Irish Angling Forum

bwlodge

A four foot flood hit the Blackwater on June 21.

This immediately got fish running, and on the 22nd - in high coloured water - a 3 rod English party landed 9 fish and lost 3 more on the Junction Beat at Bridgetown Abbey - 20 miles up from the Lodge. Three were taken on worms & the rest on spinner. Seven were sea-liced & two were coloured springers. The rods sportingly only kept one fresh fish each and returned all the others alive.
The next day, two sea-liced fish were taken on Upper Kilmurry (4 miles upstream of the Lodge) on worms & spinner, and the following day two more sea-liced fish fell to fly in clearing water on Woodstream (23 miles upstream.
On the 25th., Simon Bignall (UK) landed his first ever salmon with a 6 pounder on fly from Lower Kilmurry and there was a sea-liced 8 pounder from Kents (3 miles upstream). As the water cleared down from the top of the river on the 26th., 3 sea-liced grilse fell to fly and one springer to spinner from the very top beats - Ballygarrett & Killavullen. The same day, the best of the season so far was taken. A 13 pounder on fly for Lodge regular Pierre Delabarre from France on Ballincurrig (22 miles upstream). It was coloured & duly returned alive. There was also a sea-liced 10 pounder from Kents the same day.
On the 27th., fishing picked up even more, with 3 grilse and a 7 pounder for Jean-Michel Ferry's (France) party guided by Glenda Powell on their first day ever fishing the Blackwater. Three fell to fly & one to spinner - a first ever salmon for 13 year old Charles Ferry. There was also a sea-liced fish off Ballinaroone on spinner & two fish off Carrig on fly - both about 8lb - one very fresh & one very coloured!
Four more fish were taken on June 28th - three were sea-liced.
Overall, the flood seems to have got the fish running hard, and the fishing has picked up considerably as a consequence. Thirty-two fish have been caught by the small number of rods fishing in the last 7 days.
There are large numbers of both grilse and salmon coming off the tide into the main river. They are running hard right through to the Lodge's top beats as far as 28 miles up the river.
Prospects look extremely good for the coming week, especially as it looks as if there will be some more rain on June 30 to top up the river.
Availability of both accommodation and fishing is OK at the moment at the Lodge. Contact:

Blackwater Lodge & Salmon Fishery
Upper Ballyduff
Co. Waterford
Tel: 00 353 58 60235 Fax: 00 353 58 60162
Web: http://www.ireland-salmon-fishing.net
Email: info@ireland-salmon-fishing.net

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Ian is proprietor of the Blackwater Lodge Salmon Fishery on the Cork Blackwater with his wife Glenda - Emerald World Masters Ladies Salmon Distance Champion & renowned casting instructor APGAI-IRL (Salmon & Trout).