Sport

Looking for sea trout and bass in Greenore estuary on a ripping tide with Mourne mountains in view

A stretch of the Tolka River running through Griffith Park, polluted with a detergent like foam which has killed all the fish within the river in that area. Photograph: Alan Betson
A stretch of the Tolka River running through Griffith Park, polluted with a detergent like foam which has killed all the fish within the river in that area. Photograph: Alan Betson
Derek Evans
Mon Jul 28 2014 - 01:00

THE last time I met Matt Campbell he was sitting across from me at the breakfast table in Cowman’s bed and breakfast in Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, Co Mayo. It was June and we were participating in the two-day fly- fishing event on Lough Conn.

“Derek, I’ll give you a call when the sea trout are running on the Castletown and come up for a day. It’s a magical four- week window and the early signs are really encouraging,” he said.

True to his word I got the call last week. “Drop everything, Derek. The sea trout are running the river in numbers on each tide.” Two days later I was revelling in the annual bonanza provided by the north-east coastline.

Matt is assistant chairman of Dundalk and District Brown Trout Anglers, incorporating Castletown Salmon Anglers. It was founded in 1926 and he’s been a member for 50 years. Today, the club boasts a membership of 250 senior and junior anglers.

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“I prefer to take a back seat at committee level and concentrate more on promoting angling among our junior members.” Last year he played a pivotal role in organising the world youth fly fishing cross-border championship hosted by the Trout Angling Federation of Ireland.

My early arrival in Dundalk allowed time for some fly fishing along the Greenore estuary. “We’ll try for sea trout and possibly a bass,” Matt said. Equipped with 9ft Greys XF2, floating line and size-10 shrimp pattern (tied by Mick McShane) we set out along the Whitestown shoreline on a dropping tide.

Fishing close to the many oyster beds at Greenore with Carlingford to our left, the Mournes across the channel and a ripping tide, I suddenly got a pull followed by a terrific struggle before landing a bar of silver bass of about 2.5lb. Our afternoon continued with a few missed chances before returning to club headquarters.

Situated on the banks of Castletown River, the clubhouse is a fine example of member co-operation with meeting room, kitchen facilities and walls adored with photos from past years including a “thank you” presentation from President Higgins for the club’s participation in The Gathering.

And so it was time for some sea-trout fishing. It was 10pm. The anglers were gathering in their droves. “This is a nightly ritual, some will fish untill 3am and beyond,” Matt said. As we made our way along the bank, stopping for a cast, we managed a few small fish to the Silver Badger.

Word came through of a four-pounder caught and several to one pound in the lower tidal stretch. It was now 1am and time for me to call it a day. Matt continued on and called me next day to say he caught a further six sea trout, best 1.5lb.

My thanks to Matt for a wonderful day (and night).

Tolka fish kill

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and Dublin City Council (DCC) are investigating an extensive fish kill on the River Tolka in Dublin City which occurred last Tuesday.

The kill extended from an area close to Finglas Road Bridge to the sea. IFI and DCC are continuing their investigations to establish the source of the contaminating material that caused this major pollution event.

A definite line of inquiry is now being followed and further samples have been taken and analysis is ongoing.

Christy Emmett, chairman of Tolka Anglers’ Association, said: “I think I can safely say the amount of fish killed is in the thousands with nothing surviving the onslaught of pollution – minnow, stoneloach and trout of all sizes up to and including specimen weight.

“The vast majority of these were spawned in the Tolka and its tributaries which in itself is a credit to the effort, time and dedication of Inland Fisheries Ireland, Dublin Angling Initiative, Dublin City Council and the angling clubs along the river catchment. It is heart-breaking and maddening to see such a destruction of a fantastic and natural amenity enjoyed by thousands from all walks of life. An amenity forever under threat from a careless, negligent and irresponsible few who seem to be immune from prosecution and care even less.”

Lough Currane competition

The annual sea-trout catch- and-release fly-fishing competition will be held on Lough Currane on August 8th-9th. Entry forms are available on the Waterville fisheries website loughcurrane.com.

angling@irishtimes.com