Angling Notes:As I arrived at Rathfarnham Bridge on the River Dodder last Monday morning, I could hear Des Chew from the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board (ERFB) explaining details of the field trip to the 30 fifth-class students from St Joseph's National School, Terenure.
"Today, you will all be working for the fisheries board," he said. The boys were taking part in a two-hour survey of the wildlife, the trees and the ecology, and recording everything they observed along the Bushy Park stretch of the river bank. They explored the relationship between the trees and the river, and at the end of the walk entered the river and took "kick" samples of the insects in the gravel. "This will tell us what state our river is in, is it clean, is it good enough for fish, can trout survive in it," he said.
The highlight involved electrofishing the river, a process of temporarily stunning the fish for scientific purposes. Trout, eels, stone loach and minnows were then taken from the river for analysis. The fisheries staff of Fergal Caffrey, Robert Dully and Chew excelled as they measured and identified each fish before returning them unharmed to the river. All the while, the students recorded the findings.
I found the experience most exhilarating as we walked in three groups along the half-mile stretch of riverbank to the Owendower tributary. It's amazing what one can observe in such a short distance. Squirrels, mallards, herons, and yew, hawthorn and mountain ash trees, to name a few things.
The education programme, entitled "Something Fishy", is aimed at fifth and sixth classes and produced by the central and regional fisheries board in conjunction with Blackrock Education Centre (BEC). As BEC co-ordinator, Betty Behan, said: "The pack is geared to promote awareness of the environment, water quality, conservation, anti-pollution and to send out an anti-litter message." In an effort to bring the pack alive to the kids, the regional boards have endeavoured to promote "Something Fishy" through class presentations and field trips as well as attending educational trade shows such as the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition and the Education Show.
Co-operation from the schools is also of primary importance. In this regard, last Monday's field trip received full backing from St Joseph's principal, Matt Hume. "As an angler and shooter in my earlier days, I have a deep appreciation of our environment. Each year we organise a clean-up of this stretch of river", he said.
The pack is available in Irish and English and the education centres taking part in the national programme are: Blackrock, Dublin west, Kildare, Wexford, Monaghan, Donegal, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Athlone, Cork and Kilkenny. For more information, see www.fishingireland.net.
Catch and release regulations mean fishing on the Galway Weir is restricted to the left bank only. The three salmon caught last week were released safely, as the spring quota for the fishery has been reached. Catch and release will continue until May 13th, when more quota will be available.
The same catch and release restrictions apply on the Cong and Clare rivers. However, from May 13th, anglers must be in possession of a Corrib light brown tag in order to take a salmon. Tags will be available from the Western Fisheries Board office at Galway and the Salmon Hatchery in Cong.
Some fine salmon were landed at Cong during the week, including two fish of 6.8kg and 8.8kg caught on different days for Lorenzo Serrano, a Spanish angler now living in Britain. Both fish were, of course, released.
On Carrowmore Lake, five salmon were reported, including three for English angler Barry Lowrie and friends. Pat Kelly from Co Kildare will definitely remember his visit. After 10 years of fishing he finally caught his first salmon recently. It weighed 3.4kg.
The women's team to represent Ireland at the International Ladies Flyfishing Championships at Grafham, England on Thursday, May 31st, will leave Ireland on the preceding Sunday to have three practice days to acclimatise to rainbow trout fishing and the unfamiliar water.
The chairwoman of the Irish Ladies' Flyfishing Association, Julie Gerry, said: "It's a different style of fishing to our wild Irish loughs - we'll be using fast sinking lines and brightly coloured flies. We have never won this competition, but have finished second on seven occasions." The next trial to select the 2008 team will be held on Bilberry Lake, Westport. For details, contact 087-2055094 or visit www.irishladiesflyfishing.com
The Lexus European Championship qualifier on Lough Lene in Collinstown, Co Westmeath, proved a huge success, with 90 anglers returning 236 trout. The Grasshoppers team took top honours with 26 fish for 5,075 points and Mick McCormack was top rod with eight fish.