A very cold and frosty morning on Lough Ramor with temperatures only reaching 2C by 10.30am. I did however venture out on the lake, “well togged out with plenty of winter layers” and fly fished away for Ramor’s illusive ”Winter Pike”. The 20lb 14oz predator pictured above was caught on a Stuart Wylie hot orange pike barbless fly. I also had some missed opportunities and a several follows from some larger fish . This fine Ramor pike was returned safely to fight another day, just before the wind and rain came which hampered an excellent days fly fishing.
A well deserved warm cup of tea was enjoyed before returning home at 2pm.
Lough fishing buddies actively encourage catch and release.
The pike bye-law 809 provides for the following conservation measures:
• a bag limit of 1 pike in any one day,
• prohibits the killing of any pike greater than 50 cm in length,
• prohibits the possession by any person of more than 1 whole pike less than 50 cm or more than 0.75 kg of pike flesh, this provision does not apply to a person storing pike or pike parts subject to conditions,
• prohibits the possession by any person of more than 12 coarse fish for use as bait subject to conditions.
One aspect of the new bye law is that a pike over the specimen weight of 20 lbs. (9.072 Kg.) for a river fish and 30 lbs. (13.608 Kg.) for a lake fish are now protected and cannot be killed as in the previous bye-law.
A full copy of the bye law 809 protecting pike in Ireland can be accessed on the IFI website – legislation for the pike angler to be aware of are: Coarse Fish, Conservation of and Prohibition on the sale of coarse fish Bye-Law 806, 2006.
Trout: 1st of March – 30th of September
Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions or queries about Lough Ramor.
Damien Willis 00353 868012546
e-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
After a very stormy and windy night across the country.
A window of opportunity opened for me today to fly fish Lough Ramor for winter pike. I launched my boat from the slip way at Virginia College and motored up the lake to fly fish some of my usual marks. The water itself was very coloured with less than 14″ of clarity due to the excessive rain fall the night before. The afternoon temperature’s peaked at 7.5C with a bitterly cold westerly wind making the day feel more like 3C.
I had caught nothing on my first two drifts so I decided to venture down the lake a little keeping my boat about 80 yards away from the shoreline. I soon hooked a nice double that fought with me for 14 minutes. This fine pike was hooked on a Stuart Wylie self tied barbless Pike Fly. Stuart lives in N.Ireland and is a keen fly fisherman and fly tyer, fishing the Lough Neagh Rivers for brown trout and dollaghan. Over the last 8 years or so Stuart has been targeting pike on the fly. His pike flies range from bait fish to attractor style patterns, both large and small he is also Ireland’s representative for the Pike Fly Fishing association (pffa) – Many thanks Staurt your flies worked a treat for me today.
If you would like more information about this article or wish to inquire about a guided days fly fishing for Pike on Lough Ramor, please feel free to contact me.
Damien Willis +353(0)86 8012546
E-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
Buzzer up on Lough Sheelin
This weeks angling on Lough Sheelin has again produced some wonderful fish – A sprinkling of Olives and Buzzer skimming across the water tempted some fine fish to the surface. My angling partner for the day was Matt Penny, whom is no stranger to Lough Sheelin. Matt connected with a beautiful trout just as his flies hit the water. He battled with this trout for a quality 14minutes. I estimated the trout to be in excess of 8lbs -which passed close to the net on two occasion’s measuring 0ver 24″ – a quick reference to this was one of my boat seat cushions which is 24″ exactly. The trout fought tight on the line for the best part of 15minutes and with a trust of its tail took off up the lake leaving a very satisfied angler in it’s distance. I know that you all have often heard the story of the one that got away, however this is one tale (tail) for the story books.
If you would like more information about this article or wish to book a guided day’s angling on Lough Sheelin, please feel free to contact me.
Damien Willis +353(0)868012546
E-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
Pike on the fly – Lough Lene – Collinstown – County Westmeath.
