Lough Conn

Lough Conn is based in the West Coast of Ireland, in County Mayo. It is approx 14,000 acres in size, 8 miles long, 3 miles wide and 90ft at its deepest point. It doesn have much features apart from extensive and numerous rocky shallows and innumerate massive boulders.

Practice Day 1
Weather: Overcast, with a gentle breeze

On arrival at Crossmolina Harbour I was partnered with Sandy McConnachie and our Irish gillie Michael. We were under orders to fish certain areas to determine if there were fish there or not and if so to try and catch them! We headed out of the harbour at 10am towards Roe Island, which took approx ˝ hour, we started our drift toward the outside of Cragh Island and then we then moved in to Bog Bay and Seagull Island, where we were still left waiting for our first pull. From Seagull Island we drifted to the inside of Cragh Island where we came across a good hatch of olives and fish feeding, we were both fishing wet files at the time without success and I switched to dry flies, but as quick as the fish came on they went off. We then moved to Errew Point where I hit my first fish, but lost it just as quick, on the dries. Sandy took two undersized fish in quick succession on wet flies. We then drifted to Abbey Shore where I switched back to wets and took three undersized fish. By this point it was 2pm and we decided to move back up to the top of the lough to try a place called black rocks, here Sandy took two and I took one undersized fish, again on the wets

Practice Day 2
Weather: Sunny, 24’C, no wind

Leaving from Crossmolina Harbour again we were told to go to Chain Island which is roughly half way down the loch, this took about 50 minutes to get to. I was on the boat with Davie Mateer and local gillie Colin. We fished Chain Island and on first drift Davie took an undersized fish, we then moved in to Gallachers Bay and The Fir Tree Shore, but with no success. We then moved in to Castlehill Bay which in its own must be about 40-50 acres, this is a shallow bay of appox 2-3ft across the whole bay. We found in the bay there was a hatch of Mayfly starting, Davie fished wet mayfly patterns and I fished dry mayfly patterns. I took a 1˝lb and one undersized fish and Davie got one undersized fish. We then headed towards Cormant Rocks where the wind had gotten up and found plenty of fish feeding, we both caught one sizeable fish each and plenty of undersized fish. We then headed round to Sandy Bay where I rose plenty of fish to the dries but could not hook them. Then we had to leave as it takes over eighty minutes to get back to the harbour.

Practise Day 3
Weather: Cold, bright & windy

Leaving Crossmolina Harbour once again. This time I was paired with Neil Duff and local gillie Murty, 85 years young!! With this being the last practise day we were told to go to certain areas to rule them out. We headed for Bog Bay/Seagull Island again where Neil took a sizeable fish on the first drift. we fished these areas for a good couple of hours without any further joy. We then headed to a small bay called Illanbeg where I hooked a good size fish, but lost it at the boat, on wets and Neil also rose to fish to the boat. We decided to take a run to Castlehill Bay again but wind direction made the fishing very hard, and no more fish were caught

Match Day
Weather: Cold, bright and windy

On arrival to the Lough on match day (with Flower of Scotland blaring on the bus) we were told to quickly get our gear together and line up to march down (complete with piper) to the waterfront, where all four teams were applauded.

Over the week other members of the team had a lot of success at Cloghans Bay so I decided to head here first, after speaking to my boat partner, England’s Barry Reece, he agreed as had not done very well in practice days. Travelling time was about one hour, on the first drift my nerves were put to ease as I landed my first fish of the day, which was size (all fish on match day were measured and returned, with 300mm being the size limit) at 345mm. On the second drift I landed my second fish, but unfortunately it was 15mm undersized (gutted!!!) by this time it was my boat partners turn to control the boat and we headed for the black rocks, where I caught plenty of undersized fish, but nothing to size. We tried a few other areas after this but no other sizeable fish was caught to our boat, just lots of undersized ones! On arrival back to the harbour, I found out that some of the guys had done extremely well and we could be in with a chance.

We went up in teams to hand in the return cards while team manager John Ross was trying to note all the other teams catches. After the weigh-in John approached the team with the biggest grin you have seen, and told us “its going to be close”. Then came the results in reverse order. 4th was England with 13 fish for 4392mm, 3rd was Wales with 17 fish for 5706mm, 2nd was Ireland with 18 fish for 6155mm (by this time we were jumping about all over the place realising we had won) 1st was Scotland with 20 fish for 6982mm. (for full results & photos go to www.sanacc.org.uk)

We needed to head back to the hotel to get suited and booted for the meal and prize giving, where one or two drinks were had!

This was one of the best fishing experiences I have had but some of the hardest fishing I have ever had as well, but it has only made me even more determined to go through this all over again and try for my second cap.