For the last few years, I have returned to the place where I spent my childhood summers, fishing for trout on the basis that if I caught a Salmon that I would return it. Now I am older, I return each year just like the salmon that I seek.
I fished Lower Kilmurry Beat this afternoon and evening. It flogged down rain all day but fined up for the evening. The river was only slightly coloured and up around 100mm. I landed 3 salmon with the best weighing in at 11.8 lbs all caught on the fly. Two on a size 14 silver and black stoats tail and the best fish on a size 14 Curry's Red shrimp pattern. It took me to the backing several times with powerful runs before it was netted.
Ian Powell joined me for the evening and netted the bigger fish.
We celebrated the day with a lovely 2008 Margaux with a late dinner served at 11:45pm. That is what I call service at the Blackwater Lodge!
First Grilse of the day - 3 lbs - released
Second grilse of the day - 2.7 lbs released
11.8lbs resident salmon - note the darker colouration
11.8lbs caught at Lower Kilmurry Beat in the background
Ian Powell, owner of Blackwater Lodge, into a good grilse at Lower Kilmurry
I fished Bridgetown Priory Beat yesterday for no success. Today I fished Lower Kilmurray and caught a 3.1 lb grilse on a size 18 black and silver stoats tail fly and lost a 15+ lb fish on a size 12 cascade.
The grilse gave me a good run down to the backing. Theb igger fish was a resident fish that had showed a number of times. I decided to give it a go by putting a largish bright fly right in front of it. It showed in my casting zone just when I was retrieving. So I cast and put the fly just in front of it. It took it very strongly and we battled for about 2 minutes when it raced off to the side of the river and the fly came out. I think that the hook opened up as it was only held by one prong. Oh well.... better luck next time!
3.1lb girlse caught on the fly at Lower Kilmurray Beat of the River Blackwater on 30th July 2013
After two enjoyable weeks of visitors from Australia showing them the sights, meeting cousins and aunts, I am back on the job again. The river level is still low despite a week of showers. I have reduced the size of the salmon flies to size 18 and am using a red Francis. I had some success with a 1.7lb sea trout at Ballinaroone Beat and had a couple of takes on Kents Beat on a Cascade Shrimp pattern but no hook up. There are a few small grilse of the 2-3lb size being caught. I am off to Bridgetown Priory beat today.
1.7lb Seat Trout caught on the fly at Ballinaroone Beat - 26th July 2013
The day reached 32 degrees C and I waited until 9pm until I ventured out. I tried a size 14 Blue Charm salmon fly but no takers. A largish salmon showed, I covered as best I could, but no take.
I changed to my 10 ft 8 wt Hardy Zenith with an 8 wt sharkskin floating Rio line with a sinking tip leader and a team of three flies with a gold head bead nymph on point - the usually best trout fly.
A strong take, I thought it was a sea trout and saw a salmon grilse leap. I thought that my white trout had shook up a salmon.
After a 10 minute fight which took me to the backing twice, I got my grilse to the net. It had taken a size 14 red brown wet.
2.6lb Grilse taken on a trout fly at 10:15pm at Lower Killmurry Beat on the River BLackwater, Co. Cork
The Fly that caught the Grilse - Size 14 Grouse and Claret Wet Trout Fly
The fight is on head cam video. The quality is not great due to the declining light at 10:15pm.
I fish at the crack of dawn (5:30am) or after 8:00pm until about 11:30pm at night to avoid the heat of the day. No rain and bright hot days has meant few salmon caught as they don't run so freely upstream in low water and tend to be put down and sulk in bright weather.
I have enjoyed a few evenings trout fishing and tonight caught a 2lb sea trout. See photo below of sea trout and brown trout. Sea trout are brown trout that have gone to live in the sea and have come back up river to spawn. The sea trout still tasted of the salt water on its skin indicating that it was not long in the river. The sea trout fought well and it took me about 20 minutes to bring it to the net.
2lb sea trout and smaller brown trout both caught on the fly
The last week has been bright and 25-30 degrees Celsius each day. The lack of rain has meant that the salmon have not run so freely up river. We are awaiting some rain, cooler weather and the summer grisle run.
Misty mornings at Ballyduff
Early Morning fishing on Lower Kilmurry Beat - River Blackwater (Listen to the "Dawn Chorus" of wildlife)
Late Evening on Lower Kilmurry Beat -
River Blackwater
This is where I caught the sea and brown trout this evening
Now for those of you that are new to fly and lure fishing a few photos to explain things.
I have lost 7 out of 8 salmon hooked. The last three on the fly. It looks as if the grilse run has finally begun. I hooked, fought and lost the grilse on Upper Kilmurray Beat
The grilse of about 3 or 4 lbs fought like a fresh fish. I caught it on a size 14 curry's red fished with a size 12 cascade shrimp pattern on the dropper. The grilse took the fly on the retrieve. We had a bit of rain today and it slightly coloured the water perhaps inducing the grisle to run up river.
When the water level drops and the water clears, it is time for smaller flies.
I also hooked myself again!
Size 12 Cascade Shrimp firmly embedded in my finger!
It was skillfully removed by Ian Powell at the Blackwater Lodge with Bushmills Whiskey used as a mild general anesthetic.
