Declan Gibbons reports from Lough Corrib, where despite sporadic hatches, many anglers enjoyed excellent fishing. Mayfly hatches have been good in some parts of the lake and patchy in others, while Campto buzzer have hatched consistently in some bays and buzzer fishing has produced some great trout this week as conditions were ideal for it on several days. Dappin natural mayfly has also been productive, although getting enough fly for the day has been challenging on some occasions.
In the Cornamona area on Sunday last Cornamona & District Anglers hosted their Mayfly Competition with 45 anglers catching 37 trout for 25.78kgs. In 1st place was Tom Doc Sullivan with three fish for 3.245kgs (Tom was presented with the Dr Eamon Sullivan Cup, named after his father, by his sister Elizabeth). In 2nd place was Gerry Dixon with four fish for 2.695kgs, and 3rd place went to Gerry McDonnell with four fish for 2.600kgs. Best Lady Angler was Eileen Dixon with two fish for 1.490kgs, and Tom Doc Sullivan also won the Heaviest Fish prize with a fine trout of 1.835kgs.
Cork angler Billy O’Brien, staying at Lakeshore House B&B for nine days reported having had his best season on Corrib for the last 15 years – he averaged four to five trout per day with a fish of 4lbs on Saturday being his best fish. Richard Molloy of Ballard Shore Boat Hire & Self-Catering (tel. 087-2879339) reports good fishing in the area with most anglers enjoying great sport on wet mayfly and dapping; Aidan Spooner from Limerick had a trout of 3lbs on Wednesday last dapping.
Tom Ormond had three trout for his day’s fishing on Thursday last. Enda Brown on Tuesday last had four fish dapping with the best being 4.5lbs, and on Thursday he had a trout of 2.5lbs. Tom Doc Sullivan (www.tomdoc.com) guided Mark Conroy and a party of three from England for six days, landing between 40 and 50 fish on dry Wulffs and buzzer with the best fish being 4lbs. Jason O’Riordan and Dave Burke fished for two days and had twelve fish with the best fish caught by Dave being just under 4lbs.
In the Oughterard area Basil Shields of Ardnasillagh Lodge (tel. 091-552550) reports excellent fishing to buzzer and mayfly; Billy Stinson had seventeen fish for one day, all on buzzer with the best fish 5lbs. John Jacks, Scotland & Larry Kelly, Dublin had 38 fish for one week with the best fish being 5lbs. On Monday last Glen O’Connell and Ger Carraig had eight fish with the best being 4.75lbs. John Gallagher had a super day’s angling landing five fish with the best being 7lbs. Joe Johnson & partner had fifteen fish all on buzzer for their day on Corrib with the best being 4.75lbs. John O’Mahony and Eamon O’Nualain had six fish for their day with the best fish being 2.75lbs. Colman Counihan and Lal Gilligan had seven fish for their day, all on Mayfly and the best fish being 4.5lbs. On Saturday last David Hynes and Mick Kelleher had eight fish, all on buzzer with the best fish being 4.5lbs.
Read the full report here.