As is often the case with August there are plenty of salmon in the system but they become more challenging from an angling perspective. Conditions have been good with plenty of water and levels rarely fell below 40 in the last couple of weeks.
First fish landed since my last update was a first ever salmon for Michael Hanewinkel from Germany, who had a 3lbs1oz fish from the Grilse Pool on a Willie Gunn. Michael then doubled his salmon tally the following day when he landed a nice grilse of 5lbs from the Turn Pool, again on a Willie Gunn. To make it a real family affair, his wife Katarina then landed her first ever salmon, a fish of 4lbs3ozs on a Black Nymph also from the Turn Pool.
Urs also kept his run going with a fine fish of 6lbs15ozs from the Stream on Finlough on the 13th on a Delphi Collie and also had one on the 15th from the Stream of approx. 4lbs on a Delphi Collie. Interestingly both of these fish were caught in the last half hour of daylight, when all had been quiet beforehand. Danny McLaughlin from Westport did well for his days fishing landing a fish of 3lbs from Quarry Flats on a Shrimp Fly. Dioni Roberts from Scotland had a fish of approx. 3lbs from the Grilse Pool on the 17th and Urs had his 7th and final fish of his stay that evening, of 3lbs1oz from the Meadow Pool on an Allie Shrimp. The fish was sea liced but slightly coloured, so possibly one that had been in and out on the tide.
We then had the Hugh Brennan week, even though there were other people fishing it was Hugh or his family that the Salmon Gods shone on. Hugh landed five fish, all on Collie Dogs, two from the river, two from Finlough and one from Doolough. Both fish from Finlough were from the Stream, of 4lbs and 4lbs6ozs respectively, the latter was again in the last half hour of daylight. His river fish were both on the 22nd, the day after a big flood from the Turn and Quarry Pools and weighing in at 4lbs7ozs and 2lbs respectively. His fifth fish was taken from the Powder House Beach on Doolough and was approx. 4lbs.
Hugh’s daughter Ciara and son in law Kieran Doyle also got in on the act, both landing their first ever salmon. Both fish were taken in Sligo Bay on Finlough on a Delphi Collie and weighed 6lbs7ozs and 4lbs2ozs respectively. Needless to say all involved were over the moon, as it is always a special occasion when one lands your first ever salmon.
The river is still at 60, so conditions are still ideal although I think there are a few fine days coming which might do the fish and definitely the people living here no harm at all! D.McEvoy