Great fly fishing continues on Lough Corrib

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Lough Corrib
Although the mayfly season normally lasts 10 days or so on Lough Corrib, this year has been an exception in more ways than one. First bucking the trend of recent years in terms of better hatches and more free-rising fish, the season has also lasted longer than other years, with good hatches still going on in many parts of the lake. The expected heatwave this weekend will probably see the end of the hatches, but 2009 will be remembered for the bumper mayfly fishing.

In the Oughterard area Tom Kelly reports on another good week for anglers with plenty of fish of all sizes seen rising to good hatches of fly. On occasion these fish were difficult to tempt to the fly, but anglers were very encouraged by the amount and variety of sizes of trout seen. Over the week there were returns for 560 trout with an average size of 1.75 lbs., and encouragingly the proportion of trout being released is up to about 75%. On Sunday Stephen Watson had 4 trout while dapping for approx. 11 lbs, including one of 4 lbs., all returned. John McGrath landed a 6.5 lbs. salmon on wetfly, while Ian Robinson and partner from Northern Ireland had 12 trout over 3 days to 3 lbs., returning all but 2 fish. David Barker from England had 4 trout for a day to 6.5 lbs. on wetfly, and Joe Byrne and Mark Hehir from the midlands had 21 trout over the week to 3.5 lbs., mostly on dry fly.

Barry Molloy from Cong had 4 trout for 7 lbs. to win a local competition, while P. Boyle and J. O’Meara from Clare had 9 trout for 2 days dapping.

Donal Connolly from Nonaim Lodge in Glann reports on fishing for his guests: Large hatches of fly and many fish rising but could be sometimes difficult to catch with many turning short to wet and dry flies and even the dapped natural. Dapping accounted for many more fish than dry or wet fly, far more so than in the last number of years.

One of the most pleasing aspects was the large number of large fish rising to the mayfly and also a large population of fish in the 1 lb bracket which signals well for the future.

Wilfried Smolarek (Germany) had 4 trout for 5 lbs. while dapping. Seamus MacBrearty and Joe Frawley (Co. Louth) had 4 trout for 5.25 lbs. in one day to wetfly and dapping, all of which were sportingly released. Andrew Mackean and Roberto Streatfield (Hampshire) had 7 trout for 12.75 lbs. for two days wet fly fishing, releasing all to fight another day with Andrew landing a fine 4.5 lbs. trout which put up a fantastic battle. John Pullinger (Hampshire) had 4 trout, all released, for approx 3.75 lbs. on wet and dry fly. Ronan Walsh (Dublin) had 3 trout for 3.75 lbs. on dry fly.

Hammy Hamilton had 3 trout for 6.75 lbs. on dry fly, releasing all but one, a fine 4.75 lbs. trout, caught on a Green Wulff, which took him well into the backing on its first run. Pat Byrne and Mark McNally (Newry) had 4 trout on the dap and on dry fly for 5.25 lbs, releasing all. Donal Connolly from Nonaim Lodge had 5 trout for two afternoons fishing, on wet and dry fly for approx 6.5 lbs. Phillippe Legrand had two trout on dry fly for 4.5 lbs. on his first visit to Corrib, best fish was a fine 3 lbs. trout.

Declan and Brian O’Sullivan, identical twins from Co. Cork, didn’t have identical catches, with Brian having 2 trout on wet fly and Declan getting one trout on a dry fly, total catch was 3 trout for 4.75 lbs., best was a 2.25 lbs. fish caught by Brian.

Over on the Cornamona-Greenfields side, the fishing was described as very good, with dapping and dry fly accounting for most fish. Jim McEvoy and Tom Beecher from Cork had a great catch of 13 trout for a day on dry fly, with the best fish 3.5 lbs., all released. Hugh O’Reilly from London and Fernando Martinez from Mexico landed 6 trout for 9.5 lbs over 2 days to wetfly. Mike Flaherty and friend from Headford caught and released 11 trout over 3 days, while Mike Walsh from Greenfields, fishing with Paul Stynes from Peterborough in England reported 17 trout over 2 days dapping.

Larry McCarthy from Corrib View guesthouse reported 144 trout for 20 of his clients ove

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