News [2008] [2007] [2006] [2005] [2004] [2003] [2002] [2001] [2000] [1999] [1998] [1997]

Delphi Fishery Report - 2003

Fantastic May fishing after dry spring; grilse catches OK until August heatwave

Despite extraordinary weather, with a spring drought and a major summer heatwave, Delphi’s salmon catches held up remarkably well in 2003. In all, 474 salmon were caught in the season - a little below the average of recent years, but a pretty good result in all the circumstances.

The meteorological odds were stacked against anglers from the word go. The winter had been unusually mild and both December and January were exceptionally dry. So, when the season opened in February, there was little water to entice early fish into the river. Normally, a good few fish would have run in before the season even started.

Rainfall was then significantly below average right throughout February, March & early April (see later chart). March was especially sunny and dry. Catches of spring salmon were therefore very poor. Probably due to the freakish weather, the main spring run seemed to be fully six to eight weeks late.

But when the rain - and the run - finally came in late April, the fishing was simply brilliant. May was without doubt the best spring fishing month in the history of Delphi. There were 91 salmon caught in that month alone and almost all were fresh and sea-liced, with an average weight not far off ten pounds.

In one amazing day, twelve springers were taken off Finlough, easily the best spring day on record. All were hatchery fish, which must be killed for tag recovery and to prevent interbreeding - hence the somewhat gory photograph overleaf.

For the year as a whole, including the odd big stale fish taken later in the season, the catch of “springers” (or early-running multi-sea-winter salmon) exceeded 150 for the first time.

For many years it has been our ambition to generate consistent catches of 100 spring fish between February & May. This had only previously been achieved twice – in 1995 and 1999, when 109 fish were caught each time. We hope the super results of 2003 can be repeated on a regular basis.

But salmon are unpredictable and the year continued to surprise us. For some reason, the summer grilse run was also very late, despite May & June being fairly wet

10-year average salmon catch: 518
5-year average salmon catch: 480

months (The run had also been late the year before). So July was really the only month to see decent grilse catches. Thereafter, a severe heatwave in August, which baked County Mayo for three weeks, and then another dry September killed off any hope of decent late-season catches.

The remarkable shift in weather patterns and run times will hopefully not become permanent.

Of the 474 fish caught in the season, 96 were wild salmon (about 20% below the 5-year average). Apart from one fish farm escapee, the others were all tagged salmon of hatchery origin, released as smolts in 2001 or 2002. Thank God for the hatchery.

Certainly, Delphi seems to have bucked the trend in 2003. Most mid-western fisheries had a very difficult year. The River Erriff recorded 293 salmon for the season and Kylemore Abbey recorded just 68. But Ireland seems to have fared somewhat better than Scotland, where, by all accounts, the drought was particularly severe and the grilse runs never really came at all.

The peculiar weather and high summer water temperatures definitely made the salmon much less willing than usual to take a fly throughout much of the season. This depressed rod catches. Overall, the quantum of the run was not too bad, but the take was poor.

Salmon fishing highlights: month-by-month

December and January were unusually dry months. So when the salmon season opened in February there were few fish in the system. Even when some heavy rain came on the 9th, and again at the end of the month, not many springers ran in.

Just two salmon were caught in the month, one for Bob Hadden and one for Hans Schroeder. Unusually, these were both taken on Finlough, although one may actually have been a kelt.

The exceptionally dry weather continued throughout most of March, with disastrous implications for fishing. It was the sunniest March since 1929 and the river all but disappeared, blocking entry to any fresh fish. Just seven springers were taken in the month, bringing the season total to a very modest nine fish. Normally by then at least thirty or forty fish would have been landed.

There was a little rain in the first week of March – and four fish were taken off the river – but water levels fell rapidly, leaving the lakes as the only hope for a salmon. Jenny Lucas (England) took an 11-pounder from Doolough and Jack Browne (Dublin) had a 7-pounder from the same lake, while Johannes Munz (Germany) landed a 10-pounder from Finlough. But, all in all, it was a very poor start to the season.

Fishing remained poor in early April, but then the protracted drought began to break down and things perked up. Sheets of rain swept in from the west and salmon began to pour into Delphi. Seventeen springers were taken in the month, mostly in the last week and mostly from Finlough.

