Probably the best metaphor to describe the present situation is "steady as she goes" as angling continues its long haul back to normality. Still reeling from the threat of foot-and-mouth disease, many river fisheries and lakes continue to remain closed.
To help keep lines of communication open, the Central Fisheries Board has compiled a list of fisheries open and, indeed, of those still closed. This list will be updated on a daily basis and may be visited at www.cfb.ie Suggestion. In view of the prolonged suspension of angling, would it be too presumptuous to suggest an extension of the season by say, one month, in an effort to recuperate some of the losses incurred? I would be interested to hear readers' views on this idea.
Lough Currane recommenced on a high note with 28 salmon, 13 to fly and 15 trolling, and five specimen sea trout. Jer O'Sullivan, Birmingham, fished with boatman Vincent O'Sullivan and took five good fish all on fly over seven days.
The Galway Weir recorded nine spring salmon, the heaviest at 131/2lb taken by Noel Kavanagh. Sean McManamin from Kildare took three, including the first of the season at 8-1/2 lb, later to be sold at auction for £750 to K Club executive Michel Flammie.
Few fish were observed moving on Lough Ennell but good hatches of duckfly were evident. If you are venturing out on the lake this weekend, come suitably prepared with all the duckfly variants including Black Pennell and Bibios.
Local angling guide Michael Flanagan had a bumper day on Lough Owel. Accompanied by Gerry Furlong from Co Carlow, together they accounted for 36 trout including two wild fish, the best 4lb 10oz, all on Claret Bumble and Fiery Brown patterns.
Lough Ree anglers are having a fantastic duckfly season. This is a most unusual phenomenon and nearly unheard of for trout to be caught on wet flies. Fish are feeding in the shallows on shrimp, snails and water louse. Best flies include Silver Dabblers, Golden Olive Bumbles and Bibio.
Lots of trout were seen rising to sparse hatches of duckfly in many parts of Lough Corrib. Catches ranged from three fish to 11 for one boat, all to wet fly and included fish of 61/4lb, 5lb and 31/2lb.
In relation to last week's piece on how best to claim specimen tope, a charter skipper with over 20 years' experience says the only reasonable way to limit the number of fish brought ashore is to apply the arithmetical formula on the boat.
When satisfied the specimen weight of 40lb is well and truly exceeded, then, and only then, should the fish be brought in for positive ratification. Otherwise, abuses will occur, he says.
The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, has appointed Mr Joey Murrin as the new chairman of the National Salmon Commission, in succession to Prof Wilkins, who has resigned.
Mr Murrin recently retired as chief executive of Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation following a distinguished career in the sea fishing sector and is currently a board member of the Marine Institute.
"I have asked the new chairman to call a meeting of the 21member commission to discuss my decision to reduce the amount of information required in logbooks in the context of compliance with salmon tagging," the Minister said.
Correspondence and fishy photographs to The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Fax: 679 1881. Email: angling@irish-times.ie