Trout fishing on Mullingar lakes

NaDunta1

Hi Folks,

I'm about to try out this tricky sport of fly fishing!
Having previously been into the sea fishing before moving inland, I still have my little 14 foot western marine which should be ideal for the lakes.
I have taken a few fly casting lessons and have grasped the basics even though I'm still crap.
So where to now?
Do any of ye folks know which of the lakes at Mullingar is best for trout fishing?
I have sourced the liscence on line and have a "very basic" idea of which fly patterns suit where and when (all from a book!)
Does anybody know of any spots for fishing from the lake shore as this could be a better way of getting into it before dragging the boat down?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

cj salmon

stick to stocked stillwaters till march 2011 as we are now in the closed season. plenty of rainbow trout fishing available to get you started!!! can be great sport and a great way to learn also. nice to practice your casting from the bank and catch a big trout or two

fisherking

if you are starting out steer clear of ennell it can break the coldest of hearts....

ironbluedun

NaDunta1 wrote: »

Hi Folks,


Do any of ye folks know which of the lakes at Mullingar is best for trout fishing?

Lough Owel would be your best bet.

coolwings

Definitely. Get out on Owel the next spring.

gitman

fisherking wrote: »

if you are starting out steer clear of ennell it can break the coldest of hearts....

never a truer word spoken theres more fish in the sahara:)

ironbluedun

gitman wrote: »

never a truer word spoken theres more fish in the sahara:)

true thanks to the ruining of the spawning streams that enter it........but the ennell trout are nice silvery trout, among the best on this island. But sadly just not as plentiful as they once were many moons ago.

aidanf

ironbluedun wrote: »

true thanks to the ruining of the spawning streams that enter it........but the ennell trout are nice silvery trout, among the best on this island. But sadly just not as plentiful as they once were many moons ago.

What happened the spawning streams?

gitman

ironbluedun wrote: »

true thanks to the ruining of the spawning streams that enter it........but the ennell trout are nice silvery trout, among the best on this island. But sadly just not as plentiful as they once were many moons ago.

I wonder do the SRFB stock it even?

coolwings

gitman wrote: »

I wonder do the SRFB stock it even?

They want it to regenerate with native strain trout. And that's the right thing to do because they are a special strain almost torpedo-like in shape
But it makes the comeback from the Mullingar 1990s sewage problem in the lake and spawning stream drainage a matter of decades instead of years.

There is a hatchery that uses Ennell brood stock.

ironbluedun

aidanf wrote: »

What happened the spawning streams?

Aidan they were drained in a most unsympathetic manner. Spawning gravel was dug up and the character of spawning streams ruined. In the draining process the feeder streams were also made broader and shallower therefore too shallow in summertime to support juvenile trout. Basically large stretches of streams were turned into shallow fast draining ditches and canals. Trout cant spawn in canals. Also the level of the water in the lough fell a lot too reducing feeding areas.

Notwithstanding that messing and act of vandalism there was then a sewerage problem (which is resolved now). In recent years the fishery board did introduce a plan to try and improve the streams, putting in weirs large rocks creating a better flow but the truth is the original damage probably cant be put right and a big percentage of the spawning potential is now lost. And of course this has a direct impact on the trout population in the lough.

The hatchery will help but it will take many years before ennell makes any form of a recovery. On the positive side Ennell is a very nice lough to fish with extensive shallows and as coolwings says fantastic silvery lean trout, they have been compared to seatrout or even grilse.They are just hard to catch and it is not a lough for the pleasure angler, and that is putting it mildly. Hopefully in time the good work being done by a few dedicated local anglers will contribute to an improvement in trout stocks and fishing.

ironbluedun

gitman wrote: »

I wonder do the SRFB stock it even?

They don't and i hope they never start that nonsense. Much better to continue on the path they are on and introduce hatchery reared brood stock.

demanufactured

gitman wrote: »

never a truer word spoken theres more fish in the sahara:)

We call it "The Graveyard"