Internationally renowned fishery scientist, Ken Whelan, issues a call to action on the latest episode of The Last Salmon. He says that ranching can and will work to help improve salmon numbers in relation to supporting a rod fishery for anglers and he explains to us the background to its successful development and implementation – albeit with cavea…

For the final episode of the first series of The Last Salmon, Daire and Jim revisit Iceland and the issue of the regulation and future of salmon farms which Iceland’s politicians are currently drafting new legislation for. Elvar Fridriksson, Iceland’s Programme Director of The North Atlantic Salmon Fund, and Jasper Pääkkönen, actor, angler and pass…

It’s time for our second and final mayfly update from around the country and this week we’re hearing how Lough Sheelin and Lough Arrow fared with Eamonn Ross and Jackie Mahon. Eamonn explains how the fishing was fantastic the first week the mayfly was up with some incredible fish being caught, but it’s been tougher since then. Meanwhile on Arrow, J…

This week’s episode is a fascinating look at the famous Castleconnell Fishery on the River Shannon in Limerick with Pat O’Connor who is chair of the Castleconnell River Association. It’s a fishery steeped in history when it was internationally renowned for its huge salmon in the 1800s to the early 1900s and it became a thriving centre for tackle de…

We’ve our first update of the mayfly season for this week’s show and Mike Keady joins us to tell us how Corrib has been fishing. The weather has been unsettled and cold which hasn’t helped things, Mike tells us, but he does expect it to pick up for the next 1-2 weeks so if you have the opportunity do try and make the most of it before it finishes u…

Internationally renowned fishery scientist, Ken Whelan, issues a call to action on the latest episode of The Last Salmon. He says that ranching can and will work to help improve salmon numbers in relation to supporting a rod fishery for anglers and he explains to us the background to its successful development and implementation – albeit with cavea…

The Owenmore Fishery has been in the news recently with the State buying up the river and lands that are situated on the Dingle peninsula in Kerry. So what does the future hold for the fishery and what is the fishing like on the river and lakes in one of Ireland’s most scenic locations? Frank Maunsell has been the fishery manager there for over a q…

Hatcheries. It’s a contentious issue amongst the salmon angling community and with numbers of salmon continuing to drop, more and more anglers are asking can and should it be introduced to their river? For this week’s episode of The Last Salmon, we wanted to find out more about the pros, cons, nuances and science behind it and are joined by David S…

Simen Saetre is the co-author (along with Kjetil Ostli) of ‘The New Fish: The Truth about Farmed Salmon and the Consequences We Can No Longer Ignore’ and joins Jim & Daire on the latest episode of The Last Salmon to talk about their years of research into the salmon farming industry and the shocking information they discovered along the way. #thela…

Rory’s. It’s a famous name with a famous owner, Rory Harkin, of Rory’s Tackle Shop in Temple Bar in Dublin. But did you know it opened its doors in 1959 when there were just warehouses around the area and trout and salmon could be caught by the bucketful within Dublin’s environs? Rory Harkin may have passed on the running of the shop to his daughte…

Matt Harris is the angler you want to fish with and hang out with in the hut or bar afterwards. He has a lifetime of stories of fish caught, every one as good as the last, but despite having thrown a fly in practically every corner of the globe, it’s still the Atlantic salmon that holds a special place in his heart. He talks to us about his favouri…

This week we’re turning our attention to first editions of Irish angling books. The Ireland on the Fly Book Club is an important part of what we do here on the podcast and Muiris Huston, the medical contributor to the Irish times, is also a fly angler and fly fishing book collector and he joins us on the show to discuss the books everyone should ha…

Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, wanted to live life and do things his own way. In his 80s now and having given Patagonia away to help save the planet, Yvon is more likely to be found near a river bank fly fishing and he joins us to talk about his love of the sport and what anglers need to do help the plight of the salmon and of the planet. Bu…

It might be hard to believe, but mayfly season is starting soon and it’s expected on Lough Derg from around April 20th onwards. This week’s guest is Shane Creamer from the Garrykennedy Angling Club and he gives us some great and honest insights into fishing Derg during mayfly and the rest of the season. Listen & follow on Apple or Spotify: Rate, re…

He’s the Swedish salmon maestro who fished 250 days a season in his younger years, but he’s more than an expert salmon angler, he’s an ardent conservationist who says he will never stop fighting for the wild salmon. Mikael Frödin joins us on the latest episode of The Last Salmon with revealing insights into the perilous state of the salmon which he…

We take a brief departure from all things Atlantic salmon to focus on their second home - the ocean. Charles Clover is one of the pre-eminent environmental journalists of our time, author of the eye-opening and best-selling, ‘The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat’ and most recently, ‘Rewilding the Sea: How to Sa…

This week we speak to Nicholas Grubb who grew up in south Tipperary beside the Suir and the Tar and he tells us about the incredible catches of fish that were to be had growing up. It’s a throwback to another age and his great grandfather Samuel also had a reported 62lber which would have been an Irish record but it was never measured or verified a…

