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8.10 pm
Seen a  small grilse showing at the neck of billys pool ...could be a hooked and lost.
And i also seen a couple of good fish showing down below the mill burn on the strabane water just above where two anglers where fishing .........{ weather ...Dry }tides are improving


Photo now up

The photo of the dead salmon has been sent through.{ found on the mourne }

3.pm
Well there is just the one angler at the grevenue and no one at the bears burn at sion on the mourne ...{ and did i see a fish laying at the same anglers feet at 200 yards away ?? }
The water seems as though it has a freshening of extra water which is clean also ..this of course indicates that the derg did rise along with the finn

1.15pm
Yes fresh water in the finn and that means some in the derg , haven't got reports from omagh on the strule yet but i'm sure i would have already if the river was up in that direction .
Plenty of anglers out at lifford bridge and areas plus the nets on the porthall section of the foyle had 10 fish between them this morning , but you must remember that they are down to just two boats now as the rest have given it a rest for one of the tides in the day anyway { its not worth loosing the sleep over they reckon}

Local streams around the mourne foyle and lower finn never really seen to much rain and even now its dry and has been for hours now ....but i did follow the satelite during the night and it showed the main counties to get the main down pour were { dublin ...west meath...monaghan ....sligo...letrim ...and skimming the south of donegal .} Blue stacks included...direction heading north / northwest.
  all this happened around day break this morning.

Sion now for a check.


11.45 am
Some rain during the night ..im told the finn is up at the top end   back shortly

10.30pm
The bailiffs lifted a poachers meshing net from below the new bypass bridge at strabane this evening whilst dragging the river from their boat .
They also searched the bushes along the river bank.

And Martin Oil mc daid is a desperate man when he resorted to desperate measure's to catch some fish .
He went out with a fish finder concealed under his coat , and once he got to the water he stuck her in and waited for the sonar alarm to activate ........well after an hour the alarm bell's started to ring and marty fished like the hammers of hell and in no time at all landed his deserved catch of the day ........4 spratts each the size of your finger.
Now Marty The Coyote From the Road Runner Show has to go back to the drawing board and the fish finder is up for sale .

8.20 pm
a couple of fish showing in billys pool between the two bridges this evening .

6.pm
There was a serious down pour in derry city around lunch time today , but there was nothing at all upstream from that area of the foyle .....we had slight mizzel and then it cleared .
                    Dry at the minute but it is very humid and thundery looking ....its only a mater of time .
If you have plans to come here to fish right now please hang back and wait for the go ahead cos its not going to be worth your while ........but if i say go ...it means GO!

And an email from an angler suggesting that the death of the three fish found dead at the doctors could be put down to the lack of oxygen in the water.

What is the faughan like men.
Oh and 3 fish caught by the boats at porthall yesterday .
12 noon
The morning was on the damp side but it has cleared up here now in the northwest.

Plenty of angler's out above lifford bridge last night just before dark , but the fish just arn't there .
Its the beginning of July and the situation is Critical ....even if you get the fresh water you desire you need fish to go along with it ...And that my friend's is very much doubtful at the minute .
Unless theres a crack of thunder ...A flash of Lightening.....And A loud voice from God Above to Anounce that Fish will be provided , and then whalla { 1000's out of the blue Appearing from Nowhere.

10.30 pm
Some more bad news ...............3 good sized fish found dead at the doctors pool from the strabane waters ....no know cause of death , photos promised.

Developments regarding the distruction of our upper foyle are being investigated ...A major national paper involved along with the green party ..........over 200 photos taken this evening.

3.30 pm
Still no good catches from the commercial nets , but the st Johnston boats are coming out better than the porthall boats.
Some romours Circulating around that the system could close down altogether until a flood or fresh arrives .
Only a trout caught at sion this morning .......My god !!!    what changes from just 5 years ago ...even last year was 10 times better than this .

I also feel a wind of change .

11.am
The water is dangously low , and no fish either ....They tell me that there is a nice few fish down the foyle , but i think they mean the swanee !!

Its a dry and more fresher day .

12.noon
There is not a single salmon showing in billys pool in strabane ...this as the man would say " was fair hatching this time last year"
But i'm told that there could be another theory to this disapearing act .....A certain specialist reckons that it has all to do with the tempeture and that the fish are there but are keeping their heads down and only moving at night .
Well ...Tonight will help tell the tail as the nets go on once again for another week and we should know arond 6.15pm if there is any heads at all .

Whats this about a guy steady cleaning out fish at cloghan's leap and it closed .? its on the forum here .

I have a feeling we are going to get a serious thunder slap of a splash soon , so hang on .
we have escaped for far to long.

10.am
Some fish reported caught at the burn at sion every single morning early ..and even one returned yesterday morning because it was not worth the tag as it was only 1.5 lbs in weight.
The angler reckons it didn't mater anyway because we seen it dead later as it was washed down into the grevenue.

The water is of course on the low side , but the best places to fish are still sion and Strabane.
Weather is good.

12.30 afternoon
I was just writing on the forum there that i have a cunning plan to develop a more friendly and productive system here on the foyle that would involve everyone .

AND here goes "" The commercial netsmen are definitely not fishing for profit anymore , so perhaps the loughs agency should pay them to fish for them and any salmon and sea trout could be caught and used for a regeneration programme to enhance all the foyles tributaries ....This way the boat fishermen would be doing their bit to restock the system '....the anglers all over would be delighted and would protect their own waters and some could even do a catch and release on their club waters or even a bag limit of 3 or something for a season .:  Tourists would flock to the Northwest and even the fishing boats would be an attraction in their own right as it has been a tradition for hunderds of years .
Hotels ..Shops..Restaurants..B/Bs would all flourish and your sons and daughters would benefit by getting employment locally ... the empty new build houses would gradually start to fill { but build no more}and we could even do boat trips up and down the finn and foyle and around the Island .
                     Now does that make sence or what , you must admit " we are years behind the rest , and the best thing about it is ! This plan could work . But the worst thing about it is " it won't "

4.10pm
Just back from the commercial nets in the foyle .....They are getting ones and twos in most shots now , and they are noticing the better flow down the donegal side of the island .
And there was no 15 trout caught in a sweep at all ......all the boats together at porthall have only had 20 between them all for the season so far .
I also have a few photos here ...ill see if i can get one up fast before i go again .

11.am
Another nice day with plenty of sunshine : We have a run of Sea trout now and all good sizes.
Grilse also caught up around the mourne with one angler getting two yesterday ...He was an early bird and probably had them from the bears burn at sions liskey rd side .

The boatmen at porthall will have their final stab for the week just after lunch and i'm definitely going down for some information regarding catches because i heard that there was 15 sea trout caught by one net ......i'll find out if thats true anyway.

8.pm
4 fish caught in the last tide this evening at porthall ....9 last night ..........fish are slipping into the mourne with a few now in the finn .[ lower]

The gravel extractors have been slightly forced to change direction to the far channel .....the commercial netsmen are delighted .

7.20 am
A more cloudier morning this morning but brightening .
                                       The net catch situation is still bad on the foyle and absolutely no fish at all showing in the lower mourne ..finn ..and upper foyle.

If you as the Tax payer were to pay a team of experts £5 million to enhance a river system each and every year  i doubt we would expect the goods to be produced  ." wouldn't we?
Well ! it ain't happening here anyway!!!

There is only one lonesome angler fishing the strabane and lifford waters this morning , and he is from Donegal .{ hope he catches something anyway}

And Marty Oil Mc Daid has gone overboard altogether .... " he has writen a Jim Will Fix it Letter and puts it under his pillow every night before he fall's a sleep sucking his thumb .......His loving and understanding wife said it reads  [ "" Dear jim ..Could you fix it for me to catch my first fish of the season , cos the whole town are laughing at me ..  Thankyou Jim ..Love Marty"" } Its worth a fill of oil Jim !

10.30 am
They say no News is good news , well in that case i have good news because i have no news .
Still no joy with catches on the foyle , and the only anglers getting anything are the guys that get out of their bed very early ...........fish it early ....go home ....fish it late .

The only other thing is ' the green party from stormount buildings belfast have replied to my plea's for help regarding the gravel situation .........i will keep you informed.

The day is going to be hot here , but there was serious flooding yesterday in northwest donegal and the clady river in NW donegal was out in the roads and people had to be rescued.

4.45 pm
There was just 5 small grilse caught by the complete fleet of the commercial nets men of the foyle this evening after lunch time , and they were caught by one boat on the first run down after high water .
Admiral of the fleet ' Harry Porter ' said it's the worst ever year in the complete history of the foyle stystem and blames the deaf Ears that can't listen to the voices of the common people when they are advising closure to the spawning beds  plus many more concerns .
2 fish caught yesterday ...Total

Meanwhile ......up river ........fish showing at sions grevenue , and P Deveney from lifford had two grilse.
And even though its belated , but Fire cheif sean okane had more fish than he is letting on ...... he never declared the last two catches to the Circle of the high yappers club in the local town here ....it was your neighbour 7 doors away Sean that grassed.
The high but not to grand master Marty Mc Daid will of course be informed !.

