Ireland on the Fly: Recent Episodes
LastCast Media
The Ireland on the Fly podcast is about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
From salmon and sea trout to brown trout, bass and pike, the show looks at the future and tradition of the sport.
Visit the show page at: https://www.irelandonthefly.com
Contact the show at: info@lastcastmedia.com.
This Saturday, September 9th, is International Women’s Fly Fishing Day, a worldwide initiative to encourage more women to take up fly fishing and for fly anglers around the world to show support for women fly anglers as well.
Wherever you are in the world, women are asked to post photos on social media at 11am showing themselves enjoying fly fishing and already in its fourth year, it’s hoped it’s a day that will grow and grow.
But did you know that an Irish female fly angler is one of those behind the project? Maddy Kelly is an Irish international angler who teamed up with Pamela Dunlap from West Virginia to form a truly international initiative and we spoke to them about the day and how the obstacles to women in fly fishing are finally breaking down.
To find out more, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/573597536965118
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Fulling Mill Competition
If you’re a fly tyer or want to get into fly tying then this is for you….
Ireland on the Fly are partnering with Fulling Mill to give away a box of fly tying materials – with free shipping – to one lucky listener each week for the next twelve weeks……
Known for producing world class fishing flies—including ranges from the likes of Davie McPhail, Jackie Mahon, Ronan Creane and our very own Tom Doc—Fulling Mill has been perfecting the art of fly tying for decades.
And they are now launching their NEW range of Fly Tying Material including Marabou, Bucktail and Zonker Strips to Dubbings, Chenille, Yarn & Wool, it’s a complete offering….and each item is processed and packed by hand, ensuring it arrives in perfect condition….
With fly tying season around the corner, what are you waiting for?
Their products are available online and in-store from your local Fulling Mill dealer, so check it out at FullingMill.co.uk….
So, to be in with a chance of winning the £50 worth of materials, just answer the following question:
‘Name one of the Irish Fulling Mill Signature Tiers…..’
Email your answer to info@lastcastmedia.com and we will pick a weekly winner for the next twelve weeks….
For full Ts&Cs click here.
Get full access to Ireland on the Fly at www.irelandonthefly.com/subscribe
There’s no two ways about it, but 2023 has been a tough year for salmon anglers.
Between trying to deal with extremes of wet and heat, and then when conditions did come good, the numbers of fish arriving were far below expectations.
It’s easy to blame climate change and what’s going on out in the oceans, but what about some of the impactful actions we can take closer to home and what kind of positive effects can it have?
Conor Arnold previously told us about increased salmon numbers in the Baltic, so, can anything be done here in Ireland?
Mark McAndrew is a passionate fly angler and conservationist who, in his own time, has decided to see what he can do and how he can help through the Liffey Salmon project and he joins us on this week’s Ireland on the Fly to discuss the attempts to restore the salmon back to the River Liffey.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes onApple PodcastsorSpotify.You can also get regular updates onInstagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
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Continuing our focus on competitive fly fishing, on this week’s Ireland on the Fly we’re joined by Dec Conlon, the captain of the 2023 Irish fly fishing team that is travelling over to Slovakia for this year’s FIPS Mouche World Championships from 12th-18th September.
Dec gives a very honest assessment as to why Irish teams haven’t featured in the medals at the Worlds and what can be done to fix it, plus he has some brilliant stories and insights from the Championships and what it’s really like……
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also sign up for our newsletter on www.IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
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Winning any kind of gold on the international scene fly fishing for Ireland is quite an achievement, but the Ireland Youths have done it three years in a row now, capturing their third consecutive title this month against England, Scotland and Wales.
It’s also the first time this has been achieved and so for this week’s episode we catch up with their captain, Eanna O’Leary, and coach, Denis Goulding, to find out the secret to their success.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also sign up for our newsletter on www.IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
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Despite the current doom and gloom, the one thing you can’t fault salmon anglers for –and especially younger salmon anglers – is their enthusiasm for the sport.
Johnny Casey and Yamil Turcuman were two recent guests whose love of salmon was infectious and likewise, this week’s guest, Cian O’Boyle, who fishes on the Moy and Owenmore regularly throughout the season and is no stranger to landing salmon judging by his videos on social media, joins us on this week’s show.
Cian tells us about his fishing exploits as well as some of his tips for consistent catches, plus he has some thoughts on getting young people into the sport as well.
A youths event worth highlighting is taking place on 16th August and it is being run by the East Mayo Anglers Association who want all interested boys and girls to come along to try out salmon and trout fishing. Find out more at eastmayoanglers.com.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also sign up for our newsletter on www.IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
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This week we’re turning our attention back to salmon. It’s been a very tough year to say the least, not helped by the weather conditions, and a dramatic fall-off in the numbers of returning salmon, so will the grilse run give us hope for what’s left of the summer or are we just clutching at straws?
Conor Arnold is a guide and casting instructor on the Blackwater and he paints a stark picture of this season in sobering terms.
