ANGLING NOTES: ANGLERS ALWAYS rally in support of fundraising efforts towards worthwhile charities.
Their monetary assistance at local and national level, whether by way of fundraising competitions or donations, is phenomenal, and is greatly appreciated by each respective organisation. While the assembly area for most of the 126 anglers is Ross Castle, my starting point is Sweeney’s Shore, near Fossa on the Killorglin Road, where a further 10 boats depart. I meet Seán Sweeney. “I was born and reared here, and have seven boats for hire,” he says. Ironically, the area is named after him. I am drawn with Shane O’Mahony, an enthusiastic and brilliant angler who knows the area extremely well. Conditions are good with gusty winds and intermittent cloud cover as we explore Fossa Shore, the River Laune inflow and Sweeney’s shoreline. The Bibio, Black Jungle Cock, Connemara Black and Orange Grouse are much in evidence and we meet plenty of fish, landing eight, of which my three are counters. Late in the afternoon we are reawakened as a salmon grabs Shane’s Bibio fly and takes off at blistering speed around the boat and under the boat, all the time testing the 6lb (2.7kg) line to the full. All of 15 minutes pass before the fish is lifted into the boat.
A quick check tells us the 9lb (4kg) salmon is, in fact, a kelt (or slat) and it is hastily returned unharmed.