Good lake for early season wet fly fishing

mattcullen · 09-03-2013 10:19pm #1

As above, could any one you recomend a good lake for wet fly fishing when the weather picks up? I only ever fly fish a few times a year so wouldn't have the greatest cast. Am thinking wet fly might be a bit more forgiving. I'm Dublin based I should say...any of the midland lakes good for wet fly?
any advice much appreciated

Flysfisher · 09-03-2013 11:27pm

mattcullen wrote: »

As above, could any one you recomend a good lake for wet fly fishing when the weather picks up? I only ever fly fish a few times a year so wouldn't have the greatest cast. Am thinking wet fly might be a bit more forgiving. I'm Dublin based I should say...any of the midland lakes good for wet fly?
any advice much appreciated

Corrib, two hours from you. Midland lakes are crap.

madred006 · 10-03-2013 1:33am

Flysfisher wrote: »

Corrib, two hours from you. Midland lakes are crap.

Wow , that's some statement maybe you might like to share your conclusion with us or is it that you just can't fish them .

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 12:35pm

Flysfisher wrote: »

Corrib, two hours from you. Midland lakes are crap.

Some statment to make :cool::eek: but saying that it takes a real angler to do well in our lakes:rolleyes:;)

mattcullen · 10-03-2013 2:33pm

cheers for the replies, so would it be fair to say the midland lakes would be a bit more challenging for the less skillfull/experienced in fly fishing?

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 2:45pm

they would indeed mate but they have some great trout in them:D

mattcullen · 10-03-2013 3:28pm

guess i'll just have to try and get out and try a few of them!

Username Exists. · 10-03-2013 6:30pm

mattcullen wrote: »

cheers for the replies, so would it be fair to say the midland lakes would be a bit more challenging for the less skillfull/experienced in fly fishing?

Ennell yes.
Owel, quite the opposite.

coolhandspan · 10-03-2013 7:47pm

Anyone caught a brownie on wet fly yet, was planning to fish corrib this sat with duckfly.... lol looks like snow tonight will kill off that idea :cool::cool:

dodderangler · 10-03-2013 10:04pm

Username Exists. wrote: »

Ennell yes.
Owel, quite the opposite.

Never fly fished Owel before always used Tasmanians and Mepps
How does it fish this time of year
I know it's only been stocked so prob easy enough?
I've a comp there at the end of month and was thinking of bringing the fly rod as well as spinning rod

madred006 · 10-03-2013 10:19pm

mattcullen wrote: »

guess i'll just have to try and get out and try a few of them!

Great fish caught on ennel each year but IMO it requires a lot of local knowledge it's tough but rewarding . Owel is stocked regularly holds lots of competitions during year and it can blow hot and cold but nice lake nice surroundings etc .Then u have Lene cost 15 a day but its well stocked with some great fishing during year on various hatches , Sheelin is Sheelin widely regarded by many as a great wild trout fishery not a lake to fish once in blue moon IMO it also requires homework lol .

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 10:21pm

Ennel is my local i had 2 5lb plus fish last year and 7 in the 3lb and 1 in the 4 pound bracket agree it is a hard fished lake but that's what i like about it. its just a great lake:D a good mate caught and 8lb plus out of sheelin as well last season great lake also:D

Username Exists. · 10-03-2013 10:25pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

Ennel is my local i had 2 5lb plus fish last year and 7 in the 3lb and 1 in the 4 pound bracket agree it is a hard fished lake but that's what i like about it. its just a great lake:D a good mate caught and 8lb plus out of sheelin as well last season great lake also:D

Trolling or fly or both?

Who's good to rent boats off on Ennell. I know of Lilliputt but they are a bit pricey compared to other lakes.

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 10:27pm

the 2 5s and 4 were trolling 4 of the 3lbs on the fly and the fish in sheelin was on a rapalla. yea your man in lillyput is all i no 60euro for a boat and engine quite expensive:(

Username Exists. · 10-03-2013 10:30pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

the 2 5s and 4 were trolling 4 of the 3lbs on the fly and the fish in sheelin was on a rapalla. yea your man in lillyput is all i no 60euro for a boat and engine quite expensive:(

Great fishing.