The best April fish, caught by Dominic Cox (England), weighed in at 11 pounds, although Andy Smith (Scotland) nobly released a wild fish of perhaps 12 to 14 pounds on Doolough. Ten-pounders were taken by three Irish anglers - Sandy Walker boated one from Finlough, Gary Lloyd had one from Doolough (his first ever springer), and David Felton grassed one from the Whin Pool. Dubliner Hugh Brennan took the smallest ever springer, a 5-pounder from Doolough – and, fittingly, on April 1st.

May fishing was then simply magical. The run (and the rain) continued right through May, peaking in mid-month. What had looked like being the worst spring salmon season for many years suddenly turned into an amazing, record-breaking bonanza.

Not only was the spring salmon catch the best for any May, but it was probably the best spring fishing month in the 170-year history of Delphi. There were an amazing 91 salmon caught in the month. The previous record for May was just 39 fish.

A new record of 12 springers in one day was also set. They all came off Finlough on May 17th, and the average size of the fish was good at over 9 pounds.

Long-suffering rods, who had endured a succession of dry Mays throughout the 1990s, finally had a chance to score. Amanda Higgins from Dublin, a highly

competent but hitherto unlucky Delphi angler, at last broke her duck – and in some style. She took two fine fresh fish of 13 and 12½ pounds from the river, which were for a while the two largest fish of the season.

Within days, however, Toby Mann (England) raised the bar with a 13¾ pounder from Doolough, his first ever salmon, only to be pipped in turn by Sue Rathbone, also from England, who bagged a 14½ pounder from the same lake – again her first ever.

It was Finlough, however, that proved to be the most profitable slot on the fishing rota. The small lake yielded 53 of the 91 fish in May, while the river produced 20 (including four early grilse) and Doolough followed close behind with 18 fish.

Fish were caught on every day of the month bar three. And it was again the hatchery fish which made up the bulk of the catch, with 68 tagged salmon caught and just 23 wild fish. The 3:1 ratio was an unexpected surprise, again underlining the amazing success of Delphi’s smolt-release programme in producing springers.

Top rod for May was local angler Sean Downes, with seven fish over a few visits. His boat partner, Rocky Moran, had five. John Mills (N Ireland), John Cooper (Scotland), Peter Ward & Kevin Thomas (both England) all took four fish each.

The good catches of springers continued into early June. But dry weather and the delayed grilse run made for a patch of very slow fishing in the second half of the month.

The catch of 66 fish (29 springers and 37 grilse) was way below normal June levels. Highlights of the month were Jackie Diffley’s 11½-pounder and Kurt Roth’s 11-pounder, both from Finlough. John Mills & Alan Dunlop (N Ireland), Steve Rhodes, Laurence Lock, David Hewetson-Brown and Jim Jackson (England) all had 10-pounders. Laurence Lock actually had five fish for his visit, while Geoff Lucas had six.

Catches should have been much better, but were clearly affected by some weather-related timing glitch. Thankfully, towards the end of the month the rains came and the grilse run started in earnest.

Fishing in July was reasonably good, with many more grilse around than in June and with fairly suitable weather for much of the time. The fish, however, did not come easily to the fly and persistence was required.

In all, 191 salmon were taken in July, twice as many as in June. The run of wild salmon was late and of below average magnitude. But runs of tagged fish, though also up to three weeks late, were much better and accounted for over 80% of the fish caught.

Notable catches in July included the 200th Delphi salmon for regular visitor Urs

Liebundgut from Switzerland. Urs, a very talented angler and one of the most dedicated of all visitors to Delphi, has kept an immaculate diary of all his Delphi fish, which is highly instructive. It shows, above all, that those who put in the longest hours get their just deserts.

This year Urs took 31 salmon in his two July weeks, all but four of them tagged, hatchery-origin fish. He put in incredibly long hours to get these fish, often striking lucky at 11pm – and sometimes at 6am. Such persistence is not for the faint-hearted.

Other good July bags included 13 fish for the Westropp family (England), 12 for John Mills (Co Down), 9 for Christopher Jarman (London) and 8 for Barry Tynan (England).

Despite the presence of many hundreds of fish in the system, salmon fishing was very poor at Delphi in August. This was largely due to the exceptional heatwave, which thoroughly stewed all the fish. Just 17 salmon were caught in the month. The fish were all small grilse, taken from the river or Finlough. In the last week of the month, the weather began to cool down and hopes rose for a better September. It was not to be.

