As is often the case here in September we tend to get the tail end of the hurricanes that sweep through the east coast of Northern and Central America. This year has been no different and we experienced one very bad storm with severe rain on the night of the 11^th and morning of the 12^th. We had 81.1mms (3.19”) for the 24 hour period but almost all of this fell in about eight hours during the night and early morning. The river was actually over the top of the gauge which goes to 120cms. Roads were impassable by car and some who tried found it a costly experience.

On a positive note the salmon fishing picked up but sea trout seemed to be slower probably as a result of the huge flood, with Glencullin being unfishable for at least a week afterwards. Nineteen salmon have been landed since my last update and some nice sea trout but they were not as good as before the flood.

There were two salmon landed on the 5^th with Rollin Schuster from the USA landing a fish of approx. 2.5lbs on a Mini Tube in the Meadow Pool. This was followed later in the day by Peter Eaton who had a fish of 3lbs3ozs from the Dynamite on a Yellow Shrimp. Tommy Lee had a fish the following day from the Stream on Finlough of approx. 4.5lbs on a Cascade.

On the 8^th it was the turn of Chris Barry from Sydney who landed two fish, one of 9lbs14ozs and the second of approx. 3.5lbs, both from the Turn Pool and both on Willie Gunn’s.

The following week we had some who specialised in salmon and others in sea trout. Mark Corps landed three for the week of 3lbs14ozs, 5lbs and approx. 5lbs, the first two being from the Whin and the third from the Rock Pool on a Collie Dog, Beaded Nymph and a Golden Reach respectively. Alexander Mills had a fish of 2lbs11ozs from the Whin on a Yellow Shrimp. Philip Janaway had two of 4lbs and approx. 3 lbs, from the Grilse Pool and the Horseshoe Pool, both on a Cascade. Chris Cromey Hawke had two, one off the Deadman’s of 3lbs9ozs on a Sunrae and the second of 9lbs11ozs off Finlough also on a Sunrae.

Jack Browne was the main salmon catcher this week, with four landed, three on Doolough and one on Glencullin of 3lbs2ozs, 11lbs8ozs, approx. 3lbs and approx. 4lbs, the first on a Stoats Tail and the remainder on a Willie Gunn. David Swaine also had a fish of approx. 2.5lbs from the Meadow Pool on a Silver Wilkinson. Rob Broke also managed to land his first ever salmon, a fish of 3lbs8ozs from the Quarry Pool on a Beaded Nymph.

We’re down to the last week now so hopefully we’ll put a few more fish in the book before the end of the month, if the weather allows as we are experiencing another good September Storm at the minute.

D.McEvoy