Connacht Area Thread

niallon

In an effort to make information accessible as easily as possible ahead of (hopefully) better weather and some serious fishing starting in earnest, it has been decided to try out some area specific threads.

This thread is designed to hold discussion of Connacht waters be they lakes, canals, rivers etc. The aim is to have this thread, and the other area threads be the go to place for updated information on spots around the country.

Most won't want to share too much information about certain areas which is entirely understandable and what the aim of these threads will be is more so to provide practical information "Is this lake still fishable?","Have the access rights to this river changed?", "Any sign of X fly?". And so on.

Feel free to use these threads to post reports on recent trips to waters within the region too, the more pro tips the better .

Of course, usual forum charter rules apply.

Blondie919

Anyone know if the Dunkellin river is open this year? It was closed late last year in order to restock it.

viper123

Dunkellin is closed again this year.

ronnie3585

Are the mayfly up on Lough Corrib yet?

thefisherbuy

I herd they where... Any news on mayfly in any for the rivers? Not been up to local river in a week, But hopefully from a trout perspective we'l have a good bit of dry weather as the river is awful high atm..

decdon

So on which side does lough Ree posts go on.....!!!!!
This therad or the Leinster one?

niallon

decdon wrote: »

So on which side does lough Ree posts go on.....!!!!!
This therad or the Leinster one?

Same problem as Sheelin...there's more of the lake in Leinster and it sits in two Leinster provinces enough to put it into the Leinster thread? Unless there's any objections

sniper83

Any fish on the clare yet?

coolhandspan

plan on fishing lower corrib this week end..... i will update with any results good or bad. any one heard anything... lol loads of questions ion this thread no answers yet....:D:D:D

Zzippy

Corrib fishing well. Plenty caught today in Oughterard competition despite torrential rain and wind. I fished for a couple of hours yesterday evening and had 3 fish for about 6lbs (all released). Lads dapping in boat beside me were cleaning up. Not sure how lower lake is fishing.

Caribs

Mayfly are definitely up in the Oughterard area and fish are taking them on the surface but there are still plenty of Olives hatching too.

I was fishing yesterday and was dapping mostly. Caught one small fish and missed quite a few others. Heard similar reports of fish stripping the flies without being hooked but also plenty of fish being caught too.

rpmcmurphy

Anyone on lough arrow yet? Any fly up?

Caribs

Took home my first keeper of the year from Corrib last night. Was stuffed full of what looked like hog louse, fresh water shrimp or something like that and some Mayfly. Was surprised it appeared to still be feeding off the bottom with so many mayfly about but it obviously looked up at some point to take my flies.

Zzippy

Caribs wrote: »

Took home my first keeper of the year from Corrib last night. Was stuffed full of what looked like hog louse, fresh water shrimp or something like that and some Mayfly. Was surprised it appeared to still be feeding off the bottom with so many mayfly about but it obviously looked up at some point to take my flies.

It's Asellus, and not the first report I've heard of that recently. Might be why we're not seeing too many fish at the surface... and why the buzzer men have been doing so well.

Caribs

Zzippy wrote: »

It's Asellus, and not the first report I've heard of that recently. Might be why we're not seeing too many fish at the surface... and why the buzzer men have been doing so well.

Thanks Zzippy - are the Asellus purely on the bottom or do they swim up in the layers?

Zzippy

Stick close to the bottom as far as I know

coolhandspan

Okay ... fished lower corrib today.. saw one natural mayfly on lake.. lol... big wave through channels. Fished team of two Partridge wet mayflys on fluorocarbon. Caught three fish to approx 5lbs.. kept one.. no sign of any fly life on water... only saw one other boat on lower lake.

thefisherbuy

Any sign of flies on the Clare?

Zzippy

coolhandspan wrote: »

Okay ... fished lower corrib today.. saw one natural mayfly on lake.. lol... big wave through channels. Fished team of two Partridge wet mayflys on fluorocarbon. Caught three fish to approx 5lbs.. kept one.. no sign of any fly life on water... only saw one other boat on lower lake.

The lower lakes doesn't really get a big mayfly hatch - mayflies like sandy/silt bottom, while the lower lake is dominated by weedy bottom and gets big hatches of olives and buzzers. Glad you got a few anyway!

patspost

Mayfly up on the mask since friday.

Mask fishing good on Sat, lot of fish about, mostly small but nice to bend the rod.
Lot of boats out near saints on sat
Good to see fisheries inspector checking fish sizes for those that kept a fish or too.
Caught 1 on Dap with artificial may fly.

ClifdenAngler

Any salmon in the connemara rivers yet?

thefisherbuy

Sure are from the last few weeks, But nothing now because of the mini drought were having, We need some rain to create a flood then we should be in!.. Delphi was doing ok, Hopefully We'l get a decent flood!

ClifdenAngler

Great to here,catch or just see?

thefisherbuy

ClifdenAngler wrote: »

Great to here,catch or just see?

I don't get what your saying there! If your saying did I catch anything no but I've few friends that did fish a while go on some of the Connemara rivers, but if your saying about going now fishing don't it's a waste of money but like there's a tiny chance of getting a fish..

