ANGLING NEWS:ON A fresh spring morning, what could be more pleasant than strolling along the banks of the Dodder River admiring the wonderful fauna and flora, and the variety of fish species that this magical river has to offer?
At a gathering on Rathfarnham Bridge, I meet Des Chew of the Dublin Angling Initiative, fisheries officers Robert Dully and Alan Carter; vice-principal Kay McConnell and parents and students from St Brigid’s Girls’ School, The Park, Cabinteely in Co Dublin; and Tom O’Briain from the Blackrock Education Centre (BEC).
The occasion is a field trip for the girls to record the ecology of fish life along the Bushy Park stretch of the river. “This is our first trout pool,” Chew says. “Do you see the fast water and then a glide? Notice how it slows down and becomes smooth flat water. That’s what we call a pool. Trout live in these slower pools. It’s where the food and oxygen comes in.”
Continuing along the riverbank, we observe mallards, squirrels, herons, yew, hawthorn and ash trees. “Here we have limestone. Limestone makes the river rich with minerals and food and that’s why trout grow quite big in the Dodder.”
The highlight of our walk is the electro-fishing on the outflow from the Owendower River. During this, fish are stunned for scientific examination. Kicking gravel produces an array of insects from the ground. “Our fish today are wild trout, each about 10cm,” says Chew. All fish are returned unharmed to the river.
Vice-principal Kay McConnell heard of the project from the BEC. “I became interested, I suppose, because I did a little fishing in the Vartry some years back. We’ll go on now to complete our project for the ‘Something Fishy’ programme.”
The education programme is produced by the central and regional fisheries boards in conjunction with BEC. The pack is also available in Irish. See fishingireland.net.
A terrific day of angling tuition is scheduled for Pontoon Bridge Hotel in Co Mayo on April 24th. Two of Ireland’s best-known angling instructors will host a bumper day of casting instruction, new angling techniques, entomology and fly tying.
Robert Gillespie and Michael Drinan are teaming up to run this special one-day course. Gillespie is a renowned fly-fishing instructor and spey caster and Drinan is a qualified casting instructor (Gaia) for salmon and trout and most capped Irish team international (Tafi).
The course will also include entomologist Thomas Drinan who will talk about aquatic insects and zooplankton. In addition, he will look at trout diet and a slideshow on the popular fly hatches on rivers and lakes. He will also provide fly-tying advice and up-to-date nymph and emerger patterns.
Gillespie will provide individual casting tuition on the shores of Lough Cullin, and Drinan will take participants to the River Moy to learn the basics, from leader step-up to latest French and Czech nymphing methods.
The one-day course is €120 per person and is aimed at those who wish to improve their fly-fishing skills and knowledge. Pontoon Hotel is offering bed breakfast at €50 per night per person sharing. Contact John Geary at jvgeary@gmail.com or tel. 087-8217368. Further information at pontoonbridge.com
Lough Ree International Pike Boat Festival is just two weeks away and bookings are now being taken. The competition, sponsored by Fáilte Ireland, and scheduled for April 14th to 16th, carries a €3,000 first prize for biggest fish. The festival is open to all anglers and if 200 anglers take part, the prize fund will total €28,000 plus angling tackle of €1,500, courtesy of Grand Slam. contact@pikefishinginireland.com
Details of four illustrated talks on the restoration of degraded habitats for salmon, sea lamprey and otters on stretches of the Mulkear River have been announced. The Mulkear Life Environmental Education Programme is a new €1.75 million EC-funded project, aimed at schools and communities in the catchment areas of Limerick and Tipperary.
The four-year project is co-ordinated by the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board with the OPW and Limerick County Council, with financial support from local organisations.
The first talk, An Introduction to Mulkear Life will be held this Wednesday in the Strand Hotel, Ennis Rd, Limerick, at 8pm. Admission free.
angling@irishtimes.com