18/4/11

There was a craker of a 15lbs 5ozs Salmon Caught on the troll by Mr. Timmermans of Holland and Waterville, fishing with his gillie Mr. Neil O'Shea of http://www.oshealoughcurrane.com/  special note from Mr. Paul Bourke Angling Information Officer, so please read on and take note.

Hi everyone in Lough Currane,

At present as some of you know, I write the Irish Angling Update for INLAND FISHERIES IRELAND and I also am writing the lough Currane report for the Trout and Salmon magazine this evening. I am particularly mad at all the lovely fish and photos I could publise in the Trout and Salmon magazine and other publications but cannot. There are far too many people fishing out in Lough Currane illegally by not wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid. I cannot use these photos. Many of you are breaking the law. You need to safeguard your clients out on your beautiful lough. Come on lads and ladies, make sure everyone wears one. The magazines tell me they love in particular the photos of anglers out on the lough catching fish etc. I am really trying to help you all to get more business for all of you. I apologize for the rant but please do something about it. If somebody loses their life on your lough because they are not wearing one, you risk everything you have built up over the years. It is the law and it makes sense. One final thing, Please ensure that any fish that are retained and photographed have a proper salmon tag on the fish. Again, a photo of a fish without a tag cannot be published. I am here to help and I hope to go down and meet some or all of you this year as I love fishing on the lough. My colleague Mark Corps will be down on the lough with a Trout and Salmon journalist to do an article on the lough in the first week in May. Please help us to support all of you. You have a jewel of a fishery in Ireland. Look after it. Please tell any of the ghillies who do not have emails to conform to the life jacket principal. There is an on the spot fine of €90, I am told but who enforces this legislation, I am not sure but it is not the fishery service as yet. A garda can certainly enforce this law as it is in the statue books for some years now.
Some years ago, I did fall into Lough Currane on a hot warm day!! I was only wearing a shirt but I did have a life jacket over it and I stood up in the boat and fell out with a big splash. I am a strong swimmer but naturally I got a good fright and the anglers with me did as well. Again sorry for the rant but please let everybody be careful. Please contact me if you need any clarification. Keep up the great work in looking after such a world famous fish
Tight lines to you and all your clients,
Paul
Paul Bourke
Angling Information Officer
Paul.Bourke@fisheriesireland.ie