Photo of the day

Random fishing and fly tying photographs. I will try to post as often as I can.

My old ‘Perfect’ fly reel, wonder if I will get a chance to use it this season?

How many reels do I need! This is just a few of my collection, mainly trout fly reels. There are salmon fly reels, sea reels, spinning reels, baitcasters and multipliers on top of this lot

Found this brand new Rapala Husky Jerk still in its box. It was in amongst my sea fishing gear for some strange reason. 12cm size, good for springers

6000C loaded with braid and ready for action after the lockdown

box of mini tubes

Moore Hall, Lough Carra

Last year I bought myself a 3 string cigarbox guitar and amp. I practice every day now and thoroughly enjoy playing old blues tunes.

an unusually painted old Kynoch

Brown’s bay on Lough Conn earlier today. Water level is still very high but dropping back now.

Large (size 4) Green peter tied for salmon on Lough Beltra

Looking North to Nephin from Croaghmoyle. Helen taking a photo

Clew Bay

Wee blue devil

fly or spinner?

A sign the new season is here, the tide table for Westport

13cm. I think the 11cm is a better size for salmon but these work too

Scatter rap

crawdad

old fly reel

filling up nicely

Some Tomix plugs

cobwebs

Just some of my old ABU rods (yep, there are more kicking around!)

under repair

Spool on the old 444A filled with new six pound line. Ready for some feeder fishing!

Not perfect but a good enough whipping of a replacement ring on an old feeder rod.

Fixing up an old ABU quiverlite rod

replacing the tip ring

too much varnish!

A brilliant rod for bait fishing.

The new season is just around the corner. Spent some time running new lines on to my reels. The old Cardinal got a good clean and lubrication while I was at it.

The Cong river with the hatchery on the left of the photo

Small Rapalas, hoping these will work for Perch

Nice chrome Rapala magnum

Beachcasting multipliers for cleaning

soft baits

My box of items for fixing up baits. Hooks, swivels split rings etc all in one place

Black reels

Drop net

The first fish I ever caught was on a blue and silver Vibro. It was a one pound Saithe from Cove harbour and I was 10 years old. Still got a soft spot for these old lures!

Swedish Toby’s in their original boxes.

A box of spinners for the Moy. Devons, Flying ‘C’ and some leads.

one for the Pike

Cong Canal

Clew Bay from the Reek

Carrownisky

Achill, looking to the south

Blue and silver, good in bright weather

Ambassadeur 6000C, beautiful reel to fish with.

the dock, Beltra

These boxes of fur are very handy

Stacked in the corner, awaiting the new season.

It gets messy when I am tying a lot of different patterns!

selection of 18 gram Toby Smash spoons

Lough Corrib

salmon flies

Various Goat’s Toes

Wee doubles, I used these a lot back in Scotland but very rarely here in Ireland

Silver Invictas, one of my favourite wet flies

wee devils in the fly box

My old fly tying scissors are not a sharp as they once were!

The Grand canal in the centre of Dublin

couple of toby spoons

The river at Cong, running high after all the recent rain

the Conn from Pontoon bridge

wets in the box

Foxford Shrimp

Savage Gear Real Eel

I’ve started to learn how to play this now as well!

ABU Egon pirks

old ABU Perka lures

back of the boxes, Ballina

My line winder, a useful little tool

Found this in some papers the other day. I remember fishing this beat twice, caught 4 finnock the first time and a fine 3lb sea trout on the second occasion.

The Clydagh river after some rain

some river floats

Yours truly

Hairy Mary tied on a big double

Goats Toe, size 6

Roonagh Quay

A pair of old Rapala Slivers

A couple of size 12 Connemara Black, fresh off the vice

Lough Conn shoreline, the trees provide cover for flies and other insects

usual mess in the back of the car!

fly lines hanging up

always send back your annual catch return

an old Daiwa fixed spool reel

The boathouse has been given a tidy up

the boathouse with a nice new coat of paint

a box full of plugs

tail of the pool. The Don in Aberdeenshire

Some items for the day. Coffee, keys for the boat locks, some swivels (in the old cigar box) and a few baits

Roonagh with a misty Clare Island in the distance

The harbour at Old Head

Body of a seal washed up on the strand at Carrowmore. Probably shot.

blue and silver devon

reflections

Boats in the yard

Jan 1st 2019 – I will try hard to post more often!!!

A rather tired looking old Toby, one that might benefit from a lick of paint.

a salmon boils close to the boat

Lough Furnace

Summer is coming…………

Frank Dooley landed the first salmon today (opening day) at the Glenisland River mouth. A very fresh 8lb fish

Capes on the fly tying bench

Clydagh river

17th May

3.5.2016

A broken marker pole on Cullin. Two weeks ago this hazard was covered in water. Take care when fishing and motoring on Irish loughs, there are lots of these damaged poles out there.