Off the Scale - Casting a new eye on angling - 2020 Off the Scale magazine
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Issue 9
Mar-May 2016
Off the
Scale
Casting a new eye on angling
Editorial
Off the Scale
- and not just pike either!
IFI continue to kill pike because they
I
t is that time of the year again (already!) maintain that “pike feed preferentially
when Nature suddenly begins to on trout” in these lakes. From a scientific
rouse from her apparent slumber. basis (on which fisheries management
Ireland’s number one angling magazine
The fishing prospects for most of you, MUST be based), this is complete
whatever you prefer to target, will get rubbish, based only on biased personal
better and better from hereon in. The opinions and very poor, non peer-
trout season is now well and truly open; reviewed science. It beggars belief Follow us:
more salmon will begin to filter into our that anyone, let alone the organisation
rivers as time passes; numbers of sea in charge of Irish inland fisheries, can
species like bass and mullet (hopefully, believe that pike are the cause of the
see pg 58) will start to pick up; almost national decline in trout stocks. To Read us: www.offthescaleangling.ie
all coarse fish will soon be on the munch anyone with a modicum of common
in readiness for spawning. It’s a great sense and logic, it is abundantly clear
time of the year to be an angler...Thats that water enrichment (eutrophication) Contact us: editor@offthescaleangling.ie
the good news. However, there is much and quality problems are the major
bad news at the moment with regards issue, along with the spread of roach
to over-fishing, pollution and, here in throughout Irish systems, which can
Ireland, the highly controversial subject compete heavily with trout. There is Acknowledgments Cover shot: A Brown trout being
of predator control. scientific proof for all of this and none lovingly returned
that says pike cause trout stocks A huge thanks and well done to Dan O
Photo credit: Bill Brazier
At the beginning of March, Inland to collapse. That is not how Nature Kelly, Jason Nash, John Fleming, Karl
Fisheries Ireland (IFI), for those that works. Incidentally, the trout stocks and Bohan, Michael O Reilly, Barry Murphy,
have somehow missed the fallout, ecosystems of these great lakes were Gary Robinson, Marina Gibson, Craig About our page navigation
decided to recommence gill netting fine until man started to intervene... Murphy, Leon Roskilly and Gary Doyle for Navigating through the magazine is easy!
once again on selected Irish lakes; their issue 9 contributions. Simply click or tap the white buttons
namely Lough’s Conn, Cullin, Carra, Many anglers, myself included, have had at the bottom of the page, or use the
Mask, Corrib, Arrow and Sheelin. I do enough of the ignorance perpetuated by Thank you to all the people behind the keyboard arrows
not apologise for what I am about to say certain factions and individuals within scenes and our advertisers for their
but the situation is absolutely abhorrent. IFI on this matter. A protest to end gill continued support.
As a true all-round angler and fisheries netting on Irish lakes (pg 8) takes place
biologist I am utterly appalled with at IFI’s Headquarters on March 24th. All And lastly, thank you, valued reader, for
IFI, their actions and, most of all, forward thinking anglers, be they game your interest. Previous Next
their attitude towards pike. To use gill or coarse fans, need to work together to First page Contents Last page
nets to cull pike on these large lakes end the barbarity. Spread the word! Send emails, like and The boring fine print...
is sickening for many reasons, least share us on social media, tell everyone!
The production of this digital publication in both online and pdf versions
of all because IFI have no scientific This is just the beginning... automatically signifies that all written, photographic and recorded
justification whatsoever for spending Let’s all cast a new eye on angling media material exist under copyright towards Off the Scale and its
contributors. No material herein may be reproduced in any form
almost €0.25m per year on doing so, together... without the explicit permission of Off the Scale.
The views expressed by contributors within this publication are not
killing thousands of fish in the process necessarily those held by Off the Scale.
Pg 1 Off the Scale
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just normal. out till half nine or ten, not to mention
MY I’ll fast forward a few years
now, to when I turned 20 and got my
the dangers of driving that early in
the morning in the winter... So, it was
TWO
first car. Suddenly I was not confined to decided that we would try staying over
lifts or the 65 Bus to Blesso’ (to give it and do some night fishing. Being carp
it`s Dublin slang name) anymore and a anglers we had the equipment to do it
new world opened up. Although I had so we did. After the first session, which
CENTS great faith in Blesso’ at the time, myself
and a few angling buddies started to
try other smaller waters around Cavan,
was in about 2002, we have not looked
back.
