Well now that we have come back down to earth after the big un, we are back to catching normal size fish. On this point it is worth noting that the quality of the fish in recent weeks has been excellent. When I was told that someone got a small grilse of 4lbs, I remarked that 10 years ago we would have considered this a big grilse. It definitely is a change for the better.
Since my last update we have landed 8 fish.
On Friday Michael Darling managed to land a fish of 4lbs13.5ozs off Finlough on his last morning of the week. The fish was sea liced and took a Cascade. Paddy Varian also had a fish off the Rock pool of 5lbs9ozs on a Tick Tock. Don’t ring up asking me what it is because I don’t know. Apparently it commonly used on the Owenmore.
Saturday we had 3 fish. Mick Kelly had one of 4lbs2.5ozs off Finlough on a Stoats Tail variant. Philip McGarrity had his first ever Delphi salmon. It was a sea liced fish of 5lbs approx. from the Whin pool taken on a Mini Tube. Martin Ceillier had a fish off the Turn pool of 4lbs on a Cascade. His wife Barbara still awaits that elusive first of the year.
Yesterday we had 3 fish. Michael Tierney from Dublin had his first ever salmon, off Doolough. The fish weighed in at 8lbs13ozs and was taken in the presence of his father Oliver and brother, also Oliver.
The next 2 fish were also a family affair. Reinhard Mittmann managed to land our smallest grilse of the year so far of 2lbs3ozs on a Stoats Tail. His son Nico had a lovely fish of 6lbs9ozs on a Green Highlander. Both these fish came off Finlough.
The river is holding at 30 so hopefully the steady flow of quality fish will continue.
D.McEvoy