Believe it or not I’m actually disappointed with the catch for the last week, given the number of fish that I’m seeing in system. I have often used the expression playing hard to get but it seems that the fish are even gone beyond that stage in the last few days. Water levels are good with the river still running at 30 and the last few days have been overcast with a good breeze, but the fish won’t play. They often say that the rod exploitation rate on spring fish can be as high as 50%, well I can definitely tell you that this is certainly not the case at the moment. Weather patterns obviously have a huge influence on the behaviour of salmo salar. Even the great Peter O’Reilly is baffled and his opinion was much the same as mine, just keep the flies in the water and hope!
Martin and Barbara Ceillier were with us for a few days last week and on this occasion it was Barbara who managed to land a fish before her husband, even though Martin did have quite a few handshakes. Barbara landed a nice fresh fish on the 7th on Finlough of approx. 8lbs on a Sunray Shadow.
Alexander Mills kept the family tradition alive and well when he landed a lovely fish the same day on the Whin Pool of 10lbs3ozs on (unusually for a Mills) a Collie Dog fished on the dropper. This was taken in bright sunshine late in the morning after the pool had been well fished.
The following day the old maestro himself John Mills had his first of the season, a fish of approx. 9lbs from Finlough on a Willie Gunn.
The following day Jack Coulter at his first attempt salmon fishing and under the watchful eye of Peter 
Joyce managed to land a cracking fish of 8lbs5ozs in the Rock pool on a Park Shrimp.
John Mills had his second fish of the week on the 10th, again off Finlough of approx. 7lbs on a Willie Gunn. He then had another yesterday of 8lbs5ozs off Finlough on guess what, a Willie Gunn.
So far today we have no fish landed but there have been some close encounters in both the river and Finlough. Some day in the next while these fish are hopefully going to turn on and someone will have a field day. D.McEvoy
