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Munster - Upper Caragh - Latest Reports

Upper Caragh - Monday, 12 August 2002

My contact at Glencar House Hotel reports that “Just when I thought it surely must stop pouring rain, the heavens continued to relieve themselves and unfortunately the inclement weather continued through June. The Caragh exploded into class 5 white water; surfing became paramount to fishing – as in between deluges in settled, less frantic waters of Cloon Lake. We had Dr. Lothar Kreft from Auken, Germany using a Toby demonstrating his skill, so well honed with over fifty years of fly fishing that he landed a beauty. Ralph Doppler was back at it again with worm and shrimp.

He landed 11 magnificent species in seven days totaling 80 lb. This gave him an average weight of 7½ lb per fish. His best was a spectacular 13 pounder on a worm. In spite of the disappointing weather, June got off to a good start. Eugene Feller from Zurich who has fished the Caragh each year for the past 18 years enjoyed success again with a total catch of 13 nice Grilse totalling 71½ lb. And once again we celebrated another birthday with Eugene, which is always an occasion to remember as the phone calls start coming in from friends and family at the crack of dawn. Even the fish are sleeping! The British were not to be outdone by the Continentals; Tess and Richard Affleck of Stockbridge, Hants, in the week of the 14th, were thrilled with their catch of 19 beauties, for a total of 54 lb using a Toby, worm and shrimp.

This was the Afflecks fourth year fishing the Caragh and Pool #2 being greatly productive gave Tess and Richard reason to boast that this was by far their most successful fishing year. The Brits did a first again after Ted Englefield of Basing Stone, Hants, quite unexpectedly submerged himself in Pool #5 of the Caragh. He thought a baptism by the fishing waters of the Caragh might bring him some luck. He was truly blessed and redeemed his composure with a nice catch following an embarrassing but hilarious return to dry land. Hopefully his wife Eileen was able to capture the “breathtaking” moment on film for posterity.

Last but not least we must ask ourselves what life in Glencar would be like without our long-time friends and devoted clients. Henri and Fritz Luginbuhl and Togni Eros would rather fish than eat Kathleen’s famous five-course meal that included fresh fish on the menu. Not to worry they made it back in time for last call at the bar and 21 salmon between them, weighing in at 86 pounds. You might say they really worked for their dinner. Alf and Barbara Bunting of Kenilworth in Warks made a great team. They had nine salmon to show for their valiant efforts and a total of 39½ lb.

The total catch for June was 116 fish, averaging 5½ lb, all taken on worm, shrimp and toby. “July proved to be mixed bag weather and water – more lows than high. My first overall impression with a catch of 41 was after (116 fish in June) a feeling of disappointment but with a total catch this year to-date of 256 fish out-passing the total catch in ten of the past 16 years – “not too bad at all”. With a lot of good fishing days left in this year, it could well turn out to be one of our best years.

Once again, our own Michael O’Shea has proved to be an outstanding young fisherman with exceptional talent and the uncanny ability of knowing his water and perception of the species “salmon” with eight lovely fish having an average weight of 4.5 lb for 36 lb total – admirable. Our much loved and talented Moss O’Connor in his “chariot” worked his wheels and rod, demonstrating on Pool 6 of the Caragh his unusual style to take three lovely fish, best a lovely 6 and a tad pounds on a Toby.

Fred Blatter of Switzerland (here in May 2002) returned to show an extraordinary comeback. From but one fish in May to dazzle us all landing six lovely fish having an average weight of 5.25 lb – way to go Fred, come back with your Bavarian sausage must be a good omen. I wonder if it was the sausage not the worm that proved so effective?
The best fish of the month went to John De Cesare of England at 8 lb, it was following this that his entourage of seven brought him to seek medical attention for a festering finger – next time John don’t put your finger in the fish’s mouth. This group took a total of seven nice fish.

Eugene Walsh of Dublin deserves a special mention with three beauties in two days. He is out there still fishing, using a combo of fly and worm, his best so far is 6.5 lb. A reminder to all – our much loved and talented Fisheries Manager, Vincent O’Shea of 38 years service is planning to retire at the end of this season. How we will manage without his perseverance and leadership is at this point still a wonderment”.

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