Fly Fishing Report From An Irish Angler

Co. Wicklow, Ireland.


A fish of rumour and conjecture became reality to me when I met by accident Denis O'Toole outside the Woodenbridge Hotel, Co. Wicklow. A man approaches me, "Are you Ashley Hayden who writes the angling column in the Wicklow People". "Yes I am", I reply. "My name is Denis O'Toole". Before he could utter another word I said, "So you're the man who caught this mythical sea trout". "That I am", said Denis, and after that it was like we had known each other all our lives.

To cut to the chase, rumour had abounded as to the capture of a great fish but nobody had seen the evidence. Denis, a professional fly dresser was holding his powder because he did not want the river being overrun. The time however had come to filter out the story, and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So in Denis's own words:

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

I and a fishing partner had been fishing on the Avoca one evening; we had caught several small sea trout and released them, the fish showed in the pool above where I was fishing, before it was fully dark, so I didn't try him straight away.

I fished some other pools while I was waiting for darkness to fall, at this point I did not know it was a sea trout.

I had fished down one of the pools when my fishing partner walked up to me and I asked did he want to go home or stay?? He said he would fish the pool that I had just been at as he had just changed his fly's.

Then I went down to the pool where I seen the fish move (Lucky Boy) I put on a 1 1/2 inch aluminium tube with a salar single (with the barb squeezed down) and started at the head of the pool, on my 4th cast while stripping the fly back he hit it with a BANG!! and all hell broke loose, all I could see was white foam on the water through the inky darkness, I thought I hooked FREE WILLY, the fish's 1st run tore off 20 or more yards of line downstream and he made 3 other big runs after this.

He was lying in only 3ft of water when he took, in total the fight lasted 20mins. He was then carefully weighed & measured and released back to spawn and produce more 16lb’ers.

I am a professional fly dresser and live locally, the tube fly he took was one of my own patterns called the Lava Tale, far too many big fish today end up in pictures with gill tags in them.


Tight Lines, Denis O' Toole.

Fly Fishing Report From An Irish Angler

July 8, 2011


River Slaney, Co. Wexford, Ireland, Evening Sea Trout.

Fished the Slaney yesterday evening for sea trout below Scarawalsh old bridge accompanied by visiting angler David Balsdon. A native of Devon who fishes the famous River Torridge, David was looking forward to casting a line on this equally famous Irish river. Conditions were not great, with a cool south easterly wind blowing upstream driving a constant mist of rain before it. Perseverance though did pay off, with David netting a three quarter pound sea trout tempted by a Kill Devil Spider as dusk closed in.

In good condition, fat and beautifully spotted, the sea trout took with a bang giving a good account of itself before being netted, photographed, and returned. David fished on until close to mid night catching parr and small brownies, along with a few tentative plucks from their migratory cousins, however the brace alluded him. Conditions were tough it has to be said, the upstream wind in particular making life difficult, but hey that's fishing. David appreciated the experience, and if the opportunity arises would most definitely make a return visit.


anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

Fly Fishing Report From An Irish Angler

Co. Wexford, Ireland.


Salmon Tails and Trouty Evenings.

The power of that salmon and the vision of its tail are burned into my memory for life. Working my way down a run last evening on the Slaney, a nibbling sensation coupled with an increase in weight similar to when your hook becomes weeded transferred up the line. Lifting my rod, to free as I envisaged the hook from underwater weed, in unison I was hit by an arm wrenching tug and the vision of a silver scaled, black spotted wrist and large forked tail of a very angry salmon, who proceeded to swim at a rate of knots across the river. My reel screamed and I instinctively palmed the reel to control the run.

On reaching the far bank salmo salar now doubled back and positively fizzed back to its lie while I winded like billyo in tandem with walking backwards against the current. The fish then decided to swim up the channel to my right and sulk a rod length from me. A slight rest then like greased lightening the salmon tore downstream, rounded the gravel bar that I was fishing off before proceeding to run the shallower channel to my left where again it sulked. Gathering my wits I scanned for a slack out of the main current to guide the fish towards, fully aware that my six pound sea trout cast would have to play this fish very carefully.

