Yet another good Flood!



There was plenty of rain throughout the catchment yesterday (Friday). We had 30mm here at Ballyduff.
The upper river peaked at 01.00 this morning (Saturday) at Millstreet at 1.80m & is back to 0.80m at 12.00.
The word from the top of the river is that it should be fishable up there tomorrow - certainly with spinner even if a bit high for the fly.
The lower river is still rising. It was 1.20m @ 09.00 & 1.44m @ 12.00 here at Ballyduff. The clarity is not as bad as could have been expected. That siltiness that usually fines off quickly. Clarity is around 1 foot today.

Superb Prospects for Next Week!
This is the biggest flood we've had since mid-February, so with the run of fish that we already had before the flood, plus grilse now appearing in good numbers well down the West coast, we should see a bumper run of fish as this flood fines off.
Next week could be an absolute humdinger with both big fish & grilse running as the river fines off.




The clarity of the water was reasonably good at the beginning of the week when 16 fish to 13lb. were caught - all on the upper river.
Wednesday & Thursday were out due to coloured water, but even though the clarity of the water wasn't great yesterday (Friday), 5 fish all around 6-7lb were taken on spinner on the upper beats, including several with sea-lice.
The lower beats haven't been fishing well as the fish are all running hard to the upper river.
There is no problem for availability of accommodation & fishing in the coming weeks.

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100th. Salmon of the Season!



The river was slow enough to clear after the last flood, but was coming back into order on the upper beats yesterday.
The fish were caught on Beats 9 & 10. Two fish about 10lb. - one sea-liced and a sea-liced grilse on fly.

This brings our catches to 43 for June & 100 for the season so far!

Plenty of fish seen running the upper river - mostly in the 6-7lb class, but there's obviously both smaller grilse & double-figure fish running with them.

With the forecast dry for the remainder of the week, prospects for sport are superb!
Rods and accommodation are available for the coming weeks.

See Blackwater Lodge Fishing Report page: http://bit.ly/fzavCh
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Joint Second Best Day of the Season

The river continues to fine off slowly - the upper river held the same level all day whilst the lower river dropped just 2cm since morning.
The clarity is improving slowly but steadily.
Good runs of fish were seen going through the lower beats & Fermoy weir especially in the evening, & through the upper beats mainly in the morning.



Seven fish were caught for the day which was our joint Second best of Season.
There was a (not-so-fresh) 5lb from our top beat (No. 14) just below Mallow, a sea-liced 3lb grilse from Castletownroche - Beat 8 (both on spinner) & very fresh fish of 3 & 8lb. for one rod who only went to Beat 10 above Castletownroche after 6.00pm.
On the lower river, Lower Kilmurry yielded 3 fish - one sea-liced 6lb. on spinner, & 2 very chunky 5lb. long-tail sea-liced grilse for one rod who only went out after 6.00pm.
June total catch is now 50 & season to date is 107.
With the forecast continuing to look dry through the weekend, the prospects of sport are super.

The river continues to fine off well from last Saturday's flood.


We had five fish caught yesterday. Four were taken on spinner on the upper river & one on fly on the lower river.
There's a great mixture of fish running - mainly grilse in the 5-7lb. bracket, but there are still double figure fish running (heard of at least 3 to 16lb caught on other beats on Tuesday) plus some smaller grilse around 3lb. - Great sport.

With dry weather continuing, the river is fining off into cracking fly order.

A Cracker to start July!



This 14lb. fish was caught today (July 1) by Gary Pickett using a prawn on Beat 10 on the upper river.
It is the Second Biggest Fish of the Season.




June went out with a bang with six fish caught yesterday (30th) - all between 8 & 11lb. as reported yesterday.
This was the Third Best Day of the Season so far.
The fish above weighed in at 11.1lb. & was taken by Willie Kett (Dungarvan) on Beat 3 on the lower river.

It has been the best month of June since 2005.
The average weight of the fish for the month is the third highest since 1988 at 7.1lb., beaten only by 2008 & 2009.
The total catch for June was 61 of which 38 were caught on the upper beats. The season total to date is 119.
For June, just 15 grilse in the class up to 5lb were caught - averaging 3.4lb.
In the class from 5-10lb., 29 fish averaging 6.7lb were caught.
In the 10-15lb. class, 17 fish averaging 11.1lb have been landed.

The forecast is still for dry weather up to Tuesday, when there is a break due.

Grilse run gives a major improvement!




