List of Largest 35 lb+ Irish Salmon ever caught/found (Not in Fred Buller's)Books

[tmca]

Here's some others I've found over the last 2 years....

Thanks to forum member, the gap, for most of the Suir Fish below from the Carrick on Suir And District Anglers Association Facebook page.

William Marshall 29.5lb Moy Salmon (Late 80's)



Sean Ward, Inver Co. Donegal with his 38lb salmon sold at auction at Burtonport. Year is 1986.



38lb Salmon caught on the Suir Late 1940's.



Two 20lb+ salmon caught on the Suir - late 80's?



40lb salmon netted on the Suir late 1970's by Toddy.



30lb salmon caught and released on the Suir 2013.



Owen Jackman's salmon he caught in September 2016 on the fly from the Suir I think from around Kilsheelan. It was listed conservatively at 30lb+ on the Angling Ireland site. Local anglers estimated it at 32-35lb. (Angling Ireland/Inland Fisheries Ireland Site)

 

[minitube]

Thanks for posting tmca. That's one Lough Neagh monster alright. I do wonder why they thought it had spawned already. It doesn't look like it at first glance though I suppose they must have had reason. I'll satisfy myself without any proof whatsoever that it was likely one of the Armagh / Tyrone Blackwater fish. A river where a few right lumps of fish would usually be present, one having that type of a genetical strain to favour the odd larger fish.

 

[tmca]

Hi, yeah I saw that by chance when I was in the Natural History museum a few years ago. It such a huge stocky fish. Not sure why they thought it'd spawned before.

Sounds like you've located the origin! I didn't think the Bann had such big fish. I'd an article photocopied here on a previous post from an Angling Ireland magazine I bought years ago and a lot of 20lb+ salmon came from the Corrib which again I didn't think was a river for big salmon in the last 30 odd years.

Thanks for posting tmca. That's one Lough Neagh monster alright. I do wonder why they thought it had spawned already. It doesn't look like it at first glance though I suppose they must have had reason. I'll satisfy myself without any proof whatsoever that it was likely one of the Armagh / Tyrone Blackwater fish. A river where a few right lumps of fish would usually be present, one having that type of a genetical strain to favour the odd larger fish.

 

[minitube]

Hi, yeah I saw that by chance when I was in the Natural History museum a few years ago. It such a huge stocky fish. Not sure why they thought it'd spawned before.

Sounds like you've located the origin! I didn't think the Bann had such big fish. I'd an article photocopied here on a previous post from an Angling Ireland magazine I bought years ago and a lot of 20lb+ salmon came from the Corrib which again I didn't think was a river for big salmon in the last 30 odd years.

Ah right, now I get it. I've been taking it up wrong, spawned before, they mean a year or two before, back to sea and returning again, not caught just after spawning a few months before. They would think that because a previously spawned fish has more spots on the gill cover than a first time returning fish. Though perhaps they did a scale reading.

 

[tmca]

Well that's just my thoughts. Based on what I've read I thought a fish that big at 60lb+ couldn't just be 4 years at sea but had spawned before and returned. Your point re the gills spotting would tie in. I think you can also tell from the scales if a fish has spawned so maybe that's why it was thought it'd spawned already after it was captured -through a scale reading. Not sure if scale reading shows the difference between recent spawning and some years before. It certainly doesn't look emaciated or spent as if it's just recently spawned. It's a huge ridiculously thick fish when you see it in the case.

Ah right, now I get it. I've been taking it up wrong, spawned before, they mean a year or two before, back to sea and returning again, not caught just after spawning a few months before. They would think that because a previously spawned fish has more spots on the gill cover than a first time returning fish. Though perhaps they did a scale reading.

 

[tmca]

Some other photos. I think this was from somewhere on this forum. 25lb fish from the river Fergus 1988.



21lb salmon from the Nore September 2012. I think I saw this on some fishing blog as well as the next one.



20lb fish from the Nore also September 2012.

 

[paddymc]

A 33.5lb fish caught in the river Foyle a few seasons ago.

 

[reddie]

Great photos once again TMCA!

Know there was a 26 pounder caught on the Suir this year on the fly in Carrick. Few 20 pounders from the Bandon last couple of years also.

 

[tmca]

View attachment 23766

A 33.5lb fish caught in the river Foyle a few seasons ago.

Such a big fish from the Foyle.

 

[tmca]

Great photos once again TMCA!

Know there was a 26 pounder caught on the Suir this year on the fly in Carrick. Few 20 pounders from the Bandon last couple of years also.

No worries. Ah very good Reddie hadn't heard that. Every year there seems to be 20lb+ on the Bandon. Was speaking to someone a few weeks ago who saw a 28lb fish taken from the Boyne in the Spring.

 

[Salmo salar]

More big Shannon salmon

"During the spring of 1875 I saw three large salmon in the Dublin market, weighing respectively 58, 55 and 53lbs, and all three were said to have been taken at one haul of a net in the Shannon"

 

[Darra O'Connell]

Then Ardnacrusha dam/ hydro electric plant was built and killed off the legendary huge Shannon salmon stock.

 

[Salmo salar]

Shannon Big Salmon River

May 10th 1916 rising 33lbs & 38lbs Lt Col Richard Baker

 

[tmca]

Great posts, a great read and photos Salmo Salar!! I wonder what size the salmon is in the photo it’s hard to make out the sign.

 

[Purple paws]

Then Ardnacrusha dam/ hydro electric plant was built and killed off the legendary huge Shannon salmon stock.

