It was finally time to try for some Kayak bass here in beautiful West Cork.
Conditions were not ideal with stronger breezes than I’d ideally like and very bright sunshine, but the opportunity was there and I decided to go for it!
As is often the way I was quickly rewarded with a fine bass and then had to work quite hard to get a few more, but overall, a great way to open my 2026 bass account.
I will be running my popular Bass Lure Shore Fishing Workshops again this year, small numbers, various coastal locations, providing all the top tips you need to get started or build on what you’ve already learnt by trial and error.
David has been lure then fly fishing since the mid noughties with some of the best guides and anglers in Ireland and abroad.
Kayak fishing by lure & fly now takes him and his guiding guests beyond the shore to target Pollock, Bass or Wrasse with the chance of other species such as Codling, Coalfish, Mackerel or Garfish.
Shore fishing at night is also a very special experience.
Weather conditions across the catchment were generally settled during the week with dry and mild conditions prevailing through midweek. Air temperatures ranged between 14 degrees Celsius and 21 degrees Celsius. Rainfall amounts were light to moderate. River levels dropped to 0.5m by noon on Sunday 21st bringing good fishing conditions and improving catch returns.
A total of 128 salmon were reported caught across the catchment for the week, of which 28 were reported released.
Moy Fishery
Ridge Pool
Six salmon were caught in the Ridge Pool for the week, four of which were released, with weights ranging from 4 lbs to 6.5 lbs.
Weir Pool
Two salmon were caught in the Weir Pool for the week, weighing 2 lbs and 4 lbs, and both were released.
Ballina Salmon Anglers
Robbie reported 14 salmon caught for the week, with fish ranging from 3 lbs to 4 lbs.
Knockmore Salmon Anglers
Kenneth reported five salmon caught for the week, one of which was released and weighed 16 lbs.
Attymass Angling Club
Kevin reported eight salmon caught for the week.
Byrnes Fishery
Roy reported nine salmon caught for the week on prawn and worm, with the best weighing 11 lbs.
Gannon’s Fishery
Pat reported 11 salmon for the week, three of which were released, with mainly grilse recorded.
Foxford Fishery
Granville reported 23 salmon for the week, nine of which were released; most were caught on prawn, with the best weighing 11 lbs.
Foxford Salmon Anglers
Harry reported 24 salmon for the week, caught on worm and spinner, with prawn also producing fish.
Foxford town
Reports were received of two salmon caught in the Foxford town area for the week.
Cloongee Fishery
Six salmon were reported caught for the week, two of which were released, with the best weighing 4 lbs.
East Mayo Anglers Association
Kathleen reported 22 salmon for the week, seven of which were released; all methods worked well, with fish ranging from 3 lbs to 10 lbs.
It’s been sun, sun, sun, and then more sun for the past week, or at least that’s how it seemed to me, so I was surprised to learn that rainfall totals were above normal for the bulk of the country over the past seven days, and that Mullingar had 248% of the weekly norm for this time of the year. I didn’t see much rain on the east coast, so it shows you how localised weather can be. But the sunshine has brought high temperatures, well above normal for the time of year, with the possibility that today, Thursday, will break records for the highest temperature ever recorded.
During these periods of high temperature, fish are particularly vulnerable, as water temperatures rise and oxygen levels fall. So it’s no surprise to hear that some of our salmon fisheries have closed temporarily until water levels cool back down again. At present, the Galway, Moy, Cloongee and Erriff fisheries and Beats 1 & 2 on the Laune are closed until further notice. It’s not just salmon that struggle in periods like this, and anglers should be careful when fishing for any species, minimising handling and keeping the fish in the water as much as possible. Coarse anglers should ensure that keepnets are well pegged out, in deeper water and that there is ample room for fish to move around.
We begin our angling reports with salmon fishing, and while a number of our fisheries are closed, it seems that fishing was just beginning to pick up before the current hot spell. The Kerry rivers/lakes saw a spurt of action, and the rivers in the Kenmare area have started to produce, with some decent water in mid-June encouraging a good run of fish. Water levels have dropped steadily since then, but all the rivers in the area are reporting a fish here and there, as anglers wait on the main run of grilse to arrive. The Flesk has also thrown up the odd fish despite low water levels, the best being a fish of 9lb, while some salmon and an odd sea trout were reported from Lough Currane over the past week or two, but bright sunshine has made things tricky in recent days. Across the county border, the River Bandon has also started to fish quite well, with around 20 fish reported for the past couple of weeks, the best of which was a fine 16lb fish.