However, he’s also trying to do something about it and he explains what he hopes to gain from meeting politicians and ministers and why he’s not ready to throw in the towel just yet.Plus he gives some insights from what can be learned in Denmark and Sweden who have been pro-active and helped increase salmon numbers there.
For fly fishing and casting instruction, you can contact Conor on ConorArnold.com.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Get full access to Ireland on the Fly at www.irelandonthefly.com/subscribe
This week on Ireland on the Fly, we’re speaking to Dan O’Neill who guides on the River Nore to tell us more about the fabulous brown trout fishing to be had on the river, plus Dan gives us some insights into what it’s like trying to make a career out of fly fishing in this country.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
With Tom recently returned from his busman’s holiday on the Orkneys, what better time to record another bucket list episode, this time focusing on the brown trout fishing to be had in the northern Scottish islands.
On this episode you’ll hear from some of the guides and boatmen that Tom met and fished with during his stay and relive the frenetic action that he saw on the lakes each day.
Plus, find out more about the landscape and history of the Orkneys and why Tom describes it as brown trout heaven.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
This week we’re focusing on salmon and speak to two young anglers who travel around Ireland and abroad in pursuit of their favourite fish.
Johnny Casey and Yamil Turcuman not only catch salmon regularly but are also willing to try new methods to do so and will be revealing some of the secrets of their success on the show.
Plus, Tom is back from the Orkneys and gives a taste of what the fishing was like on the island.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
This week it’s the second part of our fascinating Book Club interview with Kirk Wallace Johnson, the author of the best-selling, The Feather Thief, about the heist of bird feathers from the British Natural History Museum by an obsessive American fly tier.
Johnson comes across the story whilst fly fishing in Texas and looking for a new direction in his life after suffering from PTSD due to time spent in Iraq with USAID.
He details how he followed the story bit by bit, uncovering the sometimes nefarious online world of classic fly tiers, which ultimately led to him confronting Edwin Rist, the man behind the heist.
Continuing our conversation, Kirk explains why he chose not to reveal the name that Rist now goes by………
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
We’ve a special book club episode this week for you – and indeed over the next two weeks – as we speak to Kirk Wallace Johnson, author of the acclaimed, best seller, The Feather Thief.
For those of you not aware of the story or the book, all I can say is go read it – and I’m sure after listening to the interview with Kirk you’ll be even more interested in it as it’s a story about a crime heist involving the fly tying world, and specifically those tiers wanting to get their hands on extremely rare feathers from the 19th century.
As for the Irish angle? Well, there is of course the Irish influence on fly tying in the 1800s, and in the context of the crime investigation, it was an undercover PSNI officer who first became aware of the stolen swag that was being offered to the fly tying world.
Prior to becoming obsessed with the story and writing the book, Kirk Wallace Johnson had discovered fly fishing as a therapeutic sport that helped him recover from PTSD after time spent in Iraq.
And it was while standing in a river in the US that he first heard about the fly tying robbery of the British Natural Museum and the thread of the Feather Thief began to unwind…..
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Last week saw the release of the EPA’s Water Quality report which provides an update on the water quality of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal, and groundwaters for 2022.
The main headline from it was the fact that there has been no improvement in water quality of rivers or lakes with nitrogen levels increasing in rivers overall and to find out more we spoke to Mary Gurrie, Programme Manager with the EPA who gave us more details from the report.
There has been a steady decline since 2012 she told us, which has been somewhat arrested in the last two years, however, farming and waste water are the key issues in the problem of water quality which must be addressed in the coming years.
You can read the EPA report at:
https://www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring--assessment/freshwater--marine/water-quality-in-2022-indicator-report.php
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This week we’re discussing Lough Arrow, which if the mayfly season is anything to go by, is on the up in terms of numbers and size of trout being caught there.
So, what’s behind the great catches so far this year, what can anglers expect for the rest of the season and is Arrow going to rival Sheelin in the long term as a high-profile fly fishing lough's destination?
Jackie Mahon, the fly tier and guide on the lough explains why he saw the good, the bad and the ugly on Arrow so far this year.
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For this week’s episode we’re joined by Paddy Gargan, the recently retired IFI fisheries scientist who has a wealth of knowledge about fish conservation, habitat restoration and stock numbers.
Paddy talks to us about the huge changes he has seen during his career as well as his own love of sea trout fishing and he lets us know about a book he is currently working on detailing the sea trout fisheries of Connemara.
Paddy is also asking for help from people who have any archive material relating to sea trout in Connemara – be it photos, catch records, stories, maps, anything that will help him in researching and writing the book.
If you have something that you think might be of help you can send it on to him at paddyggargan@gmail.com.
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Although it’s winter time it doesn’t mean you have to hang up your rods in the close season with a number of stocked fisheries around the country a great place to still catch fish - even if it is sometimes in near freezing temperatures.
But with stockies, it’s not just about chuck it out and pull em in as you’ll find out on our latest episode with Denis Goulding, a well-known Irish international angler who has fished for them for over thirty years and who also runs the winter bank league.
Denis gives us a bit of a masterclass in how to fish for rainbows and it’s well worth a listen.
