Looking Back – Jack Shine, an extraordinary angler

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November 4, 2020

With little or no angling taking place at the moment, we thought we’d cast a line through the archives for a look back at times past. One story that is well documented and well worth repeating is that of legendary angler Jack Shine, a Cork man who, back in the 1950s, was new to angling when he found himself living and working in County Clare.

Jack, with the shared expertise of his new neighbours, became well adept at landing the bass, wrasse and pollock which were plentiful off the Clare coast. Looking for a new challenge, he decided to turn his attention to attempting something previously unheard of; this new dream was to land a 100lb plus fish from the shore using conventional beach casting gear.

Jack was aware of porbeagle shark being present in the area, they were known for disappearing to the deeps with whole strings of valuable mackerel feathers leaving anglers cursing them from atop the rocky deep water marks on which they fished. Fired up for the challenge, he set about investigating many of the deep water marks scattered all along the Clare coastline in search of the elusive 100lb fish.

John Cullinane admires Jack’s 115lbs Porbeagle taken at Ballyreen in 1964

As mentioned, the story is well documented and, as with any story, it needs to be told in the right manner (and we wouldn’t want to spoil it in the telling). Instead, you can read about Jack’s exploits on the Irish Specimen Fish Committee website or read ‘Shark Fishing the Shine Way’ by Peter Foster here.

If you’d like to see a short interview with the great man, there is one available in the RTE archives but perhaps the best option of all would be to make a cup of tea, find a comfy seat and enjoy all 48 minutes of the Audio Angling Podcast as beautifully narrated by Phil Williams and Mick White on the FishingFilms andFacts Youtube Channel.

We should mention that times were different then, fish of all species were plentiful and they were all caught for the pot; unlike these ‘enlightened’ times where sustainability and conservation are a must in order to preserve depleted fish stocks, ‘catch and release’ fishing never crossed an angler’s mind.

VIDEO: Thornback Ray Fishing in West Cork

By

Kevin Crowley

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November 4, 2020

With Level 5 restrictions and poor weather, many of us are confined to base with no chance to get out fishing at the moment, so we’ve been getting our fishing fix by catching up with Youtube videos and podcasts.

Our latest video features James Raymond from the Irish Angling Adventures crew on Youtube, James was out fishing for thornback ray in West Cork over the last few months, and made a great video of his day out, catching plenty of thornies and doggies. For budding sea anglers, James’s videos are full of information and helpful tips on how to fish a mark, bait and rig ideas and just great scenery and fishing.

Subscribe and Follow

If you like the video, head over to the Irish Angling Adventures channel on Youtube and hit the Subscribe button to get new videos when they go live. Follow them on Facebook, or check out their Instagram here.

Well done James, and we look forward to seeing more sea angling content soon!

Ireland on the fly: Robert Gillespie’s Salmon Masterclass

By

myleskelly

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November 3, 2020

Ireland on the fly pdcast — Robert Gillespie's Salmon Masterclass

The latest episode of Ireland on the Fly podcast covers sees a salmon masterclass from Robert Gillespie who talks to Daire Whelan about how to increase your catch rate, the importance of light conditions and understanding the type of water you’re fishing.

Listen and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com

Irish Angling Update 🎃 30 October 2020

By

myleskelly

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October 30, 2020

Autumn colours captured by John Flynn IFI at the river Colligan, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

It’s been a very quiet week with anglers confined to 5km from home during this lockdown.

We don’t have much in the way of angling reports but we do have some interesting content to share.

Cathal Hughes tells all about setting up for inniscarra

First from the world of coarse angling we have Cathal Hughes giving a run down on the gear and set ups he likes to use when fishing Inniscarra. He has two really informative Youtube videos which are essential viewing for anyone thinking about fishing this iconic venue.

Next we have news of Peter Driver’s live stream fly tying demos. Tonight at 8.30 trough his Piscari-Fly Facebook page he will be showing how to tie the zonker type flies, including your Minkies, Snakes and similar lures.

