This spring has been like no other that I can recall. This week we are again basking in high temperatures under cloudless skies and fanned by the lightest of zephers. These conditions are wonderful for so many outdoor persuits, unfortunately trout and salmon angling are not on that last. With ghillieing work consuming me fromContinueContinue reading “Sqeezing in a session”
Category Archives: coarse fishing
Shannonbridge
That hateful east wind has continued to blow all week. A miserable breeze as far as any angler in the west of Ireland is concerned, it seems to put the fish off the feed altogether. OK, so we have had a lot of dry, sunny and even warm weather of late, if only the windContinueContinue reading “Shannonbridge”
Fog on the Shannon
With another storm due to hit us on Friday, I decided to sneak out once again with the rods before the weather deteriorated. It’s been cold and foggy for the past couple of days and Wednesday was promised the same, maybe not ideal conditions but not the worst either. Roach would again be the targetContinueContinue reading “Fog on the Shannon”
First outing of 2025
In the words of D:Ream – things can only get better. The first outing of the year is always a tricky one, isn’t it? Where to go, what to fish for, what day to pick, get any of the variable wrong and your season is off to a bad start. I had put off fishingContinueContinue reading “First outing of 2025”
2025………
Bloody weather! I had hoped to make a flying start to 2025 but the snow, ice, wind, rain etc have conspired against me. While not actually getting out to do any fishing for many weeks, I have been busy repairing, cleaning and organising my gear in preparation for the coming season. Fly boxes are fillingContinueContinue reading “2025………”
Short session in Sligo
Irelands a very strange place, isn’t it? I know this is not news but today just brought it home to me how odd my adopted home is. Immersed as I am in a welter of tasks which I can’t seem to complete, I decided a few hours coarse fishing might clear my mind a bit.ContinueContinue reading “Short session in Sligo”
Banagher
Recent weeks have been too busy to fit in much fishing but even when I did venture out the results were poor to say the least. I will happily own up to my own shortcomings but other anglers I was with suffered equally miserable results. I badly needed a pick-me-up. Last week, while buying maggotsContinueContinue reading “Banagher”
Change of seasons
Last Friday was a scorcher, 28 degrees when Helen and I were mooching around Galway city. The sun splitting the stones on Shop Street, traditional music flowing from the open doors of the pubs and throngs of visitors enjoying the spectacle of the sun beaming down on old Eire. I found a high stool inContinueContinue reading “Change of seasons”
Shannon Harbour revisited
When I was careering around Ireland like a lunatic a few years ago doing my ’32 counties’ project, I visited Shannon Harbour and caught a handful of fish in truly horrific conditions. The wind and rain that day still remain vivid in my memory, colouring my view of the place. Perhaps it was time toContinueContinue reading “Shannon Harbour revisited”
Just one of those days
We all get them, those days when nothing goes right. Last Monday was just such a day for me when a bad day and work spilled over into an equally poor session on the bank. I woke before the alarm, not an unusual occurrence for me but one which shortens an already insufficient night of sleep.ContinueContinue reading “Just one of those days”
Claretbumbler 