Posts Tagged ‘Dace’
Thursday, May 12th, 2016
Of all the tourism angling/fishing products Ireland has to offer coarse fishing has the greatest potential to provide a serious return on investment, primarily because Ireland’s coarse fishing species to include pike are not exploited commercially for food and are therefore in waters where they reside abundant and growing to a large average size. The downside to this major selling point is ease of access to Ireland’s best coarse fishing swims while carrying the amount of tackle and bait necessary to enjoy a productive match or pleasure fishing session.
The image above clearly shows the amount of gear an average coarse angler brings to the water, much more than can be carried without the aid of a pack horse. The best swims are never those that are immediately accessible from say car parks or bridges, most requiring a trudge along forest paths or over fields and ditches. Many out of the way prime swims though can be accessed by enabling managed vehicular access through upgrading/modifying existing rough tracks and walk ways.
Thomas and I fished an out of the way section of the River Barrow yesterday and boy was access to the swim difficult and the return leg to my car a not looked forward to experience. Yes we caught some prime roach to a pound plus and hybrids to 3.5 lbs, however and we are fit, when the towpath was reached we set up shop, being too knackered to go any further.
Having co-authored and driven with Dick Caplice chairman of the Irish Anglers Development Alliance the hugely successful managed vehicular access coarse fishing infrastructure on Lough Muckno, Co. Monaghan and presented an adapted plan to modify sections of towpath along the River Barrow for managed vehicular access back in 2014 to Tourism, Enterprise and Co. Council decision makers in Co. Carlow with zero response it begs the question. When it comes to developing an innovative and commercially viable tourism product has official Ireland employed the best people available………………….?
Tags: Angling, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, River Barrow, Roach
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Friday, May 6th, 2016
A solid lift, bump sensation transmitted through taught six pound test line prompted an immediate upward sweep of my thirteen foot feeder rod, a pulsing heaviness manifest thirty meters out in the slow moving water signaled a good bream on, happy days. Staying deep while doggedly moving left towards an overhanging bank side willow, applied side strain guided Mr. Bream towards my outstretched landing net, job done.
A fine fish in great nick of between three and four pounds, the sense of achievement after all these years fishing still kicks in when all the planning, travelling and effort comes together post landing a targeted species. A third bream of the day banked, one each also for angling companion Thomas and neighbouring coarse angler Cathal, two more were brought ashore before we upped sticks around 17.00.pm.
It was good to touch base with Thomas who like many coarse anglers has a passion for catching big dustbin lid sized slimy bream. Although bream dog it out rather than running when hooked, their resistance allied to their bronzed largeness makes for an impressive sight when resting in the landing net before unhooking. In this instance Thomas, Cathal and I were feeder fishing maggot and worm to catch alongside the bream a succession of dace, roach, trout interspersed with an odd hybrid.
April, May and early June are great months to target bream on the lower River Barrow, bring lots of ground bait as a bream shoal will hoover up a prepared swim and move on similar to a herd of cattle munching on fresh grass. On this occasion not having pre-baited Thomas and I relied only on what our feeders attracted, a brace each of quality bream made our day. Until the next time………..
Tags: Angling, Boat fishing, Bream, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Fishing, Ireland, River Barrow
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2015
The River Barrow up stream of Carlow Town flowed slow and clear, an odd dace could be seen topping and if one peered hard into the peat stained water fry could be seen flitting and darting amongst the weed beds. All the hard work in setting up the Barrow Bonanza coarse fishing match by the Naas & District Angling Club had most certainly paid off as 42 match anglers lined up on two stretches of the Barrow between Carlow Town and Athy, “Knockbeg and Maganey”, to compete for the guaranteed €1000.00 first prize.
Tubs of maggots dyed in various colours, sweetcorn, hemp, chopped worm, buckets of ground bait and an arsenal of ready to use fishing rods/reels, poles and whips surrounded each competitor as they settled down for the five hour competition first leg to commence at 12.30 pm with lines up at 17.30 pm. Tactics given the conditions, overcast grey, muggy with little or no breeze appeared to be feed little and often utilising variations in casting length, bait type and presentation.
