The Anglers Rest - A plaice :-) for fishy tales - it was HOW big !!

Saw that guy in the paper. Brilliant photo.

My rod didn't see the light of day all weekend. Yesterday I had plans of fishing all day long until I saw the weather. So disappointing for a long weekend

Soon hopefully. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed.

The weather is going to be great next week which should get a bit of heat into the water.

Well lads I finally got out with my new rod!

Spent a few hours on a stockie lake on Friday in a boat. The rod casts like a dream. Am thrilled with it. Haven't really got the reel sorted yet. I was using my salt water line on it which is a match for it but i would want a better quality one.

Anyway spent the day telling my father all he was doing wrong all day. Its funny how the roles reverse in that regard as the years go by. He spashed the water. Dropped his fly box on the floor of the boat. Dropped the oar in the water and numerous other things that are big no no's in a boat

and...

He got a trout of about 2lbs and I got nothing. Sometimes I do wonder!

I didn't care though, got to try out the new rod and came back with a colour from the sun.

One thing that i did notice is that the bottom of the lake was barren. The cold, cold winter certainly made its mark and it'll be a few weeks of sun before the bottom starts to come back to life again.

Oh and lastly, had my first swim of the "summer" in the ocean this evening. Its was fantastic but feckin' freezin' - dont think ill see my balls for a while though :eek:

I've gotten out twice this year. The first night I had to stop fishing my favourite pool because there seemed to be a heap of brown trout sprats feeding there and I didn't want to keep hooking them. One of them was putting on a spectacular show of jumping, getting to at least 4 and 5 feet out of the water! The 2nd night was quiet, I had a few goes at what seemed to be a decent trout but didn't manage to hook him.

Things should pick up in the few weeks though as the temperature rises.

There was a good show on RTE one on Tuesday night if anyone missed it.

They had footage of sea-trout spawning on the Currane system in Waterville and footage of remedial works on the grand canal system and the care of coarse fish in the process.

Apart from the very annoying host, its a good watch. I'd say you can still catch it on RTE player - "Living the Wildlife"

Went out last night to a popular rock mark in the lashing rain...I did this because it was lashing rain so hoped no one else would be around! And I was right

Got myself some mackerel for herself who loves them.

However the one thing I noticed all over the rocks was the amount of rubbish, especially empty beer cans and even an empty bottle of vodka...who the hells drinks a bottle o' vodka while fishing? How dangerous is that like!

There's inevitably going to be drownings this summer. The rocks are dangerous enough places to be fishing without having a load of drink on board as well. :mad:

Heatwave coming next week by all accounts so the waters should start to heat up nicely and no matter what your persuasion whilst having your rod in your hand (;)) all anglers should benefit! Start making the excuses to the misses now lads cuz we should have great fishing in the next few weeks.

ironbluedun wrote: »

a polish or latvian alco...maybe....

I had my suspicions but didn't want to cast dispersions for fear of being accused of inciting foreigner bashing.

Considering the amount of lads from that area of the world which are regularly being swept of rocks here I hope that alcohol is not playing a part. If it is then there is a need to start educating them by way of multilingual signs or TV ads warning if the dangers.

Seatrout are just starting to show up in my local river. Saw some lovely fish after a covert operation and a set of polaroids. Hopefully there'll be more to follow.

I have worked the last 7 days straight between job and DIY and was planning on spending today fishing. The air is warm and there's a slight breeze. Was going to get a boat on a stockie lake and drift around for the day and hopefully get a few fish for the freezer.

Horror of all horrors Im after getting tendonistus in me casting arm. There's deep heat, ice, painkillers and pressure bandages being lashed on so i might get a cast in tomorrow .... depressing

Dusty87 wrote: »

Howth??

Nope, it was in Kerry but I imagine there are plenty of spots around the country in the same situation.

Here is a method I have been using to great success on my local river. Its in NE Scotland but I doubt that matters. Its what they call a freestone river which means a gravel bed. Fast and flowing through top quality farming land, so very fertile and nutrient rich. A well known trout river and plenty of very good fish for those who knows how to catch them.

Walk the river looking for rising fish, in my experience you will find the big fellas in the most unlikely places.
I only cast when I know its a big fish and 99 times out of 100 they will take the fly with confidence. Casting to every rise and covering the water will put the bigger fish off and you will never see them.

Fishing upstream at all times wait until you see a big one. Watch its rise pattern(they will often move quiet a bit between rises) and then cast to a few feet behind where you think it is. Be aware that in deep or fast water the rise may often appear a few feet behind where the fish actually is. Extend your cast a foot or so at a time, don't disturb the water and if the fish stops rising stop casting and wait until it resumes. They normally rise again after 5 or 10 mins.

I use this method all season round for fishing drys and since I started my catch rates of big fish has gone through the roof.:)

Rain....at last some rain. MT Cranium over in the weather forum is forecasting nearly an inch on Monday. Hopefully it'll help the fishing. A lot of fish out in the estuaries waiting for a drop of water to start running.