"Location, location, location is the key to success. You cannot catch fish without first finding them. With wild fish or mature stocked fish, presentation comes second to location, and is even more important than fly pattern." These are the tried and tested words of Dennis Moss, author of Trout from a Boat, a new and fascinating book that's aimed at the game-boat angler.
Dennis Moss is an intelligent angler who refuses to be drawn into the willy-nilly approach to boat angling. Instead, he adapts a logical approach to each outing. "Unless we locate feeding fish, we are wasting our time, no matter what tackle we use," he said.
With a background in the tackle trade, his fishing career started on the English stillwaters of Rutland, Grafham, Pitsford and Blagdon, where he mastered boat fishing. A chapter devoted to reservoir fishing will appeal to the many anglers who specialise in stocked fisheries that are popping up all over Ireland.
Before launching into his real passion, Moss explains in great detail the practicalities of boatfishing - the basics, lines and leaders, hooks and choosing the right flies. He then provides a wonderful account of his approach to successful salmon and sea-trout fishing on his beloved Carrowmore and the Scottish Hebrides.
I must have read the last nine chapters on Irish lough fishing at least three times. I was bowled over by his intelligent, logical, cool and clear advice for all situations.
This is his real passion. "Boat fishing for brown trout on the Irish limestone loughs gives me the most pleasure of all. It is without question my favourite piscatorial pursuit," he said.
I particularly liked his adaptations to the seasonal changes. Eight wonderful weeks during April and May provide the best fishing on the western limestone loughs. The three main insects are: the buzzer, closely followed by the olive and finally the mayfly. Moving on to summer fishing, Moss is keen to dispel the belief that trout become hard to catch after the mayfly.
Fishing the back-end towards late summer and the chase is on for the open water daphnia-feeding trout. "If I had to choose colours for successful wet fly patterns, it would be claret, yellow, green, ginger and brown. I try to avoid the trap of naming an endless succession of wet fly patterns . . . adding to the confusion of which fly to use on a specific day," he said.
Trout from a Boatis a gem and a must for all game anglers. I guarantee that even the most experienced angler will benefit from reading this book. Moss is a regular contributor to Trout & Salmon magazine and now lives in Co Galway close to Lough Corrib. The book retails at €20 and is available from bookshops or at www.merlinunwin.co.uk
• A new pike fishery for fly enthusiasts has opened in west Cork under the ownership of Leslie Payne, an inspector with the South Western Regional Fisheries Board. Shreelane Lake (known locally as Sheperton Lake) is located off the main Cork road, some three miles from Skibbereen.
The lake is up and running as a summer rainbow trout fishery and Payne envisages a successful winter pike fly-fishing season having researched this facet of the sport. "The idea arose from UK angler Tim Rules, who has caught many pike on fly including one of 10.3kg in April," he said.
Fishing is confined to two boats and no bait fishing is allowed and lures only in exceptional cases. "We are hoping that fishing groups will make a weekend of it in west Cork," Payne said. Further details are available at www.swrfb.com
• Reminder: The one-day fly-fishing course with Glenda Powell at Ballyhass Lakes, Mallow, Co Cork, takes place on Saturday, November 10th. There are still a few places left. E-mail: info@ballyhasslakes.ie or call 087-944 9917.
• The first heat of the Scierra winter league at Annamoe Trout Fishery in Co Wicklow produced a credible 81 trout, with several fish over 2.5kg. Fourteen anglers competed in the four-hour session. "At 13 degrees, the water temperature was at optimum for rainbow trout," said proprietor Brian Nally.
Results: 1, T Francis (Wicklow), 13 fish; 2, D Wilkes (Dublin), 13f; 3, P Noonan (Tipperary), 9f. To enter remaining heats, call 086-259 8563.
• Ballin Lough in Co Mayo produced 72 rainbows up to last Tuesday, and 63 were released. The most successful flies were Green Peter, Octopus and Green Montana. To book a boat, contact Mrs Gill on 098-26128.