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 10:32pm

twas my mates 8 lber made the front of the Irish angler during the summer:) twas a lovely trout he got it stuffed he will probably never seen an 8lber again

viper123 · 10-03-2013 11:27pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

twas my mates 8 lber made the front of the Irish angler during the summer:) twas a lovely trout he got it stuffed he will probably never seen an 8lber again

Well he'll see one 8lber...

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 11:32pm

Sorry catch:D

Duke of Speed · 10-03-2013 11:44pm

ardaire springs near waterford less than 2 hours from dublin, 3miles from motorway stress free drive down the motorway great facilities everything at your fingertips great friendly welcome from ned and the wife big fish and they can be a challenge check out Facebook and website spent time there last year had many relaxing day

JustRoss23 · 10-03-2013 11:45pm

Great Advertisement surely your next visit is free;)

Duke of Speed · 11-03-2013 2:03am

ha ha havent been there in ten months if i did id send it on to you lol

Flysfisher · 11-03-2013 1:59pm

madred006 wrote: »

Wow , that's some statement maybe you might like to share your conclusion with us or is it that you just can't fish them .

Ahhhhh no need for heart attack! Keep calm, all comes clear in the light if day....well maybe wrong choice of word! Ok not crap, that's a bit harsh. Yes they are good lakes, sure I fish them all the time. But the western ones are better.
Owel is nearly all stocked fish, ennell trout are peculiar beings, lough lene is a stocked fishery if you like that well happy days its a good spot for mr Cullen, yes no?

Flysfisher · 11-03-2013 2:01pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

Some statment to make :cool::eek: but saying that it takes a real angler to do well in our lakes:rolleyes:;)

I agree Ross, I agree.

Username Exists. · 11-03-2013 2:43pm

Flysfisher wrote: »

Ahhhhh no need for heart attack! Keep calm, all comes clear in the light if day....well maybe wrong choice of word! Ok not crap, that's a bit harsh. Yes they are good lakes, sure I fish them all the time. But the western ones are better.
Owel is nearly all stocked fish, ennell trout are peculiar beings, lough lene is a stocked fishery if you like that well happy days its a good spot for mr Cullen, yes no?

No doubting the western lakes are better quality, nothing like fooling a wild trout. But for someone starting out the smaller midland loughs would be ideal particularly Owel where you can fish relatively close to the shore till you get used to boating, and have a good chance of landing a fish or 10!.
The big western lakes are vast and conditions can change rapidly, only for the experienced anglers really if unaccompanied.

madred006 · 11-03-2013 2:55pm

Flysfisher wrote: »

Ahhhhh no need for heart attack! Keep calm, all comes clear in the light if day....well maybe wrong choice of word! Ok not crap, that's a bit harsh. Yes they are good lakes, sure I fish them all the time. But the western ones are better.
Owel is nearly all stocked fish, ennell trout are peculiar beings, lough lene is a stocked fishery if you like that well happy days its a good spot for mr Cullen, yes no?

Yes lol tight lines

mattcullen · 11-03-2013 3:00pm

Username Exists. wrote: »

No doubting the western lakes are better quality, nothing like fooling a wild trout. But for someone starting out the smaller midland loughs would be ideal particularly Owel where you can fish relatively close to the shore till you get used to boating, and have a good chance of landing a fish or 10!.
The big western lakes are vast and conditions can change rapidly, only for the experienced anglers really if unaccompanied.

Loads of info lads, much appreciated. How about Ree?... a hard lough for a beginner too?

dodderangler · 11-03-2013 3:01pm

I had junior Irish trials lough bane years ago
Was gorgeous lake to fish
Anyone fish that recently and what's it like?

Bizzum · 11-03-2013 3:27pm

dodderangler wrote: »

I had junior Irish trials lough bane years ago
Was gorgeous lake to fish
Anyone fish that recently and what's it like?

Reasonable well stocked put & take fishery. Probably not as heavily fished as Lene or White lake nearby.