In Co. Galway, after a slow start to the season, things are finally starting to get going at Costello & Fermoyle, with a few fish being landed, and more fish starting to run the system, helped along by the recent high tides. The Delphi fishery is ‘between two stools’ at the moment, as the early season fishing is trailing off, but the grilse run has not properly kicked off yet. They are still getting a few fish, though, and the fishing should improve considerably over the coming weeks. And while the Galway Fishery is closed again due to the current hot weather, it did open for the few weeks since the last heatwave in late May, and the grilse run has started in the River Corrib, with a number of anglers meeting fish on both shrimp and fly. Lastly, the Ballisodare fishery has seen a great start to the grilse run, with a few hundred fish per day passing through the fish counter and plenty of anglers meeting fish.
———————
To coarse angling now, and any coarse angler at a loose end over the weekend could make a beeline to Cavan, where the 30th FIPSed European Coarse Angling Championship is taking place. The prestigious event brings together Europe’s leading national teams in the float fishing discipline, creating one of the strongest international fields ever assembled in the region.
We begin our coarse angling reports in Northern Ireland, where it was a bit of a mixed bag for club competition anglers… The Lurgan Coarse Anglers were greeted by a heavy brown flood with plenty of floating debris for their match on the Ulster Blackwater over the weekend. Luckily, there were a few skimmers knocking about, and Pavel Dykan bagged a few of them to take the top weight of 3.625kg. On the same venue, but fishing a day later, the VDE Baggers had an altogether different experience, as the river dropped a foot overnight, allowing for much better fishing conditions. Davey Wellwood made the most of the opportunity to bag 7.82kg for the win, while Jack Tisdall took the league title in what was a tight finish.
Some nice Ulster Blackwater bream
On the canal scene, the Grand Canal at Daingean was the venue for the inaugural Sundew Festival Match held during the Sundew Festival over the weekend of 13/14 June. Anglers experienced some quality fishing, with decent bream and tench helping to boost the weights, and local angler Davy Cullen claimed first place with an impressive weight of 27lb 6oz. A bit to the north east, the Leinster Coarse Anglers returned to the Royal Canal at Enfield over the weekend, and their umbrellas were put to good use in protecting them from the scorching summer sun. Most fish landed were on the small side, but David Clarke bagged a fine bream that tipped the balance in his favour, giving him the win on the day.
To sea angling now and we begin with a couple of reports from the Banner County, where anglers fishing with Luke Aston enjoyed some great mixed fishing off the Clare coast, as the reef fishing was ‘exceptional, and when they tried the estuary for tope, they enjoyed non-stop action there as well! Anglers fishing with Sean Maguire close by had a similar experience, as they too enjoyed some excellent sport from the reefs off Clare, with pollack and spurdog particularly active, along with a range of other species.
Shannon Estuary tope in the summer sun
On the south coast, the blue shark were slow to show up for anglers fishing out of Courtmacsherry with Dave Edwards. But his anglers passed the time catching a range of bottom species, including a rare enough hake. When the blues did arrive, they had a couple of missed opportunities before they got one on board for tagging. Blues were also the quarry for anglers fishing with Alex Gurnee of Old Head Charters, a little further east in Kinsale. They got off the mark for the season with a couple of blues, and had some fine pollack fishing with fish close to the 10lb mark on many days.
Fishing is picking up off the Wicklow coast of late, and Kit Dunne of Wicklow Boat Charters has reported his first specimen-sized smoothhound of the year, a 13lb fish that was boated by well known specimen hunter Thomas Lynch. It’s always great to hear the hounds are back off the east coast, and Tom wins this week’s Catch of the Week. And we wrap up the sea angling reports with news that West Cork & District SAC is holding an open competition for all IFSA members on Friday, July 10th at Ballinwilling Beach.
First specimen smoothhound of the year for Wicklow Boat Charters, a 13lb fish for Thomas Lynch
In trout angling news, the Kilbride Anglers held their inaugural Paddy Conneff Cup on Lough Owel over the weekend. Despite conditions looking promising, the fishing turned out to be slow enough, and at lunchtime, there were no fish to report. But fortunes changed after lunch, and Martin Kearney boated three trout to 4.5lbs to secure the honour of becoming the inaugural Paddy Conneff Cup champion. On Lough Corrib, the mayfly hatch has slowed down, but fish have still been taken on dry mayflies throughout the first couple of weeks of June. Sedges and caenis are now on the trout’s menu, and while conditions have not always been perfect for the caenis, there has been some great fishing on the odd calm morning we have had. And for some reading material, in the latest Piscari fly newsletter, Peter and the team report on the Leinster Rivers Championships, the International Rivers in Scotland, and a memorable fishing trip to Iceland.