Fishing in September was fairly poor. Another unusually dry, calm month delivered just 27 salmon to angling guests, mostly from the Turn Pool or Finlough. A further 25 fish were taken during the end of season party for staff and local families on September 30th. This at least showed that spinning can be highly effective at scooping out otherwise listless fish who, by then, had seen every fly in the box. But why this should be so remains a mystery.

Netting continues to affect rod catches badly

Salmon netsmen can carry on regardless of sunny weather and this year the Irish nets again comfortably filled their (slightly reduced) quota of fish in July. The incidence of net-marked fish at Delphi was at record levels, confirming that netting effort was, for the second year running, exceptionally high and effective.

It is now clear that the netsmen take virtually all the larger grilse. The curtain of nets is over 90% effective in filtering out the better fish. When purchasing fish for smoking, we are able to see just what size the salmon really are when they hit Irish waters. To compare these wonderful fish of five to ten pounds with the runts in the rod catches (for an angler, a five pound grilse is a rare beauty), is thoroughly disheartening.

Furthermore, tales of abuse of the tagging system by netsmen abound, though not so much in the western region as in others. The regional fishery boards are under-funded and the tagging scheme is difficult to police. But we are lucky in our district - the fishery protection team, headed up by Michael McDonnell, valiantly persevere despite severe financial constraints. If, however, these efforts are not matched in other regions and if the Boards are not properly resourced, the whole tagging and quota system is in danger of falling into disrepute.

That would be a tragedy. The tagging & quota system is, in theory at least, the

6000th Delphi salmon

On July 10th, Grace Dunlop, wife of regular visitor Alan, caught the only salmon of the year to come off Glencullin Lough at the top of the Delphi system. This was only the second salmon of Grace’s fishing career. By a wonderful coincidence, it was also the 6000th salmon to be caught at Delphi since we arrived in 1986. Amazing, Grace.

River development work

We took advantage of the very low water levels in the summer to repair many of the stone weirs along the river. Next season, many pools, especially Grilse, Goat & Whin, should be significantly improved as a result.

greatest salmon conservation mechanism yet introduced in Ireland. And, if eventually changed from district quotas into individual non-transferable quotas (which is the current hope of the angling lobby), it could also provide a framework for voluntary quota buy-out schemes – something many of the netsmen also want.

Whether or not this comes to pass, the Minister for Marine has committed himself to reducing the total allowable net catch systematically over the next two years to the level considered acceptable by the scientists – which means a cut of almost 50% in the net catches seen in 2002 (c.220,000). Of course, many netsmen are unhappy with this, but it has to make sense in the long term – for both anglers and netsmen alike.

However, Orri Vigfussen, the Icelander who has campaigned tirelessly for an end to all interceptory salmon netting around the world, is deeply unhappy with the Irish situation and is highly sceptical of the latest initiatives. His pessimism may prove well-founded, but the tagging & quota system is, for now at least, the only show in town and commands the support of most organisations concerned with salmon conservation, angling and tourism – so long as (and it’s a big “if”) it is properly policed.

At a time of major government spending cuts, it will be a challenge to ensure that fishery policing budgets are adequate.

Sea trout crisis worsens still further

The most depressing development of 2003 was yet another collapse of Delphi’s sea trout stocks – the third severe slump in the past fifteen years. This was as serious a multi-generational wipe-out as we have seen since the very beginning of the crisis in the late 1980s. And, as before, it can be clearly linked to lice infestation in the spring.

Given that sea trout catches in recent years had been on a generally upward (albeit occasionally stuttering) trend, the latest collapse was deeply upsetting and wholly dispiriting.

Salmon farms, as the source of the sea lice, have an awful lot to answer for. But even more culpable are the government authorities and their scientific advisers, who have failed comprehensively to regulate the salmon farming industry. The senior scientists will no longer even debate the issues or reply to letters, even though they know perfectly well what is happening. This behaviour is utterly repugnant.

It is now no longer possible to promote sea trout angling, since just one slip in lice control by a farm devastates both the young smolts and the older kelts, requiring several years before recovery is even theoretically possible.

