Wednesday 30 May 2012

Inniscarra Dam Salmon Fishery

On arriving at the fishery the water was at full load ( about six feet above normal level ) so i started spinning with a 20gr black/silver flying " C ", half way through reeling in my first cast i hit my first salmon. I brought in the fish quickly and released it and on reeling in my third cast i hit a smaller fish of about seven pounds which was also released. I always fish upstream with flying "C's " because you cover lies better and hook-ups are fast and furious, also you can get the spinner down faster to where the fish are. I see alot of anglers spinning down stream and across and you can see the spinner running high in the water column, not good for hooking up with spring fish. The last two fish were caught about  half an hour after the second salmon just before the water level dropped. As the water level was dropping i moved down stream to try Beat 3 & 4 with the fly but whatever fish were there moved back into the lower pools due to the sudden drop in water height. Still not bad fishing for a short evening session.

17 comments:

  1. Hi Paul
    New to this, this is my third attempt to get a message to you. Anyway im just wondering if you have any tips for Powells tommorrow ? Heading down and hoping to catch my first salmon on the fly... Fingers crossed. Great videos. Thanks Paul

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    1. Hi Davey,
      There are a few grilse in the system so Ian should have the flies you need, i caught two this evening on a size 14 Park Shrimp. They took small flies due to the low and clear water and also bright sunshine.You haven't said what beat you are fishing but fish hard in the early morning and evening they will be your best times to hook up.
      Tight lines Paul.

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    2. Hi Paul

      We fished the Island stream yesterday, i used a floating line with an intermediate sink tippet and about 12 feet of 12lb Seaguar line with a Willie Gunn. Unfortunately another blank for me, i did try the spinner for a very short time but quickly went back to the fly rod. I got some great tips from Glenda so whos knows. I am really looking forward to my first fish on the fly so i am just going to have to keep trying. I just watched your video there and i am thinking i should have used the fast sink tip like yourself. That will be the plan for the next day..
      Thanks again for all the videos..

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    3. Hi Davey,
      A little tip for the future when fishing heavy tips only use a 3 or 4ft tippet and when using intermediate tips a six foot tippet is the best, using too long a tippet takes the fly longer to go down with the sink tip and that defies what you want to achieve, Depth.
      Regards Paul.

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  2. Hi Paul

    Excellent tip, i would probably have fished until the end of the season making that mistake. I really appreciate that, so thank you.
    Been out in my club here in Mallow since but no joy again. Hopefully, as this flood receeds i will catch one. Fingers crossed anyway. Looking forward to your new videos.
    Cheers Paul

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  3. Hi Paul,

    Just looking for some advice (again) i am heading out tommorrow here in mallow. I was out once since the previous mail, water was high but clear so i fished a sinking tip with short leader as advised, i then tried the same run with a fast sinking polyleader and changed fly 3 times, dont know the names yet but each was bright coloured orange or yellow. No joy though, but i must admit i am still really enjoying it. My casting is improving and i think things may finally be clicking into gear. I was fishing a floating line but in hindsight i feel is hould have used a sinking main line with a slow sink tip !!!!
    Anyway, tommorrow im hoping is D Day, so im wondering what your advice might be?
    The water is still high but very clear although alot of rain is forecast.
    I assume your still hauling them in by the dozen :-)
    Thanks a million Paul

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  4. Hi Davey,

    Experimenting with sinking lines and tips is what creates a good angler, remember that casting heavy sinking lines can ruin your casting technique by forcing too much top hand so keep an eye on that part of your casting and don't let brute strenght win over. As for catching fish, are you seeing salmon in the pools you are fishing ? remember these days it's how many miles per fish and not how many fish per mile. Flies for coloured water are mainly bright yellow/ green cascades etc. and for clear water down size and throw a darker pattern on like a Stoats tail or a Yukanga Gold in size 9 or 11 that can make the difference sometimes. The fish will come, but enjoying and improving your casting now will make fishing easier in the future.In scotland when there were few salmon around the fly anglers became great casters from all the pratice and now that the salmon are there they are catching fish easily.

    Regards Paul.

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  5. Hi Paul

    Just thought id let you know that ive had 2 fish in the last 2 nights (1 each night). Also lost 1 near the net, a very fresh 6/7 lb fish that put up a fantastic fight. While i enjoyed each fight i am still really wanting to get one on the fly. Im going out again here in mallow tommorrow evening so fingers crossed. The water is very high but there is very good clarity of about 3-4 feet, ill try a floating line with a slow sink tip and about 6 feet of line, i am taking your advice and will try both yellow and green flies. Have one fly that is yellow and black so ill try him, still learning the names....

    Hopefully ill have some good news tommorrow night, but at least ill be out in the midst of nature. By the way i had a lovely experience 3 nights ago fishing with the spinner when a lovely little bird landed on the tip of my rod, tried in vain to get the camera out but failed. Still, a very nice experience... If you have time the pics are up on Ian Powells website !

