Game Angling in the Shannon Region

 SALMON ANGLING  ROUNDUP 2004 SEASON

The Salmon Fishing season in 2004 was the best for many years, particularly so on the River Feale system in Co Kerry and the River Mulcair in Limerick. Rainfall came at the right time both in the spring and again in late summer and anglers enjoyed superb sport at these times, best in September. Hot, dry weather killed off fishing for much of June which bowed out on a better note as the month closed with a move of grilse. Lets look back at each month to see who caught what and where!

 Photo: Salmon leaping the falls at Annacotty, Mulcair River in November 2003, photo courtesy of Richard Keays, MILLBANK ANGLING CENTRE MURROE.

 Photo:  A beautiful fresh run spring salmon caught on the River Maigue by Paddy Dunworth, MARINE AND COUNTRYSIDE GUIDE on Friday March 5th, 2004

 Photo: 10lb Salmon caught by John Whelan Listowel. Photo courtesy of Paddy Halpin Assistant Fisheries Inspector Listowel.

Although waters were very low in the opening week of March, a few fresh run salmon were on the move and anglers reported success on the River Shannon, River Maigue and River Feale. 8 salmon were landed on the River Feale on the opening morning and fresh run spring fish were reported on the lovely Maigueside near Castleroberts in Co Limerick.  While the earlier part of month was a rather placid affair, that all changed in the second week with the arrival of storm force winds accompanied by driving rain. Water levels quickly rose in response which resulted in a dirty flood which proved a limiting factor for anglers on some days. However it's always an ill wind that blows some good. This was so for salmon anglers on the River Feale who hit it just right on a dropping flood on Saturday March 13th with several fish landed on the day. Reports of other salmon catches were received from the River Maigue. Unfortunately weather took a further turn for the worst with atrocious weather conditions which hampered angling into the third week of March. Weather eventually settled down resulting in some lively salmon fishing on the River Feale as the month closed.

Photo: Martin Kiely, Limerick with a spring salmon weighing 4kg (nearly 9lbs), caught on the River Maigue Co Limerick on St Patrick's Day  March 17th 2004 , on a flying 'C' , -  photo courtesy of Ken O'Neill Fishery Officer Shannon Regional Fisheries Board.

 Photo: Joe Devine, Newcastlewest  with a fresh run spring salmon caught on the River Feale, Finuge during the spring run , photo courtesy of Paddy Halpin, Assistant Fisheries Inspector, Listowel.

In April weather suited spring fishing particularly on the River Feale with a number of spates moving fish from the tide. On the last week of April the River Feale was ideal for angling and those who fished were rewarded with some prime conditioned double figure salmon caught on the dropping floods. Best methods were spinning with Kilty lures and worming. We also reported a good run of April flyers on the lower River Shannon at Limerick

Photo: Stephen Dowling of Ballylongford Co. Kerry with his beautiful shaped Salmon of 12lbs which he caught on in April

 Photo: Mark Smith with a 12lb salmon caught on the Lower River Feale on Tuesday 20th April while spinning on a dropping flood.

A wet May once again suited the spate rivers such as the River Feale. Despite a traditional lull between the spring run and grilse run, a number of fish were caught due to favourable conditions.  Weather was drier as the month closed and this led to a lull in salmon fishing in advance of the grilse run.

A fine dry, sunny, warm spell of weather in the opening weeks of June spelt disaster for salmon angling as water levels quickly shrank to very low levels. Conditions did improve with a return to rain as the month advanced. A few fresh fish were reported from the River Mulcair and Castleconnell Salmon Fishery and fishing continued to improve with a change in the weather as June closed. Despite good water conditions salmon were a scarce commodity on the River Feale. This is not unusual for the River Feale as June generally is not the best month for Salmon fishing on this fishery.

Salmon fishing stepped up a gear on the River Feale following a summer flood on Sunday July 11th. This was short lived with water levels quickly receding. On the lower Shannon salmon fishing was patchy with only a few fish reported.

Photo: Christy Halpin Listowel with his first salmon of the season, a fish of 8lbs on the River Feale in May.

August is traditionally a slack month on the Salmon fishing calendar. Not so in 2004 as copious amounts of rainfall fell in the latter half of the month which resulted in timely and welcomed summer floods. Conditions proved ideal and saw a late summer run of salmon and grilse move upriver from Limerick, many of which were fresh off the tide. The River Mulcair and River Feale systems, two of our best spate rivers provided super sport for a couple of weeks. The River Feale was described as alive with fish with almost all anglers landing fish daily, with some getting their allowable bag limit of 3 fish. We picked up on the emerging news and announced the salmon and sea trout conservation Bye law 797 introduced by John Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, a measure to protect our salmon stocks for the remaining part of the year.

Salmon fishing over the month of September has been the best for many years. Copious amounts of rain brought a succession of floods throughout most of the period, which moved an abundance of fresh fish off the tide into the River Feale in Co Kerry and the River Mulcair Limerick. The frequent floods allowed the fish to quickly filter and disperse into the upper reaches and main tributaries of both rivers particularly over the last 10 days of the season. A local Listowel angler  now living in Cork described The Smearlagh River, a tributary of the River Feale as " turning a shade of silver from time to time"  Millbank Angling Centre Murroe  said that  “ September on the Mulcair would remind you of the old times with a record number of salmon caught”. Most anglers had fish with a good number of double figure salmon caught on the Feale. A delighted Co Clare angler ended the season in style with a beautiful fresh run fish of 18lbs. The Salmon Fishing season bowed out on a high note on September 30^th and will certainly be remembered as the best autumn run of fish for many years to come.

ARCHIVED FISHING REPORTS TO 2010

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