I have been out fishing twice this week. On Tuesday I drove down to Lough Lene to meet someone delivering a new club boat for the lough. Obviously I had to road test it after delivery...Noel and I had a pleasant days fishing, I managed to get ten trout to 2.5lb (2kg+).
I was back to lough Lene yesterday fishing a team competition. Sadly I didn't catch as many, I did manage to catch 3 'keepers'(the competition was catch and release) and a couple of small fish that didn't make the measure. The rod average was about 2.5 fish so it wasn't too bad a result. The team (6 anglers) ended up with 20 fish, which was the third highest total, but our size average was lower and we ended up in 7th place. The days fishing was hard work, but my boat partner was a pleasant companion and we had an enjoyable day on the lake. I can't give you the successful flies because if you include the undersized fish we caught ten in the boat we both had three to measure and two undersized, all fish were on different flies! Yes, it was one of those days when you really had to work for your fish. To be honest though you feel good after the day when you manage to get a few in hard conditions. The team competitions mean you work that little bit harder too so you don't let your team members down. With the team competition you need to catch at least the average so that if one member does well you don't pull his score down, and try to catch above the average yourself to pull other members up. Therefor even one fish is important, every point counts.

I was out fishing yesterday. We fished a competition on Lough Owel. Noel managed to come third, I didn't! I had a good day though, my problem was all bar one of the fish I landed were just under the size, 5 between 12 and 12.75 inches with a 13 inch limit......aaaaaaaarrrrrggghhhh!
c'est la vie! I lost a good fish early on too...I am off to lough Lene on Tuesday, I have to meet a delivery man with a new boat coming from Galway in the midlands and direct him to the berthing point....I may even have to fish a little when trying the boat out..:)
I will be back on lough Lene again on Saturday fishing the Lexus team competition..we might do well there are 5 very good anglers fishing on the six man team....just recently I'm not sure about me...lol., but the competition will be stiff.
My garden pond is coming along nicely, I need edging bricks for the top of the raised wall now. I won't be doing much today though as I am off to the studio to do some painting today.

Here I am, Two weeks after my last post......Time has flown by! I have been busy with the Easter weekend and rebuilding my garden pond. I even played with a mini digger...lol....
The pond is not finished yet but it is almost there. I need to do some finishing and some planting. I will probably put fish in next week. Talking of fishing I have been, last week I took a trip locally and then up to the upper liffey. I have not done much painting, but I have been taking gallons of water out of my studio with two de-humidifiers, about 2 gallons every 30 hours.....I didn't realise my studio was so damp!, I am still getting the same amount two weeks later. The weather for the last two weeks has been glorious, sunny and warm. It is forecast that this will continue for another week too. I am enjoying it while it lasts, although the garden renewal is stopping me sunbathing......
I will try to post a little more often again, hopefully I will get back to normal soon.