Over the next seven seasons I
Monaghan, Meath, Longford, etc. But clocked up a lot of nights, some winters
we always returned to Blesso’. We had up to 80 nights. The fish kept coming
By Dan O Kelly Dan O Kelly is good success but it was hard going. and many high doubles and twenties
F
Photography by Dan O Kelly & friends
one of Ireland’s most After about five years of intense fishing were caught but we struggled to get
prominent and respected big on Blesso’ all I had for my efforts was fish over 25lbs. I was getting more into
irstly I would like to try fish anglers, especially in carp three fish over the 20lb mark. Well carp fishing and more interested in
and to explain to other and pike circles. His dedication, appreciated, of course, but we started fishery management at the time and
anglers, i.e. not pike hearing about another big lake that was starting to see patterns in some
passion, knowledge and results
anglers, what a big was producing numbers of big doubles lakes regarding size i.e. ceiling weights.
are almost unrivaled. The following and twenties. A boat was dropped on In most carp circles it is pretty much
pike from the Western
article tries to go some way to this lake and a few recce sessions were known what is to be expected from
Lough’s means, or
any big lake for that explaining Dan’s views on the pike done. It was quickly obvious that we each water and I started to think that
matter. It all started for me back control and culling in the great could get greater numbers of bigger this could be the same with pike waters.
in the 80s when my father used Western lough’s of Ireland, fish from this lake. All faith in Blesso’ My attentions started to turn to the
to bring us to Blessington in the places where he has spent was lost and all attention was now on Western Lough’s and one in particular -
winter to fish for these big green a great deal of his this new water. I believed that with the the Daddy, the Iron Maiden, the Mecca
pike things. My father would have fishing life. number of fish we were getting that a that is Lough Mask. I started to do my
favoured trout in the summer 30-plus was only a matter of time. research and borrowed a book from
but we would try our luck at pike in the I continued in this belief for a a friend Rory. It was Neville Fickling’s
winter, with no great success I might guess this did not take long to capture number of years. After the first year re-edited and updated version of the
add but great memories all the same. the imagination of a young lad. This is we decided to try bivving up. I was late Fred Buller’s Book of Mammoth
I remember walking back to the car at where my fascination with pike started fishing four days a week at this time, Pike. This book inspired me and I read
dusk on summer evening after a day’s and to this day has not stopped. Those back-to-back, and was getting fed up it cover-to-cover time and time again. I
trout fishing and seeing big pike dart early days in Blessington, hard as they with getting up at 5am each morning even brought it with me when I fished
out from the side of the shore, making were with little fish to show for our to drive around Tallaght conducting a there to give me inspiration if my faith
what seemed like massive bow waves efforts, were, in fact, a good thing as wake-up service for my angling besties. was slipping on a tough session. After
to a small boy. These mystical creatures since then I`ve never been afraid to Then to have to drive to the lake to a couple a sessions and soakings the
would disappear into the night as quick tackle big waters. It’s a thing that some launch the boat and proceed down the book ended up in bits and I could not
as they appeared. Well, as you can anglers shy away from but for me it’s lake, probably not getting your rods with a straight face hand it back to Rory
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so I had to acquire a new copy! Rory approach and I was fully prepared to
then sniffed out three articles by Mark take it on the chin to achieve my goals.
Ackerley on his Mask antics which in It took us four nights before
turn were read, examined, scrutinised. we got our first run; a perfectly formed
Thankfully Mark did not put in the five pounder was the result for me.