9.20 am
Theres never a dull moment here along the border , im just after passing an Irish  unmarked police car pulling infront of a white mini bus at porthall and surounding it .. the officers are in the process of breaking the windows to get the guy out ....he is not a fisherman anyway ...Northern Reg {FIG}
I will have photos of the porthall boat men and catches on after lunch time .

7.40 am
The best time for the commercial nets to get a few fish was last night around midnight and they would have worked all the way through to about 3 or 4 this morning , so that means all the guys are in their beds now , so it will be just after mid-day today before we see the next few shots.

And im not sure who sent me the photos of the 4 fish now on the gallery ......but according to his email .....he is not a ticket holder and according to the second photo , its not just as far up as cloghan ...but close.

It's a dry morning but slightly overcast , but good weather is on the way after a shower or two .

whos the lucky angler that sent me these then  .[photos}

7.20 pm
one fish at porthall bridge .

4.pm
Ah what the heck ...it was a full net stretched right across the finn today when i was up there , i took a photo ....i'll definitely put it on the gallery later ....but im not getting involved with the fisheries just incase .

A life bouy thrown into the mourne near christies im told .

plenty of anglers out around the mourne today ...its also very close {warm}

10am
An email just in ..its reads " keep an eye for 6 early morning illegal fishing anglers from drumore who are cleaning the derg river of springers from 4 am ."

7.40 am
A good dry morning for the river and not to bright .
                                                Good tide.s and the nets as i said go on this evening , and when i was at urney yesterday evening on the finn for a walk there was 3 young bailiffs out checking licences and means of fishing ....everything seemed to be fine as they came back down the banking without any rods .

The upper finn seem's to be the place to be for fish at the minute , but they are supposed to be on the coloured side and springers mixed .
It's a huge and vast area to cover if you have to protect it { the foyle system} you would actually need about 50 full timers on the ground .

Back after a look at the river ...........and any photos i can't get on the gallery because of size , can actually be put on the forum ....i've just learned that .

10.40 pm
plenty of fish reported caught at the top of the finn ....that last taste of fresh water seems to have moved everything up to that one area .

2.pm
Lenny from Derry has just landed a 6lb fish from the woodhole , plus some grilse have been caught at the grevenue this morning .

It look's like we are not completely beat after all ....big tides and a few fish on them , and the real story will be told tomorrow evening at the red bridge to see whats really on these new moon tides .

The day is dry .

Another photo of a 9lb fish caught in the grevenue just came in ...the photo is on the wide side if any of you guys can work wonders and square it and resend it back to me .

9.40 pm
The odd fish seen today , but it wasn't a good day for catches ...however this photo coming up is a lad from Galbally with a fish he caught today near omagh .....its his first ever and he is a new member of omagh anglers .


10.30 NO FISH CAUGHT AT SIONS GREVENUE THIS MORNING .

THE WATER IS ALSO IN GOOD ORDER FOR FISH TO BE SLIPPING THROUGH .
MY ADVICE TO THOSE FISHING THE BEARS BURN ..." DON'T BE TEMPTED TO THROW UP INTO THE FISH PASS , IT WILL COST YOU YOUR RODS AND A HEAFTY FINE ...ITS NOT WORTH IT .

THE BAILIFFS ARE DUG IN BEHIND AND IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE FAR BANK ???

10.40 pm
There was only 3 fish caught in my time at porthalls red bridge this evening .....the first shot produced one for harry Porter at 6 pm , the next 2 where caught at 8pm  and there is 4 boats working the same shot in rotation .

No fresh water and the weather is ok ...dry with the odd shower.

When will the people responsable for our rivers take heed and close the spawning beds  for starters ........you are not listening to a simple serious demand ....every body has to take responsability now to save a sinking ship , if you had listened 5 years ago the problem would not have been to bad . Don't leave it for another 5 .



4.40pm
The thunder and heavy rain has passed up at ballybofey now ...it rained for 29 minutes exactly...and even though we have had no rain here yet in the strabane area im sure our turn will come but we have a front seat watching the surrounding fall outs  , and i also hear thunder and see a dark sky in the dungiven direction ........thats the way we are going to see the next 12 hours im glad to say ....i'll settle for 3 inches.

4.pm
Well it looks like the thunder and lightening i told you about 4 weeks ago is here now , its just after hitting cloghan and lough derg but the question is !! will it do any good to the rivers ...you will however get alot of surface water , thats your only chance .....its your last chance by the way for a good while .

7.30 am
Monday morning and ready for another battle for the good of the foyle and her tributaries ..It's just a pitty we have so many Enemies within just intent on linning their own pocket's rather than helping a good cause , well suppose thats all part of Earths game.
Theres something wrong when a government allows her rivers to be constantly destroyed .
As soon as i get all the fact's ....these latest photos will go to the National papers , and the loughs Agency will also be put on the spot when approached .
They have however admitted that they have not got the power to do anything in this particular case .
Its goes higher and into big bussiness deals im told .

Anyway ...the nets go on this evening at 6pm.

4.45 pm
Its a hot and dry evening but there is thunder about , On my way down the banks of the foyle today i could see in a distance where the thunder /lightening and all the rain was falling , and that seemed to be buncrana direction .

The only fish i seen were two fish turning at the same time just below lifford bridge , the next two miles i seen nothing except a sea trout at the mouth of the Deele.

You'll enjoy these photos coming up soon on the gallery because even though this area is very close to strabane and lifford towns ..99.9% of the people  have never been there and its a superb walk .
                          You will also be upset with another couple of photos i took today of the massive sand and gravel extraction from the gravel beds of this upper foyle where salmon spawn near christmass time .
And to finish for now : i was sent a photo of two rainbow trout laying dead along the river finn two days ago ...must get that up also .

7.45 am
We have had a few showers but nothing prolonged .it gives a bit of thunder tomorrow though .
When i was talking to some lads yesterday about the centre fish pass getting poached a few times every week by anglers , they said to me " you don't even have an idea whats coming out of there in a season dan ! "
                                        Even during the night and early morning boys have been going out there and getting piles of fish and you never hear tell of it ........they also added that this has been going on for years .

So i've devised a cunning plan !   { put a hugh metre square grid all the way down the two passes towards the bears burn} a simple thing to do and not so expensive , or even staggered mess obstructions so that you can't angle it without losing your tackle .
And talking about tackle .....i picked up a dozen flying Cs from the pass when the water was low last tues , but i heard that they were picking them out like strawberrys  last mon.

Had a we bevy last night so im of along the banks today starting with the island of the foyle.

Everyone in their right mind will know that last nights rain was only a watering can sprinkling effect to what we really need.

Some interesting reports on the forum for a change .

Yes .....A good point was raised by a member that the grevenue should be rested and fast .
WE all know that if something isn't done fast , it will lead to the near destruction of the atlantic salmon here in the Foyle system .
Sion mills is as i have told you so many times in the past !! the main salmon and trout Station in the whole of the northwest of Ireland , and the sad thing about it is ?   " its not watched 24 hours " or even 12 hours , or even 6 hours , or even 3 hours .....Its a quick visit and away .
Everyday salmon are slaughtered and its not proper fishing .....the loughs agency managers at the top are not very much thought off by the proper minded good folk of the rivers here , they are out of touch with their own local northwest angler and spend to much time going to shows all around the world ...they have completely lost the plot men , we have to do something fast or else your going to lose everything .
Yesterday the Grevenue and fish pass looked like a bank robbery in action , only with a difference !!  When the robbers where heading for the exit " THE DOOR MAN OPENED THE DOOR AND SAID  "  PLEASE COME BACK NOW YOUAL !!!HEAR !!! "    in a down south amercian kentucky type slang.

Don't get me wrong ....The loughs Agency have a good few men and they also have all the gear a fishery would ever need , but they have to get rid of captain blyth and his hench men or the inevitable will surely come about  and hopefully soon because man will only do something when its on the verge of distruction  and then they'll say { we shoulda done this or we shoulda done that } ....its BOUNTY happen.

It looks like " in my eyes anyway " It looks like there is a race on to make the bann a better system , and where is our foyle manager from !!!!!!! NO ! im wrong , sure he nearly recked that place also ............................anyway .....we need to do something , and its hard fighting it on yer own with a web-site and just dishearted voices from the river banks.

11.14pm
Its raining pretty heavy now and has been for the last 40 minutes .

a grilse caught at the grevenue this evening..about 3lb

4.50 pm
information just came in ...A 13lb sea trout caught from the dam at sion mills in an net ...some salmon also .

And poachers are netting trout from moorlough to order .........I have more info also, but can't disclose for legal reasons .

4.30 pm
Three Pollish Migrants have just walked up to the mouth of the middle fish pass at sion mills and pull out two medium size grilse .....my reporter who is fishing there shouted at them , and they have now gone towards the swinging bridge .

The loughs agency should have them on camera , if the camera is working that is .

I got this on as fast as i could .

Two Rainbow trout caught by anglers below clady bridge .
12.30 afternoon
Reports imforming me that there is two men fishing two rods each near clady with floats .............This is as far as it goes , on this blog i mean ....don't be thinking that i'm forever on to the loughs agency ....not at all in fact , this as i say is as far as it ever goes , plus i have no credits on my phone anyway.
Its just between you and me and the rest of the complete hush hush .. World !!

