Patience pays for Ken on Blackwater
Carlow man Ken took up angling when his very promising rugby career — he achieved a junior international cap with Leinster — came to an abrupt end with a severe leg break.
Ken owns Douglas Jewellers Shop in Carlow Town, where he now takes a back seat to his son Ivan.
His angling career started 60 years ago. A nearby shop owner suggested he should take up angling at the end of his rugby career, and he joined him going fishing. ! Ken has since travelled far enjoying his pastime. Angling trips have taken him to Russia, Canada and Iceland.
Ken’s best salmon a 29lb fish, was caught 30 years ago, when he was spinning on the River Nore.
Last week on the Blackwater, Ken started fishing at 9.30am and despite seeing a lot of salmon, none were taking up until his fateful cast at 5pm. The huge salmon put up a great fight over 20 minutes.
Elsewhere there were three fish landed from Beat 1, River Laune averaging 7lbs all caught by visiting anglers.
The Laune Salmon Anglers’ waters is again in great condition for all methods of angling and there have been a lot of fish caught, some sizeable, with nice fat grilse being caught regularly.
Allen Griffin, Tralee had the best fish of the week with a sea-liced fish of 15.5lbs.
Paul Connors. Billy Cotter, Tony and Paul Murphy, Garry Fernane, Sean O’Sullivan, Billy Downes and Michel Bertrand all had fish on various methods.
Michel’s fish came on the first day of his angling holiday on the Laune.
A lot of fish have been seen running the river and a lot of the fish caught are salmon.
The River Bandon saw 16 salmon landed for the week, best 14.5lbs by a local angler fishing worms in the “Bog”. No sea trout catches as water levels too high.
19 salmon landed for the week mostly on shrimp, averaging 6lbs each. The bye-law prohibiting the use of shrimp in the South-West came into effect on the September 1.
Ilen River — 10 salmon landed for the week, best 8lbs by a syndicate member on worms. Coomhola River — four salmon landed for the week by club members, best 6lbs.
Most popular angling method worms. Ouvane River — eight salmon landed for the week.
On Lough Currane last weekend, Kevin Coleman, fishing with gillie Tom O’Shea caught two sea trout best 2.5lbs, all on fly.
A guest fishing with gillie Mike O’Dwyer, caught three juniors and Mike saw an angler catch a fine sea trout in the 3lb class out at The Sisters. Peter Purcell, Dublin, caught a fine 3lb sea trout.
Last Friday, James Henderson, director of the River Nith Fishery in Scotland caught a fine 4lb grilse on the fly, fishing with his good friend, Dr Paddy Gargan, of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
On Tuesday, David Pinsett, Sydney, caught a fine 2lb sea trout, and his son, Hugo, finished their day off with another fine fish.
With water levels finally settling on the River Moy, anglers enjoyed an improvement in conditions and catches in the past week, resulting in a reported catch of 221 salmon, bringing the season’s total to date to 8,099.
Water levels are now suitable for all methods, and anglers are reminded that as of September 1, if the daily bag limit of one salmon is reached, angling is only permitted using catch and release methods.
Young anglers, Owen and brother Harry Jackson, aged 12 and 11, enjoyed an excellent week’s fishing on the Ballina Salmon Anglers’ water and Byrne’s Fishery.
Owen caught six, releasing two of those while Harry landed four, returning one. Their best fish was 7lbs which was released, all fish taken on the spinner or worm.
