Dunt!

This fella hit the fly with a right Dunt! Soaked me as he kicked back into the pool . Fane 5/10.

A Trek

On my day off yesterday (2/10) I planned on doing my usual stretch from Castlering to Knockbridge. I took the notion to keep walking upriver and eventually ended up at Mullhollands stretch below Inniskeen. Apart from the gaping hole in my waders and the floods of water I was carrying in my left leg, it was an enjoyable day. I landed a coloured fish and lost another one, both about the same size, around 5 lbs.

Upriver of the Carrick road bridge at Castlering.

Found this along the river, one way to get your bait out of the trees.

The head of Cambells pool.

Campbells pool in the Autumn sun.

Into a fish at Castlering, on my way back down! Camera battery died after this, I did get out later to take a snap of a bit of river development.

Gravel and weirs added to a stream to enhance spawning activity for the coming years. This is what its all about.

Autumns Bounty

Fished through knockbridge this morning and got stuck into a fresh wee fish, nice and spritely! I was using a Gold Holo bodied Cascade tube with a gold tungsten conehead.

 

 

The comepetition today produced 5 Salmon upriver, Stephenstown remains quiet with not too many fresh fish pushing through. All fish caught upriver were coloured. Water is holding at 2 and it will hold for some nice fishing during the week.

Few wed ones!

Myself and Ronan got out early on the Fane today, Ronan fished down the meadow and hooked a red cock fish about 5 pound. He was using a templedog he tied up in anticipation for the end of season. I wasnt too sure about it but it did the business, big yob of a yoke in the water but great movement. Think he was using a Sink 1/2 power taper shooting head cut back for his Orvis Access #8 Switch, and a fast sinking 7ft polyleader.

Having a bit of a mess around with Photoshop!

I went downriver and caught a small coloured hen fish. I was using a sink 4/5 DDC on my Guideline switch line and the Park shrimp I tied up.

 

 

 Lets hope a few fresh ones start pushing upriver.

Some rain

We got a pretty constant downpour of rain from Sunday night 23/9 through till tuesday morning 25/9.
It was heavy at times and I recorded around 25mm since Sunday. I've just been down to Knockbridge to take a photo of our height so here it is.

It is at around 1.5 so we'll see how it goes and if it rises any more. Few reports of fish being caught today, plenty of anglers out around the Fane valley bridge. Water is quite clean upriver but may still be on the rise. It looks dirtier downriver but there have been reports of a drain emptying silt into the river recently.

Tied up a few flies in anticipation. My now favourite Park and Calvin shrimp and the old reliable Cascade.

Latest addition

 Received my Lpxe #7/8 switch rod this week. I bought it second hand on Salmon Fishing Forum.

 

 I was really surprised when I compared it to my old 11ft #8/9 Lpxe. It is far quicker and stronger and the butt section of the rod is some what thicker. This could be because of the 4 piece factor, but it really feels a sturdy rod.

 Guideline recommend a 17-19gram head on their website but then I looked at the Rio updated 2012 line to rod specifications and it gives it a 435-480 grain head weight. Thats a similar rating to my Echo 3, I thought the lpxe switch would be a lighter rod for grisle and low water but its not looking that way. I know that guideline rate their rods for single hand and overhead use but then on their website they recommend to stick to the gram rating for spey casting too and only go heavier for skagit type casts. I do like the quicker casting stroke and Im practicing my casting with that in mind. So Im going to have to get out for some casting with both rods and see if I can churn up some answers. The Echo 3 could be up for sale by the looks of things though. The two rods are too similar.

On the fishing front, we have no water on the east coast these past few weeks. Things have quietened down and the fish are spooky and it is difficult to entice a take. I've had a few follows and fish turning away from the fly but I have not hooked anything. I dont mind getting out as I never bother with low water fishing so Im trying out new techniques and getting more confident in them.

Time for tactics!

Another fruitless run down the Fane. Still enjoying my fishing and messing around with the camera but a fish would be a great bonus. Mainly reports of coloured fish upriver but fresh ones got at the recent DSA competition from below the Fane valley bridge to Mc Kennas bridge. Water is quite low but the glimmer of light is still there and you never know when your luck is in!

Another nice run at Castlering.

A tungsten conehead Bann Special. It is very small but Im thinking of a tactic change for the low water and ditching the cones. Im thinking small and sparse on a single hook with a rapala knot.

One of my latest attempts at tying and fishing a Frances fly. Suffice to say it didnt work.

Back to reality!

Im back at my placement since 27th Aug so times are tough at the minute with not much fishing occuring! Water is dropping away on the Fane but there is still a chance of fish through the system.

Gregory's above Inniskeen.

 

Another Calvin I tied up, I think its a bit big for current water height though.

 

Which is! Emmm, lets just say low.

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.