11.10 am
A good size grilse{borderline case} caught near the cylinders on the foyle by a Taz red bloody thing whatever you call them.

And the bears burn is not closing this season , perhaps and mybe at the end of the season but just not now ,,ok ....hope that keeps you all quiet for a few months.

8.am
Fish are being caught in different areas of the lower mourne and foyle recently , a grilse caught and released just before dark last night at the doctors on the strabane/lifford waters.

Its another dry morning and even though we are going to get the odd thunder plump this weekend , i fear its not going to be enough because the ground and the growth will take a good 70% of it , and next week could be back to the hot weather again .

10.30 am
A lad has just landed a fish 10 minutes ago about 5lb's ....i'll tell you where he got it this evening { unbelieveable as the man says]

7.40 am
Another bright morning ....The early bird should have been out this morning just after day-break if he or she were to have a chance of scoring.
I'm going to take a stroll along the upper foyle this morning , back later .

7.30 pm
Even though i noticed fly anglers out today on the strabane / lifford waters ...probably no joy ...but go out tomorrow morning early .

And now that i have the 10ft aliminum boat and newly fixed engine sorted , it is available to all clubs to use and protect their future stocks of grilse and sea trout ....if they need it then come along and do their part on the lower finn / mourne/ foyle/ faughan or roe ....just supply the petrol...its your river { protect it} take turns at least .
Put it like this !   If you want fish on your upper club waters , come down here now and help get them up ..............your loosing a 100 a night ..at least ..if the bailiffs are trolling it at high water , well you do it at half ebb .[the best time]

And P Dudd { the rock} hooked a dog fish today at the woodhole below sion , Yes it was a 4 legged one belonging to T farrell from sion mills when he was out walking it  , a yellow flying C accidently hooked on to the dogs BAL privites and the rock had to take the bail arm off .......fast !

Note the dead flounders and lampreys on the gallery ......water should be eased of an area like this and not in an instant .....i don't want to be complaining all the time , but what kind of people are running the show here ...its awful ...its two steps forward and 12 back ..i noticed 100.s of small dead marine life just like this today .

10.10 am
The only place , and i mean the only place to be ,  is from the blackstone downstream  on the river mourne , and just the tidal areas of the finn and foyle ....I heard there was 6 fish got on the shrimp down the foyle yesterday ...and there was pocket's of catches elsewhere.

Work is in the process of being started at the weir in sion to produce a better flow to what it looks like right now { photos coming up that were taken 20 minutes ago} and fish were lifted out of the shallow pool's yesterday i was told , plus some lads are walking the long streams at the minute looking for either tackle or to spot salmon  .
Please get a warden or someone on this area for god's sake .....it's away to the dog's altogether...................why won't the authorities listen ?.


7.30 am
A dry and bright morning to start , tides are still strong and you should start to hook an odd fish around lifford and strabane now.
Grilse are still slipping through and looking at nothing until they hit sion , this is where they lay at the bottom of the weir and are easy target's for all type's of predators ?..even the otter .

Get out early to get your fish .

After listening to local polititions admitting that they are out of touch with thee most important body of all ... ".their electorate ".!!! ............I wonder if the lough's agency would take a leaf out of their book and get in touch with the local angler ....its as simple as this " WE DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE " all we know is ..you are suppose to help the local angler and local clubs and not act as if we are some kind of menace.
And my personal question to you is ?   WHY DO YOU NOT WANT TOURISM TO SUCCEED !

iM OFF TO CHECK AROUND ..BACK SOON .

2.40 pm
The lost rod and tackle was handed into a radio station in letterkenny co donegal { highland Radio}...An irish lad working in manchester who reads my blog and also listens to highland radio to keep himself from getting home sick { sorry Ciaran Mc Crory} phoned me and said it was mentioned on the radio just now .....so i have contacted the loosers {joking lads}....sorry ......The anglers that left the gear behind .
Its a funny old world , and still some honest people left.!!...the rod was worth over £400 on its own.


2.20 pm
Some businesses and a local charity have contacted me in regards to raising money for lifebouys along the river at sion mill's ...and a local fisherman left two life bouys up with the sion club ..he said he found them in different areas of the mourne last year .

Plenty of anglers all over at lifford fishing .

11.20 am
An angler landed 5 grilse from the bears burn this morning .....I'd better not say anymore , but he's quite famous over the last two weeks with catches .

9.20 am
It's grass cutting season and it only takes one tractor to stop the complete Northwest passage traffic from Dublin and Belfast to Derry City ...just one simple tractor .

7 day's until the commercial net's go on and 14 day's until it starts to get darker in the evening's again , its 6 day's to dead neps with the possibility of no fish , and it could be 5 week's before we get fresh water ... it could be 12 months or 12 years before we get sion mills waters sorted out with a better management team before its lost to us all forever , and what do i do with these booked angling tourists from europe this season to keep them safe from getting hooked around the neck :
IT could be 20 years before we get lifford bridge sorted out for angler's to be able to fish that area without harassment , and it could be another 20 years before the laxy Labour government catch on that the reason they are in debt is because of the silly schemes like pumping money into the pockets of certain silly fisheries that don't do anything possitive with it or involve the local people that really know exactly what the problems are and how to fix them.[ its no wonder they are heading for the exit}
WELL APART FROM THAT EVERYTHING IS QUIET HERE AT THE MINUTE !!!
No one out fishing as its pushing tide and very bright.


7.30 am
A bright morning to start and it looks like a good week ahead bar the odd shower .

  you will get fish around the lower finn and mourne this week is wed morning early.

And about last nights report .......if you know someone that found that fly rod and gear , please contact us on 07763191232  or give creggan country park a call .

And a phone call to advise me to turn the propeller around on the engine .

11.pm
An angler has lost a very expensive fly rod and reel after driving off and mistakenly leaving it behind him when it was up against the vehicle .......he was fishing killpaddies near castlefinn and was parked along the road .....so if you hear of any gear found please let us know .

6.40 pm
Well we took the boat and engine to the river but wait till you hear the crack .The engine only goes in reverse .....no wonder we got it for nothing men.....is there any brain waves out there that knows whats wrong ...its an evinrude 4hp ....the lever for reverse works but when you push it to forward , the propeller does'nt go around at all .
Now tell me its a simple problem or does she go to the skip ....we had a good laugh though ...and at least we're having a stab at it anyway .........Carry on up the Swaney i would say ! There was known poacher's Laying around laughing like Hyena's with sore side's on the donegal side and shouted at us " DO YOU WANA PUSH " i must admit ..i had to laugh also , BUT ........WE WILL STRIVE ON !!!

A Tv network from the USA with a web site called www.outdoorchannel.com have had a we sneak at our foyle web site ......its good to know we are getting attention , i believe we even got a mention in this months trout and salmon .

11.30 am
A young 9 year old lad visiting the area has just landed his first ever salmon from the burn at the lisky road side of the grevenue ......another caught on the fly at the sion side .
And im asked ...." who own's the lisky road side of the grevenue "  my honest answer is!!!  Who know's , cos i don't .....people just come along and fish it , take their fish or two and go back to where ever they came from.

The fisheries don't give a monkies just as long as you have your licence , apart from that the signals are given out to fish away .

And the sea's and ocean's are running short of fish according to a report on the Andrew Marr show this morning .
                               Our lough's agency obviously disagree because They are allowing a grave sin to be committed and some day they will have to answer to the proper Authorities for this uncalled for killing of the summer silver run .

It must have something to do with money or something like that ...has to be ? ......I can't  make head or tail out of this management at the lough's agency ......theres been so many millions of millions of tax payers money spent on realy nothing at the end of the day .
                     Can any of you name me one good thing that the fishery has spent money on ...And don't say Counters !



10.30 am
The water is low and the day is good ......and 4 grilse have been caught at the grevenue and bears burn early this morning before it got to bright ......a 4lb grilse caught at the burn 30 minutes ago by mark from omagh.

Some new members have been activated to go on the forum ...sorry for the delay .please remember your password.
I had to delete 70 faulse applications  and put through 5 .

12.noon
Sorry men ...was at a charity function at maggies near st johnston along the foyle last night .....just surfacing .
                         It rained from around 2 am and was still raining at 6 but it wasn't or didn't seem to be to heavy , and the ground will take all or most of it anyway  ...it has dried up well now and so have i . .......we raised 1300 .00

Plenty of angler's moving down to the cylinders on the foyle to meet the coming grilse .
the odd grilse is also getting hooked near liscooley .

7.pm
The Tope season has come around again and even though the first few trips are fully booked ,  there is more dates in jul and Aug .......There is also 2 dates for shark in oct {11th and 25th}  contact martin from country sports in strabane ,

A 2lb sea trout caught at doctors last evening .

2.45 pm
Plenty of day ticket men out at strabane waters today , and plenty of bailiffs also .
Take my advice and don't shrimp these waters cos the bailiffs are even dressed up as old ladys and even hiding inside over sized prams ....keep an eye out for a big dummy ...........sorry ! he heads over the colraine mountains at the weekend !!! Yo.
The four of us are going £5 each for petrol this weekend for the patrol ......Im serious .......The loughs agency give noboddy anything for trying ...but we have come to except that now , and it wouldn't be the same anyway if we couldn't give them a blast now and again ....just to buck them up a bit .
                                                         And did you hear about the Letrim border FOX thats up working at Carlingford Lough and surrounding area ...............He needs his 4x4 wheels changed every 1000 miles........he must be selling them to brock martin in lifford .!!
9.20 am
Thats a big tide at strabane by-pass bridge just now ....its looking good .

