Fishery News & Reports

DELPHI LODGE AND FISHERY

Posted in Jul 2015

July saw some excellent salmon fishing at Delphi. Catches for the month were the highest since 2007, with a total of 127 fish landed. Conditions throughout the month were excellent for salmon fishing with a total of 170.5mms (6.71”) of rain which made it the wettest July since 2012.

Catches were pretty steady throughout the month with the last week actually being the best. Fresh fish were consistently observed entering the system.

The first four days of the month coincided with the end of week 27, which is an extremely multi-cultural week with guests from England, Scotland, Italy, Bahamas, Germany and Northern Ireland. Fifteen fish were landed in the latter half of that week, with Brian Fisher, Klaus Buening, Giovanni Mazzoleni, Charles Finch, Mark Corps, Mike Shortt, Christof Defillon and David Healy all landing fish. The biggest fish was taken by Mark Corps in the Turn pool on a Corps Shrimp of approx. 11lbs.

Week 28 saw twenty six fish landed. Werner Fasching, David Healy, David Dunne, Conor Hannon, Heribert, Mark Walton, Alois Pfeiffer, Michael Wymes, Ash Mathews, Howard Williams, David Gilpin, Jono Phealan, Pat O’Connor and Ken McMillan all landed fish. Two guests were lucky enough to land their first ever salmon. Ron Fry from the USA landed a nice fish of 6lbs3ozs in Heneghans on a Foxford shrimp, while Tim Robertson from Australia had his in the Rock pool on a Willie Gunn weighing in at 4lbs14ozs closely followed by a second in the Meadow pool of 4lbs, again on a Willie Gunn. Fish of the week was Michael Wymes’ from the Horseshoe of 9lbs8ozs on a Willie Gunn.

There were twenty nine fish landed in week 29. This week was a prime example of what seems to be happening here a lot this year with fish turning on and off big time. On one morning session on the river Ken McMillan and Alan Boyd had four between them and lost eleven. Kurt Roth also met a few fish the same morning. In the afternoon nothing happened on the river. You will never figure these salmon out and just when you think you have it cracked they prove you wrong.

Successful anglers during the week were Alan Boyd, George and Helen Westropp, David Gilpin, Mike Shortt, Kurt Roth, Bill Morrison, Ken McMillan, Patrick Carroll, Michael Griffin and Ciaran Boland. Special mention must go to two young anglers, Michelle Roth and Seamus McEvoy who both landed their first ever salmon on the fly. Michelle’s was a lovely 7lbs2ozs fish from the Road Pool on a Frances and Seamus’ was 4lbs6.5ozs on a Willie Gunn from the Turn Pool. Biggest of the week was George Westropp’s cracking fish of 9lbs7ozs from the Holly on a Cascade.

Week 30 was a bit quieter with twenty fish landed. Peter Eaton and Bob Hadden got off to flying starts, with Peter having two including one fine fish of 10lbs14ozs from the Grilse pool on a Willie Gunn. Bob had three in a session and lost five. Fish were also landed by Shauna Waterer, Alexander Mills, John Somerville, Michael Van Merek, Julia Horne and a first ever salmon for Ian Jackson of 3lbs9ozs off Doolough on a Willie Gunn. Highlight of the week was however without doubt John Mills landing his 200th Delphi salmon. John is well known in the angling circles throughout the West and it is certainly well deserved.

The last six days of the month saw excellent fishing throughout, with 37 fish landed. The Beattie, Mills and Jarman rods accounted for the lions share of the catch. Successful anglers included William, Gareth and Jane Beattie, John and Alexander Mills, Christopher Jarman, Giles Johnson, Mick Kelly, John Somerville, Rick Taylor, Ian Edgar and Teddy Coulter. There were also four people who landed their first ever salmon. Tim Oxley had a fish of 3lbs12ozs from Cooleens on a Willie Gunn and Earl Horton from the USA had one of 6lbs5ozs off Doolough on a Willie Gunn. Young Finn Taylor and Patrick Conroy had a fish each off Finlough of 5lbs12ozs on a Cascade and 5lbs on a Delphi Collie respectively. Well done to them!

That brought our total for the month to 127 and 290 for the year to date.

D.McEvoy