Edward Fitzgibbon – A legacy greater than Izaak Walton

After that we go back in time with Daire Whelan in his Ireland on the Fly podcast where we explore the life and times of Limerick man Edward Fitzgibbon. Writing as Ephemera, Edward is credited as being the first angling journalist.

Catching fish with Inland Fisheries Irelands go Fishing programme

And finally we bring to you news of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s online Go Fishing programme. Our Education and Outreach team were keen not to lose ground in their work to get more people fishing, so they have moved what they could of the programme online in preparation for time on the water. The course now consists of one online session every week for four weeks and a local fishing trip for the fifth session to complete the programme. Since July the team have piloted the programme with a number of Foróige groups nationwide.

Before I finish I’d like to once more remind all salmon and sea trout anglers of the importance of returning their 2020 angling logbook and unused gill tags on time. Logbook returns must be made by 19^th October annually even if there is no catch recorded.

Level 5 and angling

Everyone is aware that the lockdown is in place and what it means. But here is a reminder of the measures in place for angling:

Guides and ghillies are not on the list of essential services
Charter boats are not on the list of essential services
Anglers must stay within 5km of their home
No angling events permitted
For more see: IFI Guidance to Anglers – Level 5 restrictions

And now the weather…

Wet and very windy on Saturday morning with spells of rain due to Storm Aiden. Severe and potentially damaging gusts for a time with weather warnings in operation. It will continue windy during the afternoon with a mix of dry periods and squally showers. Sunday will see the rain clearing in the morning but more heavy showers later in the afternoon. Next week will start cool and windy with showers and even hail and thunder in places, but by midweek a high pressure system should bring drier and brighter weather.

Safe fishing to all this weekend and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].

All the angling news

Trout Fishing Reports

Look and Learn: Live fly tying tonight with Peter Driver

Coarse Angling Reports

Get ready for Inniscarra with Cathal Hughes

Other News

Get ready for Inniscarra with Cathal Hughes

By

myleskelly

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October 30, 2020

What better way to while away the lockdown than dreaming about your next coarse angling adventure… …well dream no more, look and learn!

Cathal Hughes gives a run down on all you need to know about what gear to bring and how to set it up for your next trip to inniscarra…

Look and Learn: Live fly tying tonight with Peter Driver

By

myleskelly

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October 30, 2020

123008565_1000018113852333_643578082871538386_o — Live Fly Tying with Peter Driver

Peter Driver of Piscari Fly has started a new series of live fly tying demos at his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Piscarifly/

The classes are normally streamed on Saturday nights, but due to the rugby he will be live tonight at 8.30pm. In this episode Peter will be covering everything to do with Zonkers. So you can expect plenty of fry patterns, Snakes, Minkies and streamers.

In addition to the demos, Peter is doing a great giveaway so make sure and check in with him for a bit of fun and fly tying.

Don’t forget to join him tonight at 8.30 https://www.facebook.com/Piscarifly/

What’s next…

Next month it will be Nymphing November and Peter will be covering everything to do with nymphing for the month.

The good news is that if you can’t tune in on the night you can catch up on his Youtube channel Piscari-Fly where all the shows are stored.

Tie a fly…

Peter’s fly shop is at www.piscari-fly.com for all your fly tying and fly fishing needs.

Inland Fisheries Ireland launch online “Go Fishing” programme

By

Sadhbh O'Neill

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October 27, 2020

Inland Fisheries Ireland launch online “Go Fishing” programme

Inland Fisheries Ireland Education and Outreach team are working with Foróige to get young people fishing with the “Go Fishing” programme. Due to public health related restrictions on gatherings the programme has now evolved into a blended learning experience that consists of one online course every week for four weeks and a local fishing trip for the fifth session to complete the programme. Since July IFI’s Education and Outreach team have piloted the programme with a number of Foróige groups nationwide.

On Thursday, 27^th of August IFI brought a group of young people from a Foróige group based in Donegal for an afternoon of shore fishing at Buncrana beach in Donegal as part of their fifth session field trip with the programme. Participants learned how to set up a beach casting rod, attach a rig using the improved clinch knot, how to bait up using mackerel, razorfish, lug worm and use bait elastic. The weather was perfect for fishing and the participants caught some nice sized dog fish. At the end of the session the participants were presented with “Go Fishing” goodie bags and certificates of awareness as part of completing the Foróige “Go Fishing” with IFI blended learning online course.

