Shannonbridge Fishing Report … Dated 22^nd May 2006.

Heavy rains on Sunday 14^th May and again on the following weekend have caused the river level to rise considerably. From a level of 2.7metres on Sat 13^th, the river level has risen to 3.15M on Thurs 18^th, 3.25M on Fri 19^th, 3.48M on Sat 20^th and 3.50 metres on Sunday 21^st. The Peter Howes party of 16 Anglers started fishing a backwater on Sat 13^th May sitting on their baskets on the bankside. On Friday 19th their last day fishing they fished the same swims and the water was up to their knees. Boat traffic on the River Suck from Shannonbridge to Ballinasloe is having problems. One is on account of the low railway bridge on route and the other problem is inadequate markings of the river when the level rises. Who cares?

John Phillips from Wales finished his two weeks holiday by fishing on the River Suck on 15^th May and using feeder and maggot in wet and windy conditions he had a bag weighing 17.5 Lbs of hybrids to 2 lb and roach o 1.5lb.Many fish were busy spawning. On his final day 16^th May John fished at Correen on a very windy day and again used maggot and feeder to catch a large mixed bag of bream and roach for a good finish. His companion Simon Preece fished alongside and also had a good mixed bag including a 2lb hybrid.

Roy Williams from The Isle of Man fished the Grand Canal on 13^th May on a fine day and used the pole and maggot to catch 20lb of bream, rudd and one tench which he described as excellent afternoon fishing. His companion John Millington fished alongside and had over 20lb of pike eel and roach using pole and maggot.

The next day they fished at Abbeyshrule in bad weather and again used pole and maggot. Roy Williams caught 64lbs of tench which he described as brilliant fishing. John Millington alongside caught 15 tench that averaged 4.5lbs.

Harlmoun Mujust from Germany holidaying on a cruiser recorded that while pike fishing on Lough Ree he caught two pike each measuring over one metre fishing in the rain using a blinker / lure. One fish was so badly hooked it had to be killed while the second pike was returned alive.

Charles Kellett fished at Devenish Island on 15^th May in the wind and used red maggot and feeder to catch 25lbs of roach and hybrids. Best fish 2lbs.

On the 18^th May Charles fished the Brosna mouth in the rain and used caster and feeder to catch roach skimmers and hybrids that weighed over 42lbs with some fish weighing 3lbs.

Lloyd from Birmingham fished the River Blackwater, a local tributary of the River Shannon, at the bridge and used a stick float on the trot to catch some beautiful roach.

He commented “not a carp to be seen – real fishing”

Only some of the Peter Howes party recorded their results but Peter promised a copy of his holiday article in the North Hampshire Gazette which hopefully I can share with you.

Edward Rawlings, Basingstoke, fished their favoured backwater on 13^th May in fair weather and used pole and caster to catch 19 tench that weighed 102lbs.Peter Howes used feeder, worm and caster to catch 125lbs of bream. On their last day young Edward Rawlings stood in water over his knees and used pole worm and caster to catch 28 tench that weighed over 140 Lbs. Some of the tench weighed over seven pounds.

On the 15^th May Trevor Tneraut from Basingstoke fished Devenish Island on a sunny day and used a feeder and maggots to catch 37 lbs of hybrids and roach.

On May 17^th Graham Shadwell from Basingstoke fished the Cappaleitra backwater and used a feeder and worms to catch 38.5 lbs of bream and hybrids.

Craig Wright from Morehampton fished the Grand Canal at Belmont Bridge on 20^th May in sunshine and used red maggot to catch ten pounds of fish for a good day’s mixed bag.

The Peter Howes party were enquiring if there will be access to Bullock Island as there is a For Sale sign and fence on the way to this backwater.

Finally a boater was telling about a discharge on the River Suck near Ballinasloe last week and he described what he saw to a fishery official on the phone.

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