7.40 am
It's bright with the odd cloud , cooler too but not to bad .
                                                                        Full moon on Sun and i'm looking forward to the dropping tides during the week.
No report's of catches but i'm sure i'll be busy from next week on .......we are taking the boat up the foyle and finn this weekend as i said yesterday and i will personally tell you what's going on as far as poaching is concerned , and will hopefully not have any photos to show you of net's and struggling meshed fish..
And if we come across any we will phone the loughs agency and get a few shots of them taking the nets and fish off .
Hopefully all will be clear.

9.pm
A we bit of good news for a change ........There is a quantity of big fish still in the foyle laying around the island ...well up in the double figures .....bailiffs are on the ball and keeping the show on the road as far as protecting them , but or course the odd big one is getting to the poachers pot .............and they are big in size believe me on this .

Sion club is closed until sunday i noticed in the local paper ....so no day tickets ....i don't know what the Dcal situation is at present but show solidarity if ive spelled that right .

We are taking our own new boat out this weekend because we all need to help and chip in and do our part ..................the loughs agency can't cope with all the pressure and demands .
Especially if one third of the inspectors are going home to bed and leaving it all up to their men .
All we hear is .." Your man Mc Cartney is out every night :watch out " or Rolly Is out at sea 24 /7  or Seamus From the omagh squad never sleeps .....but all the rest do { inspectors that is }  An officer never ..and i mean never ever asks his men to do something that he or she doesn't ......NEVER! EVER

7.45 am
Another sunny morning , and the moon is building for the big one at the weekend .

Strabane and lifford waters as i said are your only chance and especially next week when you will even start to see the increasing grilse build up .

Don't be thinking the mourne is to low because this is where your wrong , the lower mourne area will be thee place to be with the fly rod from this weekend on if we don't get  fresh water , and that ain't looking good at the minute for that occurance....The faughan and finn also by the way , they to are looking good . The faughan even had a small run last week , so it's not all mourne this and mourne that !

And again i'll add that the Net's go on in exactly A 11 day's time , starting on mon evening at 6pm and staying on to fri evening at 6.pm ..........Remember what i said before ........The commercial men miss the main run of grilse ....they actually arrive a week before and these are the babies that i refer to coming from sun/mon .

The nets also have the wrong side of the island and the main flow runs down the Sanctuary side.{back Water}So don't get your pants in a twist and think they are going to slaughter everything in sight .

And just to finish for now ...........4 year's ago in these same conditions , a local lad went to the top end of the strabane/lifford water and landed 22 grilse just before dark , releasing 99% of them by the way .

10.30 am
Just the odd angler out fishing the cool of the morning this morning at strabane and lifford waters.
Superb streams here remember for 15ft rods , and if you want to see plenty of  fish showing then next week is your best chance .{ from mon to sat }

7.40 am
It.s another hot morning ........we might get an odd shower at the weekend but be prepared for more of this type of weather after that ...........what we could possibly get to keep salmon stock's secured would be a quick thunder storm during a night soon .

Some grilse are getting caught up and down the strabane water's this week , Marty mc laughlins very young son played and lost a grilse between the bridges.
And Marty Oil Mc Daid is to take up golf cos he can't handle the slagging about not having caught anything this year so far ...................My advice to poor marty who needs lots of support at this time is !!!!!    OK Marty ....enjoy the golf !

12 midnight .
A serious tragedy has taken place in sion mill's ...............Young dale Alexander an angler from the village had a fatal swimming accident at the river this evening and our deepest sympathy goes out to his family .

We will not be doing any reports tomorrow as a mark of respect ...dales photo is on page 5 of the gallery {bottom right with fish at the river} Im devastated



12.30 afternoon.
It's hot at the moment , and when i was at the river finn just now i noticed a few good sea trout breaking the surface ....i also noticed strange activity at jack's near clady ......somebody looking for a we fish on the sly i would say.

And if any of you millionaires out there in this crazy rat race of a world would love a beautiful country estate house with stables and a garden that goes forever to relax and take time out , Carricklee house is your ideal spot situated beside the river finn and 5 minutes from the foyle and river mourne and the same to the local town of strabane.
You could lift it for 1.8 million or abouts and if you need photo's i could send you a few , but hurry cos theres a viewing this week .
This is owned by the Herdmans that own the old mill at sion mills ...i might buy it myself , all i need is a small loan from the credit union.........a superb place and it cost's nothing to have a look if your serious in buying .

7.40 am
A sunny morning again , and dedicated angler's should be on there way home now from a morning at the river .
Aidan Langan from clady lost a fish at lifford bridge early yesterday morning before he headed for the tyrone match .
He also said there was 2 more hooked.

As i have already reported , grilse and a mixture of big fish are in the lower finn and bottom mourne .
The bears burn at sion seem's to alway's be the centre of attention along with the grevenue .
I honestly hope this complete area is sorted out once and for all from this year on .
The younger sion anglers are waiting for the old managers to retire , and they have made no bones about it ...but the longer it take's the more chance of loosing the whole plant !!........The way i see it ....it's 20 mile's to impact , and 12 mile's have gone and it's to late to stop at 18

Watch the dam at sion this week for God Sake , and if you need a boat i'll get you one ..plus engine.
I hope you all realize the importance of these next two week's .........This is your stocking program on the line here , and the nets go on in 14 day's exactly.

The faughan bailiff's are out with the lough's agency at present and club member's are doing their job until they get back .
Watch these next tide's ...it's a good sign when you see a good sprinkling of grilse in front of the coming full moon .

8.20pm
some anglers visiting sion mills today contacted me after calling into a local pub in the village.
They wanted to know if they were being taken a hand off.
They said that they went into a pub and a bar owner called albert told them that his son was the secretary of the glebe angling club and that they were very welcome to fish there waters on the finn for free .....well its not the truth men .....don't fall into the trap and get yourself into trouble , plus there is no bar owner called albert from sion mills .
So just incase anymore of you travelers fell victim to the mystry Albert in sion , im just putting you straight.

5.20 pm
An angler had a 6lb fish from the bears burn at 1.30 this evening , and mark speake had a nice 19lb fish from the same place at day break yesterday morning .

The loughs agency tell me that this area is closed from june on .

Shimpers fished the blackstone today as i walked up past the area with my camera in hand ...dare i take a photo ..........NO!

And i was shown a mobile photo photo of 7 good sized fish caught by poachers with nets ......i don't know where exactly they where caught ......but i'm telling you now .......get your men together and get out and protect your rivers.

The dam is in order now for a few 70 yard nets.......take heed !!!


10.30 am
Darren Bell landed a 6lb grilse at liscooley bridge this morning early ....fresh run and caught on yellow flying C

9.am
Another Georgous morning and this sunshine is bringing everyone out and about for a change .....We have enough depression without adding to it , so perhap's this will do some good .
     ---------------------------------------------------------------
There was two fish caught on the mourne yesterday that i heard of anyway , but i'll take a good walk along it today to see what the story is.
And i was thinking about refurbishing this site and have an idea in relation to blog's ....We have four main tributaries here and if there is anyone out there that want's to do their own report's for each river on this site from their own computer at home , im sure it can be arranged ...let me know what you think !

I'm just asking you to pay the webbureau for what it would cost to set up and nothing else , and im sure that wouldn't be to much at the end of the day ,......we could also get the local rivers on the site touched up and finished for your taking that area ...just a thought ...............Your report's could be directed from the front page highlighting Say ........Peter Archers reports {River Finn}and so on ..info@foylefishing.com 07763191232

9.45 am
A fine and warm weekend and a good end to what was a very wet month for everyone.
The net's go on in two weeks and i'll be there to see what the situation is ......if it was me i would definitely give them the money they well deserve and then you would never ever complain about anything again ....am i right .....plenty of salmon and trout for everyone and all the club's would be at peace forever and ever more ....WRONG!!!
You will find that every club will have to chip in and protect major pool's at night , and by that i mean every single night and not just 3 or 4 night's after a bit of fresh water .
Strabane and lifford angler's are showing great leadership i was told by a very senior fishery manager of N.Ireland , and i personally believe that this club could well expand to further afield's ....who know's? ............The river bank's are in immaculate condition and you won't get better wading stream's for mile's and mile's.

Best places to fish today ...........anywhere on the strabane waters .......woodhole and blackstone plus paddy's on the sion water ...even the lord's or for peace try lisky .
Actually ...some lad's are starting to move down the back water of the foyle to get the first stab at the young grilse .

7.45 am
A dry morning and the prospect's look good for the lower finn and mourne only if the weather stay's dry .
Remember , the lower the better for these water's .