X and Y coordinates for Later that same November
successful areas. I “My day I had a 7lbs trout, a
hate getting details welcome surprise which
of where best to attentions I returned with great
fish - I prefer to started to turn to care and respect.
travel around and The following
use my own gut the Western Lough’s February I caught 1 2
feelings. Getting and one in particular the same fish
exact locations I about 600 yards
feel are an insult
- the Daddy, the Iron away at 7lb 14oz.
to my water craft Maiden, the Mecca Again, I returned
and severely lessen it with care. A few
the achievement.
that is Lough weeks later I caught
So it was in ‘07 Mask” the fish twice more in
that myself and Noel started two sessions in the same
to fish Lough Mask. The first few swim. A few days after that a boat
sessions were hard and not what we trolled passed me and caught a fish that
were used to, but we had expected this looked like the same one. Unfortunately
and were prepared for it. I had come to a Priest was summoned from the 3 4
the conclusion that I needed to think tackle bag and the last rites were
excises one morning we set off in the 1 - 4. I caught this magnificent 7lb+ Mask
like a carp angler and not like a pike administered and that was the end of trout on four separate occasions before
angler. In carp fishing we will set out that. I never saw the beautiful, friendly boat for a swim we liked the look of
it was sadly killed by an angler fishing for
at the start of a season with targets, fish again. on the previous week. Bivvies were set trout. A crying shame.
particular fish we want to catch. It’s By this time I was working a up, the rods were placed and the kettle
nothing to sit for a week for one take, full-time job and weekends were the was brewing when I got a single beep. times. Not the thirty I had hoped for
or even a month or a season to achieve only time I could get away so it was I looked out to see an oil patch above but a PB and it only took seven nights
your goals and a lot of the time you long drives on a Friday evening to get one of my baits. It was a strange fight on Mask to beat what I’d done in seven
don’t. I decided that I would adopt this to the lake. With the winds the way where the fish did nothing till it got years on the previous lake. Optimism
frame of mind for Mask as I knew it they are over there sometimes we close in and then the fight began. Still, levels shot through the roof, as it was
was not going to throw up the goods would not even get to fish the first night shortly afterwards I had it on the bank clear that our strategy was right and it
easily. But, if I wanted to beat my PB at and would have to sleep in the cars, and it was clearly the biggest pike I’d was only a matter of keeping the faith
the time of 26lb 12oz and get the 30lb+ which is not much fun when it’s full of ever caught. There was a scramble for and the pressure on and the big fish
I had tried for over so many nights, bivvies and bedchairs and you suffer the scales and camera. We weighed her would come… I went around on cloud
months, years, then I needed a different with whiplash. After a few stretching on two scales and it read 29lb 10oz both nine for the next few months.
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5. Seven days on the right water’s edge. So we headed off and did (!), I landed it and it was clearly a nice
water is better than seven a night in our second choice of swim. fish. I knew I was in or around the thirty
years on the wrong water...
29lb 10oz from 2007, a PB at
That resulted in a 12lbs for me and the mark I wanted. I lifted the sling but was
the time. next morning Deego had the very same suffering a case of shaky hands, then
fish. All night I was thinking of going the other rod went off. Deego quickly
6. Fishing from the “unfishable back to the unfishable swim; something sacked the fish while I hit the other rod.
swim” was difficult but paid off
felt right about it. So we went back and An 18lb’er was the result of that run
handsomely
cleared a few spots for the rods and and was quickly returned so all eyes
managed to get the baits out. could focus back on the fish in the sack.
poor years, captures wise. I was not Eight o’ clock the next morning I found a suitable tree to hang a piece
going to let another year slip by so I I had a screamer and after hitting the of cord, that I carry for such occasions,
headed once again to Mask. Noel had fish I could not make out what size it from. Shaky hands would not be an
gone off the scene at this time and I was as they don`t seem to fight much issue then! The needle landed bang on
was joined by another friend of mine, till they get in close on Mask. Due to the 30lb. I did not want to call it so I turned
Deego. I had gone out a few days earlier amount of trees in the swim I knew I the scales round to Deego and said “you
than Deego and was on an island taking would have to be in my chesties to land call it”, to which he replied “Dan, ye
in the weather when I had a screaming the fish. I called for Deego to come with know what? That’s your 30 there!” My
run. The result was a 23lb 12oz fish the boat just in case it was required reply was an uncontrollable roar, which
5 which was my 50th over twenty. Due to to land the fish. Thankfully it wasn’t surprised even me! For years I had put
the bad weather the previous winters and I landed it by just wading out as myself under massive pressure to catch
Again, I’ll fast forward a few my last twenty was in 2010 and I had far as I could.
