THE recently published Nomads of the Tides – Fishing for Irish Sea Trout, will make an ideal present at this time and belongs on every game angler's bookshelf.
Written by Chris McCully and Ken Whelan, this lavish publication describes 50 Irish sea-trout waters – estuaries, rivers and loughs – with grid references, historical details, travel, permit and accommodation information.
Chapters include the history of Irish sea-trout fishing, tackle, angling techniques and fly-patterns, while a separate section is devoted to the biology of the species.
Nomads of the Tides explores fishing for sea-trout in estuaries – an area scarcely touched on to date. The book is illustrated with superb photographs, unprecedented in scope and unrepeatable as a set of angling adventures.
Exploring the truth that the species is genetically identical to brown trout, the authors conclude that sea-trout are essentially marine creatures that use freshwater in which to spawn – truly nomads of the tides.
The book consists of 300 pages and contains 200 original photographs, as well as a 48-page, full-colour section for fly patterns. Available online from medlarpress.com or by phone 01-691623225. Also available from Amazon and good bookshops. Price: £35 (€41.67).
EU quotas secured
Following lengthy negotiations at the EU Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels last week, the Minister for Marine, Simon Coveney secured 270,077 tonnes of quotas for Irish fishermen for 2014. The value of the package is 2 per cent greater than for 2013 and will provide €260m to the fishing industry next year.
On the long-running issue of the allocation of mackerel between EU, Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, Ireland strongly maintained its position and urged the Commission to support a balanced proposal made by Norway to resolve the issue. However, the minister did welcome a 13 per cent increase in the mackerel quota.
RNLI remembers
The crew of the RNLI lifeboat station at Dún Laoghaire will hold their annual ceremony to remember the 15 volunteers who died on service in 1895 on Christmas Eve and all those who lost their lives around our coasts. Families are especially welcome to attend this local tradition of remembrance.
The short ceremony will take place at midday at the lighthouse end of Dún Laoghaire’s popular east pier and include music, ecumenical blessing, contemporary newspaper account of the 1895 tragedy and a piped lament.
Both lifeboats stationed at Dún Laoghaire will launch and the crews will lay wreaths at sea close to the pier.
The ceremony is a long-standing tradition that remembers the lives of the 15 crew that died when their lifeboat capsized in gale force winds while attempting to rescue those on board the SS Palme that had run aground off Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Relatives of the original 1895 lifeboat crew are expected to be with those who will walk the pier for the 20-minute ceremony. Piper Paul McNally, musician William Byrne and journalist Fergal Keane will be among the contributors to the event which has been facilitated by Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company.
In case of inclement weather, an alternative ceremony will be held closer to the lifeboat station.
Greystones Ridge thanks
Micheál Quinn, of Greystones Ridge Angling Club, emails to thank all those who fished the charity shore competition on Kilgorman/Clones last Sunday. In total, €520 was raised for St Catherine's Association in Newcastle, Co Wicklow.
The weather on the day was kind as the southerly wind abated overnight with a dropping tide which resulted in an excellent catch (and release) of 231 fish among 27 anglers. Simon Doyle caught the longest flounder, while Brian Fisher recorded the best bass.
Prizes were donated by Gotcha Angling, Viking Tackle, Southside Angling and Courtown Angling. The raffle was a huge success with a Penn 525mag as first prize.
A Very Happy Christmas to all Angling Notes' readers and tight lines for 2014.
angling@irishtimes.com