This weeks angling report comes from Lough Lene – Collinstown County Westmeath. Fly fishing for pike is now becoming more common on Irish Loughs. The ideal outfit is a ”minimum of #9 rod with a #10 line and a #10 rod with a #11 line for the bigger flies and waters that are known to hold big pike”
Pike flies can easily be tied to imitate a wide variety of bait fish. A slow drifting boat and an occasional twitch of the fly is all that is required to catch these predators. Lough fishing buddies Danny Levy watched in amazement as a number of pike chased feeding trout on Lough Lene this week. These fish has been actively surface feeding on hatching buzzer when the pike in numbers fed on the trout. Danny had lost count of the number of follows he had to his self tied pike fly. So if it pike you are after on the fly – why not give Lough Lene a try – see the pictures for yourself.
If you would like more information about this article or fish to book a guided days angling on Lough Lene, please feel free to contact me.
Damien Willis +353(0)868012546
E-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
The early season on Lough Sheelin is now in its third week.
A mixed bag of weather this week on Lough Sheelin. The feeding habits of the trout were very unpredictable and seemed to be governed by the ever changing weather conditions, but by far the best fishing happened early in the day. The conditions had to be just right, the hint of a cold breeze put the trout to deeper water. However if you know where to go and which flies to use…. well see for yourself. Lough fishing buddies practise a catch and release policy. By practising catch and release you have shown the fish the respect it deserves, giving it a fighting chance to grow and to reproduce and later providing you more opportunities for another exciting day out.
If you would like more information about this article or wish to book a guided day’s fly fishing on Lough Sheelin, please feel free to contact me.
Damien Willis
+353(0)868012546
e-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
“See for yourself” This weeks pictures feature examples of wild brown trout caught and released by loughfishingbuddies Daniel Levy.
After a long absence over the winter it was nice to return once again to Lough Sheelin. The lake itself is in good condition however extra care must be taken as a good number of markers which highlighted the location of dangerous shallows have vanished. Water levels remain high but the clarity is good for this time of the year. The IFI are currently carrying out stock surveys on the lake so please watch out for many of the 50 nets which are in various locations around this 4500 acre fishery. The fishing has been very good this week and if you know where to go and what flies to use you may be lucky enough to catch some fine wild brown trout.
If you would like more information about this article or wish to book a guided days angling on Lough Sheelin, please feel free to contact me.
Damien Willis +353(0) 86 8012546
e-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
You dont need to be an expert to catch Pike on the fly.
This week Lough Fishing Buddies took a day trip to County Leitrim to explore one of it’s many lakes in persuit of Pike on the fly. The morning itself was not too good to start with – freezing fog – icy roads and water temperatures of 2C. The cold weather did improve later that afternoon and so did the fishing.
Take a look for yourself or watch the video on you tube – type in loughfishingbuddies and enjoy.
Pike flies today come in a wide variety of colors and fashions. Most are brightly colored and resemble small bait fish for example small perch or roach. Try the fly the next time you go pike fishing you may well be surprised with results.
If you would like more information about this article or wish to book a guided pike fly fishing trip, please feel free to contact us.
Damien Willis +353(0)868012546
e-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
I am sad to say that the year on sheelin has finally come to a close however if I was to cast my mind back to some of my favourite moments on the Lough it would have to be during the may fly hatch. Less traffic on the lake produced more fish for anglers during the mid week as weekends on the lake were extremely busy. Spent gnat fishing was spectacular again with the largest fish being taken in the evening from 9pm onwards. It was pleasant to see an increase in anglers from abroad as far from the united states visiting the Lough in pursuit for the famous sheelin trout. Stream rehabilitation on the Lough commences tomorrow the 13th of October carrying forward over the next number of months. This work will be carried out by the I.F.I – Board of works and the L.S.T.P.A. This vital work will most certainly ensure good fish stocks of wild brown trout in the lake for generations to come. I look forward to another great season in 2011 and would like to take this opportunity to wish all anglers young and old for practising catch and release on this wonderful resource.
Tight lines.
This weeks catch of the week goes to regular angler Michael Kelly with a fine sheelin trout of 5lbs caught on a self tied very special dry fly. Michael whom regularly catches large trout on sheelin returned this fish un-harmed to fight another day.
