The Angling for All facility in Aughrim, Co Wicklow, was again the venue for an annual excursion by a 46-strong group of teenagers from six youth outreach programmes in the Dublin region.
The three-acre lake on Rednagh Road, originally built for anglers with disabilities, has now had its remit widened to include the general public, and is stocked on a regular basis with rainbow trout. While fly-fishing is an option, float fishing with sweetcorn and/or worm is popular and permitted.
The excursion was part of the 12th successive year of the drive by the Dublin Angling Initiative (DAI), under the auspices of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), to bring young people into angling. With the guidance of founder member and IFI inspector Josie Mahon, the initiative has, in my opinion, been a huge success.
On arrival, I found the eight-panel teams from Whitechurch, Jobstown, Tallaght, Clondalkin (Dochas), Mulhuddart and Corduff interspersed around the lake and busy “baiting up” and waiting for their luminous floats to bob and disappear.
To ensure success, the facility put an additional 250 trout into the lake (free of charge) the day before our arrival. Stefan Peterson of Idas Trout Ltd deserves mention for supplying quality fish that were real rod-benders.
Needless to say, this influx of fish brought great excitement to the teenagers and resulted in 60 trout landed and recorded. Barbless hooks ensured a safe return. One excited Corduff youngster called me over to tell me: “Mister, I caught the biggest fish – it was about 60cm long.”
The two hours slipped by quickly, and then it was time to retreat to the pavilion for refreshments and prizegiving. The winning teams each received a goodie bag of fishing tackle and gold, silver and bronze medallions.
Results: 1, Corduff; 2, Mulhuddart; 3, Jobstown.
Thanks were expressed to DAI coordinator Oisin Cahill; fisheries staff; Fishing for All personnel; and all those who made the day such a success.
The fishing park is open every day from 9am. See ndafaughrim@gmail.com or telephone 0402-36552.
Salmon conference
Salmon Watch Ireland will hold its annual conference in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin 4, on Saturday, November 21st, from 11am to 5pm. The topic will be “Hatcheries and Stocking: Have They a Role in Restoring Salmon Stocks?’
The conference will explore the potential of stocking and whether it can be used to help restore Ireland’s endangered stocks of Atlantic salmon.
Speakers will include: Dr David Solomon, consultant on salmonid fish and fisheries; Prof Carlos Garcia de Leaniz, of the University of Swansea; Dr Mick Millane, of IFI; and Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith, of the Wye and Usk Foundation.
Reservations can be made at salmon.ie. There will be an attendance fee of €30 payable on site.
Sea
trout symposium The second
International Sea Trout Symposium, organised by IFI and Northern Ireland’s Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, took place last month in Dundalk, Co Louth. The main objective of the gathering was to promote a wider evidence-based approach to the future management of the species.
Sea trout are a valuable natural resource in Ireland, offering an exceptional angling experience to both tourists and locals. Ideas from the symposium will be used to develop national policies.
The North’s Minister of Culture, Carál Ní Chuilín, said: “Last year I brought in new legislation to protect salmon and sea trout in our native rivers. All salmon and sea trout caught must be released back into the water, unless those rivers are meeting their management targets.”
The Republic’ s Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources, Joe McHugh, added: “I look to IFI to ensure that sustainable management of sea trout is prioritised, and that the loss of populations, which has occurred in some areas, is halted. I also applaud the North-South approach being taken in supporting science and management issues.” angling@irishtimes.com
