Fly Fishing on the Dodder

MWforumfisher

This was the river at the Dropping Well yesterday- very low and very clear. As a result the fishing was hard, and I left with a dry net. The rain should bring it back up, might give it another go tommorow

Olwas2014

Is that a statue in the middle!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Olwas2014 wrote: »

Is that a statue in the middle!

No, that's the Rhino that escaped from the Zoo and has been living on fish.

bigjohn17

What's the turnout usually like on Paddys Day? Any areas that are usually overcrowded or places to avoid?

Also a tip: You membership card (at least the one from Rorys) measures almost exactly 9 inches which is the min. size limit, if you're into keeping a fish or two.

dodderangler

bigjohn17 wrote: »

What's the turnout usually like on Paddys Day? Any areas that are usually overcrowded or places to avoid?

Also a tip: You membership card (at least the one from Rorys) measures almost exactly 9 inches which is the min. size limit, if you're into keeping a fish or two.

Avoid rathfarnham and top end of Tallaght at the mill and smurfits towards donnybrook way. Always packed. Get down early though you'll meet lads who have been out since midnight an kept everything.

bigjohn17

dodderangler wrote: »

Avoid rathfarnham and top end of Tallaght at the mill and smurfits towards donnybrook way. Always packed. Get down early though you'll meet lads who have been out since midnight an kept everything.

Shame, I wonder how many fish are actually removed from the river within the first week. I've no problem with members keeping the odd fish (probably wouldn't bother myself), it's the blatant poaching that ruins it for anglers.

dodderangler

bigjohn17 wrote: »

Shame, I wonder how many fish are actually removed from the river within the first week. I've no problem with members keeping the odd fish (probably wouldn't bother myself), it's the blatant poaching that ruins it for anglers.

Well everyone knows when it's stocked. I used to help stocking it years ago and we had east Europeans following us and casting when we left. I've met lads on the opening day who say the fishing is **** and was better two days ago as in the 15th of march. And they'd keep everything. No bailiffs though. It's too dangerous. Amount of scum that drink on opening day and they won't take **** from anyone.

Evac101

I've seen poachers as early as mid-February this year, a new record for me. I've never seen any IFI personnel or bailiff's on the Dodder in the 17 years I've fished it (off and on), except in cases where I or other people I know, have contacted them. There comes a point, however, where, after x incidents and it's still happening, I've gotten somewhat apathetic. I'll continue to fish the 'wader only' sections of the river where I'm more likely to meet an otter or kingfisher and leave the more accessible areas to the poachers.

thefisherbuy

That's awful to read, personally I haven't fished the dodder much, it's a wonder the ifi aren't around a river such as the dodder, I've only met 2 fishing for salmon, 2 ifi in around 30 ish trips. I suppose they are well under staffed, if I may ask these lads fishig before the fishing date have ye reported it? Such a shame to hear it's a lovely wee river.

Evac101

thefisherbuy wrote: »

That's awful to read, personally I haven't fished the dodder much, it's a wonder the ifi aren't around a river such as the dodder, I've only met 2 fishing for salmon, 2 ifi in around 30 ish trips. I suppose they are well under staffed, if I may ask these lads fishig before the fishing date have ye reported it? Such a shame to hear it's a lovely wee river.

I used to, regularly, especially when I worked in Clonskeagh and cycled home alongside the river as far as Rathfarnham before I split off towards Terenure. Now, probably 30+ calls and x years later, if I happen to have my phone in my hand at the time, I'll ring, if I'm managing dogs while walking or similar I don't bother mostly.

bigjohn17

Went up today, started at bushy park.

"Any luck?"
"Yeah I've a bag of them there mate"

4 lovely fish about 2lbs each in a bag, one of them not even dead, at least smack it over the head with something like.

Dodder Anglers said on FB that IFI would be patrolling the river. I walked from Bushy Park up to Orwell park and didn't see IFI anywhere.

rpmcmurphy

bigjohn17 wrote: »

Went up today, started at bushy park.

"Any luck?"
"Yeah I've a bag of them there mate"

4 lovely fish about 2lbs each in a bag, one of them not even dead, at least smack it over the head with something like.

Dodder Anglers said on FB that IFI would be patrolling the river. I walked from Bushy Park up to Orwell park and didn't see IFI anywhere.

All stocked fisheries will attract open day pot hunters. Recently stocked fish are easy prey but those who last the first few weeks will become more cautious and selective feeders.

dodderangler

bigjohn17 wrote: »

Went up today, started at bushy park.

"Any luck?"
"Yeah I've a bag of them there mate"

4 lovely fish about 2lbs each in a bag, one of them not even dead, at least smack it over the head with something like.

Dodder Anglers said on FB that IFI would be patrolling the river. I walked from Bushy Park up to Orwell park and didn't see IFI anywhere.

Seen the IfI car at The red bridge at firhouse. But not one fish caught at firhouse. Only wild fish and maggots being used not by me. I caught 7 this morning at mill town. One lovely wild fish released.

jack01986

Had seven wild fish today on the dry fly. There was a pretty good hatch of olives that lasted about half an hour fish rising everywhere.

bigjohn17

dodderangler wrote: »

Seen the IfI car at The red bridge at firhouse. But not one fish caught at firhouse. Only wild fish and maggots being used not by me. I caught 7 this morning at mill town. One lovely wild fish released.

How long do the stocked fish tend to last in the river? I remember fishing the dodder for my first time last year, I went out a few times and not once saw a fish that was as big as the stockies people had on paddys day.

SeaFields

bigjohn17 wrote: »

Dodder Anglers said on FB that IFI would be patrolling the river. I walked from Bushy Park up to Orwell park and didn't see IFI anywhere.

