AS WITH A good wine, I leave the famous Ridge Pool until last in my assessment of the impact on Irish rivers of the salmon driftnetting ban. Right in the centre of Ballina town in Co Mayo, this water is regarded as the most lucrative beat in Ireland and coveted by anglers from around the world.
The Moy Fishery was purchased by the State in 1987 and is now managed by the North Western Regional Fisheries Board.
As part of a €3m development plan, commercial salmon fishing had ceased and spawning rivers were enhanced throughout the catchment. The fishery was also divided into eight beats, with the Ridge Pool undoubtedly the most famous.
In June, Mary Coughlan, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, designated Ballina the salmon capital of Ireland because of its prolific run of salmon. The title was awarded by Fáilte Ireland in a public-private partnership deal.
Facilities at the Ridge Pool fishery are first class and it is well managed. Five rods are allowed at any time, with two sessions per day, sunrise to 2pm and 2pm to sunset. An additional Weir Pool rod operates separately.
Torrential rain last week brought a significant rise in water levels and encouraged many fish that had been holding in the estuary to run. The Moy Fishery experienced some fantastic angling, with 115 salmon landed at the Ridge Pool and an overall catch of 1,050 from the river.
Robert Roche (14), from Dublin, caught his first salmon on the Ridge. Terry McDermott, from the North, landed two, one each on fly and spinner. Niall Tonge, from Co Meath, banked three on a spinner.
For my visit, a 4.30am wake-up call in the Ice House Hotel in Ballina meant I was ready for action as dawn broke. Chest deep in the fast-flowing clear water, I splayed my Cascade fly across the majestic river.
Success was not too far away because soon I connected with a good grilse of 2kg. This was safely banked, despatched and tagged. (It was my first salmon of the season.)
Numerous "pulls" followed throughout the morning, but unfortunately there were no "takers". Still, I was chuffed with my fish and the prospects of wild salmon for dinner!
My overall assessment of salmon returning to rivers since the cessation of driftnetting in 2006 is one of extreme satisfaction in terms of the improvement in numbers, size and condition. Surely, at this rate of recovery, most - if not all - rivers will have exceeded their sustainable levels by 2010?
However, on a cautionary note, a reader informs me he caught two fresh grilse this season with clear driftnet damage, caused at sea. He also took two last August with sea-net marks at Kylemore Abbey and Casla River.
"We are deluding ourselves to think that driftnets have gone completely. It is important that anglers report any damaged fish," he says.
Lough Mask lived up to its reputation as one of our finest brown trout lakes at the 51st World Cup Trout Fly Fishing Championship at Cushlough Bay, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.
Bad fishing weather ensured that fish were not tempted by the fly, although this did little to distract the attention of the 674 competitors. Séamus Kelly, of Cloghans, Ballina, Co Mayo, was the eventual winner with two good trout for 2kg. "I caught my fish close to Inishowen Rocks on a Green Deer Sedge," he said.
• First prize included a 19-foot Anglers' Fancy boat, sponsored by Burke Boats, of Ballinrobe; boat trailer (Kelly Electrical, Ballinrobe); 15hp Honda outboard engine (Duffy and Sons, Headford); Engraved crystal trophy (Murphy's Newsagents, Ballinrobe); Grey's G Tec 10-foot fly rod (Hardy, Alnwick, England) and World Cup Perpetual Trophy.
• The winner of the fourth Irish Times/Jimmy Tyrrell's Irish Flycraft Reader Offer is Phil Gallagher, Drumcliffe, Co Sligo, who correctly answered that the Shannon is the longest river in Ireland.