Great day in spite of barely getting near the trout! We met in Denagh’s cottage just inside the entrance into Killarney Park. We quickly realised we had lots to learn as we were total beginners at wet-fly fishing ... Ger was the teacher. He first taught the Dads who then passed it on to the boys. He got the boys to make choices of the two wet flies they each were going use, identify them from a large catalogue, register the names of the flies in a log book and got them to set up the traces each with two flies & a bubble float on each, with special loops and knots and all without getting their fingers caught on the hooks!
Then into the cars and a beautiful drive up to the Gap of Dunloe. Stopping at Keating’s Cottage, where, in the sitting room, out of the strong wind howling down through the gap of Dunloe we set the rods out and connected the traces. All ready we headed for our fishing spot —crossing down through rocks and undergrowth into the valley below the road, over, under, through high sheep wire fencing and over streams including underground streams, being very careful where you put your foot, one step after another, eventually reaching a sheltered spot across the valley out of the wind and rain. Time: 2pm, so lunch first! Eating & drinking we watched the heavy sheet-rain before us blowing down from the gap. Next: the job of untangling all the rods, and hooks -which all happened trying to cross The Valley-, not easy! And entanglement would happen again and again. Pablo became the most proficient at untangling! And warning: we had to be careful all the time to avoid getting hooked ourselves.
Eventually some actual fishing! Or rather, learning to do some casting!! Liam, Oliver, Joseph & Louis taking up one position- a little exposed but in this weather everywhere was. Eamonn, Oran an, Tomás & Ger further downstream were joined by Pablo, Alvaro and Javier. But they had to return to the shelter with their rods all entangled after about 10 mins to try and un-entangled them. All part of a great learning experience, and no one prepared to give up.
The boys were determined, the dads determined! Finally some good casts made. However it seems the brown trout just smiled and looked the other way!
