WHILE investigating illegal netting near Saleens, Co Waterford, last Sunday week, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) staff, with assistance from gardaí, came upon two individuals who had put themselves in extreme danger by going to sea in an unseaworthy boat.
The tiny craft was not capable of dealing with the sea conditions and only one occupant had a buoyancy aid. Officers immediately alerted the RNLI; when the lifeboat crew arrived at the scene, however, they discovered the craft without passengers. A helicopter was then deployed and, following an extensive search, the two people were later found safely ashore.
Fisheries staff seized the small craft and a 120m drift net along with nine dead bass. A file is being prepared with a view to prosecuting. Net fishing for bass is illegal and the sale of wild Irish bass is also illegal.
IFI director David McInerney thanked the RNLI, Coast Guard, Garda and IFI staff for protecting both the lives of people at sea and our wonderful wild fishery.
Reel sent screaming
Fisheries inspector Kevin Crowley and Neil Spellacy enjoyed their day on Kylemore Lakes last weekend, accounting for 10 sea trout to 68kg. A rare surprise occurred for Kevin while landing a sea trout: his rod bent double and the reel was sent screaming – a ferox trout of about 2.3kg had latched on to the small fish. Nearly at the net, the trout thought better of it and released the fish, which seemed none the worse for its ordeal.
The salmon are slamming
Last Tuesday, at least 10 salmon were visible at Derryinver Bridge, one of which was lost after a short tussle. Four weeks left – make the most of it! Contact Nigel at 095-41178 or 087-9580702.
A day of chuck and pull
On Sheelin there was some excellent fishing to be had during the day, with Tuesday morning the pick of the week – until the sun came out and the fish immediately vanished.
Wet fly fishing dominated but the dries achieved a degree of success with small brown sedges. On windy days it was “chuck and pull”, and for this the Dabblers ruled supreme.
Favourite flies were small brown sedges, Sooty Olive, Dabblers – Claret, Silver and Golden Olive, Silver Invicta, Gorgeous George, Raymond, Alexandra, Red-Tailed Green Peter and Daddy Long Legs variants.
Maiden bass
John Dunleavy writes to say his grandson, James Brennan of Moyglass, Co Wexford, caught an Irish specimen bass of 12lb while shore fishing in the Waterford Estuary at Ballyhack last week. The bait he used was a "slug-go" lure, shaped like an eel. This was his first bass, and he sportingly returned it to the water.
Farwell to a champion
Matt Nolan, who retired last Wednesday after 46 years' service with Inland Fisheries Ireland, worked at almost every level of fisheries management in various catchments throughout Ireland.
He will be remembered best for his work in the Shannon catchment where he was involved in all the major environmental issues. He spent 30 years confronting the eutrophication problem of Sheelin and has gotten great satisfaction at seeing the lake make an almost complete recovery.
Matt was involved with the major landslide problems in Leitrim and Galway and worked in developing innovative programmes for anglers with disabilities. Passionate about the Irish language, he intends to spend some of his retirement working with the Meath Gaeltacht in Ráth Cairn, near Athboy, Co Meath.
A gathering on the fly
A gathering of all Irish Lady Flyfishing Internationals (1993-2013) will be held on Lough Conn on Saturday September 28th. Ann Geary, founder of the association and supported by the present committee, invites past and present members and friends to this unique get-together.
The event will also celebrate the Irish team winning gold at the recent Home International on Caragh Lake, and will include a celebration dinner in Pontoon Bridge Hotel. In addition, a friendly fly-fishing competition will be staged on Conn at which partners and friends are invited to participate. For further details, contact 086-0507516 or ilfa1@eircom.net.
The rivers course
Ireland's Rivers and Lakes Revealed is a series of autumn courses by Prof Ken Whelan. Participants will learn how rivers and lakes were forged from a mixture of fire and ice; how aquatic life first appeared and how, by genetic selection, life thrived in these systems.
The course will describe water resources as a source of energy and transportation. Strategies will be discussed to ensure sustainability, given our thirst for greater volumes of this fast-disappearing native treasure. Fee €190.
For more, contact Adult Education Centre, Library Building, UCD, Belfield, D4; adult.education@ucd.ie; 01-7167123 (office hours).
angling@irishtimes.com