All action at the TAFI Leinster River Championships
In other news, river anglers may be interested in learning about IFI’s Riverwood project, which aims to study the impact that woody debris has on reshaping riverbanks and river channels to more natural forms. Woody debris can play a vital role in helping to create pools and riffles, deflect the water’s direction, provide cover and refuge for fish from predators and help to recruit spawning gravels for salmonid species.
And now the weather
As I write this on Thursday afternoon, the country is still sweltering under the summer sun, but from Friday onwards, conditions will gradually shift from very hot and humid weather to a cooler, more changeable Atlantic pattern.
Friday will stay warm and humid, with sunny spells and showers. Some showers may become heavy and thundery, especially across the midlands, west and north, bringing a risk of localised flooding and frequent lightning. Showers may merge into longer spells of rain at times. Cloud, mist and coastal fog will develop near the south coast from late morning. Temperatures will reach 23 to 29 °C, warmest in the midlands, east and northeast, but cooler in the northwest and near the south coast. Winds will become mostly moderate southerly.
Friday night will see most showers fade, with clear spells for many at first. However, cloudier conditions with patchy rain and drizzle near the south coast will gradually spread northwards. It will remain mild and muggy, with lows of 15 to 17 °C.
Saturday will bring cloud and outbreaks of rain spreading from the west, with some heavy bursts possible. The east and northeast may see the best of any drier, brighter spells during the morning. Sunday will be fresher, with sunny spells and scattered showers. Monday looks mixed but somewhat quieter.
Don’t forget to double-check the forecast before heading off, and if you’re going to sea, check the tides.
A lovely springer (est 13 lbs) released by Jim Ryan on Beat 3.
Gerry Merrick provides this report from Ballisodare Fishery – 25th June 2026:
Ballisodare Fishery has had a good run of spring salmon, albeit arriving somewhat later than usual. This is the third season when Catch and Release was mandatory until end of May so hopefully these large springers will make their way successfully to the spawning areas later. A number of lovely springers over 10lbs were caught and released.
The grilse run has got off to a great start with numbers through the fish pass increasing steadily, currently a few hundred per day. Good numbers of fish are being caught with the vast majority being released. Anglers are allowed kill a maximum of three fish this season although catch and release is being encouraged and indeed practised by many.
A lovely springer (est 13 lbs) released by Jim Ryan on Beat 3.
Bookings for day tickets are strong on our website www.ballisodarefishingclub.ie but there are some slots still available.
Our water quality sondes are deployed again, and we are delighted that water quality in the Ballisodare estuary is showing much improvement when compared with last year so hopefully this will continue. We have no sightings of any unhealthy fish thus far this this season.
Water temperatures have increased steadily in the past few days, reaching 18 degrees in the fish pass and slightly higher at our sonde in the estuary. We will close the fishery should water temperatures reach 20 degrees.
Angling at Galway, Moy, Cloongee, Erriff fisheries and River Laune fisheries now suspended
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is notifying anglers of the closure of the Galway Fishery, Moy Fishery, Cloongee Fishery, Ballyvary and Erriff Fishery Beats 1 and 2 on the River Laune due to high water temperatures.
These fisheries will be closed to all angling until further notice in accordance with IFI’s Warm Water Protocol.
IFI recorded water temperatures of above 20 degrees Celsius twice in the past 24 hours and, as such, IFI has closed the fisheries to protect fish from potentially lethal stress.
IFI is guided by scientific advice that indicates a dramatic increase in angling-related mortalities at temperatures above 20 degrees.
Each fishery will re-open once temperatures return to levels where fish will not be thermally stressed, and is conditional on at least two successive water temperature readings of less than 18 degrees Celsius. With very high temperatures forecast over the next few days, it is expected that this may take several days after air temperatures drop.
Anglers with bookings affected by the closure will be contacted by IFI.
Anglers with season permits for the high bank and OPW beats on the Corrib River in Galway will also be affected by the closure, and fishing must cease until the fishery reopens.
