Angling Notes: Long johns de rigueur at Clonbur fly-fishing competition

‘Welcome to the Burke Open. The day has arrived. Wishing you all safe and happy fishing. Hope you have a great couple of days in Clonbur.” What a great way to awaken at 7am by text with announcement of the fly- fishing competition on Mask. The one stipulation – long john’s must be worn.

Clonbur or An Fhairche is a Gaeltacht village in Co Galway and sits between Loughs Mask and Corrib. The two-day festival, now in its third year, continues to grow in popularity and this year attracted 82 anglers from across Ireland.

A phrase often overheard that fishing is not all about catching fish, certainly rings through as far as the Burke family is concerned. With Tomás to the forefront, their easy attractiveness brings the term “fishing” to a new level.

I arrived a day early and spent time with colleague Tom Ormond checking out fishing grounds around Maamtrasna Bay, Inishocht and Saints. Pulling wets with dabbler patterns was most successful. We managed four counters.

The first day of the competition got off to a great start. Following a hearty breakfast in Burke’s restaurant, anglers met their boating partners and set off to outlet points of their choice on the Mask shoreline.

I paired with Eddie Gibbons from Tourmakeady, widely regarded as probably the best boatman on Mask (a theory that proved correct for me over the two days). With a gusting north westerly, we headed for the Carrigeens and Lusteens, fishing close to the islands.

Manoeuvring in and around rocks and inlets, I was impressed with his boating skills. On several occasions he managed to squeeze between two islands, a gap no wider than the boat and each time we met fish. I nicknamed the divide “Eddie’s Gap”. I caught three counters on International Dabblers.

Cold and wet we arrived back at Burkes to be greeted with hot soup to warm the cockles. Soon it was all systems go for a fabulous meal from the Pig on the Spit with crackling (of course). A local mimic entertained during the meal followed by a late sing-along.

Our second day followed the same pattern except for a wind change and non-stop rain. For shelter we stayed in Gortmore Bay and found success navigating the shallows and tiny islands. “This is one of my favourite fishing areas. In about a month’s time, it will have dried out completely,” Eddie said. Our tally was three counters each on Green Peter variants.

The competition allowed for three fish and on both days the quality of trout brought in was outstanding.

Burkes’ evening meal was enjoyed by a hungry lot. The prizegiving followed with Eoin Burke as MC. His opening speech set the scene: “Tá tú go léir an-fáilte roimh an Búrcaigh eitilt iomaíocht iascaireachta i Fhairche. Agus táimid ag tnúth le fáilte a chur romhat go léir an bhliain seo chugainn ar ais arís.”

The winner over the two days was Malcolm Naughton from Loughrea with six cracking trout for 10lb 1oz (4.56kg). Malcolm, who works for Gowan and Bradshaw, caught his fish in Dringeen Bay and Saint’s Island on a Hare’s Ear Dabbler and Peter Ross Dabbler. His reward: A 42-inch Panasonic Plasma TV and the Ignatius Burke Memorial Cup.

The heaviest fish prize went to John Scanlon of Mallow, Co Cork, for a trout of 3lb 2oz (1.44kg), on a Cock Robin from the Saints area.

Results: 1, M Naughton, 6 fish, 4.56kg; 2, D Evans, 6f, 3.79kg; 3, N Greene, 5f, 3.229kg; 4, R Willis, 6f, 3.22kg; 5, D Kelleher, 6f, 3.15kg,

Congratulations and thanks to the Burke family for a wonderful few days in Clonbur. What a great way to herald in the new season.

Women’s fly-fishing trial

The Irish Ladies Fly-fishing Association will hold their first trial for 2015 on Lough Lene, Co Westmeath, on Saturday April 18th. For more information, call Julie Gerry at 087-2055094.

angling@irishtimes.com