Lorraine O’Donnell, Education and Outreach Officer at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “We are delighted to now be able to offer an online course as part of the “Go Fishing” initiative. Being able to offer the course in an online capacity keeps the programme accessible at the current time and also means we are able to offer the programme to organisations like Foróige. We would like to invite any youth groups that would be interested in taking part in the new online course to please email [email protected] for more information.”

Orla Taylor, Youth Worker at Foróige said: “Inland Fisheries presented their sessions in an engaging and well organised way, telling stories of catches and experiences they have had. This made it very real for the young people. The group loved the experience and are looking forward to trying more fishing.”

The four week online programme is designed for young people between the ages of 12-17 years old. Group numbers for the fishing trip are always in line with the current public health advice, however up to 20 people can partake in the online course. With consideration of the current situation all fishing field trips will take place in 2021. Participants will learn about Ireland’s inland fisheries and the benefits of angling, the biodiversity of our waterways, becoming a steward of our waterways and the environment and the basics of angling. Upon completion of the online programme the participants will be brought on a local fishing trip and will be awarded a certificate of awareness and receive a “Go Fishing” goodie bag.

For more information about the programme and if you wish to register a groups interest please email [email protected] and a local IFI Education and Outreach coordinator will be in contact.

Ireland on the Fly: The remarkable story of Limerick’s Edward Fitzgibbon

By

myleskelly

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October 27, 2020

‘A legacy greater than Izaak Walton’

The latest episode of Daire Whealan’s Ireland on the Fly podcast covers the remarkable story of Limerick’s Edward Fitzgibbon aka Ephemera who was a giant of angling journalism in England in the 1800s.

Daire Whelan speaks to the fly fishing historian and writer, Andrew Herd, about the remarkable life and times of Fitzgibbon who at the time of his death in London in 1857 was spoken of in the same breath as Izaak Walton.

Listen and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and keep up to date on IrelandontheFly.com

Irish Angling Update – 22 October 2020

By

myleskelly

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October 22, 2020

The week was mild, dry and bright for the most part, though the last couple of days saw some very heavy rain in places. Given the Level 3 and 4 restriction in places and the uncertainty in advance of the recent Government announcement its’s no surprise that less angling took place that would normally be expected for the time of year and favourable conditions…

conger eel — Biggest of the day: 190cm conger about 40lbs for Evan

Very little to report in a week that has seen the return to lockdown. Sea anglers were out and about; shore, small boat and charter boats all had some action in the last week. But we only have one report in from Cork Harbour where one boat enjoyed decent fishing over the wrecks and the day was topped off with a super specimen-sized conger eel. Evan McGovern gets Catch of the Week for his 190cm conger.

This time of year we normally expect to see plenty of reports from coarse and pike fisheries from Cork to Clare, up the Shannon and all across the midlands and north east. We’ve heard very little from our regular reporters this year, so instead we’ll give them a shout out. Here’s to Michael Flanagan of Midlands Angling, Kevin Lyons of Melview Lodge, Maura Hughes of Church View Guest House, everyone in IFPAC and the clubs like Newbridge, Dublin and Leinster, everyone in the NCFFI and their clubs like Munster Anglers, Inniscarra TDL, Oaklands, Tulla, CM Lakelands, Sheemore, Cavan, Belturbet, Fermoy and the guys in IADA, Lough Muckno, NADA and all the others who share the news and updates from recreational anglers, competitions and festivals. Thank you. And here’s to a return to the days when we can fill the pages of the Irish Angling Update with smiling anglers with 100cm pike and good nets of roach, bream, rudd and tench.

It’s time to return your logbook and unused tags

As the salmon and sea trout season is now closed all across Ireland we’d like to remind all salmon and sea trout anglers of the importance of returning their 2020 angling logbook and unused gill tags on time. Logbook returns must be made by 19^th October annually even if there is no catch recorded.