We’ve our first update of the mayfly season for this week’s show and Mike Keady joins us to tell us how Corrib has been fishing. The weather has been unsettled and cold which hasn’t helped things, Mike tells us, but he does expect it to pick up for the next 1-2 weeks so if you have the opportunity do try and make the most of it before it finishes u…

The Owenmore Fishery has been in the news recently with the State buying up the river and lands that are situated on the Dingle peninsula in Kerry. So what does the future hold for the fishery and what is the fishing like on the river and lakes in one of Ireland’s most scenic locations? Frank Maunsell has been the fishery manager there for over a q…

Rory’s. It’s a famous name with a famous owner, Rory Harkin, of Rory’s Tackle Shop in Temple Bar in Dublin. But did you know it opened its doors in 1959 when there were just warehouses around the area and trout and salmon could be caught by the bucketful within Dublin’s environs? Rory Harkin may have passed on the running of the shop to his daughte…

This week we’re turning our attention to first editions of Irish angling books. The Ireland on the Fly Book Club is an important part of what we do here on the podcast and Muiris Huston, the medical contributor to the Irish times, is also a fly angler and fly fishing book collector and he joins us on the show to discuss the books everyone should ha…

It might be hard to believe, but mayfly season is starting soon and it’s expected on Lough Derg from around April 20th onwards. This week’s guest is Shane Creamer from the Garrykennedy Angling Club and he gives us some great and honest insights into fishing Derg during mayfly and the rest of the season. Listen & follow on Apple or Spotify: Rate, re…

This week we speak to Nicholas Grubb who grew up in south Tipperary beside the Suir and the Tar and he tells us about the incredible catches of fish that were to be had growing up. It’s a throwback to another age and his great grandfather Samuel also had a reported 62lber which would have been an Irish record but it was never measured or verified a…

This week we’re joined by Julie Gerry, former winner of the World Cup on Mask – and the only woman to have won it to date, she’s captain of the Irish Ladies Fly Fishing team, and now also Youth Officer with the Irish Trout Fly Fishers Association. Julie tells us how, despite the success of Irish fly fishing teams, it is still a struggle to get more…

This week’s guest on Ireland on the Fly is a fly tyer and fly angler well known to many from fairs around Ireland and abroad and it was only when he moved to Ireland over twenty years ago that he discovered fly fishing and quickly embraced the sport, especially fly tying. Having been originally from the Caribbean it’s no surprise that saltwater fly…

This week on Ireland on the Fly, we turn our attention to the famous River Slaney. The river that was once the doyen of spring salmon rivers in Ireland has suffered more than most in recent times but there are still anglers and custodians of the Slaney that are fighting to keep it going and recover. And to hear more about their work, as well as tho…

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 th…

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…

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 …

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…

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. Lis…

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…

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 goo…

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 wan…

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 …

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.T…

We’re back for another year, another season and more interviews and conversations in 2024, and to kick things off we’re joined on this week’s episode by Shane Gallagher of the Drowes Fishery where the season traditionally starts on January 1st.Shane has all the latest from the opening few days, including news of the first salmon of the season from …

It’s only a few days to Christmas and if you’re looking back on the year that was or looking ahead to the season to come, we’ve put together a special second volume of our Most Memorable Fish on the Fly series.Sit back, listen and enjoy as some of our guests from the past year bring us on a journey across lakes, rivers and oceans to tell us the sto…

If you're a fan of fly fishing writing and magazines then you've most likely heard of The Drake - an American quarterly that's been running for 25 years featuring some of the best writers covering the why rather than the how of fly fishing.It's got a unique voice run by its founder, publisher and editor, Tom Bie, who is also a regular visitor to th…

We hear plenty of stories of sea trout on the west coast of Ireland, but what about sea trout in the salt on the east coast where the fish are bigger, and if recent catches are anything to go by, fish numbers are improving as well? Mick McShane is a well known fly angler from Dundalk who will throw a fly at pretty much anything that swims, but he h…

As we head into December and are stuck in winter – although fear not, the opening of the Drowes is only a few weeks away – you’re also probably stuck at the vice dreaming of the fly to tie to catch your first salmon of the season in 2024. So, for this week’s episode we wanted to concentrate on salmon flies and fly tying and we’re joined by Anthony …

You might remember we covered the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships back in September with daily updates from Ireland team captain, Dec Conlon, and one of the star Irish performers from the tournament was a young angler by the name of Sean Dempsey.Sean joins us on this week’s show and having fished three Worlds already in his 20s, he give…

If you’re not into rugby, stick with us as we do also cover fly fishing on this week’s episode with Mike Cosgrave, the former coach and centre for Connacht who is also a passionate fly angler and who fished Corrib and Mask as a kid growing up.While he still fishes the Western Loughs, Mike’s other great love is Montana. He has fished the fly fishing…

Last year we covered the impact of salmon farming on the famous Loch Maree in Scotland, but what about its impact on the wild salmon and sea trout here in Ireland and just why is the government looking to help the industry develop further in the face of its damaging ecological effects?For this week’s episode we’re joined by John Murphy from Salmon …

We’ve all seen the pictures of far flung fly fishing destinations with anglers holding huge fish and a guide beside them looking just as happy to have seen such a monster fish landed, and I’m sure you’ve probably thought, now that’s a job I wouldn’t mind doing.Working, living and fishing in some of the most incredible fly fishing destinations in th…

For those of you kicking your fly tying season into gear over the coming weeks and months we’ve a special guest on this week’s show. Davie McPhail, the legendary Scottish fly tier, joins us to discuss his career in fly fishing, how he got started in fly tying, his huge online following via YouTube, and he gives us some tips and advice for improving…

