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Fishing was very lively during June,massive runs of fish entered the system when the water rose in the first week of the month. For once it rained in time to beat the start of the drifnets. Good fishing was had, but there were not many people fishing.Rod Mc Gahon caught the first grilse, a fish of 7.5lb from Lavelles bend on the 2nd June, Fishing continued to be quite good even in low water, with the average size of fish a pleasing 5.5lb,and quite a few 7lb plus fish. July started with lowish water and became very difficult after about the 5th,Several parties worked hard and got the odd fish, but bright sunshine and low water made for difficult fishing, however some sport was had on the castle and middle lakes with seatrout,with fish up to 4.5lb. There was a small fresh on the 10th and sevral fish came of the river, particularly the middle and lower river.Pat O Connell,Pat Mullane and Jack Houlihane had nine to 7.5lb in three days. The water dropped and we "enjoyed" two weeks of dry weather and hot sun, with only two fish, Rod Newtons had one off the rock pool on the 16th,and John Grant had one on upper dukes on the 30th.We have had some rain now and it looks like more next week (today is 5th August). Although the run has been poor up until now the seatrout have picked up with the Castle and middle lakes fishing well. I had eight seatrout and a salmon on the lower river on the 3rd. Chris Jones had seven seatrout yesterday afternoon on the Castle lake and lost a salmon.
The following week Mike and Jane Edwards fished, mostly on the castle lake catching in the region of 50 seatrout for their week. The best seatrout was caught by Mike at nearly 4lb and Jane had a fine grilse of 4lb, very fresh from lavelles pool.This was her first salmon and took an allies shrimp.John Todd from northern Ireland had two good days fishing this week with two salmon to 4lb,and several seatrout.The Castle and Middle Lakes fished well for seatrout this fortnight and whenever the wind was favourable it was possible to move good numbers of fish, olive derivatives or a Claret Dabbler doing the buisness.Charlie Smith fished, again on the castle lake on the 16th-19th and found that the sport had slowed down a bit, with the fish starting to come short, and although a good few fish came to the fly they were very difficult to hook. Eight fish was his best day.
The Cotton party took a boat for the first week in September and the weather turned against the anglers as only a few seatrout were caught this week There was a lull in the fishing and the numbers of anglers until the third week in September when John Grant, Roger Boothe and Robert Mc Gahon and his Brother Rod were fishing..Mr Grant fished the lower river one afternoon and took two fish, lost two and rose four more.He then completed the hat trick by taking a fish from each of the three other river beats over the next two days. Best fish 8.5lb. Rod had two nice fish from the Rock pool and Robert took one from the boat pool. Several boats had good seatrout fishing on the upper lake this week. The weather in the last week in September was dreadful with storm force winds and rain (just what we wanted in July) but the last day of the season dawned fine and clear, and a good day was had Three fish were caught, one of 5.5lb by Dennis Mc Murray,One of 4.5lb by Jerry Shanahan, and one of 10.5 lb by myself, this, the last fish of the season was caught in the new pool at Tullywee bridge, as was the first fish of the year. It was a very coloured cock fish and I happily released it to do the busIness for future seasons.
Torrential rain has persisted since the end of the season and should give plenty of water for the fish to start moving up to the spawning grounds, normally the seatrout start spawning in mid to late November and the salmon two weeks later.
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