ANGLING NOTES:Delphi Fishery in Connemara is a game-angler's paradise. One can read the guide-books depicting Delphi as "Irish Country House of the Year" and "Ireland's most famous sporting lodge", but to enter this hidden gem is an experience never to be forgotten, writes Derek Evans.
Following a scary drive through flash-flooding on the way from Maam Cross to Lennane, I arrived just in time for dinner at 8pm. Dinner is the highlight of the Delphi day and is taken at one huge table that accommodates perhaps 20 people. While the "chair" position is reserved for the angler with the biggest catch of the day, proprietor Peter Mantle, on occasions, will take the seat. "Tonight Derek, you will sit beside me," he says.
The Longueville apple-brandy wine was a perfect match for a lively and enjoyable dinner.
After breakfast, I met my angling guide, Urs Leibundgut. "This morning we fish Finlough," he says. Word has it Leibundgut is a superb angler who fishes hard and is the key informant on the run of fish at Delphi. Together, with local boatman Peter Joyce, we tested all the hot spots and met several fish but, alas, returned without any of them. Leibundgut, from Switzerland, is a regular visitor to Delphi.
In his 13-day stint this year, he caught 15 salmon. This is a moderate performance by his standards, says Mantle.
Delphi Lodge overlooks this charming and shallow lake that holds a large population of mixed stock. I say "mixed" because in recent years the lake has undergone a remarkable renaissance with the introduction of hatchery salmon to bolster the wild population.
More than 50,000 smolts are released each year for migration to sea. While these are indistinguishable from the wild variety apart from their clipped adipose fins, they provide equal enjoyment for the angler.
In an effort to protect the integrity of the wild salmon, Delphi rules stipulate that all hatchery-caught fish must be killed. In this way, they provide valuable scientific data from the coded wire nose-tag. Catch-and-release strictly applies to wild salmon.
Following lunch, I spent some time fishing nearby Doolough with guide Ben Bangham. In contrast to Finlough, this upper lake is deep, very deep (up to 50 fathoms in places) and often referred to as "The Black Lake". Wild salmon is the quarry here, with fishing mainly confined to the edges. "We'll try Badger's Point," Ben says.
Alas, a downpour brought fishing to an abrupt end.
On Thursday last, Alan Dunlop landed the 200th salmon of the season at Sandy Point on Finlough. Weighing in at 2kg, the fish succumbed to a Stoat's Tail.
The Delphi experience will be fondly remembered by this visitor. For more information, contact stay@delphilodge.ie or info@failteireland.ie
Watch this space for the opening of Delphi Club, a new luxury bonefishing lodge in the Bahamas. The brainchild of Peter Mantle, this tropical hideaway, which is close to the world-class bonefishing flats and scheduled to open next year.
• Waterville Fisheries Development Group is holding a sea trout/brown trout fly-fishing competition on Lough Currane from August 14th to 16th. The competition is confined to 80 anglers and entry fee is €180 (includes gala dinner). Profits from the competition will go towards maintaining spawning beds and conservation work. Contact John Murphy at 086-3991074.
•Ballin Lough Trout Fishery, situated 4km north of Westport in Co Mayo, is now open to angling all year round.
The 22-hectare lake is stocked with quality rainbow trout. Angling is confined to boats. To book, contact Mrs Gill at 098-26128.
• Don't miss next week's Angling Notesfor the fourth of our monthly Irish Times/Jimmy Tyrrell's Irish Flycraft lough and river flies reader competition.