As he says, just get out there, relax and go fishing on these fisheries over winter time, ‘they’re ready and waiting for you.’
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On last week’s episode we spoke to Eoghain Maclean, a ghillie on Scotland’s famed Loch Maree which has collapsed as a fishery since the arrival of fish farms.
We wanted a ghillie’s perspective on it to sound a warning as to what could happen to other fisheries in Ireland being similarly affected.
And now, as a follow-up, we have a bonus episode from Wild Fish, the UK fish conservation group, which made a video on the demise of Loch Maree.
You’ll hear from Jeremy Paxman, Eoghain Macclean and fishery scientists about the effects of sea lice on salmon and sea trout and how this has impacted what was once a jewel in the crown of Scotland’s lochs.
It has also happened before in Ireland with the sea trout fisheries in Connemara, and it can happen here again.
The audio is courtesy of www.wildfish.org and you can watch the video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AawqvXqIa5M&ab_channel=WildFish
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As fly anglers we have become all too aware of the environmental dangers and unwanted consequences of fish farming and what was once touted as an answer to more productive fish production has now been proved to be anything but.
Scotland is a case in point - the west coast of Scotland in particular, where salmon and sea trout runs have practically disappeared – much like what we’ve also seen with sea trout in Connemara.
Loch Maree was once the jewel in the crown for Scottish loch fishing but since the 1980s and the arrival of fish farms nearby, its fish numbers have been decimated.
So, for this latest episode of Ireland on the Fly we wanted to highlight how quickly a fishery can collapse, the effects on the fishing, the environment and the economy, whilst also finding out about some possible green shoots that are now emerging.
Eoghain Maclean has been a ghillie on Loch Maree all his life and has been outspoken about the damage that has been done to the loch from fish farming and so he joined us to give us his perspective on the changes that he has seen in his lifetime.
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
We wanted to start a bit of a book club here on the Ireland on the Fly podcast to discuss the best Irish fly fishing books and so, for this the 50th show, we’re beginning with an episode on Kingsmill Moore’s A Man May Fish, the seminal work on fly fishing in Ireland.
To help us give context and background to Kingsmill Moore, we spoke to Patrick Gageby, a barrister and fly angler who also co-wrote the foreword to an edition of O’Gorman’s The Practice of Angling in Ireland.
Patrick reveals some fascinating first-hand insights about Kingsmill Moore and the places he fished as well as how Moore’s background and legal career helped influence his writing of the book.
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
We wanted to start a bit of a book club here on the Ireland on the Fly podcast to discuss the best Irish fly fishing books and so, for this the 50th show, we’re beginning with an episode on Kingsmill Moore’s A Man May Fish, the seminal work on fly fishing in Ireland.
To help us give context and background to Kingsmill Moore, we spoke to Patrick Gageby, a barrister and fly angler who also co-wrote the foreword to an edition of O’Gorman’s The Practice of Angling in Ireland.
Patrick reveals some fascinating first-hand insights about Kingsmill Moore and the places he fished as well as how Moore’s background and legal career helped influence his writing of the book.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
It’s officially winter and that means, for many fly anglers, the longer nights will see the vice dusted down and plans made for new flies to be tied for next season.
On this latest episode of Ireland on the Fly, we hear from one of Ireland’s finest fly tyers, Jackie Mahon, to get some of the secrets to his fly tying success – and he tells us the extent he will go to for just to right shade of magenta!
Visit Jackiemahonfliesandguiding.com for more on Jackie’s guiding and flies to order.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
The 2022 salmon and trout season has come to a close and so, for this episode of Ireland on the Fly, we’re doing a review of the brown trout lakes around the country to find out how the fishing has been, what the conditions were like and, most importantly, what the catch numbers were on the different waters.
Paul Bourke is a name many of you might be familiar with through his forty plus years with Inland Fisheries Ireland as well as his monthly updates to Trout & Salmon magazine and we thought who better to give us the round-up of the Irish fly fishing season on the lakes just gone.
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Keith McDonnell is well known in this country for being one of the early advocates of streamer fishing and his many incredible catches are a testament to his skills and use of the tactic.
And having seen his pictures of 20lbs sea trout from a recent trip to Iceland we had to get him on the show to talk about the trip and the experience and to also find out how the 2022 season went for him overall…..
For more about the fishing near Reykjavik that Keith mentions, visit the website at svfr.is and can you can also visit StreamerFishing.com for more tips and advice on streamer fly fishing.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
With International Women's Fly Fishing Day held recently, for this latest episode of Ireland on the Fly, we wanted to speak to young Irish female fly anglers to find out about their love of fly fishing, how they got into it and what can be done to encourage more inclusivity in the sport.
Almha McDonnell and Rebecca Moffitt McGinn have progressed from the Irish youths teams to currently fishing on the senior Irish Ladies fly fishing team and have a wealth of knowledge and insights about the sport and are still just in their 20s.
They tell us about the importance of clubs in encouraging their early interest and how they quickly progressed onto youths and then senior international teams and how they hope they are recognised not just as female fly anglers but fly anglers instead.