With the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having lately – although this is probably going to be the new norm anyway – it’s also a good time to be casting a fly in the salt with bass fishing particularly good at this time of year. But how has the 2023 saltwater season been overall? Were the bass biting and what about other species like pollack a…

You may have seen the disgraceful stories in recent weeks about the terrible pollution of Lough Neagh that has been occurring unabated and which has been poisonous for humans and animals, since May. Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in Ireland or the UK and due to an overload of nutrients, with agriculture mainly responsible, scientists ar…

If you’re lucky enough to be heading out during the last 12 days of fly fishing in October on Currane, Ennell, Leane, Owel or Sheelin, tight lines to you and don’t forget to listen back to our recent episode with Denis Goulding who has some great advice for fishing the midland lakes at this time of year.But for those of us forced to hang up the tro…

Before we say goodbye to the 2023 salmon season this week – and many anglers will like to say good riddance we’re sure – we wanted to find out how Ireland’s most iconic salmon river, the Moy, has fared, and what good news, if any, can be gleaned from that part of the country? Garrett Ruigrok, who we spoke to back in May, is a casting instructor and…

September 30th might be the end of the season for most of our loughs and rivers around the country, but don’t forget there’s another twelve days before it closes on Currane and the midland lakes. And so for this week’s episode of Ireland on the Fly, we’re joined by international angler, Denis Goulding, for his tips and advice on where to fish if yo…

It was the fifth and final day at the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships in Slovakia to decide who went home as Individual and Team World Champions and Dec Conlon, Ireland Team Captain, joins us for the final update. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ww…

Dec Conlon, Ireland Team Captain at the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships in Slovakia, joins us again for the latest update on Day 4 with the Irish team faring much better and moving up the table while France cemented their position at the top. Heading into the final day tomorrow, it will be all to play for in the race for the individual …

Dec Conlon, Ireland Team Captain at the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships in Slovakia, joins us for an update on Day 3, to take us through how each section fared with the Irish anglers and leading contenders at the top of the table. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus e…

Dec Conlon, Ireland Team Captain at the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships in Slovakia, joins us for an update on Day 2, where it was a mixed set of results for the Irish in changing conditions. 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…

It’s hard to believe, but we’re into the last few weeks of the brown trout season – and in many ways it feels like the season has slipped away from us this last while – but to make the most of your time remaining on the rivers and loughs, we’ve got some tips and advice for you for September. Friend of the show, Keith McDonnell, from Impact Fly Fish…

With the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships being held in Slovakia this week, we’re bringing you the updates from each day’s fishing from Ireland Team Captain, Dec Conlon. Dec will tell us how the fishing has been for the Irish as well as the rest as the leading countries and he gives us the update for Day 1. This is a public episode. If y…

This Saturday, September 9th, is International Women’s Fly Fishing Day, a worldwide initiative to encourage more women to take up fly fishing and for fly anglers around the world to show support for women fly anglers as well. Wherever you are in the world, women are asked to post photos on social media at 11am showing themselves enjoying fly fishin…

There’s no two ways about it, but 2023 has been a tough year for salmon anglers. Between trying to deal with extremes of wet and heat, and then when conditions did come good, the numbers of fish arriving were far below expectations. It’s easy to blame climate change and what’s going on out in the oceans, but what about some of the impactful actions…

Continuing our focus on competitive fly fishing, on this week’s Ireland on the Fly we’re joined by Dec Conlon, the captain of the 2023 Irish fly fishing team that is travelling over to Slovakia for this year’s FIPS Mouche World Championships from 12th-18th September. Dec gives a very honest assessment as to why Irish teams haven’t featured in the m…

Winning any kind of gold on the international scene fly fishing for Ireland is quite an achievement, but the Ireland Youths have done it three years in a row now, capturing their third consecutive title this month against England, Scotland and Wales. It’s also the first time this has been achieved and so for this week’s episode we catch up with the…

Despite the current doom and gloom, the one thing you can’t fault salmon anglers for –and especially younger salmon anglers – is their enthusiasm for the sport. Johnny Casey and Yamil Turcuman were two recent guests whose love of salmon was infectious and likewise, this week’s guest, Cian O’Boyle, who fishes on the Moy and Owenmore regularly throug…

This week we’re turning our attention back to salmon. It’s been a very tough year to say the least, not helped by the weather conditions, and a dramatic fall-off in the numbers of returning salmon, so will the grilse run give us hope for what’s left of the summer or are we just clutching at straws? Conor Arnold is a guide and casting instructor on …

This week on Ireland on the Fly, we’re speaking to Dan O’Neill who guides on the River Nore to tell us more about the fabulous brown trout fishing to be had on the river, plus Dan gives us some insights into what it’s like trying to make a career out of fly fishing in this country. Rate, review and follow the show to keep up to date with all the la…

With Tom recently returned from his busman’s holiday on the Orkneys, what better time to record another bucket list episode, this time focusing on the brown trout fishing to be had in the northern Scottish islands. On this episode you’ll hear from some of the guides and boatmen that Tom met and fished with during his stay and relive the frenetic ac…

This week we’re focusing on salmon and speak to two young anglers who travel around Ireland and abroad in pursuit of their favourite fish. Johnny Casey and Yamil Turcuman not only catch salmon regularly but are also willing to try new methods to do so and will be revealing some of the secrets of their success on the show. Plus, Tom is back from the…

This week it’s the second part of our fascinating Book Club interview with Kirk Wallace Johnson, the author of the best-selling, The Feather Thief, about the heist of bird feathers from the British Natural History Museum by an obsessive American fly tier. Johnson comes across the story whilst fly fishing in Texas and looking for a new direction in …