Friday, 10 May 2013

Salmon Fishing Ireland 2013 "THE TORPEDO"

Having lost a big salmon the day before i couldn't get it out of my head, i kept going through the fight stage by stage trying to see if it was possible to have landed the fish but all avenues lead to the same conclusion..... not enough bank. I just couldn't turn the fish after it headed down stream in the very heavy water, even using 20lb breaking strain didn't stop the fish but straightened the hooks on my flying c. Having seen this lovely big fresh head and tail a few times at the base of the pool i quickly covered it and it took the spinner with a very aggressive thump and off down stream like yesterdays fish, i quickly turned the salmon and it gave another blistering run upstream which i again stopped. i brought the fight to me and held the fish only a few yards out from me and kept running it in circles thus taking away its confidence. Having made a space for myself in a very awkward area i tailed the salmon and with two hands moved it up the bank. The hooks were in the tongue and the fish was bleeding very heavily so i took the salmon. Even though the salmon was well over 15lbs very fresh and covered in sea lice i still had thoughts about yesterdays fish..... how big was he when i could turn this big fish easily, how big was he. As with all anglers we have nightmares about the ones that got away.

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15 comments:

  1. Unknown11 May 2013 at 15:32

    Cracking fish , well done Paul. I hear the dam is starting to fish well now. Regards Kieran.

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    1. Paul Hanley12 May 2013 at 17:38

      Hi Kieran, there are a few good fish about all we need is some nice water and then we will be able to get some on the fly.

      Regards Paul.

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  2. Unknown13 May 2013 at 07:19

    I spent a few hours yesterday morning in fermoy on my local club water. The river was dropping nicely after being in spate.I only saw one fish about ten pound running up through the system in a two hour period, very disapointing considering the amount of water and time of year.I n the afternoon i decided to take a half days fishing on Ian Powells Bridgetown Priory beat, which i spun hard for a few hours with an other angler. Not a salmon to be seen. I was speaking with Ian yesterday evening and he told me the anglers he had out on the other beats both upper and lower had not seen a fish all day which makes me believe that the hatchery on the Blackwater river should be reopened,or in a few years it will become a catch and release or closed fishery. I am fishing the R.Blackwater for nearly twenty years and every year it is getting steadly worse. Regards Kieran.

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  3. Paul Hanley13 May 2013 at 17:27

    Hi Kieran, i have said before that all rivers should be stocked with salmon fingerlings, parr and smolt just to bring back numbers because the way its going there will be no salmon around in some rivers soon. I know that some have issues with natural wild strain being broken by interbreeding with stock salmon but look at Norway, England, Scotland etc, they are stocking salmon in big numbers and then taking the stock fish but returning the wild natural fish thus saving the natural stock. If it was done properly there would be no need for tags and it would open up the tourist angling area once again because this has been lost to Scotland as they are doing it right.

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  4. Unknown14 May 2013 at 09:13

    I could not agree with you more Paul.I had a 4 lb grilse (sea liced) this morning on the worm in Fermoy and saw two more grilse running in the same period as i landed the fish.Very little activity afterwards. River Blackwater still fairly peaty coloured this morning with max visability 3 feet.Will you do any bit of fly fishing on Ian Powells beats over the coming months? Regards Kieran.

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  5. Unknown14 May 2013 at 10:15

    28lb salmon taken on fly on the Scottish Dee yesterday. Cracking fish Paul. Regards Kieran.

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  6. Paul Hanley14 May 2013 at 16:33

    Hi Kieran, unfortunately like most of the population funds are low so all i can do is an evening session at the dam now and then. Might save up for a session or fish the lower section at Cappaquin in september.

    Regards Paul.

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  7. Arek15 May 2013 at 12:39

    Hi Paul, The Torpedo!! What a name. It was a pleasure to meet you at that day and sorry for not taking a better pic. I Hope to meet you again for some more tips, first advice taken will need to get a better spin rod for the next time dam fishing in high water. Just looking to get something for reasonable price as spent too much on the fly gear this season. Any tips on rod, reel, line that will be good for the Dam fishery? Hope to get it before the weekend ;-). I hope to see you there again rgds AREK

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  8. Paul Hanley15 May 2013 at 16:23

    Hi Arek, any 10ft rod with a casting action of 15 to 50gram will do for salmon / bass / pike spinning. The reel has to be strong to take the powerful currents at the dam so a 6,ooo size reel is the best, Shimano have some at good prices as do Daiwa. Line has to be braid, so Power Pro in 10kg is ideal. Chrome swivels in size 5 or larger are good because they stop birds nests happening to braid especially when its new and any flurocarbon in 20lb will do for the leader material in high water.

    Regards Paul p.s. thanks for taking the photo's.

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  9. Arek16 May 2013 at 01:07

    Thanks for all your tips. I will try to get it sorted before my next fishing. Did you catch anything else since the torpedo? ;-)

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    1. Paul Hanley16 May 2013 at 16:14

      Hi Arek, yes i have caught two more salmon.

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  10. Arek16 May 2013 at 07:32

    One more thing, where did you get your shimano 6000? I couldn't find it online only in US....cheers

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    1. Paul Hanley16 May 2013 at 16:19

      The reel is a Shimano 6000 FB STRADIC spinning reel but it is only that size reel i meant, the 6000 size is just a bigger reel because most anglers use the smaller 4000 size and have issues when spinning in high water such as cogs wearing and breaking so it is better to get the bigger reel.

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  11. Anonymous20 May 2013 at 12:26

    Hi Paul, I was down at the dam for 2 and a half days on spinner and worm didnt have much joy only caught a small pike!, My fly line didnt come friday but came today so i have what i need now to do a bit of fly fishing. Water was very low but i did see someone catch a couple of small brown trout there. Also saw a very large pike in near bank with my polaroids which was chasing a fish.

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  12. Paul Hanley20 May 2013 at 17:26

    Hi Keith, we'll have to wait for some rain before the dam will release any more water, in the late evenings the salmon will move up the beats towards the dam and sometimes they will head and tail as they are moving from one pool to another. You have to use small flies to catch them in such low water and a tapered leader will give the fly more life and not get stuck up as will happen with the sink tips. Regards Paul.

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