Check Before Travelling
IFI encourages anglers to contact the fisheries for the latest advice before travelling.
At all fisheries where catch-and-release angling is permissible, anglers should take extra precautions during times of warm temperatures to minimise the stress on fish such as brown trout and Atlantic salmon.
Anglers using catch-and-release methods are encouraged to limit the exposure of fish to air, or avoid it completely where possible.
The Galway, Erriff, Moy, Cloongee, Laune and Ballyvary fisheries are owned by the State, and operated by IFI.
IFI urges the public to report any instances of distressed fish, fish kills, illegal fishing, or water pollution to IFI’s confidential 24/7 number on 0818 34 74 24.
While the Galway Fishery is closed again due to the current hot weather, it did open for the few weeks since the last heatwave in late May, and the grilse run has started in the River Corrib. Water levels remained high, with 3-4 gates open for most of the last few weeks, making wading and fishing difficult and impacting on angling effort and catches.
Among the anglers to meet fish were Thomas Falconer, with a lovely 9lbs springer on shrimp, and Brian O’Rourke, with a 6lbs grilse also on shrimp. Michael Griffin landed 2 grilse of 5 and 5.5lbs, and local angler Sean O’Toole had 2 fish to 6.5lbs.
Joseph Martin ha da nice 6lbs grilse on fly, and John Ryan a half pound better, also on fly. John had a better fish on fly a few days later – 7.8lbs – while Jim Ryan had 2 grilse to 6.5lbs on fly. Davey Hoy from Northern Ireland had a 5.5lbs grilse on fly, and Conor Kinahan had a fine 7.5lbs grilse on shrimp. A good number of other anglers had single fish.
While catches are down due to conditions, good numbers of salmon have been reported upstream, from Cong, Clare River and on the lake. Also of note is the good condition of the grilse this year, well-fed fish with very few under 5lbs.
The fishery is now closed with water temperatures above 20C, even with 2 gates open, and given today’s forecast of air temps in excess of 30C and possibly breaking records, it may be a good few days before the water cools sufficiently to allow the fishery to reopen.
A heatwave at the end of May was thought to portend an end to the mayfly season, but it was a short-lived event and was quickly followed by cooler, broken weather which saw hatches continuing, albeit smaller and patchy, for the first 2 weeks of June.
Cornamona based guide Tom Doc Sullivan of www.tomdoc.com says his guests caught 2-3 fish per day over the first 2 weeks of June. Mike Murphy fished the 6th and 7th and landed 11 fish to dry mayfly patterns. Richard Flint fished the 10th and 11th and landed 9 fish, also on dries. There was only one blank day, and even that angler rose 8 fish to his flies. Tom remarked on the large number of smaller trout this month, with most fish averaging 1-1.5lbs and the best fish so far 2.25lbs.
Paul Heaney from Corrib Anglers Guiding Service says there were still small trickles of mayfly around Inchagoill and a few other places up to the 18th of June, but the trout appear to be more interested in sedges now. Paul says many anglers found good success over the past month with a mayfly booby fished on the top dropper – a great attractor fly according to Paul. Certainly the photo I saw showed a well-chewed fly! It will be interesting to see if the same fly works as well once the second mayfly hatch gets underway in July. Paul says there have been massive hatches of sedge this week in the Annaghkeen area, with a great evening rise.
Kevin Molloy of Baurisheen Bay Boat Hire & Guiding (tel. 087 9604170) reckoned that sport was good for the early part of June but has slowed significantly since mid-month. Small hatches of mayfly were still going in the Oughterard area until the third week but are pretty much finished now. Trolling is picking up again, with some nice trout caught. Neil Hogan spent a day trolling and landed 6 trout. Bernard Franklin and his two sons were flyfishing for their day out and reported 4 good trout. Kevin himself was out another day and had 4 trout to the fly, and also reported seeing a good number of salmon pitching along the shore.
Caenis
The weather for the first half of June was fairly unsettled, with very few calm mornings. Although Caenis hatches were abundant, the conditions for targeting Caenis-feeding trout with tiny dries were few and far between, with most mornings simply too windy. However, the odd morning provided suitable conditions, and some boats had tremendous sport.
Two UK anglers, Bill Latham, a professional guide on the chalk streams and Andreas Topintzis the Salisbury & District Angling Club’s manager, had a memorable morning with guide John McCarthy early in the week commencing 15th June, with an excellent fish each both caught on Caenis patterns.
