Wicklow 20/03/10 - something completely different

Fair play lads,

was only in the hills on sunday scoping out some spots

Looks like a good day- going to do the same myself this weekend!

good fishing lads

[marky]

From the photos those salmon are spawned out kelts, and they would be physically pretty knackered not having eaten much for several months, and then spawned.
That would explain their inability to put up much resistance.

Good sign for the future to see a few spawners around!

Beautiful trout.

there was a great program on rte called wild tours which showed the whole journey of the salmon ,and your so right they are completely knackered after they have spawned. great program .

Last edited by marky on Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

Norman is right, definitely a kelt on the way back to sea after spawning. The Avoca system (although closed for Salmon, and sea trout under 30cms and over 40cms at the moment) has better runs of Salmon than it is given credit for. I saw images of two kelts, caught and released like yours Alby, this time last year that would have weighed 10 pounds+ when fresh run.

My best trout out of the river was 1.lb 2.oz, caught about 10 years ago in April.

That same spring while wading and fly fishing a pool a Salmon jumped twice in the pool below me. Five minutes later I looked down and there was the fish about seven pounds weight resting right beside my leg at knee level not bothered by my presence at all, quite a memory.

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Funny you say that Ashley, I've heard of a number of Kelts being caught just after Trout season opened for the last 3 years. The beauty of it is they were in several different river systems.

This report was being discussed in my local fishing shop today....

Can someone please correct me if I;m wrong- if the river is closed for salmon you are not allowed fish with worms or spinners?....this is what I was told ?

This report was being discussed in my local fishing shop today....

Can someone please correct me if I;m wrong- if the river is closed for salmon you are not allowed fish with worms or spinners?....this is what I was told ?

Part right, part wrong. The river is closed for Salmon, but fishing worms & spinners is permitted, it said so on my licence! Salmon caught as bye catch when targetting trout & released, no issues

Interesting Alby...It states now worms or spinners if river is closed to salmon fishing on my state license?

I wouldnt mind getting some clarification on this? I looked up some government sites and it said the same. Was your license just a day pass from a club?

From CFB..

"CLOSED TO ANGLING FOR ALL SALMON AND FOR SEA TROUT OVER 40CM AND OPEN TO ANGLING FOR SEA TROUT UNDER 40CM

* Rivers Dee, Glyde and Flurry (Dundalk).
* Rivers Dargle and Vartry (Dublin)
* Rivers Slaney, Avoca and Owenavarragh (Wexford)
o Avoca is catch and release for sea trout under 40cm
o There is a bag limit of two sea trout under 40cm per day on the River Slaney

In the rivers, that are open (when the bag limit has been reached) or where catch and release applies or where fishing for sea trout under 40cm in a closed river;

* There is a ban on the use of worms
* Anglers must use single, barbless hooks
* Fish must be returned alive to the water
* Any fish (all species) foul hooked must be returned to the water alive
"

Nice catch BTW but personally I would not have handled a kelt, many many months without food and on its way back, what they do not need to do is to pose for a photo ...

If you intend on C & R Salmon be they should not be handled at all .....

was only chatting to a friend about hitting a river soon! what tackle/bait were you using as im completley clueless to this tye of fishing? any other good spots in and around were you can get day passes?