2005 Annual Salmon Fishing Report Shannon Fisheries Region

Photo: First reported Salmon of the 2005 season, fish of 11lbs was caught by John Burton on the Shannon at Plassey in Limerick, photo courtesy of the captor.

What can be said about 2005 Salmon fishing season - not a year to remember overall which was in direct contrast to the excellent season of 2004. Water levels at some peak times were good but unfortunately fish proved a scarce commodity especially on the Shannon. The River Feale had sporadic reasonable runs from time to time which provided local sport in the Listowel area. The best fishing was had over the final days of the season to September 30th on the dropping floods on the River Feale. Generally it was a poor and very disappointing season. Let's see how each month fared in '05

EARLY SEASON

There were no salmon reported in the opening days of the season. By week two there was news of 5 salmon caught on the River Fergus in Ennis and the first reported salmon of the season on the lower Shannon was caught at Plassey in Limerick by Limerick angler John Burton.

Photo: courtesy of John Burton, Limerick

The first salmon of the season on the River Feale was caught at 7.30am on the opening day March 1^st by John Laide of Listowel, caught on a Black Kilty lure. Thereafter fishing was patchy with only the occasional salmon reported caught mainly due to low water levels.

Photo: John Laide of Listowel with the first salmon of the season from the River Feale, caught on the opening day March 1st and was landed at 7.20am on a Black Kilty lure, the fish weighed 10lbs.

Photo: Liam Ryan of Tralee and fishing partner David Murphy of Newcastlewest on the opening day on the River Feale, Co Kerry.

Despite good water levels salmon fishing overall was poor in April compared with the same period in 2004, particularly on the River Feale. Salmon angling conditions proved ideal at other times with little action reported. There was a run of fish into the River Feale mid month with up to 25 spring fish accounted for on a dropping flood on the lower sections of the river, downstream of Listowel.

Photo: Christy Halpin from Listowel with his first salmon of the season using a 9ft fly rod and a size 10 red ally shrimp fly, the fish was freshly run and weighed 13lbs.

Photo: Mick Body from Abbeyfeale Co. Limerick with his first Salmon of the year which he caught on a Kilty lure on Friday April 8th. Photo by Paddy Halpin ShRFB

Salmon fishing was rather slow in May despite favourable angling conditions and plenty of water particularly on the River Feale in Co Kerry. The highlight was a specimen sized salmon of 21lbs caught by an Abbeyfeale angler in early May. A small fresh in the rivers allowed for ideal fly water on Saturday and Sunday May 7th and 8th. There were a few spates over the month, which didn’t produce much more than a handful of fish. Overall, not a good month for salmon anglers.

Photo: Anglers enjoying their salmon fishing on the dropping flood on the River Feale in Co Kerry - photo courtesy of Paddy Halpin Shannon Regional Fisheries Board Assistant Fisheries Inspector, Listowel.

Photo: Paul O' Sullivan and retired Fishery Officer M. O' Brien on the night of the 13th June on the River Feale, the salmon caught by Paul weighed in at 16lbs 9ozs and took 3 hours to land.

June was a very disappointing month with only a scattering of grilse reported on the Shannon. Spates on the River Feale in Co Kerry moved some fresh run Salmon in off the tide with anglers having limited success. Later on in the month another flood did bring a better run of fish into the system and there was a slight improvement reported from the Castleconnell Salmon beats with a party of overseas anglers landing 10 fish for a weeks fishing. Overall – a poor month though contrary to expectations, which should be one of the salmon angling milestones in the game angling calendar, particularly on the Shannon.

Photo: 7lb Salmon from River Feale near Kilmorna, for Paddy Dunworth on single-handed fly rod, photo courtesy of the captor.

A scattering of grilse entered the Shannon in early July but salmon angling was generally slow. A heat wave killed off all angling by mid month with a slight recovery as July closed with a fresh on the Mulcair and River Feale.

Photo: Paul O Sullivan from Listowel, Co. Kerry with this fine fresh run salmon of 14.4lbs caught on fly on Friday August 19th.

Photo: Sean Enright from the Listowel area with his two fish, one which weighed 14.5lbs and the other 8lbs - photos courtesy of Paddy Halpin, Assistant Fisheries Inspector, Listowel.

There were a few summer floods in August which got some fish moving into the River Mulcair River in Co Limerick. There was a scattering of salmon into the River Feale, with fish up to 14lbs plus reported by anglers, best method spinning the Kilty Lure. Elsewhere Salmon fishing has patchy.

Photo: A delighted 15 years old Gavin Keane from Listowel caught his first ever salmon, a lovely fresh fish of 8lbs caught at the weir in Scartlea on the River Feale in Co Kerry on Saturday 10th September. He caught the fish on a spinner, photo courtesy of Paddy Halpin, Assistant Fisheries Inspector Listowel.

Rainfall in the southern half of the country mid September had the desired effect. Salmon anglers did quite well on the Feale on the spates especially the final few days of the season and sportingly anglers released several red fish. The Mulcair and Lower Shannon also benefited from the welcomed rainfall, which stirred a few fish.

Photo: 15 years old David Fuller with his first ever Salmon weighing 7lbs which he caught on Saturday last September 10th at the weir on the River Feale below Listowel, photographed with David is his dad William, both from Cratloe Co. Clare, photo courtesy of Paddy Halpin, Assistant Fisheries Inspector.