The morning broke with near perfect conditions – warm and with a very light breeze – and the pair caught from the outset but the highlight was yet to come for each angler.
John found a pod of fish moving off the windward side of one of the many islands and moved the boat stealthily into position, allowing Bill to get a shot at the feeding fish. A long accurate cast put his flies in close proximity to what John had described as a slab of a fish. After a few short heart stopping seconds the point fly was engulfed, starting a lengthy battle of give and take as the fish stripped off yards of backing before being subdued after approximately 10 minutes.
The fish was not weighed but was somewhere in the region of 5.5 lbs and measured 23 inches.
Andreas then moved into the hot seat at the bow of the boat and a short while after spotted a fish feeding steadily up the edge of a very narrow wind lane. Skilful boat manoeuvres allowed Andreas to get his flies to the fish which took immediately they landed on the water. Another long and at times tense battle followed with the fish determined to run around rocks and get tangled in a weed bed. Finally, the fish was netted and again was measured at 23 inches with an approximate weight of just over 5lbs. Both anglers were staying at Corrib View Lodge.
The Kenmare rivers started to come to life in mid-June with several salmon caught on the Roughty system. Water levels have dropped steadily since then but all the rivers in the area are reporting a fish here and there, as anglers wait on the main run of grilse to arrive.
The following piece from the National Biodiversity Data Centre highlights some of the threats to our indigenous crayfish population and how anglers can help protect them through following Check, Clean, Dry protocols:
This week, 22–28 June, marks Invasive Species Week, an annual campaign that raises awareness of invasive species and the actions we can all take to protect native wildlife and habitats. It is also an ideal opportunity for the angling community to help safeguard one of the island of Ireland’s most important freshwater species, the White-clawed Crayfish.
The White-clawed Crayfish is the only crayfish species native to the island of Ireland and our waterways support some of the most significant remaining populations in Europe. These crayfish play a vital role in healthy freshwater ecosystems, helping to recycle nutrients and providing an important food source for other wildlife.
White-clawed-crayfish-D.-Gerke
One of the greatest threats to this species is Crayfish Plague, a highly infectious disease that is almost always fatal to White-clawed Crayfish and can spread rapidly through rivers, lakes and connected waterways. Crayfish Plague can also be transported unknowingly between waterbodies on wet angling equipment, landing nets, waders, boots, boats and clothing. This means anglers have a crucial role to play in preventing its spread.
A.astaci, pathogenic water mold that causes crayfish plague._Bram-Koese
The biosecurity message is simple, Check, Clean, Dry. Before leaving a waterbody, check all equipment for mud, plants and debris. Thoroughly clean gear and allow it to dry completely before using it elsewhere. These simple steps can make a significant difference in protecting vulnerable crayfish populations.
During Invasive Species Week, we encourage all anglers to adopt good biosecurity practices and help protect our unique freshwater biodiversity. By working together across the island of Ireland, we can reduce the risk of spreading Crayfish Plague and help ensure the long-term survival of our native White-clawed Crayfish.
A calm looking River Shannon overlooking Portumna Bridge
Portumna has been fishing well and the local club, Portumna Coarse Angling Club, have had some good nets of fish weighed in at their competitions and knock ups. The month started well with bags in the 19lb range recorded at Town and Stik Ups. by the middle of the month catches in the high twenties weren’t enough to secure pole position as weights reached 30lb Rodgers Island. Last week it was a little less competitive as Bill Cassidy made up a net of 27lb 13oz at the Salmon Run – nearly 10lb ahead of the his chaser who was 6lbs ahead of those in 3rd and 4th place.
1 of 6
Bill Cassidy, 30lb
Bruce had bigger fish but not 30lb so settled for 2nd
Some good roach and 3rd place for Cathal Hughes
Bill Cassidy wins again
Some good looking bream
Go fishing…
Portumna is a great spot for the coarse angler. the local club, which is open to membership also run a number of club competitions and festivals each year.
Next April Festival is the October Festival. It starts on Friday 23rd to Monday 26th of October. Limited to 32 angler’s. See their facebook page for more details.
Portumna Coarse Angling Club
For information about the Portumna Festival and other matches in the area check in with the club on their Facebook page.
Contact: Bruce Pennell Email: brucepennell1966@gmail.com Website: Portumna Coarse Angling Facebook
