Fishing Report
Conn has been fishing well this year, with reports of good bags
of fish, most of which are being returned. Also interesting
is that smaller fish are figuring again after an absence of
several years. This surely bodes well for the future of the
lough. Clients have generally done well once they have adapted
to the techniques. Will and Stephen certainly found fishing
size 12 dry Mayflies in a Force 5 interesting! Best fish so
far has been Jon
Freestone's lovely 2lb 10oz, caught late in the
evening when a drop in the wind produced five minutes of feeding
on Spents before a chill put an end to the action. Alan and
David both had two pounders, while the rest of the fish caught
have been of average size, round about the pound mark.
A trip to Mask with Patrick and David saw lots of hatching Mayfly
but few fish feeding on them. This seems to have been the pattern
this year. Recent reports suggest that Mask and Corrib are fishing
poorly at the moment. Some are suggesting that an early appearance
by the perch fry has meant the trout are staying down.
I have had mixed success in competitions this year. In the Connacht
championships, fished on Conn, I came fourth with a fish of
just over two pounds. Conditions were far from favourable, with
bright sun and barely a ripple. I caught my fish at ten to five
at the bottom of Victoria bay in about two feet of water on
a green holographic Diawl Bach fished New Zealand-style under
a Royal Wulff. My only other rise of the day was an undersized
fish caught early on.
My own Conn and Cullin club's Whit weekend two day competition
saw over a hundred anglers take part in what seemed like ideal
conditions, but catches di not reflect this. I blanked on day
one, rising only a couple of fish. On day two we decided to
stay around Woodford shallows all day as there were Mayfly hatching.
Despite rising numerous fish, I only caught two and only one
of them was over the 13" limit.
I'm now looking forward to the World Cup on Lough Mask over
the August (Irish) Bank Holiday weekend. Cancelled last year
because of a dispute over government regulations, this premier
competition is back again and promises to be as good as ever.
If you've never fished it you don't know what you're missing!
I was lucky enough to win my heat and Best Overseas Angler prize
last time this was held, so I've got something to aim at this
time. I'll be putting in a few practice days at the end of July
and you'd be welcome to join me.
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