ANGLING NOTES:INLAND Fisheries Ireland has announced that a quota of 17,000 wild salmon may be caught commercially until August 12th of this year. However, strict conservation measures dictate that only authorised dealers or commercial licensed salmon fishermen may sell them provided the fish have a green, white or orange tag attached before processing.
As part of the regulations, all legally caught wild salmon must have a tag attached – those with blue tags or no tag cannot be sold. Farmed salmon are a different product and available all year round. “If in doubt as to origin ask the supplier,” say the fisheries. To report the sale or purchase of illegally caught salmon, tel: 1890-347424.
Angling guide Judd Ruane reports that sea trout fishing in the Moy estuary so far this season “is the best for many many years”. There is a very big run of sea trout and the water quality is excellent, he says. For bookings, contact 087-6736969.
* Following a truly amazing experience on Loughs Mask and Conn recently, two seasoned gentlemen, whose interest in trout fishing had waned in recent years, found a renewed interest in the midst of the mayfly season.
Dr John Connolly, of Pontoon Lodge, Co Mayo, and Derek Woods, from Dorset, England, along with guide Jim Ruane, fished a six-day marathon interchanging on both lakes and landed a total of 60 trout along with many undersize fish. All were released bar seven.
Both men, each with more than 50 years’ fishing experience, commented they never had such a prolific catch, and comparisons were made to the good days of the 1960s. On Thursday, the group watched trout gorge on a massive olive hatch. “This was one of the most spectacular sights Mr Woods had ever seen,” Jim says.
Pontoon Bridge Hotel, on the shores of Lough Conn in Co Mayo, was the perfect base for my three-day fishing spree over the holiday weekend, with its friendly staff, delicious food and comfortable accommodation.
I travelled the short distance to Crossmolina to take part in the two-day Tolan/Traynor Cup competition on Conn. Gortnorabbey Pier was a hive of activity as anglers collected tags and checked boat partners for the two days.
I paired with Basil Shields, widely regarded as one of the best trout anglers in the country. Basil had spent three days prior to the competition testing for possible “hold-out” fish locations.
“I take these competitions seriously,” he said. “To date I have won seven boats and four engines in various competitions.” Throughout the day we stayed close to the “pins” and landed about six small fish each.
On the second day, I teamed with Joe Quinn, again, another top international angler, from nearby Ballina. We fished The Bog and surrounding areas, raised several good fish but failed to boat any “keepers”.
It was left to Martin Feerick from Ennis, Co Clare, to show the way. With two fish up from the first day, he tried Colman’s Shallows on the second day without success and took a chance in Victoria Bay.
Here, on Dry Mayfly, he met plenty of fish and ended with four good trout, sufficient to win the competition with a six-fish total to claim first prize of a 19ft Sheelin boat, flies by Gary Binley and the Perpetual Cup.
Results: 1, M Feerick, 6 fish, 3kg; 2, J Purtill, 3f, 1.7kg; 3, M Cooper, 3f, 1.46kg.
* On Monday I travelled to Carrowmore Lake with Jim Ruane, first calling to the West End Bar in Bangor-Erris to meet Seamus Henry.
"The lake fished extremely well last week for salmon. And we are beginning to see some good sea trout entering the system," he says. See bangorerrisangling.com.
Our first drift took us across yet another Bog Bay then Paradise Bay and the Glencullen River, each without success. Later, after I had left for home, our group of Ben Baynes, Aiden and Brian Connolly and Jim Ruane caught five salmon. The “brew up” on Sandy Point was most enjoyable.
angling@irishtimes.com