There is still time to enjoy a few casts in the sea before the winter gales arrive in earnest, so here are some of my favourite fly patterns for chucking into the briney. I don’t tend to go in for very complex patterns and even my range of colours is limited, but all the fliesContinueContinue reading “Saltwater fly patterns”
Category Archives: Fishing in Ireland
Ballina
Herself wanted to pick up a few things in Ballina so we drove up there yesterday. For those who don’t know this area Ballina is a bustling little town on the River Moy and the famous Ridge pool is right in the middle of the town only a few yards from the main street.Helen wentContinueContinue reading “Ballina”
Endings and beginnings
30th September signals the end of trout and salmon fishing in these parts, OK, so there are little bits of game angling to be found until the middle of October but basically it is all over for another season. 2015 will go down as an exceptionally poor year for most local anglers in Mayo, withContinueContinue reading “Endings and beginnings”
Three flys from my table
I was trying (unsuccessfully I might add) to tidy up the mess of feathers, hooks and other assorted odds and end which have accumulated on my fly tying bench. In amongst the detritus I found some flies so I thought I would share them with you. First up is a Grey Winged Salmon Gosling. Goslings areContinueContinue reading “Three flys from my table”
Moving a boat on Beltra
Mid September and recent heavy rain has pushed water levels up. Small numbers of fish are running but Lough Beltra is pretty much finished for another season so I decided to take advantage of a quiet day to take a boat off the lake. All too often this task is attempted in high winds andContinueContinue reading “Moving a boat on Beltra”
Successful flies for Carrowmore lake
Here are some patterns which have worked for me and my boat partner over the years on Carrowmore lake, Co. Mayo. Claret bumble is the first choice on a dark day with low cloud. The standard dressings works just fine but I like mine to have a Muddler head in either claret or blue. TheContinueContinue reading “Successful flies for Carrowmore lake”
Scad
Still as dry as a bone here in the West of Ireland but the forecast is for a belt of heavy rain to move across the country at the weekend so there is some faint hope of action before the end of the season. Until then all there has been is the occasional sea fishingContinueContinue reading “Scad”
Casting practice
Friday morning and the weather vane on top of Lagduff Lodge is still firmly set in a Northerly airflow. Dry again today so the fishing will be little more than casting practice, leaving me less than overjoyed I fished from pol Garrow down to the Rock Pool but the only fish I saw was aContinueContinue reading “Casting practice”
Sticks and stones
Day 2 on Lagduff and the drought continues. There was some mist in the morning which we all prayed would develop into a deluge but it petered out without making any difference to the water level in the Owenduff river. I elected to try fishing down at the bottom of the beat and set ofContinueContinue reading “Sticks and stones”
No water on the Owenduff
The Owenduff. Just the name is enough to set the pulse of any salmon fisher racing. This lovely stream flows through some stunning scenery in North Mayo and I am lucky enough to be fishing it for a few days this week. I’m staying at Lagduff lodge in the company of 3 other like mindedContinueContinue reading “No water on the Owenduff”