Sir, - I support Rory Daly wholeheartedly in his lyrical description of spending Good Friday afternoon angling on Lough Corrib (April 27th). I was on the lake that afternoon and saw the gaggle of geese he mentions, having put out from Currarevagh House following my 42nd consecutive annual visit to that admirable private hotel.
However, I think it is timely to raise the subject of inconsiderate boat-borne anglers. These are generally of the younger type. They blast around the lake using 9/15/25 h.p. outboards, throwing great bow-waves over water other anglers are about to fish. This puts the fish down - happily Lough Corrib is still a wild fishery. Some years ago the problem was caused by our European brethren trolling around the fly-fishing water.
I believe these fishermen do not realise the damage they cause. During the Mayfly last year, I watched a powerful outboard drive a boat at great speed up the middle of an oval shaped bay. The occupant then proceeded to fly fish straight down the water he had just disturbed; naturally he did not catch anything on that drift!
The anglers' association of Lough Currane (Co Kerry) issued guidelines years ago on angling/ boating behaviour and perhaps angling associations around Lough Corrib and other popular lakes should do the same. If you must pass across in front of a drifting boat's water, rather than behind, do so slowly and at a distance of at least 100 metres. If everyone obeyed this one simple rule then fishing the popular parts of Corrib would be a pleasant experience rather than an opportunity to indulge in strange gestures and muttered oaths! Yours, etc.,
J.B.C. Hamilton, Weston, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow