Angling notes: casting a line for a very worthy cause

KILLARDEN Angling Initiative (KAI) is delighted to announce a charity competition entitled Fishing for Pieta on Saturday, May 26th, 2018. Now in its third year, the venue is again Oakland’s Fishery, New Ross, Co Wexford, one of Ireland’s premier coarse and carp fisheries.

KAI founders Patrick Ryan and Stephen O’Flanagan aim to raise much needed funds for Pieta House, a non-profit organisation providing a specialised treatment programme for people with suicidal ideation or who participate in self-harming behaviours.

The event also aims to support the HOPE charity, based in Tallaght, Dublin which provides a free, walk-in suicide prevention service.

Not only has the past two events raised more than €4,000 each for these two charities but also succeeded in raising awareness of mental-health issues among the angling community. Another important aspect is the invaluable role recreational angling can play in dealing with such problems.

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Fishing for Pieta will be fished in a standard five-hour competition format in team, individual and under-18s sections from 8am to 4pm. More than 50 anglers have agreed to participate this year, and each will raise funds through sponsorship cards.

Although most places have now been filled, some are still available and unforeseen withdrawals and cancellations are always possible. So please contact KAI for further details. All help and support is very welcome in the form of spot prizes, sponsorship or donations. “Remember, your support could literally help save someone’s life.”

For further details, contact Pat "Buddy" Ryan 085-119 2724 or Killinarden Angling Initiative on Facebook.

The initiative is an award-winning angling-based charity based in disadvantaged areas of south Dublin. Set up in 2014, its primary aim is to help with youth development, social inclusion and foster cross-community relationships and provide a fully-inclusive passive sport for the area.

Weekly community workshops have facilitated this, as have the monthly angling trips which not only allow some much-needed escape from daily city life but also allow a greater immersion in the natural world, as well as team building.

Managing stocks

It was standing room only in the Coolin Lounge in Burkes of Clonbur, Co Galway for the talk by Prof Ken Whelan on managing wild brown trout stocks in western lakes. Prof Whelan took time out from his busy schedule to enlighten a captive audience to review some of the challenges facing wild brown populations today.

With the aid of an audio-visual presentation he covered a multitude of possible reasons for the downward spiral in wild brown trout stocks and compared strategies now being adopted for salmon and sea trout.

In this regard, Prof Whelan referred to the 1945 Drainage System Scheme which possibly had a detrimental effect on rivers and spawning streams. Emphasis was also put on climate change, invasive species and hatcheries.

But perhaps his most important question asked: “What do we want out of the lakes?” In order for fisheries scientists and ultimately the government to take action with this question it is very important for anglers to record catch returns. If there are ‘no numbers’ then there is no effective management, he said.

Double figures

On Sheelin, fishing numbers rarely made the double figures but the bank holiday weekend saw an increase in angling activity with the LSTPA’s Kilroy Cup attracting 32 anglers with six fish recorded over 1.36kg.

Monaghan angler Brian McAvinney took the honours with a lovely silvery trout of 1.92kg, Kenneth O’Keefe, Cavan came in second with a 1.76kg fish and Martin Kearney, a close third with a trout of 1.71kg.

Areas that produced results were the shallow bays, inlets and around islands where the fish feed at this time on shrimp and water louse. Best areas were Stony Island, back of Church Island, Merry Point, Inchacup, Chambers Bay and from Kilnahard down to Crover.

On the fly

Duckfly hatches start from mid-March into April and great sport can be had with the right fly on the day and some local knowledge as to where the hatches might happen, according to flytyer Jimmy Tyrrell.

To avail of this pattern, contact Jimmy at irishflycraft@gmail.com or 086-845 1257.

[ angling@irishtimes.com ]