Without warning my now fishy companion turned and swam purposefully towards Enniscorthy before turning and swimming upstream to again sulk a rod length to my right. I could feel the tail working in the current manifesting as a throb throb in my heavily curved 9' 6" weight six rod. Applying pressure on what was a serious fish, that as yet other than the tail I had not seen, even though attached by six pound gut I was confident that there could be a positive out come. Then in a second, four minutes after our interaction commenced, it was over. A slight nod, a millisecond of slack line, and the fly, a size 10 butcher fell out.

Gutted, no. Disappointed, yes. Due to catch and release rules the salmon was going to be returned, however to have graced the bank, calculated its approximate weight, and taken a photo for posterity would have been great. The half pound brownies tempted during a spectacular rise of sedges being no compensation for the loss of that great fish. A special moment none the less, one for the long evenings over a wee drop....


anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

More Reports From An Irish Angler

Wexford, Ireland.

Fly Fishing in Wexford, Slaney Sea Trout.

In Ireland we call them white trout, in Wales they are termed sewin, colloquial names for a migratory species much loved and revered by game fishers world wide, the sea trout. In the week that a new local record for the species was set with a 13.lb 5.oz fish on Lough Currane, Co. Kerry, I made my first of many evening forays to the River Slaney. Sea trout run the river from mid June to mid August but with reports of sea trout in the system below Enniscorthy an early visit was hard to resist.

The Slaney is showing its bones but there is certainly enough water to allow sea trout make their way up. For sixteen consecutive years I have fished my chosen stretch and seen the catches diminish to the point where two years back I didn't cast a line once. With the nets off returns hopefully are on the way back, time will tell. This evening is perfect if a little bright, I rig up a floating line with a butcher (size 10) on the point and a kill devil spider (size 12) on the dropper. My rod is a favourite 9' 6'' Daiwa Whisker Fly (the original two piece) taking a six weight line. Walking downstream to a wide gravel bar which pushes the current to the right hand bank creating a deep steady gut I position myself and wait for the sun to set.

Large olives and sedges fill the air and four swans keep me company, small trout slash at flies and I am itching to cast. However I wait, it's dusk now and my surroundings visually lose their natural sharpness while my senses become more acute. A silver bar clears the water not fifty metres from me, they are here. I commence fishing extending my line to cover the water. A few small brownies and parr take the kill devil as I work the seam. "On the dangle" I start to strip and bang the rod arches over and a bright, fresh sea trout spends the next thirty seconds more out of the water than in. Running to and fro, upstream and down, after a couple of minutes and still full of life I grasp the fish in my hand. Three quarters of a pound and smelling of the sea, sweet.....

anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

Fly Fishing Report From An Irish Angler

Co. Wicklow, Ireland.


Sometimes it's not just about the fishing, being there is enough. After weeks of interminable wind Ireland's weather appears to be settling down and a day on the lake seemed like a good plan. Lough Dan looked fantastic in the early June sunshine, but talk about the sublime to the ridiculous. Last week the water was a maelstrom of wind and waves with even an eye witness report of a waterspout tracking its way up the lake, eventually collapsing "as described to me" in an explosion of water falling out of the sky. Today Lough Dan is mirror calm with just occasional zephyrs wafting down from the surrounding hills to ruffle the surface.

Meeting Dan and Gary on the beach we set out and crossed the lake to fish a drift along the boat house shore. On arrival we observed a hatch of sedges with trout rising everywhere. Happy days within five minutes three fish graced the boards, trout typical of the water heavily spotted, dark backed, and yellow bellied. Then whatever breeze was there died, the sun came out beating down from an almost cloudless sky and the trout retreated to shade or deeper water.

From then on the fishing was slow, trying different methods Gary found some success tying a buzzer three foot below a klinkhammer which he casted into shady spots along the shore. It was fun to see the dry fly suddenly disappear as a trout sucked in the nymph pattern below with occasionally a fish rising to the klinkhammer. Improvisation was the key as standard methods were ruled out by the mirror calm surface.

