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Lough Currane

245

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  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    The first step is to admit there's a problem. Waterville Trust finally agree that sea trout run into Lough Currane is in deep, deep trouble. NOne again this year and smolts coming back with lice all over them. I fished for two weeks back in March and a week in midmay and didn't see a fish. I caught big sea trout smolt on the first trip and they are coming back with lice now. Total disaster. Message is not getting out properly.



    https://www.facebook.com/lakesandriverstrust/?hc_ref=ARRoENMdASY6sbtQL7RxhOhOkN6KEMeWzHYU_k6iTcQSCX__oP5gjkU504kcCn-eYAw&fref=nf


  • Registered Users Posts: 920 ✭✭✭okedoke


    I haven't been down to Currane this year but Vincent's blog makes for depressing reading this year. Barely a fish caught most weeks


  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    We'll be lucky if any smolt made it though the blizzard of lice this summer. Butler Pool sampled over several weeks shortly after smolt run and they were back again early covered in lice. ALmost nobody fishing now which is impactring on the blog reports but there is also reticence to be mentioned in connection with any dead fish and a pushback against the line ther blog was taking last season. Weather isn't helping and is a disaster as far as anything out in the bay is concerned. You won't have seen it but there's a consultation underway about the enactment of a catch and release byelaw for Currane, seven weeks before the end of the season!
    I stopped fishing in June. Will be back in a few weeks and we'll see. But there's no real arguement about it now. The lake is f**ked if you'll excuse the french.


  • Registered Users Posts: 400 ✭✭Slasher


    I'm afraid you're right, Mr. Bumble.

    I was there in July. Fished one day only, and on that day, there was only one other boat on the entire lake. In July!

    It's a shame really. I feel for the gillies - some of them depend on the summer trade, but the anglers are staying away.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    Is the angling effort becoming a self fulfilling prophecy? I often take a spin to Currane and see no boats out on it - I'm living relatively near. Vincents blog certainly illustrates nothing being caught but if there's no boats out to catch them then....

    I'm not trying to belittle the situation in the slightest. I know the system is under pressure but just curious about the above.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    The decline in angling numbers is down to the absence of fish. It is possible that this was accelerated by the economic crash but I can assure you, there are no fish in places where there used to be fish. Smolt return every year covered in sea lice and many die. The IFI have been sampling. This is a fact and the most important one.
    Where I have the boat, there were 20 in the water when I got my spot and they have decreased steadily to a point now where there are only five or six in the water at the moment and half of them are rarely out. Most of the lads who used to put their boats in are committed anglers
    The issue of Currane's traditional moodiness has, unfortunately, been its enemy. Even when there was a lot of fish in the lake, you could go two weeks and not see one jump. The right hour and the whole lake would light up.
    That's why many have been hesitant to make any definitive statements about Currane up until recently.

    Dour as it could be, there was usually one or two sea trout to be had and always when juners were around.
    That really ended about six years ago. At that point, you might get one good rise in a day and it would be a good fish but no more than that. You might meet the odd shoal of juners.
    In the last three years, hardly anything at all. I had 3 fish - 5, 4 and 3 (ish) at the back of Church Island in October last year which shows that there are still fish left but they were a month away from spawning and gathering in sweet spots after being scattered around the system since May/June.
    There are no juners and no 2/3lb fish which indicates that the problem is a growing one.
    In March/April/May/June there were decent numbers of boats out trolling and they weren't catching sea trout either.
    Just goto the blog archives and go back to 2010. I remmeber that has a quiet enough season which produced my biggest ever sea trout but not much more than that and yet there are posts showing people catching reasonable numbers of fish throughout the season. Go further back and the difference is very stark.
    The lake has changed in the last ten years, there's no doubt about that. The water is cleaner and often crystal clear and I've had many chats about this with regulars, wondering whether tactics needed to change as a result. Two lads from Leitrim had 40 fish off The Ship in late September 2016 using dries and weighted nymphs.
    There has also been an explosion of wildlife which is probably down to the improvement in water quality. There's nesting curlews, the Little Tern colony has tripled in size, nesting eiders and a colony of greylags live there year around. You don't see sea eagles that often but they still hang around the Duckpond and Capal Bay. A few cormorants but not many. There are a lot of seals in the Bay which is probably relevant.
    I have no expertise but those who understand these things tell me that the smolt production in the Currane system is still very good. All the more reason why the sea trout should be thriving and yet they are not.
    It's very sad.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    A very comprehensive response Mr Bumble. Cheers.

