Fishing the Moy System
By: Editor Ireland On The Fly
Tags: Salmon And Sea Trout, Salmon Fishing, River Moy, Robert Gillespie, Fly Fishing

The first advantage of fishing the Moy system is the numbers of fish running the river and generally available to the angler for what is relatively low cost salmon fishing.

The Moy system also excels in another important area, in terms of the consistency of its salmon fishing. This is due to the fact that it is not a spate river system that would be reliant on recent rainfall to fish well. It excels yet again in accessibility, there is a wide variety of accessible fishing and fisheries available on the Moy. The angler can move around to suit the weather conditions and water levels or the time of the season, or simply to learn the other stretches.

Fishing the Moy System is like salmon angling anywhere in that the fish behave as Atlantic salmon do, however, the preferences displayed by the fish are usually (or certainly were in the past) a little more obvious on the Moy because of the numbers of fish present.

The Moy system is very much an all methods Fishery in many places due to its character. All those into catch and release only fishing, or fly-fishing only, will find that a lot of the following may be suitable not for you. You will though still find plenty of quality sport on the Moy system in places.

The Moy system is one of the best places anywhere to learn how to bait fish for salmon and grilse. It is also an excellent place to learn fly-casting as it is a larger river. One cannot be properly prepared for fishing the classic rivers of Scotland, Russia or Norway or larger rivers in general unless one practices on a larger river.

Often some specialised, non-conventional salmon fishing techniques used locally are the most productive methods on the river. Some of those techniques such as Moy style bubble and fly fishing, and stret pegging / sliding float worm fishing were specifically devised to match some of the fairly unique circumstances anglers may encounter on the Moy system.

Atlantic Salmon angling in general is a vast subject and there are very many facets to it.

Its best to say at the start that it is a way of life and a tradition with many. There is a lot of sporting etiquette involved and long term learning. One does an apprenticeship. There is nothing quite like Atlantic Salmon fishing. Its intriguing, different, unique, difficult. It contains at times both exasperation, and supreme elation.

While most people will gravitate eventually to orthodox fly only fishing for salmon, personally I do enjoy most methods of salmon angling where permitted, including of course orthodox fly fishing and salmon fly casting. Many places on the river Moy system where I live are suitable for alternative methods of salmon fishing to the orthodox fly.

Some aspects of these other methods of salmon angling I particularly enjoy, as well as fly fishing of course which I also practice very extensively. In particular plug fishing with Rapala lures, bubble fly fishing with Irish Shrimp flies, shrimp and prawn fishing both free lined and float fished, and light line worm fishing, again both float and free line.

In orthodox fly fishing I like mini tube fishing, and in particular furrowing mini tubes as distinct from riffling mini tubes though I do practice both, furrowing and riffling. I love working Irish shrimp flies in medium to slow water and low water.

I consider the most important thing in all of salmon angling is to foster the ability to catch your fish generally by design, through understanding and applying knowledge. Understanding the nature of the fish and the nature of the currents and geography of a river.

The main methods are Fly Fishing, Spinning and Bait fishing.

Fly fishing can be practiced as the usual orthodox fly fishing with wet fly, nymphs or dry flies.

Normally wet fly fishing is the main method used in the U.K and Ireland with hair wings, Irish and Scottish shrimp flies or tube flies. Wet fly may mean well sunk flies or just sub surface fishing. Down and across fishing slowing the fly’s progress across the current by the angle of presentation used, rod tip positioning or mending line, or one may be fishing more across current in lesser flows or low water and speeding up the movement of the fly a little with a retrieve, such as when pulsating Irish shrimp flies, furrowing mini tubes or riffling hitch fishing.

Nymph fishing is popular and effective in some areas of the U.K. and Ireland, induced take sighted fish nymphing where a lift is made, or dead drift nymphing in known lies.

Dry fly fishing is normally used in more Northern latitudes and it is not a very successful method in Ireland or the U.K.

Fly casting ability and the general control of a fly line and flies will become of great importance to fish well when orthodox fly fishing.

Bubble and fly fishing is a popular method on some Fisheries in Ireland, most notably on the Moy system. Moy style bubble and fly fishing is very visual and exciting. The bubble is placed at the end of the line and the flies are on droppers up the line. A retrieve is made and the flies cross over the fish before the bubble. In other places such as the Mourne River the fly is placed on a trace after the bubble and usually the bubble is allowed to swing around in the current.

Spinning is normally carried out using metal, plastic or wooden spinners, spoons or plugs. Lures such as the flying C and Devon Minnows, or wobbling spoons. Plugs are used extensively also. Occasionally real small fish are used such as minnows or baby dace.

Bait fishing usually means Worming, Prawn & Shrimp fishing. Bait fishing may be carried out with or without a float, sometimes the float is set over depth and used for stret pegging.

There are many different types of salmon angler. For me angling of any type, most especially including salmon angling, is about using knowledge and tactics to catch fish. That is what most interests me personally, catching some fish entirely by design and not accident. Nowadays on the fly rod as the added requirements of casting ability and line density choices make it more interesting.

The beauty of salmon angling in general lies in the fact that the fish can and do respond to a tactical approach. That the fish are in fact so heavily influenced by the weather and water conditions and by presentation. That they are also influenced by the topography of their environment.

Perhaps most challenging is that you must adapt to the situation as you find it since the weather and water conditions are always outside of your control — however what you can do in terms of preparation and approach is always within your control, including knowing when to not fish and wait for a better opportunity and indeed where not to fish. You actually have a lot to do to get your side of things sorted out. As we say then you do not miss it when it is happening. In other words, you can’t make the conditions or circumstances you experience but you can only properly take advantage of them, when they do present opportunities, once you have your side of things properly under control.

The Atlantic salmon or grilse is the most glorious and intriguing fish for the freshwater angler, perhaps most especially for an all methods angler. For me there is simply nothing to compare with salmon angling and most especially spring salmon angling.