The Shannon must have been some river in its day throwing up such big fish what a shame

 

[Darra O'Connell]

The Shannon must have been some river in its day throwing up such big fish what a shame

I read some years ago that 3/5 trucks a week used take fish from the Shannon system! Talking about killing the hen that lays the golden egg.

They were hatcheries along the Shannon one time but that is down to one now I think in Ardnacrusha? When we were kids we would go and take a look at the holding pots they were thousands of salmon parr in those pots and believe me they were at least 30/70 holding pots.

It's like taking money out of the bank on a daily basis and putting nothing back in it's place! it has to run dry sometime the interest won't pay for you're daily outgoings.The name of the game is replenishment, on average we are told us only 10% of Salmon Part make it back to spawn.

 

[Loxie]

The Shannon must have been some river in its day throwing up such big fish what a shame

It's not alone, sadly. The Awe produced enourmous salmon too before it was hydroised and destroyed. The Invernessshire Garry produced some of the best early fishing in the country, with mainly 3 SW fish before hydro ruined it too. It's a great shame that rivers suited to producing big salmon are also suitable for producing electricity.

 

[bencarvosso]

i witnessed a 26lb (couldve been 24) salmon caught on galway weir in the early to mid 90s.
i think it was documented with the specimen commitee that year as the largest recorded in ireland for that year.
my father and i were staying on corrib and got a call from danny goldrick during breakfast saying a large fish had been hooked. we were booked to fish anyway and we arrived 45 mins later and the fish was still on sulking in the fast flow on heavy spinning gear and a flying c.
in total i think it took 2 hours to land.....
massive crowd on the bridge and shore.
i have pix which i will scan and post tomorrow.
i know its not enourmous in comparison to this thread but someone mentioned corrib a few pages back and just wanted to share the tale....
i think i have a pic showing the frightening curve his beefy rod took as he tried to move it from the fast water and coax it in...
have a pic of a 30plus from yesteryear from a sligo river too

 

[tmca]

Just seeing this, haven’t been on the site recently.

That would be great could you post those photos?

i witnessed a 26lb (couldve been 24) salmon caught on galway weir in the early to mid 90s.
i think it was documented with the specimen commitee that year as the largest recorded in ireland for that year.
my father and i were staying on corrib and got a call from danny goldrick during breakfast saying a large fish had been hooked. we were booked to fish anyway and we arrived 45 mins later and the fish was still on sulking in the fast flow on heavy spinning gear and a flying c.
in total i think it took 2 hours to land.....
massive crowd on the bridge and shore.
i have pix which i will scan and post tomorrow.
i know its not enourmous in comparison to this thread but someone mentioned corrib a few pages back and just wanted to share the tale....
i think i have a pic showing the frightening curve his beefy rod took as he tried to move it from the fast water and coax it in...
have a pic of a 30plus from yesteryear from a sligo river too

 

[reddie]

62lb Bandon Salmon, 1969

Possibly one of the last portmanteau salmon caught in Ireland??

 

[JACK POWER]

1969? That recently? Begob.

 

[Rennie]

Oops!

Excuse me and pardon me and I don't want to appear a spoil sport or indeed a belittler of the thread.
But on Page 18 and reply No.176 amongst other pics there's one of a chap holding two 20lb fish.I don't think these are Irish fish as I'm pretty well sure its Fred Buller himself with two 20lb+ fish from the Tweed!.There should be other fish about his feet too.
I've got this photo in a book somewhere but at mo can't get my hands on it or remember which book, maybe Days n Nights of Game Fishing by Bill Currie,or the Guinness guide to game angling by the same author!
Any way If I 'm wrong I do apologise and I'll slink off, wet cell 2 and tube flees bowed in shame!.
Wouldn't say owt were I not pretty sure.
Any way, good fish whatever.
Pedro.

 

[tmca]

Possibly one of the last portmanteau salmon caught in Ireland??

View attachment 33239

Wow some size unbelievable. By the way reddie where did you get the clipping, is that the Irish Times?

 

[tmca]

Excuse me and pardon me and I don't want to appear a spoil sport or indeed a belittler of the thread.
But on Page 18 and reply No.176 amongst other pics there's one of a chap holding two 20lb fish.I don't think these are Irish fish as I'm pretty well sure its Fred Buller himself with two 20lb+ fish from the Tweed!.There should be other fish about his feet too.
I've got this photo in a book somewhere but at mo can't get my hands on it or remember which book, maybe Days n Nights of Game Fishing by Bill Currie,or the Guinness guide to game angling by the same author!
Any way If I 'm wrong I do apologise and I'll slink off, wet cell 2 and tube flees bowed in shame!.
Wouldn't say owt were I not pretty sure.
Any way, good fish whatever.
Pedro.

Hi Rennie yeah I got those two off a Facebook thread which said it was the Suir. The river doesn't look as big as the Tweed though granted I'm sure it has parts which are narrower.

 

[nore fly]

Hi Rennie yeah I got those two off a Facebook thread which said it was the Suir. The river doesn't look as big as the Tweed though granted I'm sure it has parts which are
Hi Rennie...Fred was a regular visitor to Irish waters as he owned a house near Lough mask...I had a pleasure of dinning next to him and his wife some years ago in ballina and spent two hours having a discussion about dry flies for trout on Irish loughs...he was one nice guy .....so it would be no surprise to meet him on Irish rivers or Loughs as the day I met him he was chasing silver in mayo.....
Rip Fred.. hope your still hooking big ones in the sky..