LOUGH Lene in Co Westmeath came alive last weekend for the Flextec team fly-fishing championships. Now in its fourth year, the competition continues to attract a huge turnout of anglers from across Ireland. This year, 126 participated from 62 boats.
Hosted by the Irish Trout Fly-Fishing Association (ITFFA), Flextec is a fundraiser to send teams to home international championships. Scotland will host next year’s competition,
Lene is near Collinstown and Castlepollard, covers an area of 1,062 acres and reaches depths of 20m. The lake holds a good head of wild trout and is complemented by regular stocking of brown and rainbow trout. Jet skis are prohibited.
“I have lived beside the lake all my life and look after about 140 angling boats,” said the legendary Tommy Fagan (he hires them at 086-1691231).
The “gin-clear” and pollution-free lake was the first in Ireland to receive the EU Blue Flag for water quality. The award is testament to the local angling club and to the farming community in the area.
Flextec is an English-based online discount fishing tackle and equipment stockist. The company sponsors ITFFA fundraising events and donates a range of top quality rods and reels as prizes. (See www.tacklediscounts.co.uk)
Conservation was the watchword for the competition and all trout caught were measured, recorded and returned. A minimum size-limit of 13 inches pertained.
Conditions were good, with plenty of cloud cover and fair winds. I was paired with Alan Delaney from Wicklow Anglers and together we tested the areas close to Winters Point and Madam’s Island with some success.
At close of play, it was the Brosna team, led by the invincible Denis Goulding, who emerged clear winners with 16 fish. Denis accounted for 11! Noel Shiels, Michael McCormack and Andrew Duncan completed the team.
“Pearly Stimulator, Black Dabbler, Cormorant and Boobie fly patterns accounted for most of the catch,” according to top fly-tyer Noel Shiels. The longest trout, at 56cm, was recorded by Peter Roche (Ballina/Cloghans).
There was one extraordinary moment. Fishing with four flies, one lucky angler managed to boat five trout on the one cast, four of which measured in. Seemingly, as he unhooked each fish, a fifth grabbed the vacant fly that overhung the boat! Well done to the ITFFA committee and, in particular, to Greg White, for organising a competition of this size.
Results: 1, Brosna; 2, Galway/Corrib A; 3, Mallow Game; 4, Mallow Trout; 5, Galway/Corrib B; 6, Conn/Cullin; 7, Ballina/Cloghans; 8, Kilbride-1.
Fisheries manager Colin Folan will host a fly-fishing weekend at Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel, Recess, Co Galway, from September 17th. The course is suitable for beginners, with a maximum of 10 people, and will include casting techniques and fly-tying. The package costs €700 and includes 3BB+D. For booking details, call Colin at 086-8679459 or inagh@iol.ie.
One for the diary. Hugh Bonner, of Mara Media, is running an Irish Fly Fair in Galway in November. The Irish Angler magazine is the media partner. See irishflyfair.com.
Mary Donnelly, mother of well-known angler and entrepreneur Betty Hayes, passed away on August 11th. She was in her 94th year. Mary spent the final six days in the care of Hazel Hall Nursing Home, Clane, Co Kildare.
angling@irishtimes.com