years to 2012. As we were in the depths waited since then to get to the 50 mark. As normal she
of recession the one up-shot I stayed another night in that woke up as she
was that I now had no “so swim and in the morning got into the
job and plenty of time I caught the same fish margins, so
for fishing. Longer there I was again this time exactly there I was up
trips on Mask were up to my belly in a pound heavier. It to my belly in
possible now. It`s was clear that the water fighting
an ill wind that water fighting this fish were on the this fish on a
blows no good. fish on a nice winter’s munch so it was nice winter’s
The winters of ‘10 morning with
and ‘11 had been morning with the sun time to get moving the sun shining
and try and get on
write-off’s - the shining - it doesn’t other fish. Deego - it doesn’t
coldest in living get any better
memory. Most of
get any better arrived later that day
than that. After
and we headed off to
the lakes were frozen than that” another swim, but not some poor
over and if they weren’t before having a look at an speculation
it was too dangerous to travel area which looked great, except for of the weight
to them, so as a result both were very
6
the large amount of trees close to the from Deego
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a 30lb-plus pike and now I had done recognised it as the 30 from the year
it. All those years of getting out of bed before. She had a unmistakable mark on
at 5am, all those nights spent holding the top of her back. This time she only
the bivvy so that the wind didn’t blow pulled the scales around to 27lb 8oz but
it away had all come down to this one was very welcome.
moment in time and it was my moment. Skip another year ahead in time
I had to go sit
in the bivvy for a while
to gather myself and
let it all sink in. Shortly
afterwards I thought it
would be a smashing
idea to go and get
some celebratory beer
and that I did. Deego
had to go that day
so I spent the rest of 8
the day and evening
contemplating what 7. After many years of trying my scales finally settled
had just happened. At on 30lb exactly
11am the next morning
8. 30lb on the nose. A incredible fish from an incredible
I had another run on water. I caught the same fish again the next morning!
a different rod and,
yep, you’ve guessed 7
it, it was the same fish got a run; happy days, the first run in 19
again, this time weighing 30lb 12oz. now to 2014, the year we had massive nights. As the fish was pumped closer
That`s fishing for you - you wait years flooding nationwide and when the
for a thirty and then you’ve got two in a lakes were at record levels. The high
“That’s it was clear that something was not
right. White marks could be seen on the
matter of hours! coloured water made for poor fishing fishing for fish from a full thirty yards away. There
Fast forward another year and and between myself and Deego we had you - you wait was not much of a fight to speak of and
I was back in the same swim, the rods clocked up 19 nights fishing with only she just sailed in. Soon this behaviour
out only an hour and I got a run. It got one 7lbs trout for Deego to show for our years for a thirty became understandable due to the
snagged in something so the boat was efforts. This period involved moving the and then you’ve got condition the fish was in. I will let the
required, which Deego did the honours entire set up every 24 hours to find the pictures explain.
with, and we went out after the fish. fish, so it was a lot of work for nothing. two in a matter of The fish had clearly been in a
When we got over the fish there was a We were fishing in another swim not hours! ” gill net for some time. I’ll never know if
piece of gorse bush that was snagging miles away from the swim I’d caught the the fish managed to get out of the net
the line which soon fell off and the fish big one with mark on her back from the or if it was realised. There was no IFI tag
came up to the surface. We instantly previous two years. At 2am one night I in the fish so I assume it managed to get
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9 - 11. A once great fish mutilated almost
beyond recognition due to gill nets. She
weighed just 21lb 14oz when I caught her on
this (the last) occasion. Clearly, she was not
long for this world due to her severe injuries.
It’s an absolute disgrace that this should
happen at the hands of man, let alone men
charged with protecting our inland waters.
12. Devastating to see any fish, pike or
otherwise, in such a state. Gill netting simply
cannot continue.
9 10
out itself, or someone did not want to
sign their own work. The week before
there had been a massive storm and it’s
possible that it was unsafe to check the
nets for a number of days, which then
begs the next question - why were they
put out in the first place? Ironically, it
had a small pike of about 2lbs down
its throat, so even in its pitiable state
it was still doing its natural duty and
controlling the numbers of small pike.