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Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
We’re into the last few weeks of the salmon and trout season and for this week’s Ireland on the Fly, we’re joined by Peter Driver, founder of Piscari Fly in Kilkenny, and a highly accomplished trout angler who just recently captured the National River Championship.
Peter talks to us about the importance of mindset and mentality in enabling him to capture the national title, plus he talks tactics for September river fishing and how the 2022 season went for him.
Peter is also returning with his popular, weekly winter fly-tying on Facebook from 8th October so keep an eye out for those video demonstrations.
Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the latest Ireland on the Fly episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Plus you can sign up for our newsletter on IrelandontheFly.com and get regular updates on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
For this latest episode of Ireland on the Fly, we're focusing on, what some might say is a bit of an esoteric branch of the sport – tenkara - and the art of fishing on mountain streams with minimum line and no reel that first developed in Japan.
So, what is it, how does one do it and most importantly, how relevant is it to Irish waters?
David Anchell is a passionate fly angler in south Tipperary and knowing he was a keen advocate of tenkara, we decided to find out more from him and why it works so well on Irish mountain streams.
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This latest episode is a little bit different and a bit more far flung as I’ve recently returned from a week’s fly fishing for sea-run Arctic char in Greenland and what an experience it was.
You’re going to hear from the local Inuit, the Danish chef, the German camp manager and the Welsh guide to get an insight into what made the trip so special and what it’s like catching char in one of the remote fly fishing destinations in the world.
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One key aspect of the Ireland on the Fly podcast is to also bring you information and insights into the different fisheries around the country and so, every few weeks we will be bringing you episodes focusing on fisheries from those who know them best.
These fishery focus episodes will help anglers who are maybe thinking of visiting a new river or lough, to find out when it fishes well and where to get good information also
And if you want your fishery to be featured on future episodes then you can get in touch with us on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly
This episode is on the River Bandon in Cork and we speak to Jason Nash, who grew up fishing the river along with his father and grandfather and where he is now a guide and fisheries consultant as well.
Keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly
River Suir angler George McGrath got in touch about an issue that has energised him and many of you in the Irish fly fishing community in recent weeks in relation to weed growth in Irish rivers and lakes that has been as bad as many of you have seen it.
So, what’s going on? Who’s responsible and more importantly, what can be done about it?
George McGrath joins us to tell us what he has seen and fisheries scientist, Ken Whelan, gives his scientific explanation as to what is most likely the reason, plus who to contact and what pro-active measures can be taken to ensure that this problem does not go unaddressed
If you have seen similar weed growth and conditions that George McGrath has described, do get in touch with you LAWaters.ie.
Keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
This week’s guest is Garrett Fallon - someone who grew up in Ireland fishing the Boyne, Corrib, Deel and other rivers and lakes around the country but since the 1990s he has been in England working in publishing and design.
The last few years however has seen him combine his love of fishing, writing and publishing to create the very popular fishing quarterly magazine, Fallon’s Angler, which is dedicated to longform writing about every type of angling with the likes of Chris Yates and Kevin Parr featuring in each issue.
Garrett is also the son of Niall Fallon, an Irish Times journalist who wrote the well-respected Fly Fishing for Irish Trout in 1983 and we speak to Garrett about his father’s influence growing up, his own memories of fishing in Ireland and why Fallon's Angler has helped him find the soul of angling along the way.
Keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
The mid-summer St Johns Eve celebrations at the end of June signalled the traditional start of the sea trout run in Ireland and if you’ve read Kingsmill Moore’s A Man May Fish you’ll get some idea of just how magical and plentiful the sea trout fishing in Connemara once was.
So for this latest episode of Ireland on the Fly, we wanted to find out more about that time, what made it so special and just why it all collapsed so dramatically in the late 1980s and we spoke to Joe Creane, a lifelong Connemara fly fisherman who is now a guide on Lough Inagh.
Keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
It’s summer and while brown trout anglers might be taking a hiatus and salmon anglers complain of low rivers, these summer months are an opportunity to escape to the ocean in pursuit of a different type of silver – that of the sea bass.
Jason O’Riordan is a well known Dungarvan-based angler and guide with Mackenzie who throws a fly at pretty much anything that swims, including bass around the famous Copper Coast and he joins us on this week’s show to tell us more about the bass and how to catch them.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. Plus you can keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
To find out how the mayfly season went this year on Lough Sheelin, for this latest episode we spoke to Eamonn Ross from the Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association.
Eamonn describes it as a tough time for him on the lake with the better days coming at the start of the mayfly period while it was hard to get the trout to move for the fly, he says, unless it was right on them.
We also speak about Eamonn’s memories of Sheelin from the 1980s to its current popularity and he explains why it is so special and magical for so many fly anglers, especially during the mayfly.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. Plus you can keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Sunday June 5th was World Environment Day and to celebrate and raise awareness of the campaign, the IFI’s National Fisheries Habitat Development Manager, Declan Cooke, gave a webinar on ‘Habitat Restoration in Irish Rivers’.
