Ireland on the Fly

This week’s Ireland on the Fly is another book club episode with returning author, Dan O’Donovan, whom we spoke to previously about his book, The Salmon of the River Lee.

Dan has also written a very popular monograph on Sidney Spencer, who was a renowned angler and author on lough-fishing for salmon and sea-trout in the north-west of Ireland and the Western Isles of Scotland, and we speak to Dan about Sidney Spencer’s life and legacy and his love of fly fishing in Ireland.

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.

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Ireland on the Fly Early Season Buzzer Tactics MasterclassIf you’re interested in learning more about early season buzzer tactics, then Ireland on the Fly's very first Masterclass webinar might just be for you.International angler and Lough Corrib expert, Mike Keady, will be joining Daire & Tom at 8pm on Thursday March 14th for a one hour masterclass presentation on how to improve your catch rate with an emphasis on flies, tactics and set-up.Attendees will also have the opportunity to put questions to Mike during the live webinar, plus you’ll also get access to the recording of the session and a copy of Mike’s notes.Tickets cost just €10 and you must register and pay in advance by going to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2449749727158902364

If you’ve any questions you can also send an email to [email protected] or visit www.irelandonthefly.com/masterclass for all the details.

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

Some of you may recall the devastating fish kill that occurred last May on the Ballymacraven River in Ennistymon, Co. Clare. It is estimated that in excess of 2000 fish were killed in this incident. 

This culminated in a court case on February the 16th, taken by the I.F.I. where Uisce Éireann admitted liability for this event and were fined over €15,000. 

Tom spoke to Jane Gilleran who is an Environmental Fisheries Officer with the I.F.I. and represented them in these proceedings to find out about the background to the case and what is being done to prevent similar fish kills in the future.

Don’t forget you can call 0818 34 74 24 to report illegal fishing, water pollution or invasive species.

Listen & follow on Apple or Spotify:

 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.

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Ireland on the Fly Early Season Buzzer Tactics MasterclassIf you’re interested in learning more about early season buzzer tactics, then Ireland on the Fly's very first Masterclass webinar might just be for you.International angler and Lough Corrib expert, Mike Keady, will be joining Daire & Tom at 8pm on Thursday March 14th for a one hour masterclass presentation on how to improve your catch rate with an emphasis on flies, tactics and set-up.Attendees will also have the opportunity to put questions to Mike during the live webinar, plus you’ll also get access to the recording of the session and a copy of Mike’s notes.Tickets cost just €10 and you must register and pay in advance by going to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2449749727158902364

If you’ve any questions you can also send an email to [email protected] or visit www.irelandonthefly.com/masterclass for all the details.

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

John Lalor, the well-known Tipperary salmon and trout angler, joins us on the latest Ireland on the Fly podcast to talk about his fishing life on the River Suir and beyond.

John’s new book, ‘Fish Scealta: Game Fishing from Alaska to Lapland and the Swedish Arctic’ covers his remarkable fishing life beyond Tipperary covering many of the bucket list destinations we can only dream about – as well as some of his other favourite fishing locations in Ireland.

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.

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Ireland on the Fly Early Season Buzzer Tactics MasterclassIf you’re interested in learning more about early season buzzer tactics, then Ireland on the Fly's very first Masterclass webinar might just be for you.International angler and Lough Corrib expert, Mike Keady, will be joining Daire & Tom at 8pm on Thursday March 14th for a one hour masterclass presentation on how to improve your catch rate with an emphasis on flies, tactics and set-up.Attendees will also have the opportunity to put questions to Mike during the live webinar, plus you’ll also get access to the recording of the session and a copy of Mike’s notes.Tickets cost just €10 and you must register and pay in advance by going to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2449749727158902364

If you’ve any questions you can also send an email to [email protected] or visit www.irelandonthefly.com/masterclass for all the details.

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

Jimmy Tyrrell, the well-known fly tyer based outside Abbeyleix in Laois, joins us on this week’s Ireland on the Fly.

Jimmy talks about his fly fishing and fly tying journey from tying flies he could fish with on his local rivers to supplying shops and customers as far afield as Australia. 

And for those of you who want to know the perfect way to mix your dubbing, it involves a Chinese takeaway carton and an air canister so listen out for Jimmy’s fly tying tips and for more from Jimmy, check out his website at:

https://irishflycraft.com/

Plus, Tom has an update on the opening few days on Corrib and explains how he’s hoping to someday target ferox trout on the fly.

