Rainbow fishing at Lough Ashling, Edenderry.

Its the  time of year when the wild trout season slows down and the dust for me is blown off the rainbow fly box. So on Saturday I decided to head out to Lough Ashling in Edenderry to see how it was fishing and get in some practice for the Leinster bank finals to be held there in two weeks, as usual on my arrival you are greeted by a good host, Joe who always has the kettle on. After a chat I tackled up and headed down the left shore and after just been informed by Joe that it was recently stocked I began with fry patterns and from the off was into several good sporting rainbows around the 3lb mark that liked to take to the air once hooked. I was stripping fast and on most occasions I would feel a pluck or two before the fish committed its self to the take. The streamers were small and sleek with good zonker tails that moved well to attract fish. 

Moving down the left hand shore the fish kept coming to several fry dressings black and sliver being the predominant colours but I also fished some orange and bright olives that also produced fish.  Another angler who was on the shore ahead of me was also having good result on the dry fly which he showed me was a small dark klink hammer.
All along the shelf around ten feet from the bank a lot of good rainbows patrolled the edge searching for some prey, so it was worth casting down along this margin and picking one or two of these off before casting out to the deeper water where there is an abundance of fish there willing to take once you can reach them. I did a complete lap of the lake through out the day and took several fish off each peg I stopped at, mostly on fry patterns as I said but I also caught some fish on a size 12 slim quill buzzer with light orange cheeks fished just under the surface. I did find that fishing a sinking line did hit weed quickly so fishing a slow intermediate line was far more productive. 

Located four miles. from Edenderry on the 402 to Tullamore around 4 miles you will see sign signs to follow, price range for full and half days are very reasonable with good facilities also on site.
Here is some dressings worth trying if you head to this lake. 

Hook: Size 10 Hends BL200
Thread: Black Twist tying thread
Tail & Body: Hends sliver metalic dubbing teased out for tail.
Zonker: Black Hends Muskrat strip.
Eyes: Hends Epoxy eyes.

Hook: size 12 Hends 404
Thread: Black twist tying thread
Body: Orange striped quill coated in UV resin
Cheeks: Light orange Turkey Biots.

Hook: Size 8 Hends BL200
Thread: Black Twist tying thread
Tail: Red Metallic Hends dubbing teased out.
Body: Hends Sliver Metallic dubbing.
Zonker: Natural Hends furry-band strip.
Head: Hends Red Metallic dubbing in front of a few turns of large grizzle hen all brushed back.

This fishery is well worth the trip and has a good stock of fighting fish, with great hospitality and facilities. A place I will be visiting again shortly.
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