Looking downstream from the Laune Bridge
Looking upstream from the Bridge
Downstream from Beat 1
The sign heading down to Beat 2 from the Bridge
The water level was at 2.38m when I arrived at the river but the clarity was good so it was looking promising for a good days fishing. Heading up to beat 1 I met some of the regular opening day anglers and saw a few kelts throwing and even a few being caught and released from the far bank. The main bank was quiet with only the odd pull from a kelt but no takers. I headed down river and fished for awhile with spinner due the water height and lack of access to virtually any water for fly fishing. Heading down to the bridge I was just about to fish the lower beat when I came upon a sign saying no access due to eroded bank and again when heading up stream on the right bank the water and access was blocked and very little effort if any to clear a path along the river. We pay thirty euros for a day's fishing with very little access to the majority of the river and even the parts that have access are over grown and not managed. In reality I should have asked for a refund, I headed home at lunch time not even bothering to check if there was any news of a fresh fish being caught. Next year a definite change of venue.
Looking up to Beat 1
Looking down to the Bridge
The field next to the river
I'll wait till February 1st before I venture out again because at least I know I have good access to the River Lee and the Blackwater for a day's fishing.
nice photos, pity about the absence of fish, what happened the 'iron man'marker out in the lake has it fallen over?
ReplyDeleteThat fell in about 3 years ago after one of the storms. The base is still there but the rest is scattered nearby..With that water level any fresh fish will just run straight through, its just a pity the bank wasn't maintained and cut back for þhe opening day.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul, been following your posts for the last few years...big fan, and great videos by you. The situation with regards to Beat 1 & 2 of the Laune is laughable to say the least. Doesn't warrant paying that price for opening day permit, when the paths and banks aren't maintained very well. The IFI removed...yes, removed foot bridges from beat 2 a year or two ago...I chased them up on it, as I thought they ha been vandalized...turns out they removed them, as they posed a risk from a Health & Safety standpoint...Ironically, it's even more dangerous now, as they left the pieces of the foot bridges scattered everywhere, for anglers to trip over...makes no sense! I live nearby and have been a season permit holder of beat 1&2 for the past 2 years now...seems like late Feb / early March when fresh fish get caught nowadays on the Laune...Tight Lines for the rest of season.
ReplyDeleteIts a pity about the maintenance issue but years ago the local anglers did some work in return for a few days fishing, things like that should be looked into as well as reducing the January permit price. The lake just above the entrance to the river is full of silt and needs to be removed as well as beat 1 down the center has also shallowed up with silt. If they are getting salmon on the Flesk it proves they are still running through in reasonable numbers.
DeleteWord going around that the first fresh fish of the year was caught in Flesk in late January, so it shows that they are running through the Laune...We will need the Laune to drop abit, too give us a chance of meeting a fresh fish resting, on it's way up to the Lakes...
DeleteThat's true and also a good high tide preferably mid morning.
Deletei fished there with my father over 50 years ago, it was deeper up at the top back then and the fish stopped before going into the lake, even in very high water when the 'iron man'was nearly covered loads of salmon caught there, but the opw messed about with it putting in rocks and it all changed now too shallow,
ReplyDeleteIts true about it being shallow now and full of silt, I fish all along that shoreline and towards Brown island in a boat and its shallow most of the way. The big storms have moved alot of silt into the river and along the exit from the lake there needs to be some work done there as well. As for salmon we know that they are in steady decline but they are still running through and being caught in the lake and the Flesk early in the season but as you said not in the numbers of past seasons.
ReplyDelete