Catches for April were down slightly on our 10 year average but we still managed to land 21 fish for the month. Weather conditions had as usual a huge part to play in this with water levels for the most part being relatively low with only 121.65mms (4.79”) for the month.
The first few days in April were relatively quiet with just two fish landed.
Week 15 was a different story with nine fish landed for the week. The Mills family accounted for three of these, with John the old maestro having two. Gareth Byrne also had two, Mick Kelly, Barbara Ceillier and Luke Drey all had one each. Jack Coulter also had his first ever salmon, a lovely sea liced fish of 8lbs5ozs from the Rock pool on a Park shrimp. Fish of the week was Alexander Mill’s fish of 10lbs3ozs from the Whin pool on a Collie Dog.
Week 16 was difficult with plenty of fish entering the system but they were playing hard to get. 
John Mills was again in his usual dynamic form landing two for the week. Without doubt fish of the week was Mary Donovan’s beauty of 9lbs5ozs from the stream in Finlough on the Felix Dolan.
In week 17 water levels dropped off dramatically but we still managed to land four. Greg Gudger from the US was first off the mark landing his first ever salmon. The fish was taken in the Whin pool on a Delphi Collie and weighed in at 6lbs6ozs. Heinz managed to land two off the river and Urs had one from the stream on Finlough on Saturday evening.
After experiencing tropical weather the previous 8 to 10 days, week 18 saw a return to Arctic like conditions with the grass minimum temperature dropping to -7.2 degrees C and once again snow lying on
the hills. The last few days in April saw an experienced German party from Bavaria land three fish. There were also quite a few hit, missed and seen.
That brought our total for the month to 21 and 46 for the year to date.
May has started extremely well with ten fish landed so far. Water conditions have been excellent and there has been a steady stream of fish entering the system.
Catches so far this week have been very diplomatically spread amongst our anglers. Nearly all those who fished managed to catch so all I can say is hard luck to those who didn’t.
There were three landed on Monday. Heribert had a fish of 9lbs on a Collie Dog off Fin. Paul Duffy and Angus Sutherland both had fish off the Whin pool. Paul’s was taken on a Hairy Mary and weighed 8lbs1.5ozs and Angus’ was on a Sunrae Shadow and weighed 8lbs14ozs.
Paul Duffy had another fish on Tuesday, this time from the Rock pool on a Delphi Collie. The fish weighed in at 7lbs9ozs.
There were three landed on Wednesday. Jacob had a cracking fish from the Rock pool of 12lbs12ozs on a Willie Gunn. Heribert had one from the New Island pool on a Collie Dog of 7lbs2ozs and Peter O’Reilly the famous APAGI instructor had a lovely fish from the Turn pool on a Felix Dolan of 11lbs9ozs. (If you want to live up to Peter’s standards you could also join him on one of his courses here)
On Thursday Paul Duffy’s son Ben managed to land his first ever salmon. The fish was taken in the Rock pool on a Willie Gunn and weighed in at 6lbs6ozs.
So far today we have had two fish. Jens had one earlier of 6lbs15ozs, again from the Rock pool on a Collie Dog. Ken Williams who was the only one of a group from Munich not to have caught managed to land a fish of 8lbs5ozs in the Waterfall on a Willie Gunn.
There are still plenty of fish entering the system so hopefully the fish will start to be a little more co-operative in the next weeks.
If you were interested in a spot of trout fishing to coincide with Mayfly time, we have a special offer at the moment of;
2 nights B+B plus 1 evening meal, plus boat, picnic lunch and experienced ghillie for a day on the beautiful Lough Carra for 425 euros per person,
Or
3 nights B+B plus 2 evening meals, plus boat, picnic lunch and experienced ghillie on Carra for 2 days for 745 euros per person.
If interested please contact the office. D.McEvoy.