Sean Goulding took top honours at last weekend’s 41st Lough Conn boat angling two-day festival out from Gortnorabbey Pier, Co Mayo. Sean, from Dublin, caught two fish on both days for a total weight of 6lb (2.7kg) to claim first prize of a 19’ Sheelin boat, framed set of flies by Gary Binley and the Traynor and Tolan Perpetual Cup.
Victory was doubly sweet for Sean, back in 2008 his son Denis, renowned as a top-class angler, also won the competition. But at this year’s event Denis could manage only one. That’s Conn fishing.
Sean fished Victoria Bay and Castlehill on both days using his own tying of a green and brown Wulff and was high in praise for his boatman Mike Ruttledge from Laherdane.
“We fish together regularly when I visit Crossmolina, he’s great at seeking out the big ones.” Ironically, it was Mike who caught the heaviest fish of 3lb (1.33kg), again in Castlehill Bay on a Grey Wulff.
I thoroughly enjoyed my two days’ fishing with stalwarts Joe Tolan and Francie White. Together, they perhaps have chalked up 100 years on Conn.
On Day 1, Joe, whose family roots are firmly in Crossmolina, and who now lives in Dublin, steered south between Castle Island and Roe Island and on to Kane’s Shallows and the Abbey Shore. We followed the swallows gorging mayfly on the water and fish splashing, enjoying the party.
The Grey Wulff and Humpy were the order of the day and together we boated at least 12 fish with just one counter over 13ins that grabbed my fly. Adrenaline was running high – you daren’t take your eyes off the cast. Maybe the next take would be the three pounder.
My second day with Francie took on an entirely different dimension. Wind, rain, hail and shivering cold persisted throughout the seven hours. But it was the squalls that caught me out, making it impossible to even back cast.
We stayed close to home venturing no further than the Black Rocks, 4-Bar Shallows and Cloonaghmore Bay. At each stop we met fish, but I could not get even one over the line. Francie did, a nice fish on a mayfly pattern. We headed for home 45 minutes before finishing time.
Lough Conn is a magnificent lake, all of 14,000 acres and almost 10 miles long with numerous bays and islands. Sometimes described as a lake that “man could never create”, it holds an enormous amount of wild trout and a good head of salmon en route to the spawning rivers.
Over dinner, a minute’s silence was observed in remembrance of two recently deceased popular anglers, Billy Coulahan and Robbie O’Grady.
In his address to the 90-strong anglers, Pádraic Traynor joked, “I hope you all enjoyed the Baltic conditions today.” He thanked Gary Piggott as the main sponsor and Orla Walsh and Mike Benson for their help in organising the competition.
Results: 1, S Goulding, 4 fish, 2.7kg; 2, M Dunne, 4f, 2.6kg; 3, G Heaslip, 5f, 2.39; 4, S Creane, 4f; 5, P Kelly, 4f.
As part of an ongoing survey on land-locked lamprey, fisheries staff examined all fish after weigh-in to check for attachment marks. Only one 12in lamprey was found attached out of about 80 fish.
To help make the project a success, if you have evidence of lamprey markings, contact nicola.ogorman@ fisheriesireland.ie.
Congratulations to Pádraic Traynor and Orla Walsh on a well-organised competition that included two super meals in Hiney’s of Crossmolina. Thanks also to the Cowmans of Shalom House whose B&B on the shores of Lough Conn is top-notch and great value. Call 096-31230.
First salmon
The first salmon of the season was taken at Derryclare Butts on Lough Inagh fishery in Co Galway last week by lady angler Alice Swiderski from the US. The fish weighed 4.5lbs and took a size 10 Silver Badger.
“Our salmon run has just started and the water levels are perfect at time of writing. No sea trout have been recorded so far, but June is usually the month we see the start of our run,” according to Colin Folan. Enquiries to inagh@iol.ie or 095-34706.
angling@irishtimes.com
