DERRAVARAGH ANGLERS: On Sunday 16th April, Derravaragh anglers hosted the Abbott/ Tight Lines fly fishing competition. This is the clubs first trout competition of the season and we were hoping, all going well, a few trout would come on line. I was on the lakes last week for a few days and there was little or no fly life but a few nice trout were pitching and I thought they just might be feeding hard on fry. The competition fished from 11am-6pm from Donore Shore and new members are welcome to join the club. Derravaragh anglers host quite a few trout competitions during the season and also a few super pike competitions. I was chatting to Karl Meehan at the caravan and camping site at Donore Shore and all hands are on deck now as they opened the shop and restaurant St. Patrick’s weekend. The restaurant is open Friday – Sunday and is worth checking out over the coming weeks.
ENNELL TROUT: Once again Lough Ennell produced some super wild brown trout last week and Kinnegad anglers Kevin Coyne and pal Joe Darby were in the thick of the action. Kevin had a cracker of 5lbs 2oz, and boated a fish of 3lbs 6oz. At the moment, quite a few Olives are hatching on Ennell and fish are showing an interest in surface feeding. Weather permitting, it should produce a few fish on the troll and fly. Lough Ennell Trout Preservation association will hold their A.G.M. on Friday night April 21st in the Greville Arms Hotel. It’s an 8pm start and if you are interested in joining Ennell anglers, drop in that night.
PEADAR CAFFREY CUP: Last Sunday, April 9th , Lough Lene Anglers hosted the Peadar Caffrey fly-fishing competition in cool but nice fishing conditions. On the day, you needed a good trout to get into the winning enclosure and Trim angler Marc Regan had a rainbow of 2.12kg to take top rod. John Brennan finished 2nd with 1.98kg and 3rd was D.J. Byrne with 1.62kg. The junior section was won by David King of Dunsany Co.Meath. The presentation took place at Fagan’s Point and Chairman Tom Fagan thanked all who fished the competition. The next competition on Lene is the Wardell Cup for pike. This is on May 14th and we will have more on this in the coming weeks.
REE PIKE: Mark Daly and his younger brother Jason are reeling in some cracking pike the past few weeks. Mark, originally from Loughrea and now settled in Killucan, is finding a few hot spots for pike angling here in the midlands. On Ree last week, the Mark boy rattled the scales with a pike of 22lbs and it was a super looking fish. Ree will be a hive of activity in the coming weeks as the Lough Ree Festival and World Cup 3-day pike championships takes place at the end of April. This all takes place from Coosan Point.