Scotland. It’s the traditional heart and home of fly fishing for salmon. The Spey, Dee, Tay and Tweed are rivers synonymous the world over when it comes to salmon fishing. But, long gone are the days when salmon catches were guaranteed and getting onto certain beats were next to impossible. In the midst of the Atlantic salmon crisis, Daire and Jim …

This week we’re joined by Julie Gerry, former winner of the World Cup on Mask – and the only woman to have won it to date, she’s captain of the Irish Ladies Fly Fishing team, and now also Youth Officer with the Irish Trout Fly Fishers Association. Julie tells us how, despite the success of Irish fly fishing teams, it is still a struggle to get more…

This week’s guest on Ireland on the Fly is a fly tyer and fly angler well known to many from fairs around Ireland and abroad and it was only when he moved to Ireland over twenty years ago that he discovered fly fishing and quickly embraced the sport, especially fly tying. Having been originally from the Caribbean it’s no surprise that saltwater fly…

Alexandra Morton is a warrior and a shining light who has fought and won her battle against fish farms. She has committed her life to saving the wild salmon in her local area of Broughton Archipelago on Canada’s pristine British Columbia coastline. She joins Jim and Daire on the latest episode of The Last Salmon to talk about her life of activism, …

This week on Ireland on the Fly, we turn our attention to the famous River Slaney. The river that was once the doyen of spring salmon rivers in Ireland has suffered more than most in recent times but there are still anglers and custodians of the Slaney that are fighting to keep it going and recover. And to hear more about their work, as well as tho…

Paul Whitehouse, the comedic legend, and John Bailey, the wizard behind the scenes of Mortimer & Whitehouse Gone Fishing, join us on The Last Salmon podcast. With their outspoken views about scientists and what actually should be done to help their beloved fish, Paul and John bring a lifetime of fishing experience – as well as their wit and humour …

This week’s Ireland on the Fly is another book club episode with returning author, Dan O’Donovan, whom we spoke to previously about his book, The Salmon of the River Lee. Dan has also written a very popular monograph on Sidney Spencer, who was a renowned angler and author on lough-fishing for salmon and sea-trout in the north-west of Ireland and th…

On this, the first episode of Season 1 of The Last Salmon podcast, hosts, Jim Murray and Daire Whelan, find out how the massive escape of farmed salmon in Iceland’s waters in the autumn of 2023, led to huge public protests at the damage being done to the wild salmon and their country’s pristine, natural waters. Actor, angler and passionate conserva…

Some of you may recall the devastating fish kill that occurred last May on the Ballymacraven River in Ennistymon, Co. Clare. It is estimated that in excess of 2000 fish were killed in this incident. This culminated in a court case on February the 16th, taken by the I.F.I. where Uisce Éireann admitted liability for this event and were fined over €15…

The Last Salmon: a new podcast set to inspire hope and solutions for a species in crisis. Hosted by renowned actor, Jim Murray, and award-winning producer, Daire Whelan, The Last Salmon, offers hope and solutions to the tragic story that is unfolding for an iconic species - the wild Atlantic salmon. Featuring a cast of experts, activists, scientist…

John Lalor, the well-known Tipperary salmon and trout angler, joins us on the latest Ireland on the Fly podcast to talk about his fishing life on the River Suir and beyond. John’s new book, ‘Fish Scealta: Game Fishing from Alaska to Lapland and the Swedish Arctic’ covers his remarkable fishing life beyond Tipperary covering many of the bucket list …

Jimmy Tyrrell, the well-known fly tyer based outside Abbeyleix in Laois, joins us on this week’s Ireland on the Fly. Jimmy talks about his fly fishing and fly tying journey from tying flies he could fish with on his local rivers to supplying shops and customers as far afield as Australia. And for those of you who want to know the perfect way to mix…

For this week’s episode we’re joined by Dave O’Donovan, the Cork-based international angler who loves nothing better than fishing his local Awbeg and Funcheon rivers. With most of the rivers in Cork and Kerry open for trout from February 15th, we spoke to Dave about fishing in the early season and why wet fly tactics are a particular favourite. Lis…

With the opening of the Blackwater on February 1st, we caught up with Conor Arnold, the guide and casting instructor who we spoke to previously on the show, to find out how opening day went on the river and what we can expect over the next few weeks. Conor also has some good advice on how to tempt the early season springers, plus he tells us how he…

Neil O’Shea, the long-standing ghillie on Lough Currane whose family have been guiding on the lake for nearly 150 years joins us on this week's Ireland on the Fly and what Neil doesn’t know about Currane probably isn’t worth knowing….. We speak to Neil about the opening few weeks on Currane, the good and the bad days for the lough, why you’ve a goo…

For this week’s episode we’re joined by Eamonn Conway, a well known angler from Dundalk, who in 2016 took the leap and decided to set up his own fly fishing company called Táin Fly Fishing. Its range includes fly rods, reels, lines and leaders and Eamonn talks to us about the challenges of setting up and running a fly fishing company and why he wan…

