Salmon Fishing Blog
Netting Suspended On The Foyle - Finn Catch and Release
Derick Anderson, Chief Executive of the Loughs Agency, announced today that netting has been suspended on the River Foyle, Lough Foyle and the seaward of Lough Foyle. He also announced that fishing on the River Finn has been restricted to catch and release only.
The announcement comes as the commission is now satisfied that the number of salmon which have migrated upstream of the River Finn Fish Counter during each of two of the previous five years has not exceeded 5,410, stipulated by the Foyle Area (Control of Fishing) Regulations 2010 and also in accordance with the Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Angling) (Amendment) Regulations 2010.
It's a bold step by the Lough's Agency and it remains to be seen if it will have the desired effect. At this stage it's hard to tell how long the restrictions will apply for, but for it to work you'd think that it would need to be for a few years.
Fishkill In The River Braid
A substantial fish kill has been discovered in the River Braid in Ballymena. Many juvenile salmon were amongst the casualties in a stretch of the river which runs through Harryville, right by the Post Office headquarters.
The cause of the pollution has yet to be determined but the local fishing club is working closely with the environmental agency in order to determine the source. It is important that the culprits are made to pay the price for their negligence. That may be of little comfort to the anglers who will surely feel the effects of this kill for years to come. This could hardly have come at a worse time with all of the recent dry weather.
Read more on this story at the Ballymena Guardian website.
River Maine and Brown Flesk Come Under Pressure Again
The Brown Flesk and River Maine salmon stocks have come under pressure again due to an ill advised return of mixed stock netting to Castlemaine Harbour. Minister of State for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Conor Lenihan, has announced a pilot salmon fishery for the Harbour. His aim is "to right an injustice" that had been done to the fishermen in the harbour!
Surprisingly the commercial fishermen's case has been supported by the South Western Regional Fisheries Board. Many local fishermen believe that it is far too soon to re-open as its only been closed for 3 years. Normally at least 5 years would be required to complete a full salmon cycle.
According to the board, a fish counter on the River Maine has found salmon stocks have now improved sufficiently to enable fishing to resume. Since the Maine has only a quota of 220 fish and these counters are notoriously inaccurate, this decision by the board smacks of being all about the money, at the expense of the salmon. Fishing will restart on a piecemeal basis and it is expected up to 800 salmon will be allowed to be caught this year.
It's high time the Irish government realized the value of rod caught fish when operating under a catch and release policy. As they continue to make poor decisions in relation to salmon conservation in Ireland, they are fast approaching the point of no return.
Turus a Bhradain -The Salmon's Journey
Last year BBC Alba (the Scottish Gaelic channel), aired a series on the life of the Salmon. I'm sure all of the anglers who saw it would agree that it made for excellent viewing. The good news is it's back for a second series. Episode 2 is on tonight but if you hurry you can still catch Episode 1 on iPlayer.
The series is presented by Neen Mac Kay, who had never fished for salmon before the first series. The experience had a profound effect on her view of the salmon, which is something I'm sure we can all understand! The second series was filmed in 2009 and covers Summer rivers all across Scotland, from Lochy and Ewe in the West to Oykel and Spey in the East.
Tune into Alba on Sky 168 tonight at 8.30, or alternatively checkout the programme link for additional information.
33.5 lber Taken From Lifford Bridge
Local man Patsy Mc Hugh had the fish of a lifetime yesterday from Lifford Bridge, at the confluence of the River Foyle and River Finn. The monster weighed in at 33 1/2 lbs! It was taken on a size 10 Moy Green Highlander, using the bubble and fly method.
Patsy had a 45 minute fight before he landed the huge fish. He had no net with him so he had to run it up a sand bank! Thirty minutes into the fight he reckoned the fish was around the 15lb mark, but as time wore on he got a better look at it and had to re-assess his estimate.
It seems like the fish was headed for the River Finn as it was hooked at the mouth of the Finn and landed in the junction pool of the Foyle. By all accounts it was a richly deserved catch as Patsy has been fishing Lifford all of his life. Well done on landing that fine specimen.
Country Fairs Taking Place In Ireland
Ireland's two main country fairs take place this summer in counties Antrim and Westmeath. Northern Ireland's premier Game and Country Fair will be staged at Moira Demesne on the Bank Holiday Weekend of 29th & 30th of May, whilst the Irish National Country Fair will be staged once again in the Ballinlough Castle Estate. Co. Westmeath, over the Bank Holiday weekend of Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August 2010.
