Lough Talt From my notes of 6th August 2020 Those of you who followed my blog will know that I have a madcap plan to catch a fish in every county on the island of Ireland. Covid-19 blew a huge great hole in that venture but I made a start to this odyssey today byContinueContinue reading “32 – Episode 1, County Sligo”
Category Archives: trout fishing
Mayo Bumble
The Mayo Bumble used to be a very popular fly during the mayfly season here in the west of Ireland but its popularity seems to have waned of recent years. I don’t understand why this is as it is a grand fly when the yellow drakes are hatching out in a good wave. As BumbleContinueContinue reading “Mayo Bumble”
First outing
It kind of crept up on me, the realisation that I could possibly go fishing this week. I had become so inured to floods and gales that the opening of the trout season had come and gone without really registering in my mind. This week though saw a change in the weather with cold, brightContinueContinue reading “First outing”
Recommended flies for Mask
After a spell in England during the mid-noughties I returned to Ireland and came to live in Ballinrobe. During that time I kept a boat at Cushlough, learning a little bit about the trout fishing around that part of Lough Mask. Previously (we are talking the late ‘90’s) I kept a boat on the otherContinueContinue reading “Recommended flies for Mask”
Pearly Claret Bumble
My unbridled enthusiasm for the Claret Bumble is well known to you all, it has been one of the most consistent flies for me over the years in all sorts of places and for all kinds of game fish. I was rummaging in a fly box the other day and came across a variant ofContinueContinue reading “Pearly Claret Bumble”
Sunburst Octopus
A few years ago nobody had heard of the colour ‘sunburst’ but now it is widely used in pulling patterns. I tie a version of the Octopus using sunburst colours so I thought I would share it with you. I like to tie this pattern on a size 10 heavyweight hook. That is because IContinueContinue reading “Sunburst Octopus”
Green tinsel
I was given a fly the other day by a highly experienced local angler who has had some success with it on Carrowmore Lake. It is predominantly black and dressed in bumble style but the thing that caught my eye was the body material – green tinsel. For years I have found this colour ofContinueContinue reading “Green tinsel”
Bilberry lake restocked
The local rag is reporting that Bilberry lake has been restocked this week. Here is the report from the Connaught Telegraph ‘THE scenic Bilberry Lake in Castlebar has today been restocked with 1,000 brown trout ahead of a busy summer angling season. The restocking, which costs over €4,000, was funded by members of the BilberryContinueContinue reading “Bilberry lake restocked”
Robe trout
I wanted a break for salmon fishing so today I took myself off to the Robe near Hollymount to try for a few wild brownies. With no rain to speak of lately I knew that water levels would be low and so I avoided the streamier sections of the river. Parking up, I strode overContinueContinue reading “Robe trout”
Boat launch
Later than normal, we dropped my boat off at Pike Bay on lough Conn this morning. It is usually some time in late March or early April that my old grey boat is unearthed from the depths of the shed and dragged up to the Conn, but this year the gods conspired against me andContinueContinue reading “Boat launch”
Claretbumbler 