ANGLING NOTES:IT IS abundantly clear why Mount Falcon received the highest accolade as the AA Hotel of the Year. The estate oozes charm and hospitality and the fishing is top notch too.
Angling Notes attended a recent gathering of 17 media hacks to test their angling prowess in a fun competition on the trout lake in the 100-acre estate and to try for a salmon on the exclusive two-mile section of the River Moy.
Weeks before our arrival Inland Fisheries Ireland-Ballina generously put over 200 rainbows into the lake to supplement existing stock and Mount Falcon staff did some weed-clearance to ensure a pleasant day’s fishing.
The four-hour competition was broken into sessions with competitors moving four pegs on the hour. The morning session was hectic with stewards “run off their feet” measuring and marking score cards. Cries of “fish, fish, fish” echoed across the lake.
Over lunch it emerged that Denis Goulding from Irish Angler's Digesthad set the bar at 22 fish. He seemed unstoppable. His nearest rival was Denis Coghlanof The Irish Times team with 14.
However, the afternoon was to prove a different story. Had the fish wised up? Had rain stopped play? Either way, they went off the boil. Flies were being changed at a rate of knots. Except for one angler.
John Buckley from Total Fly-Fishing, at the far end of the lake, moved into contention with a late run and went on to catch 17, all to a Zonker lure. This put him on level par with Goulding, with 28 fish each overall. However, John's fish were larger and he was duly declared the winner.
Later, after Prosecco, and a superb dinner in the Kitchen Restaurant, head chef Philippe Farineau received glowing compliments for his Mount Falcon dessert plate.
Prizes were of the finest. First prize was two nights B&B+2D and two days’ salmon fishing at Mount Falcon. Lough Inagh donated one night’s B&B+1D, and a day’s fishing with Colin Folan. Moy fishery manager Declan Cooke gave a day’s fishing on the Ridge Pool, Cathedral Beat and Ash Tree Pool.
On Sunday, six of the group fished the Wall Pool and Sandy Bank stretches on the Moy. What an experience. The river was “stuffed” with salmon. We accounted for about 25.
“It’s our best season for years. So far, we have recorded over 900 salmon,” said an elated Alan Maloney, proprietor of Mount Falcon.
Many thanks to all at Mount Falcon for a memorable weekend. Contact 096-74472 and info@mountfalcon.com
** In reference to the letter regarding Lough Lene in last week’s Angling Notes, I wish to retract my suggestion that the Flextec competition held on that day was involved in the complaint. This was incorrect on my part.
I also wish to confirm that the shore referred to was not the one from which the Flextec competition was run.
The Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association, which hosted the competition, has been running competitions on Lough Lene for many years in association with Lough Lene Anglers Association and has never had a problem in relation to litter or damage to property.
Terry Brown from Belfast fished the Bunowen River at Louisburgh, Co Mayo, recently and landed a magnificent hen salmon on a Wilkinson Shrimp. Before releasing, Terry measured the fish at 39ins. On a Northern Ireland Fisheries Board scale reading, this equated to 10.7kg (23.5lb).
“I have fished the Bunowen for 35 years and it’s the biggest fish I have ever caught,” he said.
angling@irishtimes.com