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    Tackle, methods and bait

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    For a week long holiday, anglers should limit themselves to two or three carefully selected venues. If you are fishing for bream, roach, hybrids, etc., several days may be needed to allow pre-baiting sufficient time to work. On a river or lough, careful plumbing should be carried out beforehand to find features e.g. drop offs, underwater obstructions where the fish will concentrate to feed. Pre-baiting requires a mix of brown crumb and groundbaits laced with casters, hemp, squatts, etc. It is important to have sufficient quantities of groundbait and bait for the fishing period.

    Irish waters have very big shoals of fish which require a lot of groundbait to hold them in front of the angler. When success has been achieved with a shoal of bream, several keepnets may be needed to hold the catch. Please do not attempt to photograph a large catch of fish spread over the ground at the end of the day. It is better to select some of the bigger fish for a photograph and quickly release the others to the water unharmed.

    Some Notes on Coarse Angling Tackle
    ROD
    USE
    REEL
    13′-15′ (4-4.5 m)

    Carbon Float Rod

    Coarse fishing on river or lake for all species except carp, pike & eels. (Float fishing with wagglers, polaris, stick and other floats like float controllers etc for carp).
    Fixed spool or closed face reel loaded with 2.5-6 lb monofilament line.
    9’-14’ (3-4.5m)

    Carbon Ledger Rod

    Shorter rods for light ledgering with lead weights, larger rods for heavier swimfeeder use for bream, roach, hybrids, perch, tench and eels. (Ledgering with a range of swimfeeders or arseley bomb).
    Fixed spool loaded with 3-8 lb b.s. monofilament or braid.
    10-14m

    Carbon Pole

    Long pole, short line for deep river, lake and canal and long pole, long line for fishing to hand for big bream, roach, rudd and hybrids particularly in competitions.
    3-8m

    Short pole (whip)

    Used mainly for fishing margins, particularly in competitions, for roach, rudd, hybrids and sometimes bream.

    Boat Fishing

    In some loughs a boat may be required to access the better fishing areas. Your accommodation provider can usually advise on local boat hire or even provide a boat. The angler can float fish successfully from an anchored boat close to tall reeds or underwater features. In most cases a boat can be used to bring fishing tackle and bait to swims inaccessible by land. Anglers are required by law to wear a lifejacket or an approved buoyancy aid while afloat.

    Large loughs can become dangerous in high winds and they may have reefs or rocky shoals which can be hazardous even on a calm day. It is essential to make yourself familiar with such waters and hazards before going afloat. For your own safety make sure to tell someone where you are going and your expected time of return to shore. If the weather forecast is not favourable it may be necessary to fish in a sheltered area from dry land. Ask your accommodation provider or boat hirer for assistance and advice on these matters.

    Bait

    The vast array of coarse angling bait

    Bait Ireland has a network of tackle shops (listed in this guide) which are usually located in the main angling centres. A wide variety of coarse angling baits are available from these. They include maggots, casters, worms, sweetcorn, brown and white crumb, a range of continental groundbaits, hemp, flavours and other additives. Prepacked boilies, pellets, pastes and a variety of nuts baits are available at some tackle shops.

    Many accommodation providers specialising in coarse angling holidays have bait fridges, drying rooms and may even pre-order bait for their clients.

    Anglers can pre order their bait to be delivered to their angling accommodation by contacting the main supplier, Irish Bait and Tackle Ltd based at Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan. Tel: + 353 (0) 49 9526258 or Fax: + 353 (0) 49 9526567 www.irishbaitandtackle.com. They supply white and red maggots, white and brown crumb, fresh casters and worms (dendrabaenas) and a range of other baits.

    Importation of Bait

    • To minimise the risk of accidental transmission of Foot and Mouth Disease and other infectious diseases, visitors are advised to use local sources in Ireland.
    • Anglers from EU: If you must bring worms or maggots ensure they are not packed in soil or vegetable material, the importation of which is strictly prohibited by law.
    • Anglers from Great Britain and other Third Countries: It is not possible to bring live baits (maggots, worms etc) in a personal capacity. All importation must be done in accordance with DAFM protocols: Import procedures for live invertebrates for fishing bait. For non-live fishing bait (i.e. an Animal By-Product product), the permitted weight allowance per passenger is 2kg.