Angling Notes/Derek Evans:Don't miss the opportunity to take part in this year's Jubilee World Cup Trout Fly Angling Championship on Lough Mask.
It should be a particularly memorable five days of premier class fly-fishing, marking as it does the competition's 50th year. If the souvenir brochure is anything to go by, competitors are in for a real treat.
Apart from the spectacular prizes, which include two Anglers' Fancy lake boats, sponsored by Burke Boats, to the overall winner and angler with heaviest fish, the committee, with assistance from the event's patron, Mons Shannon, has also included a third Anglers' Fancy boat, for which all are eligible to compete.
The committee is keen to emphasise the importance of safety, and for all to note that a lifejacket is now a legal requirement. The sounding of a siren from Cushlough Bay will indicate the start of the competition.
The competition gets under way on August 3rd, with four days of qualifying heats, and it culminates on bank holiday Monday with the grand finale. To enter, contact Esther Sweeney at 094-9541428 or wctrout@gofree.indigo.ie
Only entries with payment of €130 by July 18th will go into the draw and entries will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis.
Note: before setting out on Lough Mask, make sure to obtain a copy of the excellent trout-angling guide recently published by the Western Regional Fisheries Board. The map contains detailed information on 46 areas in the lake and recommends appropriate flies, hatches, drifts and fishing areas. It will be very useful to new anglers and indeed those who regularly fish the lake.
The map costs €4, plus postage, and can be ordered from the board at Weir Lodge, Earl's Island, Galway, or info@wrfb.ie.
• Loughs Agency has announced it may have to suspend netting and angling on the River Foyle and Lough Foyle because the number of salmon entering the River Mourne system fell below the required figure of 2,600 between May 1st and June 30th.
If introduced, angling on the River Mourne and Strule, and their tributaries, would also be suspended. The curtailment will be determined by specified flood conditions occurring on the Mourne and may be for a 24- or 48-hour period.
John McCartney, director of conservation and protection, said: "This action is designed to allow greater escapement of salmon to spawning beds in a year when the number of salmon reaching freshwater is below the level required to maintain stock levels for future years".
• The Erriff Fishery in Leenane, Co Galway, appears to be getting a good run of fish with some excellent specimens that were never seen at this time of year before (probably taken in the driftnets), according to fisheries inspector Kevin Crowley. Angling manager Jim Stafford reckons the early season fishing is the best he has seen in years. "Hopefully, the rest of the season will pan out well," he said.
There is still plenty of availability in Aasleagh Lodge for August. Contact 095-42252 or e-mail: erriff.fish@iol.ie.
• The Marine Institute, in association with the North Western Regional Fisheries Board (NWRFB), is carrying out a salmon-tagging survey on the River Moy. Two orange and two green tags are being inserted in salmon released by anglers on the Moy Fishery and its traps at Ballina, respectively. The tags are located behind the dorsal fin. All anglers who participate in the survey will receive payments of between €10 and €20 for returned tags.
If a tagged salmon is caught and killed, both tags should be removed. However, if the fish is released, only one tag should be removed by carefully cutting close to the flesh. By law, the fish must remain in the water. Anglers should record the following details: time, date and location of capture; tag number; length in cm, and method of capture.
Recovered tags should be retained and contact made to the Marine Institute (098-42300) or NWRFB (096-21332). A reward of €10 will be paid for each orange tag and €20 for each green tag returned. Results of this survey will greatly assist in future management of salmon stocks in the Moy system.
• A Golf Classic to be held at the K Club in Straffan, Co Kildare, on Friday, August 10th, looks like being a great success. The four-ball team event will be hosted by the Slaney River Foundation to raise funds to improve the ecology and riparian wildlife of the Slaney Valley and, in particular, its endangered stock of wild Atlantic salmon.
There are a limited number of tee-off slots still available for this golfing and social event. Contact John Carroll (01-668 7401) or Betty Hayes (086-814 7706).