The fact that the salmon farming industry is itself in deep trouble, with a major price and profits squeeze induced by global overproduction and growing consumer rejection of the product, offers little consolation. The Killary salmon farm, along with its Norwegian parent operation, has gone bust again and we are now looking at yet another change in ownership – the fifth since 1986. Doubtless some new cowboys will buy the farm from the receiver and try for another few years to make the unworkable work.

It does seem incredible that the Government fails to recognise the obvious – that, at least
as practised in Ireland, this is a lousy industry, with a lousy product, lousy management and a lousy quality of employment, whose presence in Irish waters is both hugely damaging and a major drain on taxpayers’ pockets. Eventually, no doubt, the industry will self-destruct, but an awful price will have been paid by then.

Public attitudes may be changing, albeit it gradually, and the controversial nature of salmon farming continues to attract a welter of negative publicity, culminating in Ireland with a major Prime Time documentary, aired on RTE in September. This highlighted the shoddy practices of farms in Donegal and Connemara and showed the ruthlessly charlatan nature of the industry’s representatives, who were caught lying through their teeth on a number of issues. They are their own worst enemy.

Gold watch

Someone left their gold watch at Delphi during the year. If not claimed (with an accurate description) it will be given to a charitable cause. The only clue: it is a woman’s watch. There is also a ton of unclaimed clothing, so, if you think you may have left something behind, contact Jane at Delphi.

Big Delphi Fish 2003

Wild smoked salmon for Christmas?

Following many requests, we now have extra stocks of wild smoked salmon available for Christmas. This is the real thing – a million times nicer than the farmed rubbish.

Some people may want some for gifts, others just for themselves. Either way, contact Peter or David as soon as possible, to ensure timely delivery.

Bought direct from Mayo netsmen (and doubtless including some of Delphi origin!), the salmon is available in half sides at €25 per pound, pre-sliced and vacuum-packed.

Packing & postage (via the Priority SDS courier service) is extra according to weight, but up to a kilo in weight costs just €8.50 within Ireland or a little more for the UK.

Bigger quantities are proportionately cheaper to despatch.

The average handy-sized quarter packet weighs between 0.8lb and 1.5lbs. The salmon is labelled "Delphi Lodge's Wild Smoked Salmon". As some of you know, it is smoked to perfection by David's cousins in Cornamona. It is genuinely delicious. If refrigerated, the packs last for several weeks.

Order are now being taken on a first come, first served basis. Delivery will be before Christmas, as arranged with you. We can despatch to bulk address lists, if you wish to provide them. And we can enclose greetings cards or other materials from you, if you like. Payment can be made by credit card or cheque.

Winter houseparties at Delphi now in vogue

Delphi Lodge was built for fishing parties. But it is parties of a different kind that have started to fill the Lodge once the fishing season ends. Birthdays, anniversaries, family get-togethers – whatever the special occasion, Delphi has proved to be a super winter venue for parties of around 20 people.

And the cost is very reasonable. So, if you have a special birthday or anniversary coming up – or even if you just fancy a great weekend away with friends – consider treating yourself to Delphi.

Available at any time from early October to late January (apart from Christmas & New Year), the Lodge really is tailor-made for a civilised house-party. It sleeps a maximum of 24 people. The food is first class, the wine list unmatched and the atmosphere delightfully warm and welcoming.

And what else is there to do? Wet, windy walks, hot whiskies, big log fires, a great library, billiards, wonderful beaches and stunning scenery. You can even visit the new health spa down the road or go riding on Cleggan Strand.

Delphi has organized over 25 houseparties so far, and every single one has been an outstanding success. Each year, we do more and more of them, so early booking is advised.

Autumn and winter rates at Delphi are already much lower than in the spring or summer. But, on top of that, there are further big discounts off the normal room prices for houseparties – see below.

All you have to do is guarantee a party of at least 18 people for at least 2 nights and 2 dinners. You then get the whole house, a full staff and you can use all the rooms, with no single or lake-view supplements and no other hidden charges.

Our menus are delicious, but we can also organise special dinners if you have any particular requests. Dinner, cooked by Cliodhna or Aine , is the highlight of the Delphi day and is served at a huge oak table seating up to 26 people. All in all, there is great scope for a memorable houseparty.

News [2008] [2007] [2006] [2005] [2004] [2003] [2002] [2001] [2000] [1999] [1998] [1997]