Broadening angling’s appeal in Killinarden

Stephen O’Flanagan emails with news of the workings of Killinarden Angling Initiative – Kai, based in Tallaght, Co Dublin. Although not an angling club per se, the initiative was set up in 2014 to introduce people “from all walks of life” to get involved in the sport.

The “connecting community” programme is developed to work with the probation services, mental health, rehabilitation, ethnic and people with disabilities. Weekly workshops are based on pike, coarse, game and carp.

Membership fees are kept to a minimum – just €3 for adults and €2 juniors – to cover insurance, fishing tackle and bait. Last year, South Dublin County Council provided a bus for monthly outings, however plans are afoot to provide a community-based fishery within the area.

For the second year running, the initiative is organising an outing in aid of Pieta House to Oaklands Lake, New Ross, Co Wexford. Last year’s event raised €4,000 for the same charity.

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For further details, call Stephen at 085-213 1096.

Glenmore Lodge development

On opening day of the season on the River Finn in Northern Ireland, anglers gathered at Glenmore Lodge before casting their line. During the closed season, fisheries manager Jarlath Winters was busy working with the Loughs Agency through their Sustainable Development Fund to develop the angling facilities at the lodge. Anglers now have access to a fishing hut complete with stove and drying room, composting toilet, car park, rainwater harvesting system and improved signage.

Lionel Knobbs of Loughs Agency, said; “The project aims to enhance the experience of visitors and with these enhanced facilities, private beats on the river and quality accommodation, Glenmore is now a one-stop-shop.”

For further details, contact Jarlath on 00353 868 133 869.

Bad weather hits Lough Corrib

The week gone by saw less angling activity on Lough Corrib due to inclement weather coupled with a drop in temperature. “Hopefully this will not affect the duckfly season which shouldn’t be too far away,” fisheries officer Declan Gibbons said.

Gerry Molloy (loughcorriboughterard.com) enjoyed a few hours fishing the brickeen landing four trout, best 1kg. In the Oughterard area, Kevin Molloy (087-9604170) landed 10 fish on the brickeen for three half-days, best 1.1kg.

On Tuesday last, in the Birchall area, Mark Colton, Mark Regan and Padraig Costello enjoyed a day’s fishing during which Mark Colton landed a beautiful trout on a Silver Dabbler of 1.6kg.

Angling guide Frank Costello of Ashford Bay Boat Hire (087-252 4253) spent a few hours in the Cong area, landing a trout of 0.68k.

Salmon caught on Drowes

Water levels are presently in fine fettle on the Drowes, reading 0.6 metres on the gauge at Four Masters Bridge. Four salmon were caught over the past fortnight with a number of fresh fish seen running the river. Martin McCarron recorded a 4.5kg salmon on a Rapala lure from The Grazing’s and Marty King accounted for a 4kg fish on prawn from the Blackwater.

For bookings, see http://www.drowessalmonfishery.com/ or tel. 071-9841 055 (8am to noon).

Information plea

Helen Rainsford of the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland (Ncffi) has, for some time now, been looking for information related to the junior home international championship held in Clones, Co Monaghan, in 1995.

“It was as a result of the Welsh team that the festival was set up and we have been running it ever since. All the original members can tell me is that the Welsh never turned up for the first festival and the Irish team was managed by Lindsay Buckley.”

“I also had a request from a former team member, Lee Moran, who recalls a team photo. If anyone has anything in their archives I would be very grateful please,” Rainsford said. (Tel: +44 7711 607200 or pro@ncffi.ie.

Slurry poisons 200 trout

Hundreds of fish have been killed in a pollution incident on a tributary of the river Gwili in Carmarthenshire, South Wales. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) investigated the incident after receiving reports of pollution of the tributary near Llanpumsaint. About 200 trout, 40 lamprey and hundreds of bullheads were killed.

NRW officers identified the pollution as slurry from a nearby farm and put measures in place to stop further pollution entering the tributary.

Team leader, Kimberley Redman, said: “Our rivers provide a home to rich, diverse and valuable species of plants and animals. This pollution has had a significant impact on the fish in the river.”

angling@irishtimes.ie