ClifdenAngler

thefisherbuy wrote: »

I don't get what your saying there! If your saying did I catch anything no but I've few friends that did fish a while go on some of the Connemara rivers, but if your saying about going now fishing don't it's a waste of money but like there's a tiny chance of getting a fish..

Sorry I have problems with spelling :') I meant to say Great to hear, did you catch any or see them rising just to clear things up yeah I was talking to a man today in the tackle shop and he got 3 salmon on lough inagh a few weeks back after a down pour so ill wait for a bit of rain no doubt we'll get some soon anyway 😂

Caribs

Zzippy wrote: »

Stick close to the bottom as far as I know

@Zippy, took home a fish yesterday caught in Oughterard Bay area. Checked the stomach contents and was stuffed with the Asellus again. Couldn't see any sign of anything else it was feeding on. Came to a dry daddy long legs so obviously looked up at least once but was surprised to see it as stuffed as it was.

ClifdenAngler

Spring salmon starting to make the move in clifden area seen a few at the bridge today about 11 id say big huge things ill be digging worms tomorrow!

thefisherbuy

ClifdenAngler wrote: »

Spring salmon starting to make the move in clifden area seen a few at the bridge today about 11 id say big huge things ill be digging worms tomorrow!

Where did you see them Delphi? I herd that the Connemara fisherys are getting rain so that's pretty good, the grilse are starting to make a run now! Hopefully we'l get a nice bit a rain over the weekend

ClifdenAngler

thefisherbuy wrote: »

Where did you see them Delphi? I herd that the Connemara fisherys are getting rain so that's pretty good, the grilse are starting to make a run now! Hopefully we'l get a nice bit a rain over the weekend

I seen them at the waterloo bridge just before clifden the river would be the Owen glin. I got a 9lb 8oz salmon the next day

thefisherbuy

ClifdenAngler wrote: »

I seen them at the waterloo bridge just before clifden the river would be the Owen glin. I got a 9lb 8oz salmon the next day

Yea I do remember that river but it's been I'd say 6 years ago that I've last fished it, still good? It's a pity there isn't any updates on it, what the permit now? Have you caught any sea trout in it yet?

clonshanny

I hope to stay in Renvyle, Connemara for a week this summer and was wondering if there are any rivers or lakes close by where I could do an hour of Flyfishing the odd evening? I dont want to be paying a fortune or driving too far for a bit of wild brown trout fishing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thefisherbuy

clonshanny wrote: »

I hope to stay in Renvyle, Connemara for a week this summer and was wondering if there are any rivers or lakes close by where I could do an hour of Flyfishing the odd evening? I dont want to be paying a fortune or driving too far for a bit of wild brown trout fishing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Just have a look at google maps, It's Connemara Plenty of wee lakes to explore! Just have a look if your not allowed to fish it, Some lakes Will have a sign.. looking at google maps there seems to be alot of lakes, Then again Try and ask a Tackle shop or even if your staying in a b&b or a hotel You could get some info, There's Kylemore For salmon, and its free till the First salmon is caught!

Good luck.

Zzippy

clonshanny wrote: »

I hope to stay in Renvyle, Connemara for a week this summer and was wondering if there are any rivers or lakes close by where I could do an hour of Flyfishing the odd evening? I dont want to be paying a fortune or driving too far for a bit of wild brown trout fishing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The hotel in Renvyle has a stocked lake with fish to 5lbs. Clifden Anglers control fishing on a lot of lakes in the area - permits are very reasonable. Call into Stanley's shop in Clifden for info, maps and permits. John there is great for advice

Caribs

Loads of duck fly around this afternoon on Corrib in the Oughterard Bay area. Had planned to go out and try some buzzer fishing in the light winds so was giving that a go for a while with no success. Then saw fish taking fly off the surface so changed to small black duck fly type patterns but couldn't stir a thing. Was my first day out this season and was great to get out after a long winter.

Good to see all the fish I left out on the lake last year are still there, was plenty of fish around me but couldn't tempt any to take - next time..!

ClifdenAngler

clonshanny wrote: »

I hope to stay in Renvyle, Connemara for a week this summer and was wondering if there are any rivers or lakes close by where I could do an hour of Flyfishing the odd evening? I dont want to be paying a fortune or driving too far for a bit of wild brown trout fishing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Theres plenty lakes around here you could fish depending on where you're staying let, the amount of waters around here is unbelievable and the fish they hold are twice as good. Getting permits for the loughs in renvyle maybe difficult. Tully lake is a great lake to fish and you probably won't need a permit. Try flies like green peter, connemara black, sooty olive, the standard lough patterns. Tight lines!

ClifdenAngler

thefisherbuy wrote: »

Yea I do remember that river but it's been I'd say 6 years ago that I've last fished it, still good? It's a pity there isn't any updates on it, what the permit now? Have you caught any sea trout in it yet?

Aw it's still a brilliant river huge runs of grilsce with the odd big salmon, there's not many seatrout being caught although there not unheard of, you'll get a permit off Stanleys and he'll sort you out with a few flies too, the falls can work well on the worm during a flood.

thefisherbuy

Went into stanleys alright, It looks like everyone just bunches up at the falls? have you fish above the falls with the fly?