July had been ticking along quite steadily, with fish caught most days.
There were only 4 blank days which were all at the beginning of the month.
The last flood on July 18th. got the grilse moving in good numbers,
and we have seen good runs of fish going through both the lower & upper beats.
The river has fined off beautifully with clarity now about 4 feet.

So far for July, 54 fish to 14lb have been caught.
Of these, 24 have been caught in the last 3 days where the daily count is 10, 5 & 8 fish respectively.
Fly, spinner & worm have all caught almost exactly the same number of fish.
The 20th was the Best Day of the Season with 10 fish caught as reported below.
On the 21st., 5 to 10lb. were caught - and no less than 3 were First Ever salmon.
Husband & wife Jake & Jess Hiltz (USA) both caught their first guided by Glenda on the upper river,
& Marino Bellini (Italy) took his first also on the upper river.
Yesterday (22nd.) nine were taken (7 grilse & salmon of 10 & 11½lb.) including another First Ever,
with more now being caught on the lower river as it fines off.


This picture says it all! Seven year old Tommy Quinlivan with his First Ever Salmon!
4lb. sea-liced. Taken on worms on the Island Stream on Lower Kilmurry

With the forecast dry for the coming week, prospects for sport are superb!
Rods and accommodation are available for the coming weeks.

Big fish still running hard!


Three grilse were caught on Saturday on the lower river.
Today (Sunday) - five fish were caught. One grilse on the lower river, 3 grilse on the upper river where I also released this superb 13 pounder that the sea-lice had only just fallen off of.
The July total is now 60 & the season total 178. The river will be in superb order this week as there is no rain forecast.

Terrific thread, fantastic pics!

Another Excellent Week & Three Firsts for three young brothers!
Not withstanding low water and less than half a dozen rods per day fishing,
we have taken 36 fish for the week to August 11th.



During this week, Mark Allsop (UK) caught - and released - 7 grilse for 3 days fishing,
Daniel Mueller (Switzerland) also caught 7, & Franco Brustio (Italy) had 11 to 10.3lb.
Daily catches were as follows:

Aug. 5: 3 grilse including 2 for one rod.
Aug. 6: 3 fish including two of 7.5 & 8.2lb for one rod.
Aug. 7: 3 fish including 2 for one rod to 10.3lb.
Aug. 8: 7 grilse, including 2 each for 2 anglers.
Aug. 9: 5 grilse including 2 for one rod plus a First Ever!
Aug. 10: Second Best Day of Season. 9 fish including 3 each for 2 anglers (one of whom had fish of 6.3, 7.4 & 8.2lb).
Aug. 11: 6 fish to 6.5lb. including 3 First Ever salmon.

The three Firsts on the 11th. was a remarkable story. Pat Casey brought his 3 young sons - Tom (9), Rory (11) & Jamie (13yrs) - none of whom had ever fished in fresh water before - for a half guided day with Glenda. All three caught their First Ever salmon & Jamie caught two. At one point, two of the lads were both playing fish at the same time!

The July total was 71. For August, we have already taken 42 to the 11th., and the season total to date is 231.



Prospects
With a little fresh on the river, fish have livened up, and a lot more grilse are now running.
Rods and accommodation are available in the coming weeks.

Staff Wanted
We're looking for a couple of people to work in the Lodge from now until the end of September.
Duties include preparation of breakfast/packed lunches & houskeeping. Opportunity to fish as well of course.


For all the latest info, see also:
http://www.ireland-salmon-fishing.net/FishingReport/fishingreport.htm
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or follow us on
http://twitter.com/blackwaterlodge

Rain at Last!



A narrow band of heavy rain swept across the whole catchment yesterday (Sunday 4th.). 12mm fell in Ballyduff.
The upper river rose 35cm to 0.55m @ Millstreet this morning peaking at 10.00. It has fallen back to 0.47m by 15.00.
At Kanturk it has risen 27cm to 0.24m by 16.00, & is still rising. The level is holding at Ballyduff.

The fresh has stirred the fish up on the upper river with 4 caught & 2 lost
(including a double figure fish) by 2 rods on one beat by 4pm today (5th.)!
With more rain forecast, the prospects for the coming days look superb.

Availability
Rods are available for the remaining weeks, & also accommodation apart from self-catering in the third week which is full.

Staff Wanted
We could still require a couple of people to work in the Lodge from now until the end of September.
Duties include preparation of breakfast/packed lunches & housekeeping. Opportunity to fish as well of course.

See Blackwater Lodge Fishing Report page: http://bit.ly/fzavCh
See Ian Powell page: http://on.fb.me/dYddlZ
Follow our Tweets. http://twitter.com/#!/blackwaterlodge