Last week I spent some time in the North West of Ireland fishing for salmon. We were hoping to film the trip and top angling photographer Peter Gathercole was there to take the photo's for Trout and Salmon Magazine. But the continued wet Summer conspired to make things really difficult for us.
When we arrived, the River Mourne was 7 feet higher than usual and in a dirty flood, so we switched to the River Finn. Also high, being a spate river, it dropped nicely for the second day and we were more than hopeful - but all 6 of us failed to catch a fish. The next day, Sid caught a clean run 7lb salmon and I managed a small fish from a pool way up the river. Peter had another fish on Day 3, but not the biggie we were hoping to catch.
By the 4th day, the River Mourne had dropped to just 18 inches above normal and we managed 5 fish between us, with the biggest at 14lbs falling to my rod from the famous Snaa Pool.
Thankfully that was sufficient for the article and also provided some filmed footage, so the trip turned out to be a success. But that is the fragility of salmon fishing - one day too little water, the next day too much. We hit it just about right on one day out of 7 and that day produced the goods.
Back on Chew for trout
The day after I returned, it was back to work as usual and that meant fishing on Chew for trout with my good friend Barry Hawyes. Day 1 was sunny and windy, normally the kiss of death for Chew - but not this time. We both fished deep nymphs and boated 9 trout for just under 27lbs - what a bag!
Next day, we had 10 fish, losing a few and missing several and this time they weighed 24lbs 8ozs. Overcast skies meant that the fish were higher in the water, but still the nymphs did the business, rather than dries or lures.
Lexus Final on Chew this weekend
The weather for the middle part of this week is forecast to be pretty rough, but thankfully by Friday, light winds should prevail, making it almost perfect conditions for the Lexus Individual Final on Saturday, with official practice on Friday. I am really hoping that Chew continues to fish well for the biggest event of the year and that the 100 competitors enjoy some fantastic sport.
