The information officer of the Central Fisheries Board, Mr Paul Bourke, has reiterated the call for continued vigilance over foot-and-mouth. "Farmers are understandably reluctant to allow anglers to cross their land and, as a result, most river corridors remain closed. The vast expanse of the Shannon is a good example of a river virtually out of bounds to anglers," he said.
Communication is important and Mr Bourke has taken on the task of informing tackle shops throughout the State of the up-to-date situation each week. Meanwhile, the daily update continues at www.cfb.ie On the Moy, the situation is under constant review and fishery owners will be notified immediately of any change. There was a big run upstream all week and most fish made it to Lough Conn. Twenty-five salmon were reported for the week, all taken on either worm or spinner.
Water levels are perfect at the Galway Weir Fishery and anglers are taking spring salmon most days. All the regular beats are operating, including the new ones. Inquiries to Seamus Hartigan at 091-562388.
A French visitor fishing for trout on the lower Shannon at Killaloe unexpectedly hooked into a pike of 21-1/4lb. After careful handling the fish was returned to the water unharmed.
Huge catches of duckfly and olives are starting to appear on Ennell and anglers are advised to fish wet fly just sub-surface with a neutral line. Try the duckfly nymph and other variants such as Bibio and Black Pennell.
Ireland's only lady charter skipper, Mary Gavin Hughes, took full advantage of the good weather last weekend to get the season under way with some fine spring angling in the Clare Island region of Clew Bay off the Mayo coast.
A group led by Mr John Varley, Cong, Co Mayo, and friends from Dublin and Northern Ireland, enjoyed a wonderful day's fishing with plenty of pollock, coalfish, cod and wrasse. On the second day, anglers from Ballaghaderreen and Dublin came across some good thornback ray and dabs.
Mary Gavin Hughes is highly regarded as a charter skipper by her male counterparts and, having represented Ireland at international level, can offer sound advice on all aspects of boat angling.
As owner/skipper of Shamrock I, a fine 33-ft Aqua Star and licensed to carry 10 people, Mary operates out of Newport in Co Mayo and can be contacted at tel/fax: 098-41562.
On last week's piece about conservation of bass, D Cummins from Dublin 7 sends a newspaper cutting advertising "exotic sea bass for sale". It is worth noting that the present Order S.I. No. 128 Bass (Restriction on Sale) Order, 2000 states: "No person shall sell bass other than bass imported into the State."
While regarded as a loophole in the law, nevertheless in most cases, bass offered for sale in fish shops today are imported from Morocco or similar exotic destinations.
Correspondence and fishy photographs to The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Fax: 679 1881. E-mail: angling@irish-times.ie