Those fishing the Knockbeg section to include World Pairs Champion Phillip Jackson and Irish Junior Champion Michael Kelly definitely worked hard for any success that they got. Small dace made up the bulk of anglers catches however on the lower pegs a few roach and hybrids bulked up competitor Padraig O’Riordan’s 2.28 kilogram haul while in mid section Andrius Simbelis concentrated on perch to record a 4.26 kilogram first day section win.
Special mention must go to all the Naas & District Coarse Angling Club membership led by Paul McLaughlin and Padraig O’Riordan for their tremendous effort in planning and organising the Barrow Bonanza event, you would not believe the amount of work that is involved from canvassing sponsors to clearing bank side pegs. In so doing the club have showcased what is a wonderful and healthy riverine coarse fishery.
Today Sunday 23/08/2015 as I write the rain is teeming down and with little or no wind competitors will be settling down for another five hours concentrated fishing. Mark Leonard holds what could well be an unassailable lead however in match fishing you never know who could come up on the rails, so in short there is still a lot to play for on day two.
Top 10 weights posted on day one of the Barrow Bonanza 2015 Coarse Angling match fished on the Knockbeg and Maganey stretches between Carlow Town and Athy were as follows.
Mark Leonard 14.100 kg
Cathal Hughes 4.590
Andrius Simbelis 4.260
Kevin Hodson 4.080
Ollie Doyle 3.140
David Mc Neice 2.850
Christy Moore 2.770
Brendan Collins 2.710
Chris Moore 2.230
Padraig O’ Riordan 2.280
Tags: Angling, Barrow Bonanza 2015, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Coarse Match Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Fishing, Float fishing, Ground bait, Hybrids, Ireland, Maggots, River Barrow, Roach
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Saturday, July 18th, 2015
The annual Mick Lyons Memorial Coarse Angling Competition 2015 for people with disabilities kick started the Bagnelstown Summer Festival in style last Friday 17/07/2015. The event is held on the River Barrow upstream of Bagnelstown, Co. Carlow on a section of towpath modified for wheelchair accessibility, the brain child of local keen angler Michael Lyons Snr, who was sadly deceased before he could see his idea become a reality. Today his son Michael aided by a host of volunteers ensures that this wonderful piece of social infrastructure is utilised as was intended while also celebrating the memory and traditions of his late father.
Blessed with bright sunshine tempered with an odd shower, well it is Ireland, 22 volunteers helped organise the eventual 45 competitors and their respective carers who traveled from far and wide to their respective pegs. Accents from Cork, Tipperary and Donegal filled the air, a gang from the Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin made their annual visit by train no less, they must have left early, as did competitors from the Ardeen (Wicklow) and Tullow (Carlow) Cheshire Homes. Smiling faces lined the bank, banter flowed and at 12 noon proceedings commenced.
Held annually since 2002 the event is sponsored by many groups and organisations to include the Bagnelstown Summer Festival Committee, Bagnesltown Resource Centre, the Irish Wheelchair Association, Waterways Ireland and Access Printing. All competitors get a medal for taking part with trophies being awarded for first, second and third. A raffle completes the day and based on what yours truly witnessed everyone would appear to get a raffle prize too, there were so many the tow path resembled a cuddly toy factory.
At lines up a clear winner emerged with eight year old Orla Keating fishing her socks off to take first prize with a fine catch of 35 dace, nudging last years winner Billy Black into a creditable second place. Billy for the record also weighed in with a grand haul of dace.
Events such as the Mick Lyons Memorial are a celebration of inclusiveness that modern society can be proud of, the prize giving being testament. Micheal Lyons Jnr, his family and friends and members of the Bagnesltown Festival Committee to include chairman James Lakes awarded and shared out prizes while thanking all those who attended and donated so making the event a total success.
It only remained then to award young Orla Keating with the Mick Lyons Memorial Perpetual Cup for 2015 and most importantly her hard won trophy. Does not her smile say it all, God bless your vision Michael Lyons………
Tags: Angling, Bagnelstown, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Mike Lyons Memorial Fishing Competition 2015, River Barrow
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Saturday, May 30th, 2015
Compensating for the strong north west breeze I cast my forty gram feeder slightly to the right in order to have it splash land right in front of me two thirds of the way across what is a wide section of the River Barrow, Ireland’s second longest waterway after the mighty River Shannon. Targeting bream, a size 16 hook baited with four red maggot comprised the business end of a two foot long fluorocarbon tail. Feeding with a mix of crumb, Sensas red magic additive, sweetcorn, hemp seed and 10% horse mix, it was not long before dace accompanied by a few brown trout entered the swim.