There is strong rumour's circulating that The Irish Society may Intervene and take control of the middle mourne water.s around sion mill's and that this is the last season that sion angler's would have control .
SO ......Could any of you member's of the Irish Society which visit this site daily please come forward with a statment to confirm or deny this because the ordinary angler is the last to be informed about really anything these day's.
               -----------------------------------------------------

Progress is also being made regarding the water's below Lifford Bridge i'm told  ...for the better ...say no more!
                        ----------------------------------

Grilse are starting to move into the lower reaches now and some small 3lb fish are getting caught .
When i was at omagh's retreat area yesterday evening on the camowen i noticed some small sea trout making their way up the little weir ...the water was mirky.

               ----------------------------------------------

There is a vacancy available for the trip to Russia to fish for huge salmon on the Vokanga River .....this has been discounted from £5.000 to £3.000 but will cost £5.000 including flight's and connection's .
If this is the same trip as last year you will be whisked away by helicopter into the wilderness to hook some big salmon .......contact Martin in country sport's strabane....028 71883021
                    ----------------------------------------------

Im heading along with Barney winters to clear the rest of this FAIR grounds today so if there is any stories of fish moving i'll let you know ......and please please stop twisting stories ...i even found myself getting manipulated a bit .......i always said " The right hand has to know what the left hand is doing "   ..........to all you world visitors by the way !!! this is just a local tant.
                                ---------------------------------------

And just as we are talking about world visitor's ........get your act together and start making track's for this part of the globe .......it's the only affordable place to be for salmon ..trout ..or indeed any type of fishing in the western world .

Accommodation is for nothing { well nearly} Food is superb , and the local's are friendly { they only hate each other} Messing ..............................But come along and enjoy the crack and everything else plus alcohol and refreshment are half price to all other European Countries ..............its the final Affordable Frountier !!  so ..     Ga Day  for now im away .......................back later

11.pm
very sorry guys ......some trouble with the blog .

We had a bit of fresh water this morning , and grilse are entering the system now .

A full report in the morning plus much more ......cloudless sky

Alan Moffett was the guy who released the fish today and his father lost two.

10.45 am
A visitor to the sion water this morning has just landed a fresh run 12lb fish and then returned it safe back into the wild flowing section of river where he is at ....A hen fish he added , and caught on the fly .
I'll tell you his name later when he get's the days fishing over .

Its dry now ...no fresh water expected .

7.45 am
A wet morning but it will get better as we approach the weekend .

Country Sports from Strabane are giving up to 25% off all their fishing gear and 15% of shooting equipment and up to 50% off Equestrain Gear .....So Get in there !!

And After some phone call's yesterday reporting an incident at the New fly-over bridge at Newtownstewart involving some foreign bodies invading the river below the bridge with a boat and a strange net .....I had to inform the loughs agency ...it was left in there hands .
                             They are getting cheekier when they are cleaning out the river in full view of all the traffic.

Seans photo of fish now up on the gallery.
And this leaves we Marty Oil Mc Daid in a slippy position as he is the only man driving the morrison Bus now from strabane .....Sean O Kane is a bit worried about Marty oil because when he gets up early in the morning himself to go to work he notices marty slipping down to the local pools for a quick throw as he peaks through the curtains at day break.......but of course to no avail as we all know cos we would soon hear about it ........[".hope he's not sucidal Sean Add's as he dries his eyes and  chockes !! " ]

To be Honest ..I thought for a minute i had said something unknownly Funny to sean when he took these sudden convulsions and fell on his knees to the ground and tried to get these words out ??? ........Mar Mar Mar Mart Marty Marty Oi Oi OiL Mc Dai ai ai d chocke again......Mor Mor Mor Morrison ..chocke .
{ don't know what he was trying to say}

A country sports notice in the morning ....and i'm having trouble with a photo of a young angler with a nice fish .....i can't get the folder it went into .

4.50pm
Sean o.kane is just after landing a nice 8lb fresh fish from the lower mourne .....he then goes back to the spot he hooked her and then hooks another ...plays it for 15 minutes and bang  !  gone .
Photo will be sent through soon.

11.15 am
The foyle email has been sorted now ......and some not so happy campers have concerns that i would even think to use sion old mill for a fair .

well the only thing i can say there is " Half that village came to the Mellon to support our first "
The lessons our team have learned just by doing this in a short time scale have been invaluable .......you couldn't pay for the experience..Honestly.. , and even some lough's Agency officers came to support it on their own time also .

We need to be given Certificates for the nerve and the knock's we got taking this road at all !!  but now we know how to do it right !

dannyhunter1@live.co.uk
7.45am
More fish for sure will be hooked this morning on the river Mourne , the weather is ok and the chances of a flood is looking bad for the next two weeks unless wed rains heavy for a couple of hours.

After more thought , i think the perfect venue for a successful country fair would definitely be Herdman's mill at sion mill's beside the river .

And even though our show went against all the odd's because of moria ...more local appointment's and weather plus the hotel booked up before and after the 23rd and 24th of may , it still was a success and the tackle stands all done very well .
Country sports was packed at one stage .........................yeh .....herdmans could be the place ,  Must speak to the owner.

For fast response to info email ...dannyhunter1@live.co.uk or hunter66@btinternet.com ...07763191232.

info@foylefishing,com is ok but im that stupid i can't access cos i don't remember the blasted code ...it will get sorted though .

11.20pm
A photo of another fish to come
.5.45pm
There was two fish caught early in the morning at the grevenue also ..a 10 and a 7lb.

4.45 pm
It's turned out a wet evening here at the minute and i just noticed a nice few anglers out and about around the strabane area.
And i was sitting down thinking about next year's venue for the Into the West show and Melvin Hall Hit me first .....A Car Park ......A hall .......A Kitchen.....A river .!!!
Please contact me at dannyhunter1@live.co.uk as my foylefishing mail cannot be opened just now ....or 07763191232

2.25pm
A fish has just been landed in the grevenue caught on the fly ....i got a live report from an angler at the scene .
One 6lb fish caught at the bears burn also ...so there you go .....tides big and water good for the mourne.

9.40 am
There was something in and around a half dozen or so fish caught on the lower mourne yesterday ...two definitely caught at the grevenue and two in strabane ...and Dee Mc Colgan Makes his mark with a 10lb fish from the strabane water as did J . Brennan with an 8lb .
No catch reports so far this morning and a phone call from an angler fishing sion telling me he is keeping an eye on things there .
Also ........Some photo's off all sort's coming up shortly ...including the duck breaker " Dee Mc colgan "

7.45 am
A cloudy damp morning ....i have reports but im in a rush ........................again...back shortly .........................................fish the mourne [lower]

10.45 am
The morning is dry and there should be a bit of a rise from yesterdays earlier rain .

A text informing me that K .mc Crory had two fish and the texter himself had a fish also yesterday ...strabane water .

11.55pm
What a community pulling together from all walks of life today ...the sion rector provided the tents ......the local farmers provided land ....the local police provided road markings for safety ....local sion and strabane plus The Main omagh and drumquinn people provided the man and machine power .

ITS A SEED PLANTED !!!

5.50 pm
Some of todays events are up on the gallery ................fish caught at sion and feddens .

4.45 am
A photo of Alan Moffets fish is now on the gallery .

Its a mizzelly start but this is what we expected , and as far as getting things going yesterday evening putting up the huge Tents " what an event on its own "!!

Never in my life have i seen so many people pull together for a first in history for an event like this in the Northwest of Ireland .
WE got on the BBC Yesterday at lunch time and lets hope we can do it again next year and from now on.

I'm not joking you but our base camp at the shooting area is like Desert Storm HQ in IRAQ ....only without the dust .

NOW .....Report ......one man had 2 nice fish yesterday ...one 13 and the other 7lbs
caught on the spinner and caught early in the morning at sion ....another local had a nice fish also .
So simply ...what im saying is " stick to the mourne " and fish early up to 11 or so .

5.pm
Plenty of fish caught on the river this morning ....i took time out to run down and take a snap shot of Alan Moffet from antrim who had a nice frest fish around 8.5 lb
In a rush ...weather is fine ...water is good ....into the west show was previewed at 1.30 today on BBC 1 .

In a rush .bye .....its pulling up Marquee ...tent time

9.30 am
There was 3 good fish caught from the grevenue and the burn ...all double fig fish ...one 15lb
A fish caught from billys pool also .

7.35 am
It.s getting close ...The show i mean .....And i know we have been up against all odd's because of similar events at the same time , but this is the first in the Northwest Of Ireland and doing it without the help from our local fishery the loughs Agency and without some local council's because they thought it would never happen  ......but if we get a quarter of what goes to a show In the East Of The provence we will be happy enough .
And remember ...all kids under 12 get in free .

The morning is dry and the river mourne is in very good order .....strabane and lower sion for mon/ tues ect

7.10 pm
I notice plenty of anglers out along the strule and upper mourne this evening ...im nearly sure an angler was in a fish at the meetings of the strule and owenkillew cos his friend was out beside him with a landing net .

The water is nearly normal level and as i said ..anywhere on the mourne .

And has any off you guys got a blue or white tarrpullon for to lend for the weekend .i'll have to go a lookin tomorrow.

7.45 am
I know for a fact now that there was more than one fish caught all along the Mourne yesterday , Its the only place to be in the whole of the Northwest for a chance of a fish Now ..........Fish Sion or Strabane .......good tides but the better side is next week.

The Morning is Not bad again , but with the odd shower.

