Fly tying season

Now the angling is over for another year I will start to post some fly patterns and tying instructions on this blog. Here in Ireland we are quite conservative when it comes to different styles of fly but I use a wide range of different flies to meet the conditions so don't expect just DabblersContinue reading "Fly tying season"

Back to the rain

A couple of windy, rainy days this week seem to herald the onset of winter properly and the forecast is depressingly ominous with high winds and even some snow promised before the week is out. I went out on the Cashel River one more time today, more in homage to the past season than withContinue reading "Back to the rain"

Apres fishing

Angling in Ireland has many facets, some challenging but most pleasant and convivial. I want to talk about one of these additional joyous addendums to our sport today, the Irish pub. I expect most (if not all) of you have visited a so called Irish pub close to you. They have, after all, polluted theContinue reading "Apres fishing"

Aberdonian spends Three Euro!!!!!!!

While mooching around in a small tackle shop down an alley in Athlone the other day I happened upon a basket full of odd and ends of tackle sporting the tempting sign 'half price or less'. So I plunged into the task of sifting through the assorted rigs, floats, baits and sinkers. Luminous poppers, bouncingContinue reading "Aberdonian spends Three Euro!!!!!!!"

Do Pike migrate?

To kill some time and at the very least get out in the fresh air for a few hours I have been Pike fishing on three recent occasions. Results have been steadily declining from 10 fish down to 8 and then only 5 on my last outing. That is fair enough, but the really interestingContinue reading "Do Pike migrate?"

The Crunchie Shrimp

I first tied this fly more years ago than I care to remember. I had read somewhere about using sweet wrappers to form the bodies on flies and experimented with a couple of ideas. This was pre-multi-coloured holo tinsel days and a box of Cadbury's chocolates provided some pink, blue and red shiny wrappers. NoneContinue reading "The Crunchie Shrimp"

Salmon jumping the falls on the River Clydagh

Some rain last night give the local rivers a small lift. Trout and salmon ran the local falls on the Clydagh river today. No signs of any big fish but a steady flow of small grilse and wild brownies leapt the falls as we watched for a half-an-hour this afternoon. I posted a short videoContinue reading "Salmon jumping the falls on the River Clydagh"

October Piking

I snuck off for an afternoon's piking today. The weather was so mild it seemed a pity to spend it indoors so I gathered up some gear and borrowed a boat for a few hours. It always amazes me how much gear I require for even just a short outing. Engine, fuel tank, tackle boxesContinue reading "October Piking"

The Blair Spoon Project

So I have a few old Blair Spoons knocking around in my tackle box. Not those poor copies which you buy online these days; no - these are the real thing, hand made on Royal Deeside. I bought them when I was in my teens and they gave me a few salmon fished slow and deepContinue reading "The Blair Spoon Project"

All hands on deck

At the end of each season the boats have to be taken out of the lake and safely stored for the winter. Today was the day for this task on the Glenisland Coop side of Lough Beltra. Yesterdays heavy rain had passed and the evening was cool and bright as the club members gathered onContinue reading "All hands on deck"