Fly away

A good fish from Knockbridge, around the 10-12lb mark easily. Took the Parkie and made a good account of itself. The hook was caught in a small tag of skin but held despite a good scrap. Im using Lagartun single tube hooks. I have not lost a fish on them yet and that is in stark contrast to previous seasons. "Touches wood".

Took a while to get back but powered off.

Water is still holding, photo taken last thursday but height is similar today.

A small fresh fish from upriver, took a small cascade conehead. I hauled it in and it swam away no problems. Really reminded me of a Finn grilse.

Lightning doesnt strike twice?

Met Eireann radar of our heavy rain and lightning. Looks like another band building which will hit alot of Monaghan and North Louth.

River holding at 2 but for how long?

Potatoe blossoms yesterday. Tough time for farmers in general.

Two buzzards perched at Stephenstown. They are quite common to see now around the Fane. As you can tell I have no pictures of fish. I was out yesterday and all was quiet.

Sparkie

A streamy run on the Fane

A sparse little Parkie, A Sparkie! Went for a swim tonight to no avail.

All quiet today, didnt hear of anything caught nor did I see anything or connect with anything! Water is still holding under the 2 mark. Its giving rain tomorrow so it may continue to hold its level, or rise! The big tides may encourage more fish upriver, fingers crossed.

Sea-Licer!

Water still holding well, just below 2 now.

Cambells or the turn hole.

Fresh fish caught this morning, I switched back to using the Lpxe with the 25gram head switch line. Because it only has 3 tips, a float, sink 3 and sink 6, I used one of my Guideline DDC tips instead. I wanted to use a inty/sink 1 as the water isnt high enough for anything deeper. The Lpxe takes a 19-22gram head so the heavier nature of the line was very easy to cast and is a great setup for tight spaces.

Loverly Sea lice!

Sunset on the Fane

19/8/12

When it rains, it pours.

Here is the downpour of heavy rain we received around 7.30 this evening. I recorded 15mm of rain which is a bit more than half an inch, for less than 30mins thats some going. I'll check the water height tomorrow morning. Looks like it fell in all the right places.

P.S, 18/8, River up another bit this morning, around 2.5, still clean.

Out of Africa

My brother brought me home this rod from Africa. I suppose its their equivalent of a shrimp rod. Bit of cork and a single hook on some mad looking thread, maxima chameleon wouldnt get a look in.

Water Height - Fane

Yesterdays height 16/8/12, around 1. Hopefully next year I'll get a steel meter and fix it in place. That will make it easier to keep clean. The meter goes from 0-10 in 10cm intervals marking each number, so each gap between numbers is around 4 inches, for the imperialists! When its at 0 the water is flowing over both sides of the fish counter at Stephenstown.

Todays height after our night of rain, number 2, water is clean and suitable for all types of fishing, whatever your having yourself!

Shooting them Heads!

Ronan casting his Guideline Lpxe 14ft #9/10, 4-piece double hander at the Grevenue on the River Mourne. Rio AFS floating head with a Scientific Anglers Sharkskin Shooting Line. Watch dem loops go!

Back ya go!

You can just about make out the profile of the fish, I held him in the current and then left him in the slack water while he recovered fully. Thinking back on it I should have taken a video, after this photo I moved closer and splashed the water and he absolutely shot off!

Very bad shaky, wet, phone photo of the fish. 32 inches and fairly fresh, not sparkling by any means. Got him on the same Calvin shrimp used on the Mourne. I use Guideline F.I.T.S. tubing and tungsten coneheads. I was using the full float Guideline switch line as I snapped the 6ft poly leader I was using in a tree.

Trip to the Mourne

Liskey, hell of a throw! I was struggling with the 12ft 6, Ronan had his 14ft Lpxe with a Rio afs floating head on. The business!

Selling the 12ft6 need something for the really big rivers, the echo does nearly as good a job as the Lpxe. Im thinking of a Guideline exceed 13'7 9/10 instead.

Below the railway bridge, lost a fish in the slacker water to the right of the main current.

Above the railway bridge

Ronan at the Grevenue, bit of a tangle there Ronnie.

Success with the Switch line and Echo rod, I stuck to the smaller streamier water as I couldnt cover alot of the wider stretches. Float tip with a 6ft inty poly and a conehead calvin tube to swim.

Where did I put that rod again?

Switch line... Away!

The Guideline switch line in use on the Owenkillew. A brilliantly versatile line for use on small to medium size rivers.

Polarise!

Took this on the glyde, water is so so clear you can see everything. Fly is a Calvin shrimp.

Owenkillew

Decided to give the Owenkillew a throw on monday last. Looking back we did more eating then fishing. Between the three of us we didnt connect with anything, very bright and water was just starting to clear, thunder didnt help either.Its a beautiful stretch below Gortin.

Got to put the Guideline switch line through its paces. Line performed really well and couldnt fault it. The integrated approach was very enjoyable and as we went to the upper Finn later that day it was the perfect outfit to fish the smaller sections and then spey cast the larger ones. Had only a brief encounter with a fish.