Great salmon and sea trout fishing reported from Costello & Fermoyle

Fishery manager Terry Gallagher reports that fishing has been very good on the Costello & Fermoyle system, with good water levels recently topped up by frequent rain allowing salmon and sea trout run straight through to the upper lakes. The main river and Glenicmurrin Lough have provided excellent fishing, with good numbers of sea trout on the lake, and the upper catchment has seen good numbers of fresh fish also.

A small grilse off Fermoyle for Neil Spellacy.
A small grilse off Fermoyle for Neil Spellacy.

 

I fished Fermoyle Lough on Sunday for the first time in the company of local salmon expert Neil Spellacy, one of the top rods in several Connemara fisheries over the last few years. Neil started the day with a small grilse about 3lbs, followed shortly after by a fantastic summer salmon of 9lbs or so, which was quite fresh and gave an acrobatic hard-fighting display before being netted. Both fish were taken at the Butts where the river enters the lough.

Neil Spellacy with a lovely 9lbs Fermoyle salmon.
Neil Spellacy with a lovely 9lbs Fermoyle salmon.

 

It was a very windy day, so we took a break from the lake and ventured up the river to fish a few pools, where I was rewarded with one of the best sea trout I’ve caught in a while, a nice fresh fish of about 3lbs. At first I thought it was a grilse but there was no mistaking the spotty flanks of a beautiful Connemara sea trout.

Heading back out to the lake in the afternoon, we fished a few drifts, but the gale force wind made conditions very difficult, and fishing was tough. In the lee of an island we found some fish, however – I covered a rising fish and was instantly into a good fish, either a big sea trout or a small salmon, but it threw the hook after going deep. A minute later I connected again and this time managed to land a lovely sea trout of 2-2.5lbs or so, another lovely fish from a beautiful part of Connemara. Neil also had a couple of sea trout about the 1lbs mark, but we agreed that had conditions been more benign we could have had a very prolific day.

A fine Connemara sea trout of 2-2.5lbs for Kevin Crowley on Fermoyle Lough.
A fine Connemara sea trout of 2-2.5lbs for Kevin Crowley on Fermoyle Lough.

 

The whole day we didn’t see another soul, and left that evening with a new found appreciation for the wildness of Connemara. Fermoyle truly is a jewel in the crown of this part of Ireland, and well worth a visit. Permits and boats (no engine, bring an electric but beware the walk with a heavy battery) are available from the Costello & Fermoyle Fishery. On a calmer day rowing would have been perfectly adequate on this lough, but an electric engine definitely helps in a big wind. To book fishing, contact Terry Gallagher at gallaghere.terence@gmail.com or call him on +353 (0)87 – 2399 988.

Neil allows the fish to recover before releasing it. It’s always good to watch them swim off strongly. #CPRsaveslives
Neil allows the fish to recover before releasing it. It’s always good to watch them swim off strongly. #CPRsaveslives

 

Moy slower than in previous weeks, yet over 300 salmon reported!

 

With just over 300 salmon reported, anglers experienced more difficult conditions on the River Moy during the first week of August. The very unsettled weather and fluctuating water levels were the main reasons for the poorer catch return. Angling effort was also down compared to previous weeks. However, prospects for the remainder of the season are looking good as there are still some fresh fish running the system.

Angling on the Moy Fishery was a good bit slower this week. Amongst the few successful anglers was Trevor Hurley who caught and released a grilse on the Ridge Pool. On Mt. Falcon, the Jordan Family, a party of four from the UK, landed a total of 18 fish over four days, while Stuart Turner, also UK, had a fine fish at 12 lbs.+ on Coolcronan which he released. With just under 60 salmon reported, angling was also slower on the Foxford Salmon Anglers’ waters and further upriver. On Cloongee, Harry Clark was amongst the successful anglers with a grilse on spinner, while Kevin Crawley, Sligo, caught two fish on fly on East Mayo, best at 9 lbs. Also on East Mayo, Welsh fly angler, Garrett Jones, had two grilse averaging 4 lbs.

Anglers on Burrishoole Fishery doing well!

 

Salmon fishing on Lough Furnace has been steady over the past weeks with good numbers of grilse being caught; both ranched and wild.

Myles Abraham was amongst the anglers who got ranched fish, while Eddie Mc Carty had a wild salmon which was immediately released. It was Eddies first ever salmon on the fly! Toby Gibbons also caught and released a fresh wild salmon. Most successful flies included Green Peter patterns, Bibios and small Shrimp flies.

To book fishing on the Burrishoole Fishery contact Pat Hughes Fishery Manager at +353 (0)87 – 2377 078.

Source: www.fishinginireland.info.

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