Angling Notes/Derek Evans:One of the big attractions at this week's Dublin Boat Show in the RDS will be a new inshore lifeboat.
Funded by the "Sheringham Shantymen" from Norfolk, England, with monies raised at sea-shanty concerts, the new IB1 lifeboat is destined for service at Wicklow RNLI station the following week.
The inshore lifeboats are relatively small yet highly manoeuvrable, rendering them ideal for rescues close to shore in fair to moderate conditions, according to Niamh Stephenson, RNLI media relations manager.
A novelty item at the show, as part of the Train One, Save Many campaign, will be a "get your kit on" challenge, where members of the public can see how long it takes to get into the full RNLI kit that lifeboat men and women don before going to sea.
• With water levels dropping and some fresh salmon running the system, prospects look good for the River Moy over the coming weeks. Last weekend, Chris De Margary, from the band Simply Red, together with friends, Jules Evans and Simeon Hay, enjoyed an exciting day's fishing in Ballina. They had travelled from Donegal to try their luck on the Ridge Pool and the Moy Fresh Water Beat, where Chris caught a 0.9kg trout on the fly.
Later, a well-mended kelt also took a fly and was duly released. The anglers reported a couple of fresh spring salmon running up river and at least one springer in the Canal Stretch, just upstream of Ballina. As usual, the fisheries board is offering free fishing on the Ridge Pool until the first salmon is caught there.
Further up river, conditions on the Cloongee Fishery and east Mayo water are perfect now and hopes are high that the first salmon of the season will be landed soon. Both fisheries are upstream of the outflow from Lough Conn and water levels are lower than on the downstream fisheries.
Prospects for Carrowmore Lake, another prolific spring salmon fishery in the region, are also looking good with water levels dropping and calm weather conditions expected to continue over the coming week.
• Good news on the salmon front from Lough Inagh in Connemara. Angling manager Colin Folan reports one of the best spawning seasons for many years. "It's a long time since we witnessed so many redds on the spawning streams in Inagh," he said.
Lots of large salmon entered the system in October, possibly because of the low water conditions that prevailed all year. The salmon probably stayed in the lower reaches during the autumn, he said. With a salmon quota of 600 for the system, including Ballynahinch, prospects look good for the coming season.
For booking details, call Colin at 086-8679459.
• Renowned game angling and master fly fishing instructor, Andrew Ryan, will be conducting a series of fly fishing courses at Clonanav Fly Fishing Centre in Co Waterford throughout March, April and May.
Topics covered on each course will be casting technique, fishing tactics and tackle set-up such as fly choice, knots and lots of tips. Clonanav has unrivalled facilities including beginners lakes, tackle shop, private fisheries and excellent accommodation.
The two-day course, run on weekends between March 30th to May 4th, includes accommodation, lunch, tuition and tackle. The cost is €420 per person. Three one-day courses on Saturday March 24th, April 21st and June 16th will cost €150 per person and include lunch.
Equipment will also be supplied. Classes begin at 10am and conclude at 5pm.
As numbers are limited, early booking is advisable. Contact Andrew at 052-36765 or e-mail Andrew@flyfishingireland.com
• Fine Gael marine spokesman John Perry TD is supporting a marina for Ballina in Co Mayo. "The quay in Ballina could be easily transformed into a marina, which could open tourism to new heights in the town," he said.
In the party's marine policy document Ocean of Opportunity it advocates additional Exchequer funding to the marine of €520 million under the National Development Plan 2007-2013. Within that figure is an allocation of €100 million for inland waterways, which includes promotion of tourism potential.