Shrimping for Beginners

I have never fished the shrimp or the prawn before and managed to get lessons from Connor Arnold, Franco and Pat. You can fish the prawn either by "spinning" it: by using a weight and letting it drift along with the current near, but not on the bottom or under a float.

It is vital that you keep contact with the bait as the salmon take it quick and unless you strike, the fish is lost.

I tend to get too much slack in my line and so the strike is a mess!

You will need a prawn pin, treble hook and split shot to fish the prawn. You will also need a pike float if you wish to float the shrimp down the run.The prawns are dyed either purple or red.

This is a deadly method in low water.

Many consider it unsporting, especially the fly purists. I am undecided, but concerned at the impact of its effectiveness in prolonged low water conditions.

I have attached some videos of my mentors teaching me to fish the prawn on the Carrig Beat of the
Blackwater River.

This is the basic rig:-

Float
Float stoppers to vary depth below float to bait
Lead shot weights
Swivels to avoid kinks and twists in the line
short leader with running shrimp securing pin:;
Either treble or single hook
Dyed preserved shrimps

See photo below:

Shrimp Pin, Treble Hook and Preserved Dyed Shrimps

This is how you fish it!








I will update the Shrimping after I have had a few more go's and a few more lessons from the "experts"!

Visit to Waterford Crystal Factory

Well, the water is very low in the Blackwater River and not so good for the fly. So. time for some sightseeing.

I went to Waterford City, which is a historic city on the river Suir, which is a famous salmon and trout river. It is reputedly Ireland's oldest City having been established by the Vikings in 873 (nearby and then chased out) then again in 914.

There is an old section of the city called the "Viking Triangle" which contains many old stone buildings.

I took the factory tour. Have a look at the video below

Some photos of the craftsmen at work. Pieces such as the US Ooen and Irish Derby trophies are made here.

Wooden Molds Used to Form the Basic Piece

Glass Blowing Area

The 5 stages of manufacture - Rough Cast, Clean up, engraving (2) and polishing

First Stage after Blowing - Clean Up and Rough Cuts

Engraving the Pattern

Computer Generated Cutting ad ngraving

The Drawing and Cutting Instructions

The Old mixed with the New in the Waterford Crystal Factory

August Fishing

It has been a case of feast and famine. I have only caught one 3 lb grilse on the fly as I have not wished to fish the prawn or shrimp.

3lb grilse caught on the fly at Killavullen Beat - 8 August 2013

Note the net marks typical of the grilse this year. The nets are still on the Blackwater and we suspect are taking a heavy toll on the fish and fishing.

The grilse ran hard during a brief but intense flood in early August and this was followed by a storm around Mallow. These caused a long period of high and dirty water. The spinners caught a few as did the prawners. Three days of around 20 fish per day were caught with about half being caught on the prawn. The fish have been travelling upstream but not showing in any great numbers. The fishing has dropped off in the last few days.

There has been an increase in the poachers on the river with two netters seen at Bridgetown Priory - a favourite illegal fishing spot.

My casting in improving as seen in the video below.



I am off to Bridgetown Priory today.

Best day for the Season

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

What a great day on the River Blackwater!

A Fish landed and a good fish lost

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

The Visitors are gone and so it is back to Fishing!

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

2.6lb Grilse on a Trout Fly at Lower Killmurry

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.