As a bonus episode for Ireland on the Fly listeners, this is the audio from Declan's webinar which you can also watch in full at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAniQ2RZbBc
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. Plus you can keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly.
Darren Maguire is not just a good angler, he’s also the youngest captain of an Irish loughs team to date and for this episode, we spoke to Darren about his mentorship under his father, how he started guiding at the age of just 10 on Lough Melvin, and how his passion for the sport has remained undimmed since he first picked up a fly rod as a young boy.
At 33, Darren represents the next generation of fly anglers in Ireland and it is his enthusiasm for the sport that should serve as an advertisement for getting more kids and youth involved in the sport.
Rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from, plus you can keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com.
Paddy McDonnell is one of the most experienced guides and fly casting instructors who covers the Moy and North-West region and he joins us with some insights into the different aspects of the Moy system and tips on how to fish it……plus we delve a bit into the why rather than just the how of salmon fishing…..
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from, plus you can keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.
‘The mayfly is up’ – the four words that spark excitement and magic in a fly angler’s mind and it’s that time of year when the mayfly is now up on the jewel of Irish lakes, Lough Corrib.
So to get a taste of how the mayfly action has been so far this year and to find out why it’s such an important time – both culturally and economically - for local communities, we’re joined on this episode by Roy Peirce, the well-known angler, guide and owner of Grasshopper Cottage on the shores of the lake.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from, plus you can keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com.
For this latest episode we speak to Stan McArt, a hugely successful loughs angler who has been capped 29 times for Ireland and at 78 is still going strong on the competition scene.
Stan talks about some of the highlights from his competition days and how new techniques and tactics have emerged from the meeting of other teams and other fly anglers, including the day when he first fished boobies for a wild brownie in Ireland and the reaction it received.
Stan’s passion and love for fly fishing also shines through so strongly and he says he gets as excited still about a day’s fishing as he did fifty years ago.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Paul Procter, the well-known UK river angler, whom you might recognise from his regular articles in Trout & Salmon magazine joins us on the latest episode of Ireland on the Fly.
Paul talks about his early fly fishing career as well as his tactics for early in the season on the rivers near him in Cumbria.
We also discuss the cross-over between lough and river fishing as well as the special place that is New Zealand for wild brownies.
Paul is also going to be speaking at the Irish Spring Angling Fair at Ardaire Springs at the end of this month with fly tying, fly casting and fly fishing talks all on at the fair.
Go to ardairesprings.com for tickets and more information.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
With the rivers around Ireland having opened since St. Patrick’s Day, this episode of Ireland on the Fly is with Tipperary’s George McGrath of Gundog and Fly YouTube fame.
George has fished for over fifty years on the River Suir and he gives us an insight into what works for him on the water, plus he laments how wet fly fishing has fallen out of vogue in recent years in favour of a culture of Euro nymphing and instant gratification.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
If you've been following the Inland Fishery Ireland news recently you will be aware of their digital publication of the 1902 Cork Salmon Flies collection.
These flies had been feared missing for over a century before the persistence and diligence of the late fly tyer and fly angler, Ted Malone, unearthed them in 2007 and was able to view them in person three years later.
Now the IFI have brought the collection of flies to the public via a digital publication with plans to bring the trout flies from the same collection to light later in the year.
We wanted to delve a bit deeper into the story to find out how the flies were rediscovered after over a hundred years and what is in the collection exactly and so we spoke to Shane O'Reilly from IFI who was involved in bringing the digital book together as well as Peter Kealey, a fly tier from Armagh, and friend of the late Ted Malone who was central to the Cork collection being recovered.
You can view and download the digital book here: https://fishinginireland.info/2022/fishing-updates/new-book-brings-long-lost-treasure-of-irish-angling-to-new-generations-around-the-world/
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
David McEvoy Fishery & Estate Manager at the Delphi Fishery joins us for this episode of Ireland on the Fly.
It’s a fascinating interview with someone who has a wealth of knowledge about salmon and also has some great insights into the success of the hatchery there.
David talks about the early days of Delphi under the guise of Peter Mantle, the collapse of the sea trout runs and how the salmon hatchery helped to bring new life - and anglers - to the Delphi Valley making it the renowned fishery it is today.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Pic: DelphiLodge.ie
Shane Gallagher from the Drowes Fishery joins us on the latest Ireland on the Fly podcast as we get an early season salmon report from the Drowes.
We speak to Shane about the first few weeks with springers being caught in January and February and we also discuss the effects of the lockdown on the fishery, as well as delving into the history of the Lareen estate and find out how about the blank days from the record books in the 1900s.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
It's a new episode for 2022 and the well known guide and fly angler from Lough Corrib, Tom Doc Sullivan, has joined the podcast as co-presenter.
Tom brings his years of trout and fly fishing expertise to the show and will also give us some of his insights and advice for lough and river fishing along the way too.
For this latest episode, we're joined by Mike Keady, who hails from Galway and has been a former Irish international angler and team captain.
With Lough Corrib opening for the season on 15th February, Mike and Tom discuss early season tactics as well as the flies and set-up to use.