JustRoss23 · 11-03-2013 3:33pm

lads is there any trout in lough glore? its just outside castle-pollard? my gran uncle had land going right down to it i no its a great pike lake but any trout in it?:D

dodderangler · 11-03-2013 3:58pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

lads is there any trout in lough glore? its just outside castle-pollard? my gran uncle had land going right down to it i no its a great pike lake but any trout in it?:D

According to google competitions for trout are held in it

Bizzum · 12-03-2013 6:43pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

lads is there any trout in lough glore? its just outside castle-pollard? my gran uncle had land going right down to it i no its a great pike lake but any trout in it?:D

Probably not a lot of Trout but a small indigenous population just the same. Decent Pike in it, access poor, very little shore angling. Glore Anglers dont stock it that I'm aware of.

Bizzum · 14-03-2013 9:26pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

twas my mates 8 lber made the front of the Irish angler during the summer:) twas a lovely trout he got it stuffed he will probably never seen an 8lber again

How much did it cost to stuff the trout?

JustRoss23 · 14-03-2013 10:08pm

420 euro mate included the class case and a small engraving.

Bizzum · 14-03-2013 10:56pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

420 euro mate included the class case and a small engraving.

I thought it was much more. Not that I'm interested, the place for a big fish like that is passing on it's genes, if it's a wild fish. I saw a 12lb Trout lately on a deadbait go back, and another 9lb I heard on a lure go back last sun by another Pike angler.

JustRoss23 · 14-03-2013 11:01pm

Haha each to there own mate if someone wants to keep one i don't mind. i personally wont unless i am eating it.

deeperblue11 · 11-05-2013 6:24pm

JustRoss23 wrote: »

420 euro mate included the class case and a small engraving.

thats not bad. i know lads who paid more, a lot more.

deeperblue11 · 11-05-2013 6:31pm

mattcullen wrote: »

As above, could any one you recomend a good lake for wet fly fishing when the weather picks up? I only ever fly fish a few times a year so wouldn't have the greatest cast. Am thinking wet fly might be a bit more forgiving. I'm Dublin based I should say...any of the midland lakes good for wet fly?
any advice much appreciated

try lough sheelin. great fish being caught on wets at the moment.
good fish caught every year on drys to.
if you need a ghillie contact michael farrell. he guides on the lake and will feed you as well.
his email is loughsheelinguide@hotmail.com easy to remember!!!
also he is on discover ireland and that IFI site. you should get his number there.
if you need it i might be able to get it.
tight lines.

Eriesniper · 12-05-2013 12:02am

Maby a FIshery does'nt take that much skill to catch rainbow trout
You should go to Courtlough Trout fishery look it up on Google

deeperblue11 · 12-05-2013 9:38pm

Eriesniper wrote: »

Maby a FIshery does'nt take that much skill to catch rainbow trout
You should go to Courtlough Trout fishery look it up on Google

good fishing to be had there. i was there once, a few years back and caught lots of trout. only thing is that it got a bit boring after a while.
i prefer to fish for wild browns from a drifting boat. not as easy but the days are never long enough!!!

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 12:58am

Flysfisher wrote: »

Corrib, two hours from you. Midland lakes are crap.

have you ever heard of lough sheelin?????? best brown trout lake in ireland if not europe.

madred006 · 07-07-2013 1:04am

deeperblue11 wrote: »

have you ever heard of lough sheelin?????? best brown trout lake in ireland if not europe.

How is Sheelin best brown trout lake in Ireland just as matter of interest maybe best stocked lake but not brown trout lake , IMO .

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 1:15am

madred006 wrote: »

How is Sheelin best brown trout lake in Ireland just as matter of interest maybe best stocked lake but not brown trout lake , IMO .

best brown trout fishing in ireland. average weight is about 3lb.......
it has the largest trout carrying capacity of any lake in ireland, fisheries fact.

madred006 · 07-07-2013 1:45am

deeperblue11 wrote: »

best brown trout fishing in ireland. average weight is about 3lb.......
it has the largest trout carrying capacity of any lake in ireland, fisheries fact.

Well here's another fact this is first year it hadn't been stocked with larger sized fish , so give it few years to see how it holds up to angling pressure and see if the smaller trout are as abundant as the larger ones .

