WOODLAND View match team member Paul Williams took a break from banging fish out on red luncheon meat to take on the wild Irish bream of Lough Derg.

And the Frankley, Birmingham rod won’t be forgetting his trip in a hurry, as he ended up with his best ever one day bag – 320lb of super Emerald Isle slabs.

The 30-year-old was fishing under the guidance of TJ OBrien, of TJ’s Angling Centre in Ballina, Co Tipperary. He fished alongside his brother in law Ted Moten from Rocrea and Niall Walker, a publican from Templemore.

The fish came from a swim that had been pre baited with 40 kilos of flaked maize, and feeder fished maggot took bream averaging 5lb from the first cast, with the odd hybrid to 3lb 12oz for good measure.

A delighted Paul said: “I just couldn’t believe it. I have been coming to Ireland for 15 years now and never experienced anything like this.

“The bream shoal must have been huge – they just kept coming all day long. This is what Irish bream bagging is all about.”

There have been a number of catches of this magnitude on Lough Derg recently. Three lads from the UK took over 2000lb in three days just last month, again under TJ’s watchful eye.

Midland Angler editor Gareth Purnell commented: “Lough Derg is a beautiful venue and largely untapped. I fished alongside TJ earlier this year on Derg in April, when it was still cold. The fish weren’t really having it, but I still had 40lb and would love to fish there when the fish are switched on.”

Midland Angler