    I won't be getting a boat out but intend on giving fly fishing from the shore a go over the next couple of months. Don't think I'll see a seatrout doing that (notwithstanding they're probably not in the system anyway) but hope to pick up some brownies.


  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    As good a chance of sea trout as any time since May along the Southern shore. A lot of spawning steams empty into the bays there as you probably already know and they'll be starting to move towards them. You'll sometimes geta drift which hugs the south shore on a westerly and will take you all the way down to Capal. Unusual not to pick up two or three decent brownies along the way. A lot of it is near the road and the lake is so low that you could probably wade a good bit more of Coffey's than normal below the metal barrier. Always plenty of small sedge hatching in there and daddies a good bet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    I took a spin to capal itself recently. It's a cracking looking Lough. I'm living relatively locally and yet could not track down details as to how to get permission to fish it - again from the shore. Yes, my intention was the southern shore. My local rivers have suffered because of the freakish weather this summer so haven't thrown a fly much this year. Makes for some change having usually been out several nights a week for seatrout.


  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    There's a syndicate on it which is run by the Hughes family of ice-cream fame but the rights are in other hands I think. That may have changed. I've never fished it and it does look like it would be good from the bank, especially at outflowing river. A few seasons back the count from Capal was 22 which is very poor. Didn't hear how it did last season but if it was good I would have heard.They might let you wander but short of bumping into one of them and asking?? They have a big spread back off the road near the lake and the man of the house drives a beat up green Land Rover defender. The ghillies can get on Capal if the boat is free but that's not cheap.
    You could try the small lake on the road (to the right) up to Cloonaghlin after a flood. It's a short and rough walk in but it can be very good and as far as I know its free fishing. The outlet almost dried up this summer. There's lakes above Derriana which have plenty of brownies and they're free. You drive past the turn for Na MOna/Derriana and there's a road further on (also signposted Derriana) which will bring you to the stream which comes down from them. Narrow roads with grass in the middle and a great view of the lake you never get. I haven't been up to the lakes but Vincent Donnelly was up there in the last few weeks. You can watch his Yotube video for an idea of the terrain.
    The Owenmore in Cloghane (other side of Conor Pass) just had a great ten days. You can't be too far away from there. Worth a trip for day or night fishing. I think a day ticket is about 35 quid.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    That's a world of great information. Thank you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    Actually, for a change, the reports coming from Currane these last couple of weeks are great.


  • Registered Users Posts: 660 ✭✭✭popsy09


    SeaFields wrote: »
    Actually, for a change, the reports coming from Currane these last couple of weeks are great.

    The reports of late seem to be good but I know a lot of stale fish still being knocked on the head

    It makes me think about making the journey from cork down but deep down I know its a big risk, best thing in Waterville is the brown trout I always do well on the fly below there and when parked up for lunch on one of the islands ya can have great fun with some floated worms


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    I'd say hit the road down popsy. At the end of the day, it's a great day out. There is always the possibility of hooking a beauty but as an end of season treat to yourself it's worth it for the scenery alone.


  • Registered Users Posts: 660 ✭✭✭popsy09


    I have spent enough time below there to be sick of the scenery ha ha I'm heading up west who knows I might be temped the last week of season 😆


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Fred Nash


    Funny you should mention as an end of season treat,it's exactly what I was planning on doing, was hoping to do one of the smaller lakes in the system but have been advised I may just be better off with Currane, for brown trout and the chance of something better too. Great info from you guys


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    Fred Nash wrote: »
    Funny you should mention as an end of season treat,it's exactly what I was planning on doing, was hoping to do one of the smaller lakes in the system but have been advised I may just be better off with Currane, for brown trout and the chance of something better too. Great info from you guys

    Fred in that case what you can do is fish Currane and also some of the smaller loughs or rivers around the local area. Many are free and make a decent weekend out of it. Few pints too like ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Fred Nash


    Well everybody

    Aware there is plenty of negative talk surrounding decline of salmon and sea trout on this lake in recent years but I have decided to go out on Wednesday 12th and have my boat booked and all as an "end of season" treat. I'm just looking for advice on what tackle ye recommend? (OK with flies, they are standard, mainly lookin for advice on leader and tippet and fly line) Usually a river angler so Lough style is new to me. Any info greatly appreciated. We'll give it a good lash and cast until our arms fall off haha. And probably gna target sea trout more so as I may have a better chance of getting brownies too while targeting them than salmon.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    Good stuff Fred.

    I'm sure there'll be more experienced on the lake along to give you advice. All I would say is long leaders, very long. Maybe 20 feet. And strip the flies very fast. I'd pick flies with natural jungle cock too. A river fly rod might be a bit soft for it. Fishing a nine foot rod cost me a lovely sea trout there years ago. I couldn't stop him but might have been able to with a proper lake rod.

