCarthy of Corrib View Lodge (087-9135222) said anglers enjoyed excellent fishing with Owen Meeling from Wales and friends catching over 30 fish, mainly on mayfly with bigger fish taken on buzzer in the Greenfields and Ballynalty areas, all sportingly released.

Weather conditions

Broken weather conditions again are set to prolong the mayfly hatch, with good hatches reported most days. Conditions have not been right for a fall of spent, but anglers are enjoying great sport on the dap and wet and dry fly.

Ronan Cusack reports Mask was a hive of activity with dozens of happy anglers. Mayfly hatches could only be described as medium to fair, yet the trout fishing continued to be spectacular.

On the Moy Estuary, Judd Ruane, skipper of Pegasus, reported good fishing for a group from Germany with good numbers of sea trout between 0.75 lb and 1.5 lb. To book a day's sea trout fishing, contact Judd at 087-673 6969.

With 199 salmon reported, weekly catches on the Moy system continued to improve. Water levels dropped towards the end of the week providing good fly fishing on the upper reaches. On the Ridge Pool, two salmon were caught including a 16lb springer on a black Flying “C” by Jimmy French from Northern Ireland.

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel in Connemara had its third salmon last Monday in the stream of Beat 1. The fish was caught on a “Posh Tosh” fly by long-time visitor Myles McDowell, from Co Down, his second fish in less than a week.

A group from The Irish Times enjoyed a trip out from Ballyhack in Co Wexford on charter boat Orinoco, last weekend. Fishing off Hook Head, the group encountered eight different species with codling to 4lb dominating catches. The Orinoco is a fully registered 40' Lochin vessel with 600hp Caterpillar engine based in Duncannon, Co Wexford. Contact walterafoley@gmail.com or 087-243 7148.

angling@irishtimes.com