Posted by Stuart
One of my aims for the trip is to fish in every country we visit over the next year. As a precursor, we are in Kilkenny in Ireland this week to see Helen’s mum before we set off and my birthday present was a day’s salmon fishing on the nearby River Nore at the Mount Juliet estate.
![Mount Juliet in Kilkenny](http://campervanmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DSC_0058.jpg)
Although I have been fishing on and off since I was 14 I have never caught a salmon despite much trying so to be honest everyone’s expectations were low.
Eddie, the gillie, and his Patterdale terrier Jack looked after me and confirmed it has been a difficult season.
![Eddie and Jack](http://campervanmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMAG0478.jpg)
Sure enough there was not even a sniff of a fish all morning. So after lunch I set off up river on my own.
After an hour or two I came to a lovely pool, cast a few times with my trout rod and hooked into a salmon. After a few leaps (from the fish) and much toing and froing ( by me) I eventually had to jump into the river and lift it out on to the bank. My first salmon and on the fly!!
![A brief rest for a photo op before swimming back into the Nore](http://campervanmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/fish-small-e1474540768973.jpg)
Of course, it went back into the river and after a few moments it swum slowly into the pool.
And that was it- after all these years with not a soul anywhere to see it happen – just me standing there trying to believe that it really did happen, the river flowing past, the rain pouring down and a dipper, its white front bobbing up and down, on the river’s edge.
![20160922_100959](http://campervanmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160922_100959.png)
By this time it was lashing down, my waders were full of water so I headed back to the hotel, a grin plastered across my face, looking for someone to tell.