MEMORIES came flooding back as I walked a section of the Tolka River last weekend for the opening day of the Tolka Trout Anglers' Association (TTAA) competition at Broombridge in Finglas. Living upriver close to Ashtown at an early age, the river is where I first became hooked on fishing.
Little had changed, crystal clear water meandering through wild and wonderful meadows with an abundance of quality brown trout. Last year's revelation of salmon scaling the weir at Royal Oak Weir in Finglas opened up yet another chapter for this magical river.
The competition itself was a great success with a big turnout of anglers, mostly juniors, scattered along the riverbank and eager to catch the 'big one'. All legal methods were allowed, i.e. worming, spinning and fly fishing.
To supplement existing stock, the club added over 1,000 brownies at numerous locations to ensure a return on opening day. It paid off, because at close of play, 13 juniors and eight seniors presented fish for weigh-in.
Christy Emmett, TTAA chairman, thanked all for taking part on such a cold and wet day. In particular, he thanked Des Chew from Dublin Angling Initiative and John Brennan from Angler's Paradise for their generous sponsorship.
To the gathering of prize winners and perhaps 40 onlookers in Tolka Valley Park, the chairman said river users should always wear their club badge. "If anglers are fishing without a badge, make these people aware of membership, and then leg it," he said.
Results: Juniors: 1, G Losty, 1.1kg; 2, V Kubik, 1kg; 3, D Cooney, .9kg. Seniors: 1, S Gundogan, 1.5kg; 2, M Kubik, 1.2kg; 3, B Cierocki, 1.1kg. All prize winners received a selection of rods and reels.
*Inland Fisheries Ireland was contacted by Kerry County Council last weekend regarding a pollution incident from a farm in the Kilgarvan area of Ballylongford, Co. Kerry.
The person reporting the incident called to say that an accidental slurry spill had occurred on his farm. One side of a slurry pit wall had collapsed resulting in a large spill which flowed into a tributary of the Ballyline River and the Shannon Estuary at Ballylongford Bay.
Fisheries officers carried out a visual inspection downstream and samples were taken for analysis. It can now be confirmed that a fish kill did take place and 150 brown trout, hundreds of stickleback, one eel and a flounder were lost.
The farm was inspected again last Tuesday and the water within the watercourse was clear. The investigation continues.
*The Drowes was quiet last week as conditions remained cold with frost most nights. However, two salmon were recorded: Stephen McCabe caught a 3.6kg (8lb) salmon on a Willie Gunn fly from the Island Pool and on St. Patrick's Day, Fergal Hanley landed a fine springer of 7.3kg (16½lb) on a Copper Toby lure from Peter's Reeds (below the Washstones). For bookings, tel: 071-984 1055 (8am to 12 noon).
Lough Melvin also recorded two salmon last weekend. Ernie Lowden, Enniskillen, boated a 4.5kg (10¼lb) fish trolling in Garrison Bay and Darren Maguire, Garrison, accounted for a 4.4kg (9lb14oz) salmon from the same bay.
*At the Delphi Club in Bahamas bookings are still available in late May and early June. From mid-June on, a special offer package will remain in place until mid-July.
Reservations are also building for next autumn, notably from mid-October to mid-December, a period that has witnessed excellent fishing over the past four seasons. For bookings, contact: The Delphi Club, PO Box AB20006, Marsh Harbour, Abaco AB-20006, Bahamas.
*Ballyhass Lakes, Mallow, Co Cork has launched a new website: www.ballyhasslakes.ie and includes special offers, photo galleries and latest news.
*angling@irishtimes.com
Caption for pic
Junior winners at the opening day on the River Tolka. From left: J Brennan, Angler's Paradise (sponsors), V Kubik (2nd), D Cooney (3rd), G Losty (1st). At back: D Chew (DAI, sponsors), left, and C Emmett (chairman, TTAA).