It has been a few strange days on the angling scene with young and not so young anglers having some sport on our lakes. Lough Owel hosted their first competition of the season and I had a bit of luck taking home the Dan Mullally Trophy on Wednesday. On Sunday the Owel trout kept their social distance and it was tough going for the Patti Doolin Shield. Anglers on the Whitelake are still reeling in some lovely rainbows and we also have some news on the pike scene.
DELVIN TWINS: It’s great to see young anglers enjoying the wonderful sport of fishing and the Whitelake in North Westmeath has quite a number of junior anglers coming on line. We have a cracking picture of Delvin twins Callum and Conall Cruise who took some time out last weekend as they celebrated their 13th birthday. The lads enjoyed a few hours on the Whitelake and caught some nice trout. We have quite a few photographs of anglers on the Whitelake and these will run in the coming weeks.
GALMOYLESTOWN LADS: I have always said there is only one F in fish and the Flanagan Clan are nuts on fishing. Last weekend my nephew Cathal and his neighbour Shane O’Hara had a few hours on Derravaragh pike fishing. The lads really enjoyed their few hours and had a few nice pike on the day. It has been a strange summer and soon they will be back at school. Still, they are planning a few more weekend angling trips come September and October.
OWEL DAN MULLALLY TROPHY. It is great to be back on the competition scene and Lough Owel Trout Preservation Association hosted their first competition of the season on Wednesday August 12th. This evening competition was fished from 7pm-11pm and I had a bit of luck on the night. I teamed up with well-known angler and shooter Tony English and we had a great evening. Tony had 2 nice trout early in the evening and later that night I got into one of my Owel ”Hot Spots” and nailed a few super fish. The winning fish sucked down a dry Murrough and weighed an impressive 1.865kg. Paul O’Toole was 2nd with another fine fish of 1.295kg and Ollie Maheady was 3rd with 1.095kg.
OWEL PATTI DOOLING SHIELD: Last Sunday Lough Owel Trout Preservation Association anglers were back in action as we fished the popular Patti Doolin Shield. It was a tough day and the Owel trout certainly kept their social distance. Still, some nice trout were presented at the weigh-in at Tullaghan, and fair play to L.O.T.P.A officers for keeping all the Covid-19 restrictions in line. Stan and Chris McKeon along with competition officers Ross McKeon and Ollie Maheady sailed a tight ship, as they say, on the day. Top rod last Sunday was Stuart McGrane with 1.110kg, 2nd was seasoned angler Davy Bligh who in his younger days fished for Ireland on the International scene. John Tyrrell, fishing with John Dooner, finished 3rd and how Tyrrell puts up with Dooner for 6-8 hours in a boat I don’t know.
THAT’S IT: We had loads of fishy pics this week and I will feature more from the Whitelake next week. Declan Brew of Ballivor was caught on camera, as was young Reece Costello-McCabe. Don’t forget the big Charity Fly Fishing Competition on Lene next Saturday August 29th. All proceeds Irish Cancer Society. Tight Lines until next week.