Regular feeding kept the silvers interested on what was a sunny but chilly day. Bites were not constant instead coming in short five/ten minute bursts of activity with gaps of up to fifteen/twenty minutes in between. Only having four hours fishing time due to a previous arrangement, it was in the last half hour that things got interesting, a heavier than normal double knock quickening the senses. Now waiting expectantly a second double knock was met with a firm upward sweep resulting in a nicely curved rod and a heavy kicking sensation.
The bream used its broad flank to kite backwards and forwards across the current, however not known for their fighting abilities the fish was quickly brought to the net whence the reason why this species is sought after became apparent. Burnished bronze in colour its large scales reflecting the sunlight, even though weighing not more than 2.5 lbs the bream looked impressive resting in the landing net, a quick use of the disgorger and away.
With time for a couple more casts only, no sooner had my feeder rig touched bottom then a further double knock resulted in a repeat performance. A more spirited fight ended with a heavier bream running 3.5 lbs slipping over the landing net rim, a great end to what had been a busy four hour session……..
Tags: Angling, Bream, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, Red maggots, River Barrow, Roach, Sensas red magic, Wild Brown Trout
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Thursday, April 23rd, 2015
With maggots and ground bait left over from the previous session Monday lunchtime found me ensconced on a familiar bank casting towards a deep hole known to harbour bream and hybrids. Temperatures were in the high teens, the sun shone from a clear blue sky, swans cruised and a heron glided by broad wings outstretched, summer had come early. Bites were slow, very slow, but it was not the conditions I’ve had good bags from this location on many a bright warm day.
One dace and two bream/hybrids over five hours fishing is a poor return, the amount of bites received in that period reflective of the catch, about six bites for three fish. The feeder was regularly filled and accurately placed, the tail length adjusted to suit the changing current, in short I fished hard. This venue normally produces lots of dace interspersed with a few roach, hybrids, bream and trout. Occasionally if one gets it right the bream/hybrids will really show however bites are always frequent especially from dace. There are flies in the ointment, they have two feet, employ two rods each and fish for the pot. I think you all know what I am driving at, this ongoing saga will continue until the authorities really take decisive action. A start would be to remove the “four fish rule” permanently, at least then there would be clarity and transparency, coarse fish are not for taking home. Is it really that hard to legislate correctly?
Tags: Angling, Bream, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, River Barrow
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Sunday, April 19th, 2015
Last Friday 17th April while feeder fishing the River Barrow at St Mullins I had the pleasure of meeting and fishing alongside a kindred spirit, his name Thomas Cosgrave, like myself born in England of Irish emigrants who traveled over in the 1950′s, Thomas had recently taken early retirement and decided to move lock stock and barrel back to the old sod.
A competent angler Thomas surprisingly stated that although he has no regrets about retiring to Ireland he does miss the coarse fishing that he enjoyed in England citing that his coarse fishing experience on the River Barrow does not match up to the Irish fisheries board marketing blurb. With historical experience of fishing the river during holiday visits he categorically states that the bream/hybrid fishing has seriously declined with one very visible cause, predation emanating from within the eastern European community.
That said, we had a fine afternoon casting into a rising tide catching dace, a few plump roach and an odd trout tempted by four red maggot. Fishing eased over the top of the tide as is my experience and we called it a day round about six bells. The large bream and hybrids were marked absent which should not be given the time of year, the mild winter and the fact that Irish people do not eat coarse fish.
On the positive side Thomas and I exchanged numbers and we will definitely fish together again very soon, the local tench population had better watch out.
Tags: Angling, Co. Carlow, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Feeder fishing, Ireland, Red maggot, River Barrow, Roach, Sweetcorn, Wild Brown Trout
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Sunday, December 9th, 2012
Success in fishing is derived through layering of experience, in essence a combination of theory and practice. To that pairing one can add the routine of regular fishing trips. Knowledge gained of fishy behaviour in tandem with natures changing cycles becomes stored in the subconscious, where at a future date and time, the angler confronted by a particular set of conditions, seemingly without thinking makes a correct tactical choice which results in a good fish.