Northern Ireland's Game and Country Fair is sponsored by Lisburn City Council and is now widely recognised by Ireland's country sports community as the showcase event for Irish country sports and rural living. Entry is £10 for adults with children under 16 admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Car parking is also free of charge.
The Irish National Country Fair is teaming up with the Countryside Alliance Ireland. The event organisers have brought to Ireland a unique range products & services which reflect all aspects of country life in Ireland. Just an hour's drive from Newry and Dublin, Ballinlough Castle is at the centre of Ireland's new road network, linking it to all parts of the country. The admission price for adults is €15 and FREE for children under 16 years when accompanied by an adult.
Bleak Future For Game Fishermen?
Professor Norman Maclean, a genetics professor at Southampton University, has written a new book on the dangers facing British wildlife. The same dangers also apply to Ireland and more specifically to game fishing. The 600 page hardback is out at the end of May and is called Silent Summer.
Although the entire book will be of interest to many fishermen, of particular interest will be the chapter on river flies. The professor, Cyril Bennett and Warren Gilchrist, write about the drastic collapse of many fly species.
Later others talk about a new threat from PolyBrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) which are used as flame retardants in a wide range of consumer products. These compounds have already been found in fish but are not yet being monitored. The health hazards of these PBDEs have attracted increasing scrutiny, and they have been shown to reduce fertility in humans, even at current levels found in the home.
Sir David Attenborough has high praise for the book, which contains the
work of over 40 scientists. Attenborough says, "It gives us a benchmark.
It is invaluable now - and in the years to come it will be
irreplaceable." Silent Summer: The State of Wildlife in Britain and
Ireland
Monster Trout Caught In Lough Corrib
Czech angler Karel Sourek landed the fish of a lifetime when he connected with a 25lb trout on Lough Corrib. The fish measured 90cm and Karel caught it on a day when he had expected to be back home in the Czech Republic. He had to stay in Ireland a few extra days because of the airline disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud.
The story gets even better though. Karel decided to release his prize catch back into the Lough, describing it as beautiful warrior, which deserved to be freed. The fish was the largest caught in Ireland for over 100 years!
Initially he as his friend Emil Bucko thought he'd snagged the bottom at around 8m deep, but they soon realized that he had hooked something big! This one wasn't destined for the trophy case however, as it's now back in the waters of the Corrib. It'll be interesting to see what size it is the next time it's caught, that's if we ever see it again. At least Karel has given us that chance!
Salmon Fly For Fast Flowing Peaty Water
The Glenfarclas fly is Scottish by birth but its success on fast peaty waters has placed it firmly in the sights of salmon fishermen in Ireland. The fly was invented by James Chalmers as an entry into a competition run by the Glenfarclas Whiskey Company. The rules of the competition dictated that the fly be tied using the company colours, which turned out to be for the best as the salmon on Speyside seemed to take to it very well.
Now that the fly has been proven a hit in the emerald isle, I'm sure they are many of you keen fly tiers out there itching to tie up a few in preparation for the coming Grilse season!
The pattern is: Body: Copper Mylar, Rib: Oval gold, Wing: Light mix of Willie Gunn, 2 / 3 strands of Pearl / Orange Krystal Flash mixed in the hair and Jungle cock, Collar Hackle: Hot Orange (tied sloping well back), Throat: Guinea fowl fibers (Dyed Blue), Head: Black.
Irish International Fly Fair 3-4 July 2010 in Killyleagh
The Irish International Fly Fair takes place on the 3rd and 4th of July, in Killyleagh. The festival was previously known as the "Killyleagh Fly Fair" but has been rebranded in order to reflect international nature of the participants. The two day event is hosted by the Dibney River Conservation Trust and is supported by Down District council, along with national and local businesses.
The festival includes fly tying demonstrations, casting demonstrations, children's workshops and many exhibitors. The fly tyers include EJ Malone (Ireland), Peter Kealy (Ireland), Ben Weytjens (Belgium), Steve Thornton (England), Ryan Houston (Ireland), Riny Sluiter (Netherlands), John Shanner (USA), Misako Ishimura (USA / Japan) and many others.
The main fly casting demonstrators are Illtyd Griffiths (Wales), Gary Champion (England), Clive Mitchelhill (England), Steve Peterson (Ireland), Karl Humphries (England) and Marc Fauvet (France).
Let's hope that we dont suffer the same air travel restrictions which plagued the Loughs Agency fair! For additional details see the Irish International Fly Fair website.
