A dry morning in Foxford, high pressure is dominating now and we are having some reasonably dry weather. It is cold and windy though. We have been watching a local stream and trout are making their way to spawn. This stream flows out of a Lough which is not noted for particularly large trout. We spotted a few over a pound and at least one that would make two pounds . Where are these lads hiding out during the season. A friend has been watching another small stream and shared this video (Thank you Bryan), its great to see.
On Sunday last we visited the fly fair which was held in Enniskillen. We arrived early, before the crowds and talking to a few of the people there we had made a good decision. The previous day was very busy and the crowd made viewing the stands difficult. From a tackle point of view this was really a fly tyers show and there certainly was lots for anyone into this hobby. For me the most interesting stand was the Loughs agency stand. I got chatting with two guys there and was amazed by their interest and knowledge in all things water and fish related. In ten minutes, I got an education on Fresh water mussels and eels and would gladly have stayed talking longer but we all had to get on with our day.
As is often the case at these events, once one has done a few circuits of the stands it is enough. After about two hours we decided to head off. The plan was not to go home straight away. We had done some research and found a Lough that we wanted to try fishing for Pike. Nothing serious was planned but we had thrown a few rods and bits and pieces in the car just in case we had time.
Lough McHugh is situated just outside the village of Eslin. The entrance is opposite to the local GAA pitch. The lake covers 90 acres and is a noted Coarse fishery. We arrived at the car park at about 2pm. The weather was nice, no rain at least but there was a stiff breeze blowing onto the shore we were on. Water levels were obviously high and access around the Lough was difficult. We were not prepared for tough walking so opted to make use of the angling stand which is located very close to the car parking. A nice set up for anyone looking for convenient parking and fishing and I would say a great spot for a beginner to try. The fishery rules were displayed clearly on the signage. One of the rules was that anglers can use no more than two rods. This also fitted the plan; we were going to set two dead baits and try some lures while we waited for a take.
In all we fished for about two hours and did not get a single take on the dead baits. We did have a jack pike each on Lures. I also had a good take on a Lure. What was interesting was that we had been trying out some pretty fancy and expensive jerk baits without success. I put on an old ABU plug and immediately had the take, followed shortly after by my Jack. P.J put on the same plug and had a Jack straight away. Coincidence perhaps but it does make one wonder why? We could see a big nasty shower approaching and decided to head west before we got a soaking. It was a nice way to spend a Sunday and I would not mind trying Lough McHugh again when water levels are lower.