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.

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Ireland on the Fly Early Season Buzzer Tactics MasterclassIf you’re interested in learning more about early season buzzer tactics, then Ireland on the Fly's very first Masterclass webinar might just be for you.International angler and Lough Corrib expert, Mike Keady, will be joining Daire & Tom at 8pm on Thursday March 14th for a one hour masterclass presentation on how to improve your catch rate with an emphasis on flies, tactics and set-up.Attendees will also have the opportunity to put questions to Mike during the live webinar, plus you’ll also get access to the recording of the session and a copy of Mike’s notes.Tickets cost just €10 and you must register and pay in advance by going to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2449749727158902364

If you’ve any questions you can also send an email to [email protected] or visit www.irelandonthefly.com/masterclass for all the details.

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 we’re joined by Dave O’Donovan, the Cork-based international angler who loves nothing better than fishing his local Awbeg and Funcheon rivers.

With most of the rivers in Cork and Kerry open for trout from February 15th, we spoke to Dave about fishing in the early season and why wet fly tactics are a particular favourite.

Listen on Apple or Spotify:

Early Season Buzzer Tactics Masterclass

If you’re interested in learning more about early season buzzer tactics, then our very first Masterclass webinar might just be for you.

International angler and Lough Corrib expert, Mike Keady, will be joining us at 8pm on Thursday March 14th for a one hour masterclass presentation on how to improve your catch rate with an emphasis on flies, tactics and set-up.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to put questions to Mike during the live webinar, plus you’ll also get access to the recording of the session and a copy of Mike’s notes.

Tickets cost just €10 and you must register and pay in advance by going to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2449749727158902364

Stay tuned for our masterclasses throughout 2024, covering salmon, rivers, loughs, streamers, lures, dries – everything to make you a better salmon or trout fly angler, helping you to catch more this year and learn from the best. So, don’t forget the date and details – Thursday March 14th with Mike Keady on early season buzzer tactics.  

Register and pay for your ticket at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2449749727158902364

and we can’t wait to see you then…….

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 the opening of the Blackwater on February 1st, we caught up with Conor Arnold, the guide and casting instructor who we spoke to previously on the show, to find out how opening day went on the river and what we can expect over the next few weeks.

Conor also has some good advice on how to tempt the early season springers, plus he tells us how he fared on his recent trip to Patagonia where double figure sea trout and hundreds of brownies made up his week’s fishing down there.

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

Neil O’Shea, the long-standing ghillie on Lough Currane whose family have been guiding on the lake for nearly 150 years joins us on this week's Ireland on the Fly and what Neil doesn’t know about Currane probably isn’t worth knowing…..

We speak to Neil about the opening few weeks on Currane, the good and the bad days for the lough, why you’ve a good chance of a springer in the coming months and how double figure sea trout can still be got – if you time it right…..

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 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 we’re joined by Eamonn Conway, a well known angler from Dundalk, who in 2016 took the leap and decided to set up his own fly fishing company called Táin Fly Fishing.

Its range includes fly rods, reels, lines and leaders and Eamonn talks to us about the challenges of setting up and running a fly fishing company and why he wants Táin to be like the Tayto of fly fishing in Ireland.

Eamonn also talks about fishing the rivers around his native Dundalk and has some tips for how his set up can lead to better catches.

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 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 we speak to an Irish fly angler who is now not only living and fishing in Sweden but also represents his adopted country at World Championship level.

Wicklow’s Graham Reynolds tells us about the incredible fishing that’s to be had in Sweden and how, despite his early struggles in the competition scene over there, he kept at it and in a few years it led to him fishing at the Worlds and captaining Sweden in 2024.

Plus he also tells us about the incredible landscape and fishing to be had in the country known as the Land of the Thousand Lakes – but his most memorable fish on the fly still came from Irish waters. 

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.    

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

After a long hiatus we have another book club episode this week and this time we’re focusing on O’Gorman and the Practice of Angling from 1845.

Who was O’Gorman you may be asking?  In many ways he was the Izaak Walton of Irish fly fishing (albeit a lot better at writing!) whose book in the 1800s gives a glimpse of the halcyon days of Irish fishing.This week’s guest is Patrick Gageby, barrister and fly fisherman who co-wrote the introduction to a re-issued version in 1993.  We discuss O'Gorman's life, the anecdotes and fishing covered in the book and why it's a forgotten but still important canon in the earliest writings on fly fishing in Ireland.

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.  

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