The cleanup crew were busy ahead of the weekend’s event, John Grimes, Alan Tyrrell, Jim Cahill, Tom Gorman, Derek Murphy, Frank Keena and Les Featherstone.

Lough Ennell hosts National Trout Fly Fishing Championships

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More than 120 anglers are expected at Lough Ennell this Saturday, May 27, for the 2023 National Fly Fishing Championships.

Hosted by Lough Ennell Trout Preservation Association (LETPA), the event is a testament to the high quality of the trout fishing that Lough Ennell can provide. The championships, run by Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association (ITFFA) and LETPA, welcomes anglers from all four provinces, who competed successfully at provincial level to qualify for the championships.

There will be 64 boats on the water, each with a boatman to ensure adherence to the rules of the competition. A strict catch and release policy is applied, and restrictions on fly size.

The Lough Ennell Trout Preservation Association base at Whitebridge Bay.

The top 10 anglers Saturday will qualify to fish for Ireland in the four nations competition.

David O’Malley, chair of LETPA, said: "Lough Ennell has enjoyed good fishing in recent years but its ecology remains on a knife edge, and we need to continue to work hard to improve conditions for trout and the whole lake system."

The lough is the focus of efforts to improve water quality and fish habitats, including efforts to reduce agricultural run-off, advocating control of nutrients from wastewater treatment reaching the lough, as well as working with Inland Fisheries Ireland and landowners to improve prospects for trout spawning on the inflow streams.

This is heading towards the production of a catchment management plan for the lough and efforts are ongoing, led by LETPA, to bring partners together to produce an agreed plan this year, more information on catchment management at Lough Ennell is available at loughennellcatchmentmanagementplan.wordpress.com/.

LETPA is grateful to all the members who’ve volunteered for cleaning up the bay and club facilities in preparation and for helping on the day. A special thank you to LETPA boatmen and stewards and sponsors: Michael Dolan, drain expert for providing the portable toilets, and Conor Kilmurray of Kilmurray Quarries for donating material to improve the road around Whitebridge Bay.

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