Ireland on the Fly

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 is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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 [email protected].

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 is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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 is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.irelandonthefly.com