March 5th, 2008 - Archived Salmon & Trout Fishing Reports for the Shannon Region

Game Angling & Fisheries News Update dated

Wednesday March 5th, 2008

Photo: from Lilliput Boat Hire on the opening day on Ennell March 1st

GAME ANGLING SEASON OPENS WITH MIXED RESULTS

The Salmon and Trout angling season kicked off on most waters on a wintry note with recent snow falls and very low temperatures. Dr Brian Lalor L.S.T.P.A announces the up-coming A.G.M. on Sheelin. Michael Flanagan keeps us up to date on the happenings in our midland lakes and rivers. Plenty of anglers fished Owel on the opening day and were rewarded for their efforts with 16 fish reported with the biggest fish weighing 3.5lbs. Lough Ree anglers spent a very enjoyable if cold opening day on the lake with mixed results. Anglers pike fishing on Ree caught and released a couple of big trout into double figures recently. Anglers converged on the Little Brosna River near Roscrea in traditional style to start the season, results were patchy. This year the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board has introduced a new trout conservation measure on our managed fishery, River Camcor, in association with the Camcor and Little Brosna Angling Club. We feature the details in our main report.

The Salmon angling season opened on a disappointing note on the River Feale. No spring Salmon were reported caught over the weekend despite good river conditions on Sunday and Monday. We will be featuring our 2008 Salmon Conservation Newsletter very soon - Watch this space, meanwhile see our recent Bye Laws.

UPPER SHANNON

LOUGH SHEELIN

The season opened on Sheelin on Saturday. Not many anglers out as yet.

The 2007 Annual General Meeting of the Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association (LSTPA) will take place in ''The Pub'' Kilnaleck on Sunday 9th of March 2008 at 3 PM. All members, prospective members and interested parties are invited to attend. Much of the improvement in the fishing on Lough Sheelin in recent years is due to the hard work of the members of LSTPA. It deserves your support. Contact Dr Brian Lalor PRO for further information or logon to the Association website http://www.loughsheelinanglers.ie/

For local updates contact Mr Sean Gurhy, Assistant Fisheries Inspector Lough Sheelin Tel: 049 4336144

LOUGH O'FLYNN & UPPER RIVER SUCK

Angling opened on Saturday on the Lough O'Flynn. No anglers about yet as expected. Angling generally doesn't pick up on this fishery until later in March and into April, weather permitting.

For updates contact John Ryan, Assistant Fisheries Inspector Co Roscommon at 087 2536064.

MID SHANNON AREA

LOUGH ENNELL

Lough Ennell got off to a mild start on Saturday March 1st and it proved a lucky start for Romanian angler Levenda Dasii who reported a nice Ennell trout. The fish was in good condition and was released back to the lake. On Sunday the weather turned a lot cooler and no other trout were reported.

For updates contact Pat Mc Donnell, Fisheries Officer Shannon Regional Fisheries Board Mullingar Office Tel: 044 9348769 mornings

LOUGH OWEL

Plenty of anglers fished Owel on the opening day and were rewarded for their efforts with 16 fish reported with the biggest fish weighing 3.5lbs. Trolling was the most popular method but a few of the fly men struck it lucky, including Andy Boyle and Michael McCormack. The anglers all agreed that the fish were in great condition. Sunday turned a lot cooler and very few anglers ventured out.

For updates contact Pat Mc Donnell, Fisheries Officer Shannon Regional Fisheries Board Mullingar Office Tel: 044 48769

Mick Flanagan, Angling correspondent and photographer for Sunday World and Topic group of newspapers Tel: 087 2797270: mick@midlandangling.com reports on Midland Lakes & Rivers.

OWEL OPENING DAY..

Hopefully in the coming week I might get a day on Owel or Ennell. It's a well known fact we are simply spoilt for choice when it comes to lake fishing here in Westmeath. On Owel club chairman Andy Boyle fishing on the opening day with another top class Owel angler Mick McCormack had a nice bit of action on the fly. Our Mullingar action man Sean Matthew's fishing with Nickie Shaw also produced a few trout from Owel. Brian Jameson from Ratoath Co Meath produced one of the best trout from Owel on the opening day. Brian's fish rattled the scales at 3.5lbs. Brian told us the fish was in mint condition and was feeding hard on snails. The fish fell to the Octopus fly. Well done Brian and we hope plenty more good fish come on line. If my memory serves me right, I think we featured Brian some years back with a super trout from Owel during the Peter season. It's a long season now, so I will bump into Brian at some stage and check this out.

ENNELL OPENING DAY...

Well here is a tough lake to crack be it opening day or end of season. Mind you the rewards for cracking Ennell is just out of this world and you would get it hard to
match the quality of trout that come off Ennell, anywhere in Ireland. On the opening day Lucian Vasil from Dublin ventured down to the Midlands and was rewarded with a fine Ennell trout. Lucian was fishing out of Lilliput Boat Hire and we are sure we will receive more news from this end of the lake this coming season. Pete Ganly has a fine fleet of boats and engines for hire at Lilliput and a day on Ennell might just produce an early season cracker.