For this week’s episode we speak to an Irish fly angler who is now not only living and fishing in Sweden but also represents his adopted country at World Championship level. Wicklow’s Graham Reynolds tells us about the incredible fishing that’s to be had in Sweden and how, despite his early struggles in the competition scene over there, he kept at …

After a long hiatus we have another book club episode this week and this time we’re focusing on O’Gorman and the Practice of Angling from 1845. Who was O’Gorman you may be asking? In many ways he was the Izaak Walton of Irish fly fishing (albeit a lot better at writing!) whose book in the 1800s gives a glimpse of the halcyon days of Irish fishing.T…

We’re back for another year, another season and more interviews and conversations in 2024, and to kick things off we’re joined on this week’s episode by Shane Gallagher of the Drowes Fishery where the season traditionally starts on January 1st.Shane has all the latest from the opening few days, including news of the first salmon of the season from …

It’s only a few days to Christmas and if you’re looking back on the year that was or looking ahead to the season to come, we’ve put together a special second volume of our Most Memorable Fish on the Fly series.Sit back, listen and enjoy as some of our guests from the past year bring us on a journey across lakes, rivers and oceans to tell us the sto…

If you're a fan of fly fishing writing and magazines then you've most likely heard of The Drake - an American quarterly that's been running for 25 years featuring some of the best writers covering the why rather than the how of fly fishing.It's got a unique voice run by its founder, publisher and editor, Tom Bie, who is also a regular visitor to th…

We hear plenty of stories of sea trout on the west coast of Ireland, but what about sea trout in the salt on the east coast where the fish are bigger, and if recent catches are anything to go by, fish numbers are improving as well? Mick McShane is a well known fly angler from Dundalk who will throw a fly at pretty much anything that swims, but he h…

As we head into December and are stuck in winter – although fear not, the opening of the Drowes is only a few weeks away – you’re also probably stuck at the vice dreaming of the fly to tie to catch your first salmon of the season in 2024. So, for this week’s episode we wanted to concentrate on salmon flies and fly tying and we’re joined by Anthony …

You might remember we covered the FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships back in September with daily updates from Ireland team captain, Dec Conlon, and one of the star Irish performers from the tournament was a young angler by the name of Sean Dempsey.Sean joins us on this week’s show and having fished three Worlds already in his 20s, he give…

If you’re not into rugby, stick with us as we do also cover fly fishing on this week’s episode with Mike Cosgrave, the former coach and centre for Connacht who is also a passionate fly angler and who fished Corrib and Mask as a kid growing up.While he still fishes the Western Loughs, Mike’s other great love is Montana. He has fished the fly fishing…

Last year we covered the impact of salmon farming on the famous Loch Maree in Scotland, but what about its impact on the wild salmon and sea trout here in Ireland and just why is the government looking to help the industry develop further in the face of its damaging ecological effects?For this week’s episode we’re joined by John Murphy from Salmon …

We’ve all seen the pictures of far flung fly fishing destinations with anglers holding huge fish and a guide beside them looking just as happy to have seen such a monster fish landed, and I’m sure you’ve probably thought, now that’s a job I wouldn’t mind doing.Working, living and fishing in some of the most incredible fly fishing destinations in th…

For those of you kicking your fly tying season into gear over the coming weeks and months we’ve a special guest on this week’s show. Davie McPhail, the legendary Scottish fly tier, joins us to discuss his career in fly fishing, how he got started in fly tying, his huge online following via YouTube, and he gives us some tips and advice for improving…

With the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having lately – although this is probably going to be the new norm anyway – it’s also a good time to be casting a fly in the salt with bass fishing particularly good at this time of year. But how has the 2023 saltwater season been overall? Were the bass biting and what about other species like pollack a…

You may have seen the disgraceful stories in recent weeks about the terrible pollution of Lough Neagh that has been occurring unabated and which has been poisonous for humans and animals, since May. Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in Ireland or the UK and due to an overload of nutrients, with agriculture mainly responsible, scientists ar…

If you’re lucky enough to be heading out during the last 12 days of fly fishing in October on Currane, Ennell, Leane, Owel or Sheelin, tight lines to you and don’t forget to listen back to our recent episode with Denis Goulding who has some great advice for fishing the midland lakes at this time of year.But for those of us forced to hang up the tro…

Before we say goodbye to the 2023 salmon season this week – and many anglers will like to say good riddance we’re sure – we wanted to find out how Ireland’s most iconic salmon river, the Moy, has fared, and what good news, if any, can be gleaned from that part of the country? Garrett Ruigrok, who we spoke to back in May, is a casting instructor and…

September 30th might be the end of the season for most of our loughs and rivers around the country, but don’t forget there’s another twelve days before it closes on Currane and the midland lakes. And so for this week’s episode of Ireland on the Fly, we’re joined by international angler, Denis Goulding, for his tips and advice on where to fish if yo…