Liffey back in business and as salmon angling season gets under way in a limited fashion

THE salmon angling season gets under way on Wednesday albeit on a limited number of river and lake fisheries. Lough Gill (Sligo), Carrowmore Lake (Mayo) and the Drowes River (Donegal/Leitrim) continue their early season start, and the Lower Liffey is back in business for the second successive year on a catch-and-release basis.

Last year, it was the River Drowes in the northern region that stole the show. Fishing at the Blackwater section on the Leitrim side of the river, Timothy Dalton, Omagh, Co Tyrone connected with a 4.5kg (10lb) bar of silver on a Red Flying “C” lure to claim the first rod-caught salmon of 2013.

Rarely does a year pass that the river fails to yield the first salmon. Over the past 30 years its success rate is close to 90 per cent. For bookings, contact Shane Gallagher, call 071-9841055 (daytime).

Big day on Inniscarra
The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland (Ncffi) has announced it has secured the World Feeder Fishing Championships to be staged on Inniscarra Lake, Coachford, Co Cork, on the weekend of July 19th-20th.

The decision was sanctioned by Fips-ed Technical Organising Committee in Rome last month.

The announcement comes after 20 months of hard work by Inniscarra Lake Tourism Development Ltd, which finally got a letter of offer for a grant from Avondhu Blackwater Partnership.

This paved the way for development of a 2.8km stretch of shoreline on the lake as a multi-purpose amenity and also enabled Ncffi the opportunity to host the world championships.

The tourism potential from the championship is enormous where up to 25 countries will participate and the economic benefit is expected to bring at least €2 million to the region.

For further information and affiliation details, contact pro@ncffi.ie.

It was a very good year
In his end-of-year newsletter, Ian Powell of Blackwater Lodge Fishery reports that 2013 was the best catch total for the last three years. "This was remarkable given the very dry summer," he said.

Some regular guests enjoyed superb fishing. One Italian angler landed 46 fish to 5.5kg in 20 days to August 23rd. The same angler lost a very big salmon, possibly close to 11.3kg, having played it for 10 minutes and clearly seeing the fish.

Pino Maisano, also from Italy, recorded his personal best over two days with fish of 4.7kg and 6.3kg. The Bonnet/Cadiou five-rod party from France recorded 63 fish to 6.8kg for their seven days in September, and Steve Cossey and Paul Rosier (UK) landed 30 to 6.3kg in just five days.

Spawning was slow to start due to exceptionally mild temperatures and low water levels. However, thanks to some recent floods and frosty nights, spawning is now under way in tributaries on the lower and upper river and the main river channel.

The season will open as usual on February 1st and prices for 2014 are now available at ireland-salmon-fishing.net

Delphi days
Delphi Lodge in Connemara offers a brilliant February fishing special to kick-off the salmon season that includes a stay in one of their boathouse cottages plus fishing the river exclusively for two to four rods. A seven-night stay plus six days fishing will cost €1,200. Part-week deals are also available.

For booking details, contact Carole or Anne on 095-42222 or info@delphilodge.ie.

Cock of the walk
The Cock Robin (pictured left) is a true Irish pattern, one that has stood the test of time and continues to remain popular today with lough anglers. It is a typical bronze mallard winged pattern that originated from Co Clare and created for trout in Lough Inchiquin, near Corofin.

The pattern has a lot of variants to its name, from dabblers to blae-winged but the body colours always stay the same.

“The original is still the most popular in my opinion,” Jimmy Tyrrell said. See irishflycraft@gmail.com or 086-845 1257.

angling@irishtimes.com