Yep the weather really hit us hard the weekend and fishing was tough going. Gale force winds and heavy rain is not your ideal conditions. Still I managed a few hours on Ennell after colorful perch, and came up trumps with fellow Anglers Stan Ryan of Killiney and his pal Joe Hickey of Rathmichael Co. Dublin. Go & Catch club members from Lithuanian were drifting across the Midlands also and Nerijus Jankunas produced a whopper of a pike weighing 27.5lbs, it’s a cracking fish and we have the photography. Speaking of pike the Lough Ree Festival penciled in for April is getting a lot of Anglers interested in dropping into the Midlands. Also news in of a Pike Festival taking place on March 15th & 16th by Belturbet Angling & Conservation Club. This event takes place on the River Erne and local Lakes and produced 172 pike last year al returned safely to the water. We were contacted by Fergal Smyth of the Asthma Society of Ireland regarding the sale of a fantastic book entitled Trilogh. Its was written by the late Anthony, O, Malley Daly and covers his lifelong battle with Asthma, and his 60 years of Angling. All proceeds from the books sale will go to the Asthma Society and Parkinson’s Association of Ireland. At 20 Euro plus postage it’s a great bargain or if you are up in Dublin it can be bought from the Asthma office @ 42/43, Amiens Street Dublin 1.
PERCH ON LINE. It’s was certainly chilly on the Lakes last week, and before the strong winds settled in I done a day on Ennell after perch. It was hard going and I found it hard to mark fish, but eventually came up trumps and got a few nice colorful Perch well out from Malackies Island in 70-80 ft of water,plus I put my cooking skills to the test. I was in great company and had Stan Ryan from Killiney and his pal Joe Hickey of Rathmichael on Board. Stan is a seasoned Angler and Joe is catching the fishing Bug as they say. It was their first trip on Ennell but have done quite a few days on Lene in 2013, and coming back to Mullingar in February for another last at the Ennell Perch. Stan is a huge sea angler and is a member of Borough Sea Angling club, lets hope we can encourage the club members to visit our fantastic Lakes and Rivers here in Westmeath.
MONSTER PIKE. Lithuanian club member Nerijus Jankunas produced a huge pike recently from a lake in neighboring Co. Cavan.The Catch & Go club member had a mighty battle with his prized catch and it was caught on a dead bait. We have a super photograph of the huge fish just before it was gently released. The Lithuanian Catch & Go Angling club are Affiliated to the Pike Federation of Ireland, and we have featured the club members some weeks back as they hosted a competition on Lough Ree.The club members are planning a trip to Ennell in the coming weeks, and I hope to Hook-up with Catch & Go.
PIKE COMPETITIONS. The planned Lough Ree Pike festival taking place in mid April is getting a lot of interest from competition Anglers. Mind you with up on 17,000 euro up for grabs in prize money it would catch your interest. Well if you fancy wetting your line before the Lough Ree Festival we have just got news in of another Pike Festival taking place on March 15th&16th. Here are the details and contact number if any of my fellow Midlanders fancy a few days piking. Belturbet Angling & Conservation Club are staging the annual “Phil Fitzpatrick Memorial and Grand Pike Competition” on March 15 and 16. ?The fishing will be on the River Erne and local lakes that last year produced 172 pike – all returned safely to the water. The total weight of pike caught was 823lb.?It is a “boat only” tournament, the entry fee is €60 per boat with a maximum of four rods allowed. For more details contact Alan Jones 087 1269923.
READ ALL ABOUT IT/SIXTY YEARS OF ANGLING. Recently I was contacted by Fergal Smyth of Enfield, who has featured in Angling Focus with some cracking salmon catches Fergal works with the Asthma Society Of Ireland and has informed us a fantastic book on Angling is on sale now. Its called Trilogy and was written by the late Anthony O, Malley Daly who wrote the Angling columns for the Donegal Democrat, and Sun Newspaper before retiring in 2005. Trilogy covers the late Anthony O, Malley Daly lifetime battle with Asthma, and his Sixty Years of Angling. It costs 20 Euro plus postage or can be picked up at the Asthma Society offices in Dublin. More details check my Angling site or contact Fergal Smyth @
Fergal Smyth | Fundraising Manager | Asthma Society of Ireland ?42/43 Amiens Street, Dublin 1, Ireland?Tel: +353 (0)1 817 8886
Mob: +353 (0)85 866 1984? Direct line: +353 (0)1 554 9213?www.asthma.ie
Email: fergal.smyth@asthmasociety.ie
THAT’S IT. Next week I will get around to publishing contact details for Midland Anglers who fancy a day out on opening day on Corrib, Mask or Lough Conn. The trout season opens of February 15th. Hopefull this weekend the wind will have settled and we can venture out on the Lakes. It was savage wind last weekend, and I photographed a Tree that had snapped like a Match stick. Tight Lines till next week.
CONTACT. Mick Flanagan
Angling correspondent and photographer.
Mobile: 087-2797270
E mail mick@midlandangling.com
www.facebook.com/midlandangling