Angling Notes: FishSpy catches a streaming view

For the first time ever, carp anglers will be able to stream live footage to their mobile device as they fish via an underwater camera hidden in a marker float, thanks to FishSpy. This new streaming technology allows anglers to identify whether they are fishing in the wrong place or if bait is incorrectly presented.

It also captures and records underwater footage, providing up to seven hours of recording time. The device was designed by expert anglers at Total Fishing Gear and took three years of development.

Streamed to your device via an inbuilt private wifi transmitter, crystal clear video allows users to see what is happening underwater. It is easy to use and requires no networked phone signal or internet connection.

The camera gives a “bait-eye” view under the water, helping to show how fish approach and feed on bait. FishSpy says its device could help even seasoned fishermen improve their skills at hooking a fish. Because the camera is incorporated into a marker float, it can be recovered even if a fishing line breaks.

FishSpy is due for release this month, priced £249.95 (€340), and can be purchased from www.fishspy.com and Total Fishing Gear stockists.

Packed with a host of features such as remote playback and built-in shareability, the device also allows you to mark live action within a 100-metre range.

Managing director Rob Williams said: "FishSpy is aimed at serious carp anglers, who are looking for the best ways to improve their fishing experience and expertise. We believe it will genuinely help you catch fish – and many more of them."

Help with investigations

Prof

Ken Whelan

is mid-way through the Freshwater Detective course in UCD and gearing up for two further courses during November and December in Clonmel and Limerick city (Moylish). These will comprise two Friday evenings (6-9pm) and two Saturdays (9am-4pm) and include interactive talks with slides, video clips and two field classes.

Duration: Nov 6/7 and 20/21 LIT Clonmel. Nov 27/28 and Dec 4/5 LIT Moylish, Limerick city. Cost: €175. The programme will be delivered over two weekends and include a mixture of class time and field trips for observation and examination. Apply: FLTipperary@lit.ie or Maureen.Ryan@lit.ie.

Specimen support

The

Irish Specimen Fish Committee

(ISFC) wish to remind anglers that specimen claim forms and, in particular, claims for shad and cyprinids, should be sent asap to ISFC,

Inland Fisheries Ireland

, 3044 Lake Drive, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24.

Shad and cyprinids (roach, rudd and their hybrids) require genetic analysis for positive identification. This analysis is necessary for conservation purposes and high quality identification and can take a considerable amount of time and expertise.

Big catch for club

The Pikers Angling Club from

Holywood

, Co Down held a successful competition recently on Leitrim’s Lough Allen. Over three days, six club members caught and returned 68 pike, including three double-figure fish. The overall winner was

Alan Richie

with a pike of 4.87kg, while

Larry Nixon

of Newtownards recorded a fish of 4.5kg.

Over the years Allen has produced several 30-pounders and numerous pike over 9kg for the Pikers. The lake seems to be making a comeback after years of lean fishing, blamed on a mixture of salmon farming and the raising of the water level to accommodate cruisers.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has warned that crayfish disease, until now absent in Northern Ireland waters, is showing signs of manifesting itself, especially in Fermanagh's River Erne.

Crayfish hibernate under stones and logs in rivers during daytime and emerge after dark to feed on larva and snails. DARD says anglers should wash all equipment and clothing after each outing in order to minimise risk of the disease spreading from water to water.

Inagh’s fine season

The outgoing season on Lough Inagh was reasonable and slightly ahead of its five-year average. A total of 100 salmon were recorded, with 59 on Inagh and 41 on the river beats. Sea trout numbers were also encouraging, with 546 recorded.

Top sea trout flies were Connemara Black, Silver Daddy, Bibio, Green Dabbler and Claret Bumble. A total of 385 brown trout to 3.17kg were also landed.

angling@irishtimes.com