Plus, Mike delves into his time as a competition angler, detailing the work and preparation that goes into the elite level of fly angling and he also remembers some of the great wins the Ireland team had.
Don’t forget to rate, review and follow the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
After a bit of a hiatus, Ireland on the Fly is back for a one-off episode in the wake of COP26 In and the world’s attempts to try and halt climate change.
Renowned international fisheries scientist, Ken Whelan, spent the week in Glasgow as part of a delegation highlighting the plight of the Atlantic salmon in this changed world and I wanted to catch up with Ken to find out what the week was like, how much was achieved and just what a 1.5 degree increase in global temperature would mean for the future of the Atlantic salmon.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from and you can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
And my latest book on a year spent fly fishing around Ireland, called Haunted by Waters: A Journey into the Irish Countryside, is out now in all good bookshops and on Easons.com or Amazon.co.uk.
This latest episode was recorded as a video webinar in conjunction with the 2020 Virtual Irish Fly Fair which has been organising talks and fly tying demos online in place of the usual fair in Galway that was postponed.
I was joined by renowned fisheries scientist, Ken Whelan and well known guide and instructor Jason O’Riordan, from GameFishingIreland.com, as they discussed What Lies Beneath - the lough trout’s underwater larder and how to imitate it.
You can also view the video webinar itself at: http://irishflyfair.com/what_lies_beneath.html
And Jason and Ken will be back for a follow-up session next week when they answer any questions you may have in relation to the topic and you can email them to info@lastcastmedia.com.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Earlier in the year I caught up with the casting instructor and guide, Robert Gillespie, to find out more about his life and career in fly fishing.
Since then he has changed his career path as a chef, but he is still a mine of information when it comes to improving your casting and salmon angling, and for this follow-up interview I wanted to glean some nuggets from Robert around tactics and technique.
Robert places great emphasis on knowing the type of water you’re fishing, the light conditions and timing of the salmon runs, and listening to him speak you can’t help but come away with tips and advice that will definitely improve your fishing.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
This latest episode is one of my favourites…..earlier in the year when I spoke to the fly fishing historian and writer, Andrew Herd, about his monumental William Blacker trilogy, he had mentioned the Limerick born Edward Fitzgibbon aka Ephemera, whom he described as one of - if not the most - influential angling writers ever.
I had to find out more and so I caught up with Andrew to find out about the life and times of this often-forgotten Irishman who at the time of his death in London in 1857 was spoken of in the same breath as Izaak Walton.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
James Barry and Jason Nash are two prominent and successful anglers based in the south of the country and for this week’s Ireland on the Fly, I caught up with them to find how their 2020 season went.
Jason is based on the River Bandon with occasional forays for bass while James Barry fishes the Copper Coast with salmon fishing on the Suir.
They are both also fishery scientists and immersed in fly fishing with many successful catches throughout the season.
But reading the conditions, timing it right and putting in the hours are all important as they explain to me.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Monica Hayes has produced a six-part radio documentary series on the salmon for KCLR called Make Way for the King.
It is a documentary series that not only informs and motivates but also calls for action, in protecting and conserving the salmon population in the River Nore.
Monica spoke to scientists about the future of our iconic fish and also captured the memories of days gone by from local ghillies and anglers whom you’ll also hear from in this podcast episode.
Make Way for the King is a documentary of interest not just to salmon anglers but to those worried about protecting the fish and I spoke to Monica on the latest episode to find out more about the past, present and future of salmon on the Nore.
To listen to the full series visit KCLR96FM.com.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back next week with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Although we’re experiencing something of an Indian summer this week in September, the rains in August were anything but seasonal and I wanted to get some more insights and tips on how to approach high rivers at this time of year.
Keith McDonnell, aka Fluffchucker.com, is a recognised expert on streamer fishing in high waters - and the size of the fish he has caught this season is testament to that.
I spoke to Keith back in the Spring but this around Keith explained how you should be approaching high rivers in the summer and when you can be catching them on dry flies despite a flood. With two over 6lbs in the last few weeks, Keith is definitely worth listening to…..
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back next week with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
It’s been the strangest of summers what with the pandemic, lockdowns, and now reports that the salmon runs have been the best in years.
Was it because the rivers and lakes had been rested earlier in the year and do we need to preach caution that one swallow does not a summer make and that the decline in salmon stocks is still terminal?
Noel Carr, National Secretary with FISSTA, the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers, joins me on this week’s episode to discuss green shoots from the summer runs – which he describes as the most hopeful time for salmon in Ireland since 2007 - whilst also outlining the more deep-seated problems and threats that still exist in the fight for our wild salmon.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back next week with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
For this week’s Ireland on the Fly podcast, renowned fisheries scientist Ken Whelan explains the River Life in Ireland courtesy of a webinar from Limerick’s European Green Leaf Award and over the next thirty minutes or so, Ken places Ireland’s unique aquatic heritage in context.
He introduces us to the underwater animals and plants you can find as well as the threats they are facing.
“Look at the river in total, along the river bank, the canopy, the river corridor, and the interaction going on, rather just the river itself,” Ken says and advises what we - as citizens, farmers, volunteer scientists, and anglers - can do to help keep our rivers and streams healthy and productive.
