IN a properly-functioning democracy, political leaders have to answer to the public for their actions. They resign. But in Ireland the idea of holding public officials accountable for their failure to perform in the way expected of them is considered a joke.
As West Cork salmon fishermen know to their cost, our politicos don’t do resignations even when they make a bags of things – as they feel is the case with Marine Minister Simon Coveney….
Ann Hume, Jenna Byrnes and Leanne Neary with Ciara MacDonald from Scoil Mhuire Oranmore Galway
MORE than 700 school children became deep-sea explorers for the day where they got up close and personal with some of the country’s murky treasures.
The primary school children from Galway, Roscommon and Mayo paid a visit to the Celtic Explorer Research Vessel where they saw wrecks and unusual fish. One group from Scoil Mhuire in Oranmore, Co Galway, were special guests thanks to Ciara McDonald (12)… Independent.ie 06/12/2013 Read the article ‘Pupils win sea prize…but there’s a yucky catch‘ Ann Hume, Jenna Byrnes and Leanne Neary with Ciara MacDonald from Scoil Mhuire Oranmore Galway
Rae's adventures take him from Yorkshire to Ireland, Iceland to France, Scotland to the iconic River Test in Hampshire
A brand new angling show for satellite TV viewers – Game Fisher’s Diary – is to be broadcast on Discovery SHED from Friday 06 December 2013, running until January 24 2014.
The made-for-TV series from ‘Fishing TV’ sees presenter Rae Borras travel around England, Ireland and beyond to pit his wits against some of the canniest fly fishing adversaries around, and meet characters who make their living from the sport.
His adventures take him from Yorkshire to Ireland, Iceland to France, Scotland to the iconic River Test in Hampshire, as he fishes for salmon, trout and Arctic char and enjoys plenty of laughs along the way.
The eight programmes will be broadcast in a series of ‘double headers’ on Friday nights from 10pm on Discovery SHED – the full broadcast schedule and episode breakdown is below…. Fly & Fish. 04/12/2013 Read the article ‘Game Fisher’s Diary on Discovery SHED‘ Rae’s adventures take him from Yorkshire to Ireland, Iceland to France, Scotland to the iconic River Test in Hampshire
Damien Willis opens our eyes to the beauty of Co. Cavan, the Lakes, the rivers and especially the fish. An experienced man when it comes to this area, Damien reports:
Cavan has a well earned reputation for one of Ireland’s premier angling locations. There are many fine game and coarse angling river stretches and wild brown tout fisheries. The fisheries in County Cavan comprise of major river systems and their associated lakes. Many opportunies exist for the specialist angler. In West Cavan, the mighty river Shannon begins in journey from the Cuilcagh mountains. Its main tribuary, the river Inny flows from Lough Sheelin which is world famous for its hard fighting wild brown trout and is far one of the best fisheries in Europe.
Sheelin Sedge
Spent gnat
There are good hatches of Duck Fly along with some Olives early in the season which opens on March 1st. May fly hatches occur weather permitting from the middle of May and will often continue into late June. If the weather conditions are favourable some superb spent gnat fishing can be enjoyed late into the evening. In late July to September evening fly fishing with a rail of sedge patterns produce the best fish. A Shannon region Inland Fisheries permit is required to fish Lough Sheelin which can be purchased locally at the Crover House Hotel, Mountnugent or on line from Inland Fisheries Ireland. A comprehensive set of angling rules is given with every permit.
Every trout fishery Varies. Trout, especially Lough Sheelin trout can be extremely elusive. If you have not fished Lough Sheelin before choosing a guide can be a great advantage to an angler especially a guide who knows the trout in that particular lake. Everything differs by area; when to fish, what gear to use, how to cast, when to cast and what fly to use and so on. Choosing a good guide can be difficult. The main factor to consider is how long they’ve been in the angling guide business. Generally the longer a service has been in the area, the better the ghillie’s will be. The guides that have a well established presence in a particular area are the ones you should choose. Also full-time ghillie’s are generally better. These lad’s or ladies are more experienced. They spend as much of their lives as possible out fishing, and this experience can help you land the fish of your dreams. That’s not to say that all part-time ghillie’s are bad, but they are more likely to be hit-or-miss. If you want a great ghillie, not just a good ghillie; take your time and do some homework.