While I understand it's frustrating to see people not abiding by the club rules, it's not up to the ifi to police the river on behalf of the club Their remit is to police under the fisheries acts. The club rules are a separate matter and for the club to monitor. Having dedicated club members patrolling the river on opening day may be the best approach. I've seen that used effectively before.

I'd love to throw a fly on the dodder. Have seen stretches of it while visiting Dublin that look lovely

kildare lad

bigjohn17 wrote: »

Went up today, started at bushy park.

"Any luck?"
"Yeah I've a bag of them there mate"

4 lovely fish about 2lbs each in a bag, one of them not even dead, at least smack it over the head with something like.

Dodder Anglers said on FB that IFI would be patrolling the river. I walked from Bushy Park up to Orwell park and didn't see IFI anywhere.

stocked trout are horrible to eat, id have to be in dire straits to eat one again!!

bigjohn17

kildare lad wrote: »

stocked trout are horrible to eat, id have to be in dire straits to eat one again!!

Never tried one but are they not farmed the same way as trout bought in supermarkets?

kildare lad

bigjohn17 wrote: »

Never tried one but are they not farmed the same way as trout bought in supermarkets?

i dont know, ive only seen rainbows in the supermarket. my dad got given one last year by a lad he worked with. all i managed was 2 bites out of it. it tasted rotten.

on another note. can them stockies spawn that are put in there or are they triploids??

thefisherbuy

kildare lad wrote: »

i dont know, ive only seen rainbows in the supermarket. my dad got given one last year by a lad he worked with. all i managed was 2 bites out of it. it tasted rotten.

on another note. can them stockies spawn that are put in there or are they triploids??

I'd doubt they could spawn as if you had stockies spawning with wild fish wouldn't be right, I'd say they are triploids I'd say, as for the taste I would agree that wild fish are way nicer but look I hate to be killing wild trout so I do go to fisherys the odd time to get a few fish! Never tasted them ones from the supermarkets I'd say there rotten!

Evac101

Had some luck on Paddy's Day with dry olives (as mentioned earlier in the thread there was a hatch on for 30-45 minutes around 1:30pm) and on a fly which someone told me was a Kate McClaren variant (looks like a standard peacock and black with a gold butt) and Bibio team fishing down and across. Tried nymphing earlier on but with very limited success - whether this was down to fish or a poor choice of nymphs on my part, I couldn't tell you.

/Addendum/
I did have a fish snap me off on the 18th in one of the lesser visited stretches of the Dodder - on a 4lb point fly, so I'll be returning to that stretch periodically to see if I can find it again.

bigjohn17

What sort of leader should I be using on the dodder? Currently using 8lb fluoro as I kept losing flies on 3lb fluoro. Does it make a different as far as fish taking a fly?

thefisherbuy

bigjohn17 wrote: »

What sort of leader should I be using on the dodder? Currently using 8lb fluoro as I kept losing flies on 3lb fluoro. Does it make a different as far as fish taking a fly?

Some fish as in wild fish would be wary to line that, I just use about 4lb/5lb for fishing, I would go for 8lb for lures or streamers etc, Id try and stick to a lower lb line, that's the only really downside is that if you get stuck in trees you lose flies but I don't normally fish where there's loads of trees if you get me.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A 6lb fluoro leader will take the abuse of snagging a tree or weed quite well and doesn't stop me catching decent wild trout around here.

mattcullen

For those of you who fish the Dodder, I'm wondering is wading essential. I'm living in north county dublin but work in the city centre so am thinking of fishing the odd evening after work. Thing is I'll be using public transport and don't fancy lugging waders around. Just wondering are there any good stretches that can be fly fished arond donnybrook area without wading?

spaceHopper

mattcullen wrote: »

For those of you who fish the Dodder, I'm wondering is wading essential. I'm living in north county dublin but work in the city centre so am thinking of fishing the odd evening after work. Thing is I'll be using public transport and don't fancy lugging waders around. Just wondering are there any good stretches that can be fly fished arond donnybrook area without wading?

The parks below rathfarnham bridge would be a good start

mattcullen

spaceHopper wrote: »

The parks below rathfarnham bridge would be a good start

Thanks

blackpearl

kildare lad wrote: »

i dont know, ive only seen rainbows in the supermarket. my dad got given one last year by a lad he worked with. all i managed was 2 bites out of it. it tasted rotten.

on another note. can them stockies spawn that are put in there or are they triploids??

Not sure what way it works a marine bio told me that stockies will run to spawn but their milt is useless what happens is the wild hen fish lays her eggs on the bed of the river and the stockie male lets his milt go the whole batch of eggs is lost ,a river i use to fish was heavely stocked with 2 year stockies this went on for a number of years the wild trout numbers seemed to fall big time ,they went back to stocking with unfed fry in the streams running into the main river and in about 3 years the wild trout numbers came up big time back to normal which was loads of wild trout 1/2 pount to 3/4s there must be some truth in it .

kildare lad

blackpearl wrote: »

Not sure what way it works a marine bio told me that stockies will run to spawn but their milt is useless what happens is the wild hen fish lays her eggs on the bed of the river and the stockie male lets his milt go the whole batch of eggs is lost ,a river i use to fish was heavely stocked with 2 year stockies this went on for a number of years the wild trout numbers seemed to fall big time ,they went back to stocking with unfed fry in the streams running into the main river and in about 3 years the wild trout numbers came up big time back to normal which was loads of wild trout 1/2 pount to 3/4s there must be some truth in it .

thats good to hear, at least ye didnt blame it on pike for falling trout numbers...just jokin!!
is it true that wild trouts DNA can change in the fry, if they are left to long in a hatchery?

blackpearl

Are you talking about fry striped from wild trout and reared in the hatchery.