To watch the full webinar including the question and answer session afterwards just go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7_IRIXAtJI
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back next week with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
For this week’s episode of Ireland on the Fly, I catch up with one of Ireland’s adopted sons, Peter Mantle of Delphi Lodge fame.
After success with setting up and running fishing lodges in Connemara and then the Bahamas, Peter has returned home to England to dry fly fishing on the River Test where he runs a much smaller enterprise called Chapel House.
I speak to Peter about the trials and tribulations of running a fishing lodge, the numerous obstacles he had to overcome and - most importantly - how he has succeeded despite it all.
From fish disease and fish farms, to recessions, hurricanes and even a global pandemic, nothing has deterred him and he has done it all with a wry sense of humour along the way.
Peter is forthright and honest about how he made it work, and the importance, above all, of the people you’re working and fishing with.
If you’re looking to add chalkstream dry fly fishing to your bucket list then check out ChapelHouse1841.com for more information.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the Ireland on the Fly podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram and I’ll be back next week with another episode about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Apologies for the radio silence in June and July which was due to an illness.
However, Ireland on the Fly is back up and running covering the people and places about fly fishing in Ireland.
This week’s guest is someone I’ve wanted to speak to for a while.
Robert Gillespie is an incredibly experienced salmon angler and instructor and having read his articles on his website RobertGillespie.Net, the depth of information and thinking that he brings to the sport is incredible.
He’s someone to listen and learn from.
For this episode we go into detail about Robert’s background and career and focus on casting matters, philosophy and approach and Robert tells me why he believes that the casting really is the fishing…..
You can also get in touch with Robert for casting lessons on flycastingmatters@gmail.com.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
You can also keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com as well as on Instagram.com/IrelandontheFly
With summer upon us and the next phase of Covid restrictions being lifted, I thought what better time to get some tips and advice on fishing for bass.
With some justification Ireland has become known as the bass Mecca of Europe and has regularly seen visitors from the UK, France and further afield visit these shores to fish for Irish bass.
But, are we in danger of exploiting these fish too much and just why is it getting harder to catch them?
For this week’s episode I speak to David Norman, a west Cork-based guide who has vast experience catching bass on fly and lure.
With a background in windsurfing and the navy, the call of the ocean has always been central to David’s life as I find out.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
This week’s episode is a short one as I speak to fisheries scientist Ken Whelan about a forthcoming webinar from himself and Jason O’Riordan on dry fly and night tactics for sea trout that is being run this Friday June 5th.
Ken and Jason’s courses have proven to be very popular the last few years and with the current Covid restrictions they’ve had to move online for the time being.
The courses are free but you have to register in advance by sending an email to Ken@KenWhelan.info and I asked Ken for more information on the webinar and his own love of sea trout fishing….
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
In this radio documentary, originally produced for Radio Kerry ten years ago I speak to some of Kerry's leading guides and find out if their way of life is in danger of being lost to modern habits and times.
As long as we have fish in the waters then people will seek to catch them and there will always be ghillies on hand to guide them. As the poet Paddy Bushe says, the imaginative is only reflecting the practical reality around us and one wonders if new myths and new annals will have to be written in half a century's time....
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
With restrictions starting to ease, many of us are making plans to get out onto local rivers or waters where possible and if you’re still not able to, well at least there’s fly tying, videos and podcasts like this one to keep you entertained…
On this week’s episode I speak to Ronan Creane, a Roundstone, county Galway native who became so obsessed with the brown trout fishing in New Zealand that he finally made the jump and moved there full time where he is now a highly successful guide.
Ronan speaks about his love of fly fishing in New Zealand as well as the sheer size of the brown trout and how to catch them.
It’s a fascinating insight into fly fishing that many of us can only dream about....
For more information and incredible pictures of trophy brown trout visit Ronan's website at RonansFlyFishingMissions.com
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
For this week’s episode of Ireland on the Fly, I speak to another fly fishing guide and instructor, Peter Driver.
Peter is a hugely experienced river angler based on the River Nore and has fished for Ireland on numerous occasions, starting back in 2001 when he was just 19.
He gives a fascinating insight into the level of competition and expertise required at the World and European levels and why we in Ireland have still so much to learn from the elites.
Peter also owns the Piscari Fly Tying company and we spoke about the increased interest and demand in fly tying and digital content since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
Tom Doc Sullivan is a well known angler and guide on Lough Corrib, based out of Cornamona at the far northern end of the lake.
I had the opportunity to fish with Tom a few years back and we made plans to wet a line again around duck fly time this year.
Of course, it wasn't to be and so, instead, I wanted to catch up with Tom to find out how the Covid crisis was affecting guides like him.
But I also spoke to Tom about growing up beside Corrib, how he first started guiding and ultimately, how you turn a passion into your life.
Finally, Tom looks ahead to what the rest of the season may hold and dreams about the evenings of night time buzzer fishing that he'll finally get to do in 2021....