11.15pm
As i was passing paddys stream above sion heading for omagh with our big trailered sign at exactly 5.45 this evening i noticed an angler putting a fish in his boot ...7 to 8 lb ....water good ..weather good .

9.15 am
The mourne seems ok , but i thought it had a couple of inches there when i was passing ..the finn looked the same but remember the tides are improving this week

7.45 am
A dry morning , and for a throw today i would opt for the complete river Mourne or the meetings at lifford bridge .
The strabane water is as good as any right up to sion .
The river faughan is holding the odd fish now also and even though the finn is back down to normal level , spring fish tend to lay around the holes above killygordon at this time .

10.30pm
I know by the emails and phone calls from around the country that some areas are or have got serious down pours today .... well ...we had nothing except an odd light shower .
But that is not a guarantee that the river will not rise ....it might have rained heavy near cookstown or dromore or carrickmore and that would affect some foyle tributaries .
no reported catches around the town , but 3/4 grilse caught at the woodhole yesterday .


11.40 am
A canoeist has lost his paddle at cloghan and would Appreciate if angler's kept an eye out for it .
And don't forget about the 15ft fly rod and reel lost above the mellon near omagh ...its in one of those pools somewhere.
07763191232.

10.45 am
A 5lb fish caught at the ramp above the strabane bridge last night.

There was another 3 fish caught at sion yesterday and the water is in great order .....the odd shower.

I must stand corrected ..it was  angler cairns from strabane fishing sion ..weather he is a club member or not ..i don't know .
But Thanks anyway who ever it was ...a true gentleman .

10.10pm
This was a crazy day for me .....I was trying to guide anglers from Co louth and juggle the double wheeled banner trailer plus collect the young lad from the school in derry at the same time today...and at the same time " be at the mellon Country Inn Hotel omagh for The BBC who done a fantastic pre show for the main show this weekend " .
IT was hard but i got there , and only for the help from the sion mills anglers " We where in difs.!!
YES ...sion young anglers landed up to support the film crew and it will be televised before the weekend on BBC 1 ...thurs evening or fri.

We had Hunter west plus snakes...archery ....shotguns the lot ...A cooking of a wild two hour caught spring salmon also ..provided by ...YES ...Provided by a sion angler today .
Stands are still available ..but get on the ball fast ......Suport will be noted for next year .
Carian Tourish from the BBC spent hours here today at the mellon ,and his film crew filmed Geard Mc Aleer instruct Novices like even myself on fly casting.

It was good now ! I must admit , and the shooting for the kids and adults is set up in a superb order ..and safe .
We ..as i said ...have plenty of stands , but once you see the program before the weekend ..will look to jump on in the last minute ..........take heed Now , and move fast for the last couple of stands.

Again ..Foylefishing and into-the-west comend sion young anglers for their wholeheartly support today ....im taken aback !!!..thanks also for Country sports of strabane for their support ....plus Omagh anglers for theirs .

IM SIMPLY SHOCKED .

And then i went backed to my visitors who lost a double fig fish below the island at strabane bridge ......i have lots more to report ....but im nackered ...please forgive me .
And our team where there with Our new shirts for the show ........Our Man Barney Winters Should get a medal for his outstanding work ........photos will be forwarded to this site ...i forgot me camera ...i left the blasted thing in me wifes car .
Plus i owe the staff of Altnagalvin Hospital a salmon for collecting the young buck from school and them in the middle of an opperation ...where the hell would you get it ...and the only help is from the ordinary local people .

Barney ....if your reading this and theres mistakes ....gone to me a favour and correct the spelling !!

7,35am
A damp kind of a morning but i wouldn't worry about  it to much.

An Angler has lost his entire fly fishing equipment whilst fly fishing the strule this evening near the mellon country inn ,  The man had to let go of the gear when he started to go under with the pressure of the water,  a lot of fly line is out so you might pick it up with the spinner ...so please if you come across it could you contact us here on foylefishing ......Thankyou .

9.pm
Sion waters will be cramed packed tomorrow because the waters are coming into great order ....its cleaning fast and some anglers are out fly fishing at the minute .

I know where im off to tomorrow anyway ................1800 hours .
I'm checking the water again shortly ,but it will be cleaning between now and tomorrow .
And those that are trying to send photos of catches through on their phone ...please could you send them via the net ....info@foylefishing.com ...or hunter66@btinternet.com .

12.00 noon
No fish caught at liscooley this morning when i was there ...No fish caught up the derg yesterday or this morning , i had to do my poster run this morning up around Killeter and was speaking to the locals .
And a text from Johnny Mc Elwee at the drowes this morning also ....someone has caught something at lenox bridge .

7.20 am
Not a bad morning .....The Rivers are up a nice bit , the mourne has two ft ..the finn is clean and should fish well ...the derg should also fish well for a mourne tributary.....i took a photo of the mourne at strabane 10 minutes ago ....i'll have it up in 5 ......mirky but not to bad .
But i must add that i have seen fish caught on the same conditions at certain parts of sion before .

07763191232 for info
11.pm
Two new photos tonight on the gallery ...the fish beside the net was caught today .9.pm
The strule is dirty leaving the mourne the same ...not overly high ...wadable ...derg clean ..high enough to move plenty of fish .....finn clean ...a few inches this morning ....but we had heavy rain all day ...it will rise , but how high .
I'll get up early and leave the sign out on the trailer and check the water ...sure give me an early call ...thats the best i can do before you make a long journey  ...7.30 am if thats ok

1.pm
K . Mc Crory has landed two good fish ...a 9.%lb and a 10lb from the strabane waters...also ...there was two good fish caught at lifford bridge on wed .....plus a 15lb fish taken from the woodhole on wed past .

K .MCrory returned one of the springers today ......its also windy with the odd prolonged shower.

10.37 am
A fish has just been landed at the grevenue on the spinner ...10lb ...roughly ..im actually talking to the reporter as i write this .

was that up to date or what ......about 5 angler fishing the grevenue ..mostly visitors , and it was actually a visitor who phoned me and kept me informed in the procees until the fish was landed .
                        oh ......the water is up a bit he said and fish are moving .


seems a bit of fresh water ...just a bit , still fishable .....and a fish caught at the burn at sion 6lbs .
Its going to be a busy week ahead but i'll still be doing the reports .....what a challenge this show will be , And Barney winter's is the top man for organizing and getting thing's done fast,  plus off course Barney 2 Vaughan for the colourful advertising and loud voice .

12.noon
Plenty of photos coming up of the days events so far , Between fish caught and fish showing , and even a picture of or advertising campaign....stand by.

One nice fish caught at the sion club waters by J Winters on the fly ...10lb...a 5lb from the grevenue also ....fish showing .

7.30 am
The morning is just ok , it seems as if it has rained most of the night and i remember it heavy at around midnight ......we'll see what the story is .

The returning Three Amigos back from the tweed said that the river banks are unbelieveable and the beats are superb ......They are having one slight problem though !   The fish are just not there .
But !!! The luck of the Irish Beamed through with good catches from the complete party.
Im having problems with the photos , unless some of you wiz kids know how to take them from me and do the business and then resend them back to me on a different format or whatever .
                                back soon

11.30 am
Anglers have moved to the woodhole and paddy stream for peace and quiet , and the 12lb fish caught yesterday at the bears burn was caught fair and square on a black flying C .
 This emailer is mad that anglers from antrim are always getting the blame for shrimping .

Plenty of anglers out in the strabane/lifford anglers waters .

7.40am
Its a dull morning but the rain is keeping away so far .
                                                        And some questions over the past week asking " is there an easier parking area for the blackstone "   NO .   The piggery beside the blackstone had a fall out with the sion anglers and stopped the easy parking .....but you can park up at EL hydrolics at the top of the hill .

The lifford bridge area is coming into great nick now as is the rest of the lower mourne ....and thats goes with peace .
Taking the normal walk back later.

10.pm
The three wise men have returned from the tweed ,and i have photos here so i might have to work on them cos they are small ....im not the brightest in that department .
You want to see the Sea trout of martin Mc Daids from country sports strabane .

Its not raining to bad , more damp than anything else .

3.30pm
The rain has started and it looks as if it could be a bad night .....there's a bit of a lul.

11.30 am
Anglers have moved to the woodhole and paddy stream for peace and quiet , and the 12lb fish caught yesterday at the bears burn was caught fair and square on a black flying C .
 This emailer is mad that anglers from antrim are always getting the blame for shrimping .

Plenty of anglers out in the strabane/lifford anglers waters .

7.40am
Its a dull morning but the rain is keeping away so far .
                                                        And some questions over the past week asking " is there an easier parking area for the blackstone "   NO .   The piggery beside the blackstone had a fall out with the sion anglers and stopped the easy parking .....but you can park up at EL hydrolics at the top of the hill .

The lifford bridge area is coming into great nick now as is the rest of the lower mourne ....and thats goes with peace .
Taking the normal walk back later.

4.pm
A 12lb fish caught at the burn at sion .......and two shrimpers fishing the grevenue this morning early from Antrim im told.....sion staff were informed.

A letter explaining the new hydro system at sion mills in regards to the protection strategy is in the hands of a local sion mills Angler ......Fair play man , at least your trying .

1.30 pm
Yes more trouble at mill ....the grevenue again .

