Report dated May 12th, 2010. From Peter Gleeson, Nenagh Guardian.


WHERE HAVE ALL THE SMALL TROUT GONE ?...

After a promising start the Mayfly season on Lough Derg has turned into a rather dour affair in the past week.

While a small number of anglers have caught fairly large trout, the news from the vast majority is that angling has been rather poor.

At least twenty boats took part in the competition for the Jackie Whelan Cup from Garrykennedy on Sunday last but only five fish were weighed in at the end of the day. The winner was Portroe angler Mal McCormack with a trout of 4lbs 2ozs caught on wet fly in Youghal Bay.

The only other four fish weighed at Garrykennedy on the day were produced by John Malone (2lbs 7ozs), Neillie Barry (1lbs 15ozs), Simon Ryan (1lbs 12ozs) Eugene Willis (1lbs 11ozs).

The fishing on Saturday last was almost as poor for the Caddy Kennedy Trophy competition out of Garrykennedy. The winner was Alan Slattery with a trout of 4lbs 11ozs caught on a wet golden dabbler.

Denis Seymour of Portroe also had a good outing on Saturday, taking a trout of 3lbs 15ozs on the dapp from Youghal, while Donal Keating also had a trout of 2lbs 9ozs on the dapp.

A notable feature in regard to many of the larger trout being caught is that they have one or more lamprey eels attached to them. This may suggest that the big trout are spending much of their time on the bottom of the lake rather than coming up to feed on the fly – which is not good news for mayfly anglers.

In recent days the majority of boats have come in without a fish off Lough Derg and anglers have reported seeing very few fish rising to the plentiful hatches of mayfly. Some say the unseasonably cold weather has not helped matters, but with temperatures now about to rise fishermen and women are hoping that it will provide the ideal conditions for evening gnat fishing over the coming weeks.

One matter of concern to anglers is the dearth of fish from the one pound mark or under that are being landed. This is a change in trend that is in stark contrast to the last decade when catches of smaller fish were generally healthy at Mayfly time.

Other fine fish caught over the past ten days or so included a trout of over 4lbs by Willie and Jodie McGrath out of Dromineer on Monday of last week. John Kennedy of Curragh, Portroe, had a fish of 3lbs 2ozs the same night in Youghal Bay and his brother Mike had one of 2lbs 10oz the following night in the Castlelough area. Both fish were got on a dry fly.

Jim McCormack, Portroe, produced the best trout caught out of Garrykennedy on a fly so far this year on Wednesday evening of last week at the bottom of Youghal Bay. His 4lbs 13ozs trout, which succumbed to a gnat, made him winner of the €300 prize for the Ciss Ryan Pub competition for the heaviest trout weighed in at the Garrykennedy licensed premises between May 1-16. As part of the competition organised by the proprietors Roy and Denise Breen, a further €300 is up for grabs for the heaviest trout caught from now to end of May.

Other large trout caught over the past week included one from John Malone of 2lbs 14 ozs; Jerry O’ Brien had two beauties of 3lbs 10ozs and 3lbs 8ozs in the space of an hour at Parker’s Point on Thursday last while Darren Gardiner and Tom Haskett (Killaloe) had fish at or over the 4lbs mark.

The Lough Derg Yacht Club held a trout fishing competition on Sunday May 9th for the Gerry O Dowd Perpetual Trophy. In total 60 rods competed but only five fish were weighed in. The winner was Geoff Phipps with a trout of 2lbs 7ozs caught on the dapp. Second was Paul Stevens (2lbs 6ozs, dry fly), third, Dennis Hassey (2lb 4ozs, dry fly); fourth, David Moynan (1lb 8ozs); Ladies prize, Kathleen O’ Meara; Junior prize, Owen Gilmartin.
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SHANNON REGIONAL FISHERIES BOARD CONFERENCE ..

The Shannon Regional Fisheries Board is hosting a one-day conference focusing on current conservation and restoration projects and the future challenges facing the Shannon catchment in the Clarion Hotel in Limerick on Thursday May 27. The aims of the conference are to brief stakeholders on major issues facing fish and their habitat; to showcase some of the positive work taking place in the Shannon Catchment and to highlight the importance of our aquatic resource to local communities and to promote best practice amongst stakeholders and to share ideas and promote initiatives amongst all responsible for managing the water resource.

The conference is target at the general public, anglers and anyone with an interest in the fisheries resource.

Angling clubs and others can register in advance by contacting the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board, Ashbourne Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick. Telephone 061-300238. Email info@shrfb.com . The registration fee is €25 and cost covers lunch.

*For all your fishy stories contact Peter Gleeson, at email pgleeson@nenaghguardian.ie or 087-6564662 or 067-50481