Enjoying the fishing…the catchLough Conn fishing from the shore
A shore angling competition has been organised to raise funds in aid of St Catherines, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow. St Catherines provides special needs education. The event is taking place on Sunday 15th December in Clones/Kilgorman. Entry is 10 euro for adults and 5 euro for juniors. There is also a 5 euro pool. All baits allowed. Check in will take place at Kilgorman at 9am with fishing taking place from 11.30am till 15.30pm.
Additional details and information from Michael Quinn at 086 2675382
Top angling guide Peadar O’Brien reports that he was out guiding recently for Philip Cairnduff from Kildare.
During the week the weather was still bright and the water temperature was 6.4 which was great. Peadar says that they had a lot of hook-ups on the lures, managing to boat some nice pike. The lads lost a lot as well and they decided to change technique over to float trolling and again the had some fish but lost a lot on this method as well. Peadar reckons that they lost about 16 fish in total. It was a crazy day and even on the float, although the fish were taking it under, when you played the fish to the boat they would come off. It was exactly the same on the lures but as can seen from the photos we managed to get some nice pike into the boat.
More information about Irish Fishing Guides can be located on facebook.
If you fancy a day out pike fishing why not drop Peadar an email at [email protected]
Philip Cairnduff With A Nice Winter PikeAngling Guide Peadar O’Brien With A Well Conditioned Monaghan PikePhilip With A Late Evening CatchAnother One That Did Not Get AwayCatch A Nice Fish Like This With Peadar
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has accused an environmental group of being “anti-development” and of “condemning hundreds of young people to emigration” by its opposition to planned fish farms in West Cork and off the Aran Islands. According to the IFA, Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) and “other anti-development lobby groups” have condemned “dozens of coastal communities to a slow economic demise by delaying vital inward investment by calling in the eurocrats to strangle fish farm development”… Irish Examiner, 05/12/13. Read the full article ‘IFA slams environmental group as ‘anti-development’‘.
A world coarse fishing championship is to be held in Inniscarra next summer. The championship, which is estimated will bring €2m to the region, will be held on Jul 19 and 20, and will be screened by Sky Sports and TG4, and covered by a number of specialist fishing publications. The World Feeder Fishing Championship will feature teams from 30 countries. Tommy Lawton, one of the event organisers, said the Inniscarra venue was given the green light at a meeting in Rome. It had been widely anticipated that the venue would be chosen… Irish Examiner, 06/12/13. REad the full article ‘Inniscarra nets world fishing event‘.
One of Ireland’s largest dairy co-operatives pleaded guilty at Letterkenny District Court to leaking waste liquid into the River Finn after a phone alarm system failed to operate due to an unpaid phone bill. Aurivo Co-0perative Society Ltd, with an address at Ballina Road, Tubbercurry, Sligo had four charges brought by the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission relating to a spillage of a mix of sludge and water from their Killygordon plant into a tributary of the River Finn, known as the “Creamery Burn” in October 9. Donegal Democrat, 05/12/13. Read the full article ‘Leaked factory waste into River Finn‘.
In the wake of Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Simon Coveney’s upcoming decision on whether or not to grant the state agency for fishing and aquaculture in Ireland, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, licenses for fish farms in Galway Bay, Slow Food International has reaffirmed its position on intensive fish farms. Slow Food does not consider open net pen fish farms an environmentally sound practice, Piero Sardo, President of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, confirms. SlowFood.com, 02/12/13. Read the full article ‘Slow Food International Reiterates Negative Standpoint on Intensive Fish Farms‘.