10.pm
A fish caught tonight at victoria by a Antrim Angler {liskey} 

1.40 pm
A man counted 22 angler's at the grevenue at 1pm.................A double fig fish caught at the bears burn and a 7lb fish caught at the grevenue since.

Some are saying the water is grumbley for fly , but i could see the bottom perfect ...excuses excuses .

11.30 am
The 3 crusader's have struck a little bit of Gold at least..Chris Steele has landed a 13lb springer ....Graham Turner Lost a nice medium size fish and has had a nice size sea trout  around 4....Martin Mc Daid has landed two sea trout of 2lb each .

I.ve just been informed that Charlies angels from the loughs Agencies Page 3 division are out and about the mourne area , so there you are " we're safe again " i just wish it was in the arm's off though  !!! cos one O them look's kinda Perdi .
{ watch out for them mountain men but } cos they don't care what you look like or what sex you are ....As long as you have a nice mouth and can Squeal like a hog Boy !
9.40am

The grevenue is packed and i fear something is going to happen this year because you can actually feel the bad vibes and see the out of controlled area turning unsettled .
If someone gets hurt or something happens , Are DCAL Going to take a part of the responsability .......Its a beacon for get rich quick insurance claimers ..please take me serious on this , and theres syndicates sitting back hoping it happen's soon so they can move in ..Sion should be controlled by one body of good honest people and policed properly , at the minute the only three local lads that try to protect it get laughed at from strangers that have no licences ..permits of any sort etc .

7.30am
A bright morning and an email informing me that two fish ..12lb and an 8 were landed at the bush .
A 14lb fish from the faughan and i bet there has been fish lifted from the mourne this morning already ...but i.ll check that when i come back from derry.

Martin mc daid from country sport's and the two altnagalvin consultant's Graham and Chris must be as sick as three parrots for heading for far away fields.

9.35 pm
Another fish ...they cant get it through on my phone .
9.05pm
Incoming photo of another fish caught by M mc Laughlin ....he is now of the Morrision list ....i'm telling you now ...the mourne is in order and i;m told 20 fish caught today ...anyway ! photo coming up of martys lad and me 10 minutes ago .
Plenty of fish lost also .

8.40pm
Another 2 fish caught tonight from the strabane and sion waters ...below higgins stream and the lords....my advice ...get here fast.

8.20 pm
the faughan is in peak order and fish showing ....get your day ticket from Gerry Quinn from Creggan fishery or martin at toms tackle at drumahoe.

8.pm
Plenty of fish caught from the mourne river today ......the count now is 15 ....j.patton had a 13 from purgerty ....i think the young g p done it again and a double fig fish lost in the dam .
                           put it like this ....the mourne is full of fish .....5 am in the morning for the best results ....please listen .

Fish caught in the pan and burnfoot at mulvin ...privite waters but the best on the mourne...a walker said there was 3 hanging up today at the hut below the railway bridge .

photo of fish coming up

1.30 pm
Plenty of good fish getting caught in the mourne .....there is about 7 today so far between sion and strabane .
All the local anglers seem to be getting the first bite of the cherry .....the water will be in superb condition after today ....its not bad now .

Don't be shy ..ive already sent 13 .....ive still got 30 minutes left before i head off .
and it only takes a second to send .....oh and the fish looks about 10lb

9.47 am
A nice fish just landed from the grevenue at 9.35 am .......i have photos but some people are sensitive to reports ....but if you want a photo ..ill send it to you ...the same local lad had a fish yesterday , infact he is doing great this season so far .
The water is clean as cyristal....caught on spinner.

7.30 am
A great morning for a story or two and possibly a fish to boot .
                              And after watching the divinci code last night for the third time but the first time to understand it , i looked up the grail in the internet and came accross a person called the fisher king .....please look it up .......we haven't really a notion what's happening on this plannet do we !  ....i'm hungry for a slice or two of cold smoked salmon this morning so i.m of to gain a bit of more knowledge .
                                              Yeh your right ........This is DE danny code !!!

The mourne is in superb order this morning and anywhere really , sion or strabane ..even newtownstewart .
I'll take a walk ...back soon.

8.20pm
2 fish caught at sion ..a 13 and a 6lb....a text just in

8.pm
Even though i personally didn't see any fish showing today up along the upper finn , some guy's i met along the waterway told me they had seen a few turn early in the morning time .
           Well i heard that there was a couple of fish caught at liscooley yesterday and the odd one up above ballybofey , but its dropping fast now and its time to turn to the Mourne .......Yep .....tomorrow morning could bring her into the pink .....the weather is fine for a change .

8.am
A superb morning with not a cloud in the sky , and it's every man for himself today .

I'm taking a long walk along the river now and will definitely be out of range about 10 am.
The party express are heading for what they think is the best river in the Uk but i fear they are leaving the best ....far away fields alway's look the greenest Martin ...graham..and chris

9.40pm
fish caught today again ..i'll not go into detail but i'm told that this year is the best in the history of some elder's .
Water is ok for the finn for tomorrow ....the ballybofey/stranolar day permits are 40 for one day 60 for two days and 75 for three days .
I think the republic is gone over board on prices , thats why ASDA in the North are raking it in on Euros .
FACT .......shelves can't be stocked fast enough and £200.000 is spent on womens creams and that type of stock alone each week in that one store .....i got that from a horse himself.
{fishing} A 14lb fish caught on the camowen and fish seen going over the weir at the lover's.

12.30 afternoon
The day is clearing up to the odd shower and the finn looks good to go , it might possibly get a bit of a rise ok but it should stay relativley clean.
Plenty of angler's out today .....the whole finn is crawling .
                                                 And i came accross information regarding two farm's adjoining a certain river today .......not only do you get 11 acres or arable land on one but you also get the the sheds and a salmon filled river running along side .
All for £90.000 .................the other is 190.000 euro .
Any taker's .....it sounds like the last farm near omagh , but its not ........its great to have the ear to the ground all the time !! i just wish i had the cash to invest .

9.20 am
Yes ..Another wet and mirky morning , but it was dry around 6 am so you'll get most of the day before a rise again.
And as i said ......plenty of fish in the finn .
And don't be stressing yourselves to pay £50 a day at cloghan ...get a glebe or finn anglers ticket for half the money or indeed the Ballybofey/stranalor anglers .

They also have superb waters across from Glenmore .

The we man from Newtownstewart is doing ok at liscooley i hear .

And a report in from omagh ....Fish seen ....fish caught ....more on that later .

9.pm
10 fish caught at cloghan yesterday .....3/4 fish caught at liscooley and above ...the finn tomorrow , the mourne is not suiting .

The mourne is back up to what it look's like in the photo's...finn also up .
7.40 am
Guess what !! ...And don't be shocked ...........But it's a wet morning .  " again "

It has rained most of the night , and one of those sheet type rain storm's hit at exactly 5 am this morning .
The way thing's are at the minute would make you wonder if we were going to have a heat wave at all at the end of the month..........Sorry !!!!     Did i forget to mention .
Lord ~ Am i a chancer or what !.

When i was out and about yesterday with my fair Posters i met some interesting bussiness men who are dedicated angler's like Michael Todd from Todds Autos of campsie to Billy Sweeney from a Motor showroom on the strand rd .......Billy is off  to Mayo for 10 day's to fish for 4 and 5lb brown trout but promises to get to the show .
Donnelly/Taggart are interested in putting a 4x4 up at the fair from dungannon , so yes ...we are definitely getting an interest and here i go again , this time cookstown direction .

7.pm
The rain i encountered when i was coming back from omagh was the heaviest i have seen for a long time , the wipers were going that hard they flew off the car window .
The dark sky is heading for co down and Antrim.

3.45 pm
The Finn has droped quite a lot now but the mourne is still well up . we have a strong wind now but just the odd shower .

Off to omagh now with more postie poster's ......and i must mention " i met some people all over the northwest today in my travel's ."

7.40 am
Still not the perfect morning , we had strong wind's during the night and added heavy showers.
Ah well ! it can only be good for conservation , providing that is " The top end of the finn is looked after "!! plus the rest ?

Our big show is still on the highway and we are traveling faster now , Today i will be working around the northwest's L .Derry Direction with posters whilst the other men are in all art's and part's.
                               Anyway ...the main objective is to let every single family know that there is a family show out there and coming soon .

Talk later ........07763191232.

A we message from Sion angler Andy patton to marty mad dog Mc daid ..." get yourself a Tom Tom or tom cat ..or what ever you call those navigational system's .

8.pm
We had a serious amount of rain this evening and the rivers are raging big time ...The Mourne is in the finn ! The finn is in the fields ! The derg is in the strule ! the owenkillew is in the glennelly! The faughan is in the roe , and the deele is in raphoe , and i'm in the house .
The same thing has happened again in the foyle{ A farmer is planting spuds in a field as it is getting washed out to SEA , and he can't even hear us shouting at him to get off }

10.20am
A 12lb fish caught at the glenmore waters on the finn just 10 minutes ago ...Net marks on its back , infact im told that there has been about a dozen fish caught up there with net marks all over their backs and fins damaged....................The river finn is high but clean ......the lower finn is all over the place .

And yes it is £50 per day for fishing cloghan , 8 men that usually come all the way from Dublin to fish the beats turned and told them to stuff it .

