The future of angling rests with our youth. Stock levels may rise and fall, conservationists may strive to keep tabs on threatened species and pollution may be contained, but if the youth of tomorrow fails to continue the legacy of this splendid leisure activity, then the outlook for angling in Ireland is very bleak indeed.
It is in this vein I mention the work of one individual who, over the past five years, has succeeded in bringing the world of angling to hundreds, even thousands, of young people who otherwise would be totally unaware of Ireland's rich angling resource.
Des Chew of the Dublin Angling Initiative works tirelessly, sometimes seven days a week, in reaching out to schools, clubs and communities. He brings youth groups out fishing to rivers, lakes and sea; delivers talks in school classrooms and generally strives to educate our youth about angling and, hopefully, show them a better way of life.
His latest endeavour was getting children from Mulhuddart National School and Scoil Olibhre in Co Dublin to rear more than 500 trout fry in the classroom for release into the nearby Tolka river. The eggs were donated from the Central Fisheries Board Trout Farm in Roscrea and delivered to the schools in late November. An aquarium, donated by Pet Shop in Blanchardstown, was already in place awaiting their arrival.
The project involved numerous visits to the schools where children learned about their local river and the life-cycles of trout and salmon. Each pupil received a booklet and a fish species brochure produced by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, with puzzles and colouring games to assist with the educational programme.
Egg rearing is a complex process entailing monitoring water temperature, proper filtered lighting, maintaining a constant flow of water and oxygen, and the removal of dead eggs to discourage fungal growth. The children took turns placing bottles of frozen water into the tank twice daily to keep temperatures below 10 degrees, while others removed any dead eggs with a turkey "baster".
Some pupils and parents came every day over the Christmas period. The children got great satisfaction watching the eggs develop to the stage where they began to hatch with the egg-sac attached. The constant monitoring continued until last Tuesday when the two schools came together on the banks of the Tolka to release the fry that were now free swimming.
The small trout stand an excellent chance of survival, particularly since the Fisheries Board and Fingal County Council recently carried out major spawning development work on this section of river to create gravel beds and holding pools to improve the trout habitat.
On the day of release, rangers from the Tolka Valley park, fisheries officers, youth workers from Faroige Youth Project, teachers and more than 100 pupils from both schools were present at Mulhuddart to support the final stage of this initiative.
The idea for the project came from Philip Jennings of Blanchardstown Youth Service, and the programme was run, from start to finish, by Des Chew.
Six schools in the Tolka Valley catchment area have already booked to participate in a similar project for this year.
Due to unprecedented demand, Ballyhass Lakes in Mallow, Co Cork, has added a fourth and final one-day Introduction to Fly-Fishing course under the supervision of Glenda Powell, Ireland's most qualified female instructor.
The course, which takes place on February 25th, will cover basic requirements for rod set-up, including lines and leaders and fly selection. Participants will learn to cast and some time will be spent on the water, accompanied by Glenda.
Times: 9.30am-4.30pm. Cost: €125 per person; includes equipment and lunch. To reserve a place, call Eddie McCarthy on 022-27773 or e-mail info@ballyhasslakes.ie.
Details of the fourth media fly-fishing competition were announced last week at Annamoe Trout Fishery in Co Wicklow. Sponsored by Fáilte Ireland, this year's event will be held over two days on March 30th and 31st, and will include wild brown trout fishing on the Avonmore river, and a visit to Wicklow Gaol and Avondale House (home of Charles Stewart Parnell).
In wet and windy conditions, six teams of four took part in the first leg of the winter league competition at Oaklands Lake in New Ross, Co Wexford, last Sunday week. Fishing was excellent, with carp feeding freely, according to proprietor Michael Browne Jr.
Results: Section 1: S Howson, Leighlinbridge (16.4kg). Section 2: D Murphy, Leighlinbridge (17.4kg). Section 3: B Emery, South Munster (28.4kg). Section 4: D Collins, Leighlinbridge (11.9kg).
The next leg is scheduled for February 4th.