    Enjoy!


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Fred Nash


    Jungle cock flies for sea trout ? You sure ? Ya I have a lake rod aswell...No bother in that department.


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Fred Nash wrote: »
    Jungle cock flies for sea trout ? You sure ? Ya I have a lake rod aswell...No bother in that department.

    One of the best sea trout flies is the Delphi Silver, which has jungle cock. Personally, I wouldn't really use it for lake flies, I prefer flies with more mobile hackles and JC restricts that a bit IMO. I have had tremendous fishing on Currane with a Silver Invicta on the point, which accounted for a salmon and 9 sea trout out of 12 fish that day. A typical sea trout cast for me would be a Clan Chief pr Red Arsed Green Peter with a muddler head on top, a Claret Bumble in the middle and a Silver Invicta or Silver Daddy on the point, but that's just my preference.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    To place my response in context Fred. I was out with two separate guillies a few years back on it. Both gave me flies that worked best and they were size 14 lake flies with jungle cock on them. As Zzippy said, many popular river sea trout flies would have jungle cock in the pattern


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Fred Nash


    Sound out lads...cheers for that...with all this rain Wednesday could be a great chance ! IL post here Wednesday night and let ye know how I get on either way!


  • Registered Users Posts: 15 Copal


    Fred Nash wrote: »
    Sound out lads...cheers for that...with all this rain Wednesday could be a great chance ! IL post here Wednesday night and let ye know how I get on either way!

    Any fish :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Fred Nash


    Update. Headed out and fished hard today. Started at half ten, came off the lake at half 7. With another lad in a boat. Firstly in my defence the sun was absolutely blinding all day long...a poxy great day weatherwise in between a week of rain and dullness. We caught 2 seatrout (juniors) on trolling rapalas. And I caught one brown trout on a little minnow lure later in the day. The guy I rented the boat from did tell me I'd be doing well to catch a fish today. Wind was also from the north (unsure if that made a difference) only 2 other boats out. Not a fish did I see rise once. I'll be back though. On its day it has to be quality. Also mad to try one of the smaller upper lakes . Sea trout have been taken in fairly good numbers the last 2 days from the lake word has it. None brought home for me though. That's fishing!


  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    The lake is in serious trouble Fred. It's not just "negative talk" and one or even ten trips won't teach you much about something which has been brewing for ten years. Mainly, it's abput baby sea trout dead from sealice infestation among other things. There's sea trout around if you're fishing marks under oars and some have been caught on the drift but a tiny percentage of what should be caught at this time of the year when the fish are getting aggressive towards spawning. There's no argument about it anymore. Fishery will be catch and release for sea trout next year. It should be now and bringing any home is a bad idea.
    I'll be down a good bit over the next month so I'll post a few updates as i go.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    I am not sure if I have mentioned it previously but I can see the sea lice problem in "my" river too which isn't too far from Currane. Adult seatrout I caught have been covered in them - much more than what one would consider 'healthy' i.e. a couple of sea lice to illustrate fresh from the sea.


  • Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    Good bit of rain this week and the lake is at a decent height. Difficult conditions with the storms but got out most days this week and had some very good fishing in mostly SW wind. Monday managed just a few hours and had a couple of small juners, Tuesday had three decent brownies and one sea trout of a few pounds. Wednesday had a pretty epic four hours in the middle of the day with a dozen brownies to 2lb and nothing under 1lb. Also two sea trout 3lb, 2lb and a handful of small juners. Thursday had five sea trout to 3lbs and two good browns. Very good fishingbut it's been lashing overnight and the suns out which might slow things down. Settled weather for next week so looking very good for the weeks ahead.
    Frank Donnelly had an unbelieveable day with a guest on the Butler Pool. It's stuffed wth grilse and bigger fish, all stale. Nine between the two of them and as many lost.
    Only one of the seat trout i caught looked recent and the rest at least a few weeks old. But they are taking flies on the drift. Pearly invicta and claret sedgehog doing the damage but I think any standard flies will take fish with the lake in this humour.
    I've probably put the hex on it now.......


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    That's outstanding fishing all around. I'm going to try from the south shore over the weekend. Will post any success or lack thereof


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 Mod ✭✭✭✭SeaFields


    Rose a good few brownies in a stiff wind this morning from the south shore. Couldn't see many boats out but it was rough so likely hard to see from my perspective. I'll chance it again in the coming days. The lake was up and felt very warm.


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