David Murphy and his fishing buddy Robbie have pike fished a local water on a number of occasions over the past twelve months building up a body of knowledge. Allowing for the time of year, it is no surprise that their last two visits have resulted in some excellent returns, with four pike to 11.lbs gracing the bank yesterday.
Building on experience gleaned from previous trips the lads successfully employed both ledgered and float fished dead baits, roach and dace on this foray, resulting in a cracking afternoons fishing on what was a calm, bright, frosty, day.
Tags: Angling, Dace, Dead bait, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Ledgering, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Roach
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Friday, February 17th, 2012
Yours truly is new to this coarse fishing lark and it shows. Last Tuesday Gary and I met in Athy, Co. Kildare with a view to repeating our successes of last year where we bagged up on two occasions, firstly on a cold February in the marina followed by an early April session in the main channel. Recent catch reports gave hope of a repeat performance, well we were brought down to earth with a bang.
On arrival the Barrow looked in perfect condition, setting up below the bridge Gary and I intended to feeder fish switching over to trotting a float if things were slow. Paul McLaughlin, who knows a thing or two about coarse fishing, showed up with similar aspirations and regaled catching 60.lb of fish from our chosen stretch only the day before. Chalk and cheese comes to mind, yes we struggled, feeder fishing maggot and caster not a fish showed.
Paul set up above us and trotting started to winkle out a few roach and dace. Gary switched over and utilising his Adcock Stanton centrepin connected also with a few silvers. After a couple of hours we decided on a move, Paul went upstream and I believe started connecting with prime roach, while Gary and I drove downstream a piece only to repeat our performance, however Gar’ saved the day with about 5.lb of roach, the less said about me the better.
With bait left over I decided to fish a Co. Carlow mark the following day. On both occasions the weather was bright and dry with a steady crisp north west wind, cold but bearable. This time my faith was restored, if not a fish a chuck it was certainly a bite. Again using the feeder in a deep backwater swim dace, roach, and small perch kept the tip nodding. Dace giving their customary quick fire rattles, roach showing their presence with a purposeful tap tap type bite, while the perch just hit with a thump. Four maggot or two and two maggot/caster did the job on a busy fun afternoon. I’ll be back there soon with a ledgered minnow or lobworm, there’s a big Barrow perch loitering with my name on it….
Tags: Angling, Casters, Centrepin reel, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Fishing, Float fishing, Ground bait, Ireland, Maggots, Perch, River Barrow, Roach, Trotting
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Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
A heat wave grips Ireland and a spring tide beckons from St Mullins, the 20th April is still a little early for shad but the advance guard of anglers is already in situe. Des Fraser of Southside Angling has made the journey along with Declan Roberts from Kilkenny. A few other hardy souls line the bank on a fabulous April morning all casting their pirkens and tasmanian devils. At 09.00am on full tide Declan Roberts nets a 1.30kg specimen shad. Weighed and returned to perform the nuptials, a good start to the day.
Having driven down with Carlow Coarse Angling Supplies Gerry McStraw to fish bream we were not disappointed. They did show but not in the numbers of recent trips. The tide was all wrong and the hot (reaching 22 degrees) cloudless day no doubt did not help. On the plus side Paul McLaughlin had made the trip down with his wife Jackie and we made acquaintance with Sergej a native of Siberia, who new to the sport of angling was enjoying the wonderful location that is St Mullins.
Initially sport was slow then as the tide started to fall my rod signaled a purposeful bite from a heavy fish which stayed deep on striking. A bream for sure and one of two landed within the space of a minute as Paul simultaneously connected with a fish of similar size. So a pattern developed over the next hour with short slack periods interspersed with bites from trout, dace, hybrids, and bream.
Joined by Dave Treacy to witness why St Mullins is a mecca for anglers at this time of year, we fished on until the early afternoon. As the tide dropped so the water became very clear and the air sultry. Activity tailed off and we decided to call it a day. The fishing had been successful with five species landed to include shad, trout, bream, hybrids, and dace. St Mullins is a brilliant unique fishery set in a gorgeous location. It’s a journey that I never tire of.
For further reading click on: A Bream Day on the Barrow.
Tags: Angling, Bream, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, River Barrow, Shad, St. Mullins, Wild Brown Trout
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