A crowning feature of the lake is a secluded beach created by deposition from the Inchavore River, made up of fine granite and quartz pebbles with mature birch trees providing shade it is a beautiful spot to haul up and have a picnic. Today we met and chatted with Sean Byrne of Lough Dan House B/B, and three of his patrons from Australia, Canada, and the USA respectively. Out walking and enjoying the scenery they headed off eventually following the river up the valley.

With lunch over and having said our goodbyes to Sean and his group we climbed aboard and headed to some more shady spots, the trout played hard ball for the afternoon but hey that's fishing, we were out on the water enjoying each others company in a beautiful unique location, heaven....


anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

Fly Fishing Report from An Irish Angler

Co. Wicklow, Ireland


Sporting early summer colours Lough Dan looked beautiful as we drifted along its eastern shore pushed by a stiff north/north west breeze. The unseasonal warm weather of recent weeks has morphed into a chilly showery pattern more akin with April than May. In between when the sun shines temperatures can reach 16 - 17 degrees, but boy when the wind blows and the grey clouds close in, it bites. Around lunchtime today a haymaker passed over bombarding Gary and I with hailstones, any wonder the trout dived for cover.

The lake has a personality that changes with the wind, fly fishing being totally at its whim. Last week we were drifting up the lake in front of a south east breeze, today a stiff wind from the north west pushed us in the opposite direction. Located high up in a steep sided glaciated Wicklow valley, Lough Dan, the largest natural lake in the county, is dog legged shaped and this feature allied to a number of conjoining valleys causes the wind to behave in mysterious ways. Respect is the key word on the water.

We had a great day, fishing a number of drifts all told we had a dozen trout to the boat supplemented with visual displays of every rise imaginable from boils and swirls to full on splashy rises to Polaris missile becomes flying fish. Now that was special, the trout clearing the water by at least six inches while arking over a metre through the air, missing the flies of course. I recast in the vicinity receiving an immediate savage take but failed to set the hook. Lough Dan trout are free rising and fight hard, give me this kind of lake fishing any day. You could drive to the west and flog away on more famous waters for one or two larger trout, or experience regular fireworks in a gorgeous lightly fished location less than an hour from home, for me it's a no brainer.

Fancy a days fly fishing on Lough Dan, contact Ashley Hayden on, +353 (0)86 869 7370 or email:anirishanglersworld@gmail.com.

Fly Fishing Report from An Irish Angler

Fly Fishing in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Evening on Lough Dan.

Easing away from the beach around 16.30pm a strong north easterly breeze was blowing down the lake producing a nice wave. Heading towards the boathouse shore, Gary and I aimed to work a drift close to the tree line on the assumption that terrestrial flies would be blown onto the water. Gary fished a wet cell three with a Bibio on the top dropper followed by a Connamara Black and an Alexandra on the point, whereas I fished a floating line with a Bibio on the top followed by a Watsons and a Wicklow Killer on the point.

Lough Dan is home to free rising wild mountain trout averaging 6 - 8 ozs, plump and dark they fight well above their weight. Closest to the bank, about ten meters out, I connected with the first trout who took the Watsons. Sprightly and game on that first drift I landed four trout to Gary's one. We both rose a number of fish and close to a rock at the end of the drift I brought up one of the Lough's biggies but failed to set the hook. Motoring up for the second drift it became apparent that the breeze was easing.

This time around roles were reversed with Gary landing four trout to my one. Again plenty of trout rose to the flies, some head and tailing which was great fun to watch. On connecting the trout would jump clear, tail walk, and bore deep, great sport the action was non stop that is until the wind died. It took a while, we managed to eke out another drift, but by 19.00pm the lake was mirror calm and the trout lost interest. As the sun disappeared behind the mountains it got decidedly chilly so we called it a day. Twelve trout to the boat and plenty of rises, a typical Lough Dan foray.

