Erne Trout on the Rocks

As it has been a long winter with everything that has been going on it is always great to see the month of March and the beginning of the brown trout season for most of us.

With more flies tied during these lockdown months than I could fish in a lifetime, the itch to get on the water needed to be scratched! Having reviewed the weather forecasts for the forthcoming days a trip to Lower Lough Erne was set.

The weather was to be moderate SW winds with a maximum temperature barely making double figures, so thermals were an essential requirement. My boat was prepared, the petrol tank filled and hooked onto the back of the car all set for the first outing of the season.

With all gear packed and lunch made it was only a matter of time before I would feel a tug from a big erne brownie! (That’s what you call positive thinking….) The drive down to Fermanagh went in a blink of an eye with the anticipation of fishing the wild Irish loughs running through my mind.

Conditions looked favourable, albeit with a chill in the air. Being overcast and dry we can’t ask for much more in March. At this time of year generally, the trout are feeding predominantly on shrimp, hoglouse and the likes around the shallows and rocky shores.

My armoury for the day was 10ft 6# Loop 7X with an Airflo DI3 to cut through the wave and get my flies down to where I hoped the fish would be. I tied up my 3 fly cast with 15ft of Riverge Grand Max 9.5lb.

At this time of year on Erne I don’t believe you need a large array of flies, just the usual suspects with plenty of movement. I had opted for a couple of variants that have previously produced well early season.

On the point was a Cock Robin variant with a pearl butt, the middle was as fiery brown dabbler with gold flat tinsel rib and orange guinea fowl behind the mallard and on the bob was a UV olive dabbler with a globrite orange rib. All flies were size 10s and stayed on the cast all day…. (well almost if it wasn’t for a couple of tangles!)

After launching for castlearchdale the first drift was only a few minutes away and the action was almost instant with the first trout taking the fiery brown dabbler while bringing the flies up to the hang.

The trout put up a good account of itself and putting a good bend on the Loop 7X.

First fish in the boat and it felt it was going to be a good day. After bouncing off a few rocks drifting down the shallow shorelines there was 4 fish in the boat up to 3lb.

All 3 fly patterns catching fish but the fiery brown dabbler certainly created the most interest. A majority of the fish coming to the flies at the hang.

After lunch the takes slowed down which has been the norm on erne in recent years. Most action seems to be in the morning sessions. Only another couple of fish to the boat in the afternoon, both coming to the Cock Robin. With the wind picking up and the temperature heading the other way it was time to call it a day on what was a better and average day!

What fantastic water in beautiful surroundings. I’m looking forward to my trip already, just hope that will be without thermals! Tight lines and keep safe.