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 2:00am

madred006 wrote: »

Well here's another fact this is first year it hadn't been stocked with larger sized fish , so give it few years to see how it holds up to angling pressure and see if the smaller trout are as abundant as the larger ones .

well the smaller ones are abundant. i had three fish today that were less than eight inches, they were wild.
i cant remember the last time i caught a stockie.
you say it hasnt been stocked with larger fish! how big are these large fish???? a pound, pound and a half????
it annoys me when people talk of stocked trout in sheelin as if they are all you catch!!!! any regular sheelin angler will tell you that stockies are few and far between. one in a hundred.

do you think the larger stocked fish are why the average weight is 3lb+ in this lake????

madred006 · 07-07-2013 2:07am

deeperblue11 wrote: »

well the smaller ones are abundant. i had three fish today that were less than eight inches, they were wild.
i cant remember the last time i caught a stockie.
you say it hasnt been stocked with larger fish! how big are these large fish???? a pound, pound and a half????
it annoys me when people talk of stocked trout in sheelin as if they are all you catch!!!! any regular sheelin angler will tell you that stockies are few and far between. one in a hundred.

do you think the larger stocked fish are why the average weight is 3lb+ in this lake????

Just to clarify I say is was well stocked with larger fish 5- 6 lb and no there is an abundance of feed in the place to bring on smaller fish , but IMO it can't be the best wild brown trout lake in Ireland , or indeed Europe once it's been stocked with old brood stock fish from various fish farms .Good look in your quest to promote it as such .

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 2:17am

madred006 wrote: »

Just to clarify I say is was well stocked with larger fish 5- 6 lb and no there is an abundance of feed in the place to bring on smaller fish , but IMO it can't be the best wild brown trout lake in Ireland , or indeed Europe once it's been stocked with old brood stock fish from various fish farms .Good look in your quest to promote it as such .

i have caught lots of fish over 5lb, 6lb and heavier. none of them were stockies or grown onn stockies.
im not trying to promote it "as such" it already is. open any fishing book and sheelin is mentioned in it. why do people keep coming back? the lure of the lake, the possibility of the next trout being the fish of a life time!! blood worm for example, a sheelin phenomenon.....

madred006 · 07-07-2013 2:20am

deeperblue11 wrote: »

i have caught lots of fish over 5lb, 6lb and heavier. none of them were stockies or grown onn stockies.
im not trying to promote it "as such" it already is. open any fishing book and sheelin is mentioned in it. why do people keep coming back? the lure of the lake, the possibility of the next trout being the fish of a life time!! blood worm for example, a sheelin phenomenon.....

It's a stocked fishery :-)

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 2:21am

madred006 wrote: »

It's a stocked fishery :-)

do you disagree with me when i say its the best trout lake in ireland????

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 2:22am

madred006 wrote: »

It's a stocked fishery :-)

do you know what a fishery is????????

madred006 · 07-07-2013 2:29am

deeperblue11 wrote: »

do you disagree with me when i say its the best trout lake in ireland????

Yes of course I do it's a stocked fishery and as such cannot be compared to the likes of corrib mask conn , but it had to be stocked in order to save it ,and it's a work in progress and great work at that the smell of it does me I just don't like it .

deeperblue11 · 07-07-2013 2:38am

madred006 wrote: »

Yes of course I do it's a stocked fishery and as such cannot be compared to the likes of corrib mask conn , but it had to be stocked in order to save it ,and it's a work in progress and great work at that the smell of it does me I just don't like it .

its like this; a lake cannot be called a fishery unless there is a hatchery on the shore. a lake is NOT a fishery if there is no hatchery there.

the club(LSTPA) have been running the hatchery for years . i dont know how many but i presume its well over ten.
they have been putting fingerlins, by the hundred thousand, into small streams that flow into the lake. they have spent millions, yes millions of pounds/euros, grants and club money on developing spawning beds in the rivers that flow in and out of the lake. this is the reason why the lake is back from the brink. not stocking!!!!!

and whats the smell you are onn about????

Good lake for early season wet fly fishing

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