Fly Fishing Report from An Irish Angler

There is nothing better than to find a new stream, lake, or section of a familiar river that you have never visited and unlock its secrets. Co Wicklow has an abundance of little fished waters ready to surprise the intrepid fly fisher who is prepared to don the chesties, carry the few bits of necessary tackle, and prospect. Hill Loughs and the upper reaches of river catchments such as the Liffey, Avoca, and Slaney come to mind defined by images of moss covered rocks, sandy gravelly bottoms, deep tea coloured pools, rocky cascades, sedge banks, moorland, and forestry.

A trip to a new stream proved very interesting in terms of a few fish landed and the discovery of fresh water pearl mussels, an indicator of pristine water quality. Parking up at a bridge around 10.30am, I proceeded to walk the bank downstream and fish likely runs. Although March the river was running clear and at summer levels, the water was cold and with a stiff north east breeze there was no fly life. Putting up a team of spiders with a leaded hares ear on the point I proceeded to fish a gut below a small island where two channels met. Running into a large pool there was sure to be trout along the seams.

Fishing downstream with a long line and keeping low, as the flies swept around I set the hook into a spirited 30cm trout. A good start which was quickly followed by a slightly smaller colleague, both nicely spotted they scooted away upstream on release. Casting along another couple of runs which bordered a water meadow, I encountered five more fish of which two in the 25 -30cm bracket were landed. With a midday sun now heating newly blossoming gorse so filling the air with a coconut scent, I walked back to the car and drove half a mile upstream.

Here the channel meandered through fields hard won from the surrounding moorland, looking down into the valley I knew that come late spring with a fresh running this section would come into its own. Long flats, riffles, and tumbling cascades there had to be fish here. Slipping in above a riffle I looked down to see an oval shape resting on the sand. A pearl mussel at least six inches long, its foot slowly retreating into the shell upon my touch. Probably 50+ years old and a positive indicator of water quality, a real find.

Spotting a few fish but no takers I decided to end the session early. In a few weeks time when there are leaves on the trees and some insects are moving, this stream will come alive for certain. With a mile of varying water to choose from a fly fisher could spend a day here and not see it going. Likewise the evening fishing could be very good too. Definitely worth another visit.

More From An Irish Angler

County Monaghan, Ireland
Ireland is presently in the grip of a north east continental polar airstream driving down from Scandinavia. This is the third such weather system this year which is unusual. So much for global warming.

Earlier in 2010 a good friend Scott Ring went pike fishing in the north east county of Monaghan. The ten pound pike that Scott is holding was tempted on a lure as against a fly. However that and the second image capture the never say die attitude that anglers have in pursuit of their sport.

An Irish Angler

Ireland Fly Fishing Report

The south lake is low, testament to the hot and dry summer Ireland has just experienced allied to Dublin's voracious demand for water. The boats at Knockatemple have followed the retreating tide line close on thirty metres and I would estimate 10-12 feet in depth from the winter high. Still a long way from showing its bones, of benefit to the angler is the exposure of trout holding features which can be explored the following season.

An early Sunday morning phone call from Kevin had us on the water by lunchtime. A light variable breeze from the southeast created barely a ripple. Mill pond calm conditions, a few sedges on the water, occasional lone fish announcing their presence only by the spreading rings left behind after their sipping rises, conditions were tough. That said, we were on the water most likely for the last time this season and what better place to be.

As expected fishing was slow with only two fish boated for the afternoon. Putting up a fast sinking line teamed with a wickhams, watsons, and a daddy, shortly into the first drift over the point at knockatemple a positive take resulted in a nice pound plus trout. Staying deep the brownie was netted after a lively fight, golden olive in colour with large black spots, a typical plump Roundwood fish lured by the watsons. Subsequently we tried hard covering various shores, the reward for our efforts just one smaller fish to Kevin. With a chill in the air at six bells we called it a day. 2010 has been a good season on the lake with some fine fish taken and many good memories to sustain us through the winter.