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  6. Hi Davey,

    Congratulations on catching those fish and with water levels so high for this time of year most of the salmon are being caught on spinner, very few on fly. I have heard of anglers fly fishing beats and then trying spinners on the same pools and taking fish so as long as you are catching salmon how bad. As soon as the water drops and the water temperature rises then you will catch them on the fly, it is very cold for this time of year and the water temp is still in single digits. If you need some flies go to www.osullivanflies.blogspot.com and Tony will tie some good patterns for you.

    Regards Paul.

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  7. Hi Paul

    Hope you can offer me some more advice please. I am wondering if you could reccommend what type of spinning reel i should get and also the best type of braid? I recently bought a Shimano Exage 4000 which is a lovely reel but had a slight miss after the 2nd revolution, i exchanged it but the it is the same. I initially had a braid which was the same thickness as 12lb Maxima but the casting was extremely poor, i returned this and got a shakespeare 30lb braid but i have noticed that it lacks the "feel" of the more expensive one i got initially. So im at a loss as to what to get, i have approx. 100 euro to spend on both, i would really appreciate your help here.

    Finally for fly fishing do you reccomend fishing off the reel or holding a loop? By the way i still have had no luck with the fly but im not giving up. Had a great week with 5 fish to 12lb 4 oz....

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    1. Hi Davey,

      Unfortunately you have to spend the money on the reel and braid as you have seen with the good versus bad braid. Spinning in high water burns out the teeth on the cogs and that is why you get skipping as the cog misses a movement, i repaired reels and saw it a lot especially on small reels being used for big fish. The 4000 is too small for salmon, i use the Shimano Stradic 6000 FB it is expensive but you will never tear up a cog and i use it for salt water etc., it will last me a long time. Daiwa have a new salt water reel out and it is very robust it would suit salmon spinning, i think it costs about 120 / 130 euros. As for loop versus no loop, i use the loop system but they both work, i set my drag and never touch it and that is one less problem for me when playing a salmon. Messing around with a drag system by tightening it up after the initial run off the reel can cause problems especially for beginners, too many things to do and too many problems with the excitement of being hooked up. If you use the loop it gives you 3 seconds to react and lift into the fish good for beginners, also the fish doesn't feel anything as it turns away with the fly. Nice to see your catching good fish i might have to look around Mallow for some fishing.

      Regards Paul.

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    2. How's Paul

      Thanks again for the advice, i will be looking for a reel within minutes and i will do some more searching for info on braid. This might be of use to you but a friend recently advised me to buy my gear from ebay USA !! It seems they offer much better deals...
      http://www.ebay.com/
      It seems you get taxed but not always so hopefully they might just miss my order..
      I will be off work for the next number of weeks (might go away for a week or 2)but i would be delighted to show you around this country if you like. I am seriously looking forward to this current flood receeding, after the last one there were quite a few fish caught on the Blackwater.
      So thanks again for your help and give a shout anytime you like i, you can email me at www.david1888walsh@gmail.com

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  8. Hey Paul
    Just found out that im going to Ballyhooly in the morning. I can fish on the village side just above the bridge by the castle stretch. Any tips for this section ? Was out today and lost one fish on the spinner, i assume its the black and silver flying C size 3 you would reccommend is it? also what about fly type?....The water has dropped alot today and this evening there was about 3 ft clarity, im guessing that will have improved by morning.
    I realise you may not get a chance to see this but i thought id give it a shot.
    Saw your new vid, what a lovely fish. Id just love to develop that "knack" you have....

    Cheers Paul

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  9. Hi Davey,

    If you check out my video on Ballyhooly beat on the Blackwater video you will see me spinning just above the bridge, this is where all the salmon show once they have gone over the sill. All that beat from the top corner of the field where i caught alot of fish to the bridge is excellent. Hit it hard with a size four blade black/silver and black/gold, i caught three with black/gold due to lack of water clarity. I caught two big fish today one over 16lbs with sea lice on black/gold 4 blade and the other on 28gr Toby gold/green due to the very heavy water, so try a toby downstream bouncing it on the bottom very slow spin or no spin.

    Tight lines for tomorrow Paul.

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  10. Hi Paul

    Thanks a mill for the prompt reply, im delighted to say your advice went down a treat. Of the 3 anglers on Ballyhooly today only Kingfishers tactics worked producing a beautiful 11lb 10oz fish and an excellent fight. Some nice fish moving up river all morning but it slowed quite a bit in the evening.

    Sincere thanks yet again Paul....
    Now for the fly, ill surely get one this year,,,,,... IWel it won't be from lack of trying. Thanks again Paul, thrilled

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  11. Hi Davey,

    I have promised to fly fish a beat above Mallow soon ( water height permitting ) so if you don't have a fish on the fly by then i may be able to show you some techniques and tips that might help you get your first salmon on the fly.

    Regards Paul.

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  12. Hi Paul,

    Best news i have heard in ages, i'd be delighted.
    Anytime thats suits just let me know and i'll be there.
    Great stuff altogether
    Thanks a million

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