fishing Ireland 2023

 Well it's all a load of balls........ foam balls to be precise..Look at the video below of water height etc....

The dam was discharging a huge amount of water way higher than I've seen it in a long time.. The three sills were open adding large volume and speed to the water. I had fished it hard for a few hours without any action, not seeing any fish head and tail or even jump. I was using my Abu 10 to 30gr rod with a 5000 penn spinning reel loaded with hi viz 12kg braid and a black/silver size 5 flying C.

 I hit the fish from the far side and all panic ensued, knowing it was all or nothing I had tightened the drag to almost full tension knowing that I couldn't let it get below me and with barbless hooks in that height of water it would be practically impossible to bring it back up. I played the fish hard even for me this was just full brakes on and bully it back over to calmer water. I estimate the fight was all of 5 minutes, I was allowing the fish to move upstream but as soon as it tried to go down clamping on and with loads of low side strain forcing it back up into the current. I saw an opportunity as the fish rolled on its side and pulled it in to the bank and beached it on some grass, holding the fish by the tail it was over. I rested for a few seconds looking at the salmon, bar of silver, sea lice, hatchery fish and a multi spawner. It was short and stumpy about 11lbs weight appropriately. I fumbled in my pocket for my phone and was trying to get the bloody thing open for a video release when it fell into the river, grabbing for the phone the fish sensed my hand relaxing and jumped and bucked like mad shooting through my legs to freedom, it wasn't to know that it was being released anyway but I missed my chance for a video release and photo. Luckily I was able to get the phone back but it was wet, it's not waterproof so I spent ages drying it out and it seems okay so far. We'll I'm off and running even slightly earlier than last year, hopefully it's the start of another good season and here's hoping for a brown tag. Unfortunately video wouldn't upload on blogger go to my MrKingfisher3 Facebook page to view short video.