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
While we can’t get outside much, enjoying nature is still an antidote to what we’re all going through right now.
That, and the thoughts of summer fishing and making plans for the trips to come.
For this week’s episode I speak to the English writer and angler, Tom Fort who has been in love with the River Suir since he was first introduced to it by Niall Fallon in the 1990s.
Tom returned to the Suir last September after a twenty year hiatus, realising what he had been missing out on all this time and has vowed to come back after the Cold-19 crisis is gone.
I speak to Tom about his new book, Casting Shadows, about fishing the Suir as well as his friendship with Niall Fallon, the well-known journalist, editor and angling writer who passed away in 1996
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
These are extraordinary times we’re living in and while we don’t know what the future holds, I do know it’s our passions and hobbies - such as fly fishing - that can help keep us sane.
Now more than ever we need nature, the outdoors and a return to what we hold most dear.
On this week’s episode, it’s all about streamer fishing and how and why you should be trying it and not just when the river is in flood.
Keith McDonnell, aka FluffChucker.com, is an advanced fly casting instructor based in Dublin who is now committed almost completely to the pursuit of big trout with streamers.
I spoke to Keith about how his passion for this method came about and also get some tips and advice if you're looking to try it.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
There’s still been no let up with the rain and storms and while some fishing is being done, it is very frustrating for the majority of us who have limited time to get out on the water.
But for this week I spoke to Glenda Powell to get the latest news from the Blackwater and fingers crossed, the river is coming into a fishable order. I also spoke to Glenda to find out about the IFI’s new Women Try Fishing Programme which is aiming to get more women into fishing.
Glenda is one of the instructors on the programme and I also asked her about the obstacles she had to overcome to rise to the top in such a male-dominated sport.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
So finally the Drowes has opened its account for the season with its first fish caught on Valentines Day, followed three days by later by one caught on the fly.
Despite the high water and horrendous conditions the odd angler is still persisting and occasionally being rewarded.
Spring salmon fishing is hard enough at this time of year without successive storms blowing in so well done to the 20 year old Nash McDaid for catching and releasing the fish.
I caught up with Shane Gallagher from the Drowes Fishery to find out more....
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
It’s still been a slow start to the salmon season for anglers - despite the first fish caught on Currane at the end of January by local angler, Kevin O’Shea - and with the country still recovering from Storm Dennis and many rivers unfishable, I thought this week would be a good time to step back a bit and hear about the story of Peter Mantle who, despite so many battles, obstacles and difficulties in his early years, built Delphi in Connemara up into one of the foremost salmon fisheries in Ireland.
Peter of course went on to found Delphi Bahamas but it was with Delphi in Connemara that he found such success initially.
This episode is based on an interview I did with Peter in his house a few years ago. It was the end of the season and Peter had come over to Ireland with his family for a few days r'n r. Despite having worked in the Bahamas in recent years and moving back to the UK, it was obvious he still loved both Delphi and Connemara with them holding a special place in his heart.
Peter is a natural raconteur and one can easily see why people invested in his Delphi dreams and also why the shared dinner table there became so legendary.
This is story is all about Peter Mantle, his story, in his own words of becoming the Irish Delphi oracle….
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
Famed fly fishing historian and writer, and author of a History of Fly Fishing amongst other titles, Andrew Herd, is this week's guest on the Ireland on the Fly podcast.
Andrew tells me about one of his most recent projects, The Blacker Trilogy, which details the life and flies of the 19th century County Wicklow fly tyer, William Blacker.
Blacker moved to England to make his name and fortune as a fly tyer in London and through his books and reputation, came to influence British fly tying for the remainder of the century and beyond.
Andrew tells me more about Blacker's life and legacy, why the influence of Irish fly tyers from the 1800s has been largely forgotten and gives an insight into his own fly fishing writing career.
For more books and information from Andrew Herd, visit Medlar Press.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
It’s part two of the story of the Railway Fishery and how the old Ballyduff train station in county Waterford became the famous Blackwater Lodge salmon fishery.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
We're into the last week of January and with still no news of a first salmon of the season caught, for this week's episode of Ireland on the Fly we're stepping back to bring you a documentary about the story of Blackwater Lodge.
When the old Ballyduff Railway station was closed in 1967, it was to enjoy a remarkable second life as a salmon fishing lodge when Ian Powell bought the building and salmon beats on the Blackwater.
This is story of the journey to make a fly fishing dream happen.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.
This first episode of Ireland on the Fly, the weekly podcast for all the latest news, reports and interviews on fly fishing in Ireland, gets an update on the River Drowes from fishery manager, Shane Gallagher.
Shane tells us how opening day went, conditions and angler numbers so far, plus he delves into the history and background of the fishery and how his father came to buy it in 1978 with a dream for making salmon angling available to all.
Ireland on the Fly is the podcast about the people and places of fly fishing in Ireland.
Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you’ll never miss a show and join Ireland on the Fly each week for all your fly fishing news and interviews.
Keep up to date on https://medium.com/ireland-on-the-fly and on Instagram @IrelandontheFly.
Ireland on the Fly is produced by LastCastMedia.