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………”
Category Archives: Fishing in Ireland
Ullsock
Here is another old post which was gathering dust in a forgotten folder deep inside my website. Not a fly most of you will be familiar with, but I like the look of this one as a possible salmon and sea trout pattern for the west of Ireland. I was intrigued when I first sawContinueContinue reading “Ullsock”
Cock Robin Palmer
Christmas Day here in Castlebar and I have completed my first list of chores. With a little time on my hands before we launch into full blown Christmas dinner mode, I have been poking about the back alleys of my website and come across a few posts which somehow never saw the light of day.ContinueContinue reading “Cock Robin Palmer”
That time of the year again
Regular readers will be fed up hearing me banging on about how much I hate Christmas (nothing has changed, I still despise the whole crock of shit), and how I am planning for the coming season. Well, so far next season’s plans are very much up in the air due to a number of factors.ContinueContinue reading “That time of the year again”
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”
Jointed Mayfly
Another one for all you hard working fly tyers out there. This is a rather unusual wee fly which is not one I see in use too often. One of the materials is peculiarly Irish, PTFE tape. This is referred to here as simply ‘Plumber’s tape’ as is is used by those professionals when makingContinueContinue reading “Jointed Mayfly”
The Stone Goat
Not a fly I use personally, but it is popular in the area for all game fish. I guess I am just too wedded to the old Claret Bumble to bother with this fly personally, but I am tying a few up today to sell. The one I see most often is the dressing IContinueContinue reading “The Stone Goat”
Claret Gosling
A nice simple one for you fly tyers out there, but one which does well on all Irish loughs. Hook: I use a wide range of hooks for this pattern. Tie it on your bog standard heavy wet fly in sizes 8 to 12 or long shanks in the same range Tying silk: I preferContinueContinue reading “Claret Gosling”
Mulranny Pig
This wee fly intrigues me. Mulranny is a scenic wee village on the northern shore of Clew Bay, a few miles from where we live. There is a golf course, a nice hotel that does a roaring trade during the summer and the usual scatter of touristy shops. The views across the bay to theContinueContinue reading “Mulranny Pig”
Leggy Dunkeld
The Dunkeld, in various guises, has always been one of my favourite flies. A long time ago, when I was a kid just starting out on my angling career, I bought a small cellophane packet of cock hackles which were dyed orange for the princely sum of fifteen pence from Somers tackle shop which wasContinueContinue reading “Leggy Dunkeld”
Claretbumbler 