Yes, yes - I know! No fishing report since 2003. It is always easier to write about good fishing but the 2004/2005 seasons were, in general, quite disappointing. Yet again we were denied, what we would term “proper winters”, very little, if any, frost or snow. The 2004/2005 seasons were really quite similar and winter water temperatures must have been higher than normal. The seasons seem to be coming earlier and earlier and last year, 2005, saw duckfly well before St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. If anything, the quantity of duckfly last year was better than it has been for several years but, arriving as early as it did, there were not as many anglers about to take advantage of the fishing available. It would be nice to think that the increasing hatches of duckfly will continue and, if we could get back to the sort of quantities we had 15 and 20 years ago, that would be tremendous.

The olive hatches which followed were also quite prolific in 2005 but, following the trend of recent years, the trout appeared reluctant to come to the surface to provide that particularly exciting dry fly fishing which was par for the course up to 2002. Last year, 2005, I happened to be on the lake testing an engine on April 24. Without any prior indication, I came across a hatch of mayfly the likes of which I have rarely seen before in this part of Lough Corrib. Needless to say, at such an early date, there was quite literally nobody fishing on the lake. The best mayfly fishing of the year occurred during the first week in May and was effectively finished – except for some localised sections of the lake – by May 15. When I first came to Lough Corrib you wouldn’t consider coming to this part of the lake until after mid-May.

The now recovered population of perch in the lake, presumably combined with the warmer water temperatures, meant that we had perch/pin fry emerging as early as mid-May. Traditionally, perch fry have been blamed for the drop off in mayfly fishing. The return of grilse was very disappointing and reports of good runs of fish in to the Corrib system must have been made by people with very short memories. It was the worst season ever at Grasshopper Cottage as far as grilse fishing was concerned with just two fish recorded by guests.

Whilst the picture in Lough Corrib and Carra was of generally slow fishing throughout the summer and autumn, Lough Mask enjoyed one of its better summer seasons for years. In fact, the catches recorded at the annual World Cup Fly Fishing competition in August were so good that conservationists were complaining there would be no fish left in the lake. One of their best years ever this despite having had a very ordinary mayfly season. It really is very difficult to make any sense or reason of the fluctuating performances of these large lakes.

Buzzer fishing, and buzzer fishing techniques, were so successful on parts of Lough Corrib in 2005, catching large numbers of large fish, that we nearly had open war between the buzzer and non-buzzer fisherman! We anglers really must pull together, rather than bicker with each other, for the future of our sport. The lakes continue to provide some magnificent trout for the specimen fisherman. Most of these fish are caught on trolled roach dead bait. There is some concern in scientific circles as to the sustainability of the specimen fishing for ferox trout. The lakes continue to provide 6lb.+ fish to the fly with several people recording their best ever brown trout last season.

After the end of the season, the numbers of fish running to spawn in local rivers and streams appeared to be well up on average. Personally, I was slightly surprised by this as I had suspected that perhaps the actual stock of trout in the lake was not so good last year. I am glad to have been proved wrong. Whilst by no means as plentiful as I have seen them in the past, the actual number of grilse appearing on the redds quite surprised me. It just goes to show that we must be very guarded in jumping to conclusions whenever we come across poor fishing.

Whilst generally the angling for the last couple of seasons might appear disappointing anglers who are prepared to vary their angling methods, and to move the relatively short distances between Corrib, Mask and Carra, were well rewarded and enjoyed some quite good sport.

As I write, we are going through a more wintry spell of weather – snow and ice – but, yet again, an early year. The daffodils are out, water temperatures must be relatively high. Here’s hoping for the best in 2006 and wishing you all good sport.

Roy E. Peirce

March 1 2006