Another year over for Lough Sheelin and what a year it was indeed. The lough fished tremendously well producing large trout in abundance up to 8lbs. The lough rose and fell to record highs and lows with temperatures ranging from -14C to +29C over the year. The lough froze completely across at the start of the year and dropped to it lowest level in 25 years during the summer. Dispite all of the weather plenty of magnificent trout were caught and released – The best of the fishing was in March and again during the May Fly. Early in the season on Lough Sheelin trout are feeding mainly on freshwater shrimp and freshwater louse. Fishing a team of wet flies along rocky shores can take a fish or two, especially if the day is faintly mild. Useful fly patterns are Hares Ear, Claret & Mallard, Sooty Olive, Dunkeld: even a large black lure e.g. Sweeney Todd, fished on the point on a sink tip line. Areas worth trying, depending on wind direction, are Sailors Garden, the south shore of Derrsheridan, Ross Bay and all of the north shore of the Lough from Chambers Bay to Crover. The Duckfly – a large chironomid – gives the first major fly hatch and this generally commences around April 15th, peaks around April 25th and continues into early May. This Hatch of flies is mainly confined to that part of the lake east of a line from Merry Point to Inchicup Island. The biggest hatches are usually around Goreport and Bog Bay and the hatch begins around 11a.m. and may continue into early afternoon. The feeding habits of the trout are very unpredictable at this time and seem to be governed by weather conditions and water clarity. Under conditions of mild weather and poor water clarity, the trout feed on pupae at the surface. In cold weather and clear water, they feed deep and are difficult to locate. By far the best fishing at this time of year takes place at dusk.
If you would like any further information about this article or wish to pre-book a guided days fishing on Lough Sheelin, please feel free to contact me.
Damien Willis +353(0)868012546
e-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
Some good fishing again this week on Lough Sheelin.
The unsettled weather this past week has produced plenty of fish up to 3lbs. The main hatch of sedge’s begins around 3pm onwards. A place must be found for the ‘Little Brown Sedge’ in the flybox for any fly angler wishing to enjoy some outstanding fly fishing on the lake. The best places to fish with dry sedges (size 16 & 14) are off and around church island to the curry rocks. Large fish can also be watched bashing fry off these points throughout the day.
The perch fry which make their appearance around mid June become an important food item on a trout’s menu. The trout appear to feed exclusively on the shoals of small fry and the anglers attention is generally attracted to the scene of the action by a succession of noisy splashes. Bashing trout lash the fry with their tails in an apparent effort to stun the tiny fish. They then feed on the dead fry lying on the surface. This activity usually occurs early in the morning and again in the early afternoon. The areas noted for it are from Plunkett’s Point to Kilnahard Point, and along the Derrysheridan Shore and into Goreport Bay. Silver and gold bodied flies or white lures fished very slowly or even stationary can get results.
Lough Lene located in Collinstown County Westmeath is also producing some fine trout up to 3lbs.
The trout have been pre – occupied on perch fry are beginng to turn their focus to sedges which are now starting to appear on the lake. During the day in July and August Mayfly can be seen hatching and as the sun sets the large sedges, green peters & murrough begin to hatch. Spectacular fly-fishing with fish of 5lbs is not uncommon. A fishing permit is required for this lough which can be purchased locally for €15pp. – If you would like more information about Lough Lene , please free free to contact me.
Damien Willis +353 (0) 868012546
E-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
Its now late June and the may fly on the lough continues to hatch contributing to nice falls of spent in the evening. In addition to the may fly, large hatches of sedge are also present. The fine bright, warm day temperatures combined with changes in wind direction from west to south backing south west have made fishing difficult this past week.
Saying that if you are in the right place at the right time, excellent fishing can be enjoyed. The catch of the week goes to lough fishing buddie Gene Brady. This magnificent looking trout weighed in over 5lbs and was caught at little after 9pm yesterday evening on a self tied sedge.
Large trout have be spotted bashing pin fry – but again catching them is difficult due to the low water levels and large concentrations of weeds along the shore line and bays. The reason for the high levels of weed are the low clear water conditions, compliments of the zebra mussels and bright sunshine. Its a good test for any angler to catch a trout in these type of conditions.
Large hatches of sedge are appearing on the lake both in the afternoon and evening with plenty of fish taking them just below the surface as the hatch from the water – spotting these fish is not difficult if you have a trained eye and know what to look out for.
If you would like more information about this article or wish to book a guided angling trip on Lough Sheelin, please do not hesitate in contacting us.
Damien Willis +353(0)868012546
e-mail info@loughfishingbuddies.com
