The 2016 angling season has come to an end and once again most of the salmon and sea trout fisheries are reflecting on the season just passed. Whilst the salmon run in this area is down on previous years, there were as always many memorable moments during the year, not least two salmon of 20lbs plus. Sea trout made a good recovery on last year with some excellent catches and nearly all trout being in pristine condition.

Since my last update we landed thirty salmon, although twenty-five of these were landed on the last day. The normal September weather continued since my last update with another big flood on the 22nd and 23rd, when we recorded 65.2mms (2.57”) over a 24 hour period. This again put the river over the 100 mark on the gauge and by the end of the month, total rainfall for September reached 316.8mms (12.47”), which is well above average.

Mark Shortt started his week well with a nice fish of 3lbs14ozs from the Stream on Finlough on the 24^th, taken on a Frances. He also lost another and managed to smash his rod in the process. Later that evening Jean-Philippe Lefevre from Paris landed his first ever a cracking fish of 9lbs12ozs, taken in the Whin Pool on a Park Shrimp Conehead with the river running at 85.

Mark Corps has a small fish from the Grilse Pool the following day of approx. 2.5lbs on a Willie Gunn. Not to be outdone by his brother Mike Shortt landed a nice fish of 6lbs12ozs off Finlough on the 27^th on a Sunrae Shadow. Finally, Howard Kilguss had a fish of 2lbs14.5ozs from the Turn Pool on the 29^th on a Foxford Shrimp.

On the 30^th as usual we had a bit of a fish in, with technology used that salmon in Delphi would not be used to. As a result twenty five fish were landed including some junior anglers who recorded their first ever salmon. Sarah Carroll from Cork managed to land a lovely fish of 8lbs12.5ozs after a protracted battle, with much advice given from many experts. James Gibbons from Glendavough landed two, including his first ever, a nice fish of 6lbs3ozs from Boat Point on Finlough. Corentin Periaux from France also had his first ever, a fish of approx 5lbs from Finlough. A big thank you must go to all the adults who helped on the day, especially Ciaran for the use of his rods.

One of the great fishing stories of the year was young Nathan Reilly who broke in a good fish, with quite a bit of line trailing. Michael O’Kane was on hand to enter the river and retie the cast so that Nathan could actually land the fish a beauty of approx. 12lbs from the Turn Pool. That’s one he’ll remember for a few years to come.

Total salmon for the month was fifty, including twenty-five on the last day. This brought the total for the year to 179. Again there will be more detailed analysis of these figures in our annual newsletter. Sea trout fared better with a total of 160 for the month. This I believe would have been higher, were it not for the two massive floods we had during the month. Total sea trout catch for the year was 422 which is well up on last year.

Finally I would like to thank all of you for your help and support throughout this sometimes difficult year. Now I can go and put my feet up for the next four months, I wish!!!! D.McEvoy