Ireland on the Fly

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 [email protected].

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

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

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 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 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 [email protected] 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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