The Avonmore River, Co. Wicklow is noted for its wild brown trout fishing. In its upper reaches it is not an easy river to fish being untamed, characterised by rapids, rocky deep pools and overgrown banks. For the trout angler who perseveres though the rewards can be quite surprising as those dark tea coloured pools are home to some serious fish. Inaccessibility coupled with natural selection allows special fish to buck the trend and become truly giant. Adjusting their diet to feed on minnow and smaller trout they put on the pounds.
Christopher Stacey, who along with his wife Teresa runs Footfalls Walking Holidays likes to fish, we established this when we first met a couple of weeks ago. Discussing the Avonmore we reminisced about our experiences on the river. “I got a beauty out of it one evening in the early 1990′s”, Christopher told me. “Six pound six ounces, I have it mounted at home in the hall”. Well that was that I had to see this fish, so arrangements were made and I popped over to Trooperstown, a town land high up above Laragh.
There it was, easily two foot long and judging by the fins and overall proportions of head to body in excellent condition when caught. Christopher related the story of its capture. Fishing a particular deep, wide, pool with drop minnow just as it was getting dark he got an immediate run. On striking the fish proceeded to stay deep and bore up and down the pool always trying to gain the shelter of a sunken tree to his left. Eventually after fifteen heart stopping moments the great trout was on the bank, a fish of a lifetime preserved for posterity.
Incredibly above the monster trout was another mounted fish, smaller but equally special this trout weighed 2.lb 8.oz. Caught by Christopher’s son Phillip from the same pool on worm, again in the 1990′s, what a double. Yes there have been big fish extracted over the years from the Avonmore, but they are few and far between. For one family to get two of them is really special, like winning the lotto. “Let’s take a shot of the fish down by where your son caught it”, I said, and we did. With the trout season opening today I know what I will be doing tomorrow weather permitting. A marker has been set for the coming season. Belated congratulations to Christopher and Phillip on those superb fish.
Click: Fishing Information on the Avonmore and Aughrim Rivers.
Tags: Angling, Avonmore River, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Game Fishing, Ireland, Minnow, Trout fishing, Wicklow, Wild Brown Trout
