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Fishing Reports for Black Water Lodge in Ireland
Blackwater Lodge Newsletter - May
6th, 2008
Tweed Fair
We arrived home in the early hours of this morning after a hectic
weekend spent at the Tweed Fair.
Glenda had a wonderful time demonstrating and spending all the rest of the
time teaching out on the lawns of the exhibition centre.
It's great little fair organised by Eoin Fairgrieve and pulls together a lot
of the top names in the sport.
We were able to meet lots of old friends and make many more. Make a date to
visit the show on the first weekend in May, 2009
Spectacular Spring Run
Needless to say - as usually happens when we are away - we returned to
great excitement here at the Lodge.
There was a 1½ foot flood on the river over the weekend, and there was an
awful lot of fish being seen - especially on our upper beats.
In the words of the most experienced gillie on the river - "It's been very
many years since I've seen so many springers in the upper river"
There were 3 springers caught over the weekend, with very few rods out on
the 14 miles of river that we control.
On Friday, May 2 there was just one rod out and he caught a springer. How
many would have been caught if there had been 15-20 anglers on the river?
I am also hearing reports of a good number of bigger fish taken on private
beats on the lower river.
The spring run has been excellent. Now we are eagerly awaiting the May run -
usually double-figure fish (larger than the springers)
- this a run distinct from the springers and usually heralds the onset of
the grilse run.
With some May fish already being caught & the first grilse taken 2 weeks
ago, things are looking promising!
Another encouraging feature has been the size of the smolt run in the last
few weeks - large numbers of very good sized smolts - definitely bigger than
normal.
Again this bodes well for the stocks in years to come.
Prospects
We are expecting great sport in the coming weeks, and there is good
availability of both rods and accommodation.
So why not come & help us prove just how good the run is?
Best
Regards & Tight Lines!
Ian Powell
Blackwater Lodge Newsletter - April
24th, 2008
Hot News - Glenda organises the very first Kids
Summer Fishcamp in Ireland - See Below!
The first Grilse of the Season is Caught
On Sunday, April 20, Cathal Ferris from Lisburn, Co. Antrim caught the
first on Kents - Beat 4.
This is very early to be grassing the first one. In the heyday of the grilse
run up to about the year 2000,
we would normally always see the first grilse running the river hard around
mid-April, and catch the first around mid-May.
It has been a good few years since we caught the first one this early, so
perhaps it bodes well for a grilse run similar to what we used to see in the
late '90s.
Good Head of Fish in the River
Over the last weekend, there was a good number of fish seen, especially
on the upper river
right up to our topmost beat - Ballygarrett - which is 28 miles drive
upstream of the Lodge.
Even there, the fish were to be seen running through on their way upriver.
This was encouraging as the river had been rather quiet for over a week
prior to this, in fact since the last good weekend over April 5-8.
With not many rods fishing, there were two springers caught last Friday, and
one and a grilse on Sunday.
Prospects
The river is currently at summer level, beautiful for fly-fishing, yet fish
are still running throught to the upper reaches of the river.
There is more rain forecast for tomorrow which may see the river rise and
get freshened up
which should get more spring fish into the system & encourage the larger May
fish to run.
Availability
There is no problem for availability of fishing and accommodation at the
Lodge at the moment.
Education continues apace
On Saturday, April 19th., Glenda started a
Blackwater Fishstart educational programme for 10-12 year old girls in the
local National school.
This is the first ever fishing programme sponsored by the Waterford Sports
Partnership.
Glenda also ran her educational drama on the river & environment in the
local playschool last week.
Flyfishing Summer Camps
As part of her ever-growing programme of piscatorial education, Glenda will
be hosting a number of week-long Summer Fishcamps
here at the Lodge for teenagers. These will be strictly limited to 8
participants per camp and are sure to be extremely popular.
Entry will be on a first come-first served basis.
For more information, please refer to our Fishcamp webpage on
http://www.ireland-salmon-fishing.net/Tuition/fishcamp.htm
Where to meet us!
Glenda will be casting demonstrator at the following fairs, where we will
also have a stand where you can come & meet us both.
Tweed Fair: Kelso, Scottish Borders. May 3/4
Irish Country Lifestyle Festival: Shanes Castle, Co. Antrim
June 21/22
Irish Game & Country Fair: Birr Castle, Co. Offaly August
30/31
Best
Regards & Tight Lines!
Ian Powell
Blackwater Lodge & Salmon Fishery
(Voted Best Fly Fishing Guesthouse/Hotel 2006 by the
readers of the UK magazine Today's Flyfisher!)
Upper
Ballyduff
Co. Waterford
Ireland
Tel: 00 353 58 60235 Fax Fax: 00 353 58 60162
Blackwater Lodge Newsletter - April 7, 2008
Superb Spring Fishing
The river is finally dropping and settling. The forecast for the rest of
the week is for dry cold weather.
The fishing has already picked up as a result of the improved conditions.
Three springers have been taken on the fly in the last 2 days & another
hooked & lost.
Two were taken by Frenchman Kilperick Lhobet on SH rod - including the best
of the season so far at ~13lb.
Since the river settled, we are getting reports of
running fresh fish being seen on all of our upper beats every day,
including right up to Beat 16 which is 28 miles upriver from the Lodge.
I've just had a phoned report of a lovely fresh fish
off Ballyhooly Bridge today (Monday 7th.) on spinner - they just keep on
coming!
Thirteen fish have been taken so far this year - of
which 8 have been released alive.
Fishing Report page
Due to a limitation on the number of passwords, I have had to remove a large
number which appear to have been issued to people who
haven't subsequently booked fishing at the Lodge. This has been done to
ensure that those who do wish to book with us will have first opportunity to
get all the latest information.
If your password has been removed & you do intend to come & fish with us,
then do let me know so that we can re-establish one for you.
Availability
There is no problem for availability of fishing and accommodation at the
Lodge at the moment.
Tackle Shop
There are exciting developments here. We now have a greatly expanded range
of Loop products.
We have also just installed a brand new display and stock from the Donegal
Fly Company.
We now also have an extensive range of Rolla Flying C's from France
- not the cheapest, but most definitely the best.
The range includes the Silver Bullets, and we also have a good stock of
these spinners with single hooks,
which are almost impossible to get hold of. Very useful for being able to
Catch & Release.
Best
Regards & Tight Lines!
Ian Powell
Blackwater Lodge & Salmon Fishery
(Voted Best Fly Fishing Guesthouse/Hotel 2006 by the
readers of the UK magazine Today's Flyfisher!)
Upper
Ballyduff
Co. Waterford
Ireland
Tel: 00 353 58 60235 Fax: 00 353 58 60162
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