WHAT DID I TELL YOU!!!!!!!!! IT'S HAPPENING !   MR MC GREEDY HAS ARRIVED. AND THE WEE MEN ARE GETTING HAMMERED NOW .IT WAS INEVITABLE .

10.am
A photo or two of the present water coditions on the mourne at sion coming up ....photos taken at 9.15 am this morning.


7.30 am
Another repeat of yesterday i'm afraid , i just hope it rains itsself out for a long dry spell at the end of the month .

Also this morning !!   A guideline hat found on the Golf Course beside the river mourne in strabane .

8.40 pm
A massive flood ....don't even tink about coming here at this minute in time .....the biggest banker of the year i would say .
What i don't want you to do is come here and waste your hard earned money.......Take it easy men .....take the half week off

1.15pm
All the rivers are rising fast now , and the rain continues.

10.30 am
There was three springers caught in the big water on the river Mourne at the Strabane/lifford waters yesterday , and one caught by Kevin Mc Crory the day before between the bridges.
And i'm not going to slag off the angler that lost a nice fish out of the landing net yesterday at the same spot .

Its a bad day weather relating ....and i have just been informed that the finn is rising yet again.......that means the derg will have more then the mourne.

7.45AM
IT'S AN OVERCAST AND WET MORNING AND THE FINN LOOKS BEST FOR A THROW .
BIG TIDES ON THE 9TH

Yeh
fresh water...but the derg and finn are clean ....no reports of catches .......and who is off to the tweed next weekend ...cough cough ....the three amigos
7.pm
Im getting reports about fresh water in the finn and some in the mourne .....ill go out for a check .

1.45 pm
A report from barney Winters that 2 fish caught at sion this morning ....waters in great order .
plenty of anglers at the grevenue .

There will be some New Changes to www.foylefishing.com shortly ....possibly a new design of a web site altogether at the end of May .........you know what they say ...A change is good as a rest .....so if you experience a shutting down for a day ..don't worry .

11.45 am
The mourne is in good condition with the odd angler out at lifford and strabane .
The weather is also just not bad .
Everything seems quiet all over as if everyone had a late night last night .

If you are interested in having a stand weather it is Ice Cream ...Tackle ......Shooting ...Equestrain etc ....or indeed anything ......please phone  Barney Winter's on 07709548436.
The layout plan might be very small on the banner at the top but we can send you a full copy via email .
{ info@foylefishing.com] [ dannyhunter1@live.co.uk } or the man himself ...Barney Winters At ..[ brendan.winters@btinternet.com ]

4.30 pm
A fish caught behind the mill on the mourne and a fish caught up at the ballybofey waters on the finn .
The first person down the grevenue tomorrow morning is going to have a good chance .
And i notice that no matter what rules and regulations a fishery makes they are still going to be broken ......The bears burn was fished all day .

1.30pm
the mourne looks to be in good enough order .

11.am
Its a mixture of hail and rain showers this morning .....i'll get a walk around today .

10 pm
A nice day all over but we had a bit of heay rain over the darking of the day ..stoped now .
Where indeed for a throw tomorrow ............The mourne i think .....yeh the mourne or maybe the derg !! ........why not .

10.30 am
Im experiencing problems with my foyle fishing email so please contact me at   dannyhunter1@live.co.uk ...or hunter66@btinternet.com .

The finn is well down .......the mourne is mirky

9.am
A bright dry morning and plenty of anglers out on the finn this morning because that is the only place to be .

2.50pm
The mourne is pretty big men but the finn will fish well tomorrow , so don't be put of by the nasty showers at the minute .

11.40 am
Still some nasty showers about ..........and some of us had a conversation just this morning talking about young men on schemes like clearing the river banks and such .

Lads from the dole are put on schemes for £3 a day here {£15} per week .......its to show that the unemployed numbers have gone down ......and if you don't go on it you lose your benefits ...fair enough ..i see the labour governments point .
                           Some lads are on schemes all around the north and cleaning bankings and clearing paths all over , but its local knowledge that nearly all employers are reasonably good to the lads and give them a little extra to give them a we bit of incentive instead of doing nothing and treating the scheme as a joke and sit in bushes and play cards all day.
                                        so please don't exploit the poor and vulnerable in this 3rd world country ..treat people the way you would like to be treated yourself !!!.............................i must go now men cos i have a poker classic at the grevenue at noon.
                                       
9.30 am
The sun is out now and it looks as if its going to be a fair day ......and i forgot to mention that Michael grant and Pat Mc Manus are members of the White water Angling club in killkeel and have invited me over to their neck of the wood's in sept when they are working on their Sea trout regeneration Program.......and im not allowed to mention tips ..its bad for ........for something or another .

So no incentive for young up and coming guides here in the northwest .

7.30 am
It's raining cat's and dog's this morning but it really only started about 6 this morning so we will see now it last's .

And i shouldn't have to tell you to click  into the west banner at the top to reveal the country show layout .
Flyers and posters will be out on Monday/ tues next so if you have any idea's or public places to put them up feel free to contact me on 07763191232 or email me at info@foylefishing.com
And let's show the rest that the west is the best  .!! Even without the support of Government funded bodies , and i can't wait for the big media stories before and after this First All Family Event in The Whole of the Northwest Of Ireland.....EVER.

Only the finn will fish clean today .........try killygooley Gordon or liscooley ..plus ballybofey.

I got a text message informing me that a nice 11lb fish was caught around bells on the finn{ glebe water}
7.30 pm
As you already know the Mourne is really dirty and even when i was in omagh this evening the rivers there where rotten dirty.

BiG Michael Grants 16lb fish is now up on the Gallery ....fair play to the man ...his biggest salmon ever in his 70 years on this Earth .....sorry 59 years.
Pat the Baker McMANUS refused the camera .........Fish caught up the Finn .

3.40pm
Wait untill you hear this story before i rush away yet again .

When i was coming from Derry this morning i recieved a phone call from two gentlemen that had traveled all the way from killkeel in co .Down .
They said " hi danny ..the river mourne is in flood and dirty , could you help us " I said Ney Problem .
             So i was trying to direct them to another river but it got to confusing for them and they ask was i available for a half day .....Once again i said " Ney problem ".
             So i told them to meet me in country sports in strabane and we set of from there and up into the owl mountains of the finn , but to cut a long story short because im in a rush .
                              Michael Grant hooked and landed a 16lb fresh fish in the mater of a half an hour at the river .
Photos and more later ...when i get back .................the glenmore and cloghan are in the pink ..........two fish caught on the glenmore section yesterday ....and just incase your thinking ....!! thats not where i was

7.30 am
A wet morning to start the day and i would suspect that there could even be a bit of fresh water already in the system from last nights down pour.

And in regards to the gravel being taken from the river beds in and around porthall! ,This situation did arise before and went to a high court without any resolve at the end of it , and the only people that got any satisfaction were the law firms who made a nice little earner and danced all the way to the piggy bank .

So what i've learned in the last few day's is !!!!  If you intend to take on the Island owner's { lusbys} be prepared to pay a law firm a heafty sum ...and an outcome could actually sway against .
And its also out of the loughs agencys control i hear....i find that strange cos its in the foyle.

But as i said in my first foylefishing web-site .......A Multi Million pound company from anywhere in the world can actually come here and buy the complete foyle system and theres nothing you or i could do about it at the end of the day ...Plus the loughs Agency would still only have a say in the protection of it .

MONEY TALKS ALL THE TIME ..........I might just sell the foyle and all tributaries myself to Muhamad Acmad ...unless that is ! " you have a spare 30 million for the defence of it , and that would only be loose change to Acmad.

7.pm
The rivers are in splendid order today , a bit of rain this evening , and i seen no one really up the finn today because i think they mostly have headed for the mourne .

oh ....and that man Mc Cartney from the loughs Agency seems to work 20 hours a day because he seems to be on call right around the clock .

The man is doing the job of 10 men in my eye's , and i'm going to say something now !  he is the new backbone of the fishery and he has definitely got my complete respect ....plus i have to congradulate his men that support him on the ground .
DO me a favour please anglers ............Help this man to help you !!!! he is on your side you know.

7.45 am
Not a bad morning and the rain stayed away in most areas here during the night .
It wouldn't be the first time though that we had fine weather here around the finn and mourne and all of a sudden we had a brown fresh flood out of Nowhere.

I think the quota is up for some angler's now that we have plenty of fish in the finn for a change .......so a little bird flew all the way down from above the carry at killygordon and whispered in my Ear that 5 fish were hooked up there over the last two day's .
3 yesterday.

glenmore fished well yesterday with two reported so far , but you must remember that this is the secret service period of fishing and feeding time at the zoo .......And you always know when anglers are doing well at the best beats when they are saying nothing to anyone , infact they don't even trust their wives , or in old single mens cases { their Dogs}

After meeting a gent coming from the river yesterday and standing by his car dismantling his rod , i stoped and asked him was the fishing any good where he was .
         WELL ! He looked nervous ..his forhead started to sweat and his hands started to shake as he squeezed out the words ..neeoogoood ..........I said WAH ! ..........He said .........NO GOOD MAN ................I replyed ...Are you certain , you don't seem so sure and added .. do you feel alright .
                &n