Mayfly start to pick up on Corrib

THE week began slowly in the Headford and Greenfields area, with no great hatches of mayfly to speak of. While anglers had success fishing wetfly and dry Olive patterns, those using buzzer recorded some fine fish. Tim Rowley landed a lovely trout of over 5lbs. A father and son team from the UK had ten fish for the week, with the best over 4lbs. Mayfly hatches are now starting to pick up in the Greenfields area and should see dapping and wetfly anglers enjoying more success this week. There was a welcome improvement in fishing conditions in the Cornamona area, with hatches of mayfly becoming more as the week progressed. Anglers fishing the dap have benefited from the increasing availability of hatching mayfly and flies on the water. First-time angler Victoria Stratton from London had some beginnerâ€â„¢s luck when she landed a lovely 1.5lbs trout five minutes into her very first drift along Dooras shore. Tom Summerville enjoyed two excellent evenings of fishing during the week, landing three fish on each outing, the best being over 3lbs. Padraic Oâ€â„¢Malley of Maam managed to land some lovely fish, the best being over 3lbs, while fishing from Cornamona Bay to Inis Dooras. The annual dapping competition held by the Cornamona Anglers resulted in seven anglers accounting for a total of eight fish caught. First place went to Peter Curran with two fish while Tom Sullivan was second with one fish. With hawthorn flowers now opening, the mayfly hatch in earnest is anticipated in the coming days, and there are plenty of boats available on Corrib for the enthusiastic angler. Prospects are good on Mask Mayfly hatches are beginning to improve on Mask and with higher temperatures forecast, prospects for the week ahead look good. Anglers have enjoyed mixed fishing recently, with northerly winds giving low temperatures and unfavourable fishing conditions. There were good records of catches to Olives and Sedges, with the aforementioned mayfly picking up later.[private] Chris and Edith Loots from Belgium completed their holiday after fishing from Dringeen Bay. They recorded 119 trout for ten days angling, including the best fish of over 5lbs taken from Dringeen Bay. Virtually all of their catch was returned. Lonan Oâ€â„¢Farrell and his dad Pat had a nice dayâ€â„¢s fishing, with Lonan landing five trout and the best fish was over 2lbs and taken on wet fly. Conor Dennedy and Michael Lennon had three trout for a wet and blustery day. Jim Dix, Dublin, and his friend Jackie, Northern Ireland, fished for a couple of days from Dringeen Bay and had good success on wet flies. Dr. Ian and Rosie Gordon, Northern Ireland and Roderick and Caroline Murphy, Kilkenny, fished Lough Carra and had some fish on dry flies, hampered by windy conditions and poor hatches of mayfly. All anglers report encountering large numbers of small fish. The best flies for the week were Sooty Olive, Red Ass, Green Peter and Claret Dabbler. Water levels favourable on Erriff Water levels have been very favourable on the Erriff. John Krapzmuir from Canada, fishing the Erriff for the first time caught and released a fish of 8lbs taken on a Park Shrimp in the Bridge Pool on Beat 9. Anthony Holden, Dublin, caught one of 12lbs on a Cascade in the Gauge Pool on Beat 9. Fishing a Shadow Shrimp, Enda Kenny, Offaly, caught a fish of 12lbs in the Holly Pool on Beat 8. Paddy Gargan, Moycullen retained one of 9lbs and released one estimated at 15 lbs, with both fish caught on a Munro Killer in the Bridge Pool. The final fish of the week was caught by Urgen Mantel in the Coronation Pool on a Willie Gunn and weighed 10.25lbs. Reminder to anglers Inland Fisheries Ireland officers are continually carrying out checks and patrols around Corrib, Mask and Carra lakes to ensure that local by-laws and regulations are being adhered to. Anglers should be mindful that since 2008 it is illegal to be in possession of any trout under 33cm (13 inches) and that there is a daily bag limit of four brown trout per angler per day.[/private]