LOUGH DERRAVARAGH,

For general updates contact Pat Mc Donnell, Fisheries Officer Shannon Regional Fisheries Board Mullingar Office Tel: 044 48769

No trout angling reports as yet - it's early days for Derravaragh.

LOUGH REE

There were some nice trout reported by anglers on the opening day but fishing was cut short for many by the stormy conditions. An English angler fishing from Barley Harbour using Mackerel caught and released 12lbs trout on 24th February and a local angler fishing for pike in early February caught and released another big trout weighing 10lbs on a Bulldog. Ken Kelly from Killemore had a fish of 5lbs.

ATHLONE ANGLERS ASSOCIATION NEWS
contact Eamon Cunningham P.R.O. Athlone Anglers Association Phone
Mob: 087 - 2340815

MC CORMACK CUP GETS FISHING SEASON UNDERWAY ....

The trout fishing season officially started last Saturday on Lough Ree and plenty of anglers spent a very enjoyable if cold day on the lake with mixed results. With the season now underway it is time to start the competitions so next Sunday, 9th March, is when the first competition will take place. It will be for the Seamus McCormack Memorial Cup and will start from Coosan Point at 10.30am and finish at 5.30pm. The Captain of the Day will be Michael Ganly and the weigh in and presentation of prizes will take place that evening in Potters Bar with the scales down at 8.30pm sharp. The proceeds from this competition will be donated to Lough Ree Fish Hatchery and the Lough Ree Preservation Society. This Competition is open to the following invited clubs, Ballykeeran and Killeenmore Anglers, Coosan Anglers, Camlin Anglers, Portlick Anglers, Longford Anglers, Elan Anglers, Cross River Anglers and Roscommon Anglers.

The following Sunday, March 16th, the competition for the Griffin Cup will take place and on Sunday 23rd March which is Easter Sunday there will be no competition. Also we started a phone text service last year which gives you details of competitions, events, cancellations etc. If you wish to be included in this service please make sure that the committee have your mobile telephone number or you can text your name and number to Eamon Cunningham on 087-2340815.

PALLAS LAKE CO OFFALY

Trout fishery opens May 1st, 2008.

For general updates contact Dinny Coyne Chairperson of the Pallas Lake Angling Club Tel: 087 2974306.

LOUGH ACALLA CO GALWAY

Trout fishery opens May1st, 2008.

For updates contact John Devaney, Assistant Fisheries Inspector, Roscommon 087 2266735

LITTLE BROSNA RIVER

Photo: Roscrea anglers fishing on the opening day March 1st.

The trout season opened on Saturday last March 1st on the Little Brosna River. There was a good early morning turnout with anglers crowding into the Roscrea Fish Farm Stretch, by 11.00am. A lot of anglers gave up with not even a bite throughout the morning. Better success was had downstream of Perry’s Mills with 2 fish caught on the open day, a third fish was caught up stream of Roscrea fish Farm. Overall it was a poor catch for the open day.

CAMCOR RIVER BIRR

The ShRFB issued a Press Release on February 25th, 2008. We request that anglers familiarise with new conservation measures for the fishery.

"This year the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board has introduced a new trout conservation measure on its fishery, River Camcor, in association with the Camcor and Little Brosna Angling Club. This follows concerns that trout stocks were being fished by unsustainable means. This new regulation will ensure that trout stocks will be maintained and that anglers will be able to enjoy angling on the Camcor into the future.

The conservation measure of Fly Fishing Only will be enforced by Fisheries Staff who will patrol the river during the open season which commences on the 1st March 2008 until the 30th September.

The Camcor and Little Brosna is an important salmon and trout fishery and every effort will put in place to sustain and develop its potential. Therefore, we urge all anglers to abide by this conservation measure and practice catch and release when possible.

If anglers have any queries please contact Shannon Regional Fisheries Board.

LOWER SHANNON AREA

RIVER MULCAIR CO LIMERICK

Fishery opened March 1st, 2008.

ShRFB reports for the RIVER FEALE CO KERRY

It was a very poor start to the Salmon fishing season on the River Feale. There was a small coloured flood on the opening day Saturday March 1st. Up to 80 anglers converged on the banks of the Feale from Finuge to Abbeyfeale in traditional style. Water cleared nicely over the weekend but alas, not a fish was reported caught which was very disappointing. Let's hope the situation improves.

For up to date fishing reports contact the local Assistant Fisheries Inspector Mr Paddy Halpin Mobile: 087 7729126

ShRFB reports for Castleroberts Fishery RIVER MAIGUE.

Trout Fishery opens March 1st, 2008.

For angling updates on Castleroberts contact Mob: 087 9810817

Like to Become a Contributor to this Angling Report !

If you have fished any of our game fisheries over the past week and wish to send us in your fishing report to feature on our next update, please CLICK HERE and complete our online form or simply send us an email with your contact particulars and catch details and attach a photo if you have one to Brian Mc Manus Email: info@shannon-fishery-board.ie