The fish weighed a poultry 21lb 14oz
and if it was not for its recent dinner it
might not have even made 20lb. I ended
up catching this fish five times over
three years, twice at 30lb+ and once at 11 12
29lb, 27lb and finally 21lb 14oz. Yes, this
was the same big pike with the mark on was meagre in comparison. I wonder abundant to prove that it doesn’t work and using tax payers money to do it
her back… what a rod caught 30lb pike is worth to and is only cruel. Trying to beat nature (nice work if you can get it I suppose).
I remember there were figures the economy? I know a gill net-caught is a fool’s errand and always will be. Incredibly, at the same time these same
released years ago stating that a rod- one costs the State money, so where’s But these bias people, which our State people putting roach caught in gill
caught salmon was worth €1500 to the the sense in that? There is none, never trusts to manage our inland fisheries, nets back. ROACH!!! A highly invasive
economy and a drift net caught salmon was and never will be. The science is are blatantly running their own agenda and non-indigenous species are been
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returned and indigenous pike, the apex only have to look at the findings of the
predator that is Nature’s control to
fish such as roach, is being removed!
I watched them [IFI officers] one day
team led by Dr. Debbi Pedreschi at UCD,
which proved (through genetic analysis)
that pike are native to this country
Stop pike culling in Ireland
as they removed roach and just threw and have been for the last 8000
them back over the boat. You years. IFI will bang on
could not make this up. I “The about conserving the
was expecting the arrival trout stocks but
of Jeremy Beadle any
day that Dr. they seemed
minute but he, along Pedreschi’s paper to manage
with common sense, was published... just fine
were nowhere to be long before
seen that day, or any should have seen IFI IFI where
other. put their hands up and around. The
There are day that Dr.
many other points say “sorry, we’ve got Pedreschi’s
about gill netting that it wrong for the last paper was
will be covered in this published, which
issue so I’m not going to 60 odd years”” in fairness poured
try and cover them all. This is, scorn on previous Inland Fisheries Ireland continue to spend hundreds of
just as the title suggest “my two publications on the thousands of Euro each year to manage and control pike stocks
cents” worth. However, one other point subject, should have seen IFI on selected Irish lakes which support stocks of wild Brown trout
I will make about my feelings on the put their hands up and say “sorry, we’ve through the use of gill netting.
subject, that I’ve not seen mentioned got it wrong for the last 60 odd years”
anywhere else, is that it’s downright Did they? – No! What they did was to
Gill nets do not discriminate and kill all manner of bird, mammal
offensive and insulting to watch these add electrofishing techniques to their
and fish species, including both pike and trout.
guys drop nets to kill the very thing that pike culling and removal arsenal. So
you have put all your energy, effort, since these revelations about pike being
time and money into catching; an insult native to Irish waters they have actually An abundance of scientific evidence suggests that this practice
to me as a person and an angler. To stepped up their efforts to remove does not improve trout stocks, in fact, in many ways it facilitates
have your target species be treated them. the exact opposite. If you do not believe that pike should be
like a second class citizen by people persecuted and culled in the name of trout preservation then
who clearly have no understanding - or You couldn’t make it up… please sign and share this petition! A change is management
choose to have no understanding - of policy is possible!
natural equilibrium and balance, who DO’K
are just pushing their own deluded
agenda to tailor massive natural lakes
to suit one species of fish, is very hard SIGN PETITION
to take. If you need prove of this you
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?
n o n . . . salmon by poachers. I have seen the gill nets set on these Loughs
u r o p inio around river mouths where they also capture salmon and trout as
a t’s yo by-catch.
From 2008-2014 it cost €262,330 to gill net/electrofish Conn
W h and Cullen in the winter time. It is time to rethink the so called “lake
management program” from the Dark Ages and start to bring the
We asked a whole host of respected anglers, tourists back into the West again in numbers. If this practice was
journalists, fisheries scientists, angling bodies, stopped, there are many tour operators ready and waiting to send
federations and stakeholders from all corners pike anglers to the Western lakes. It would also save thousands
of our pastime what their thoughts were on the of euro’s and find those who gill net/electrofish for pike a more
recent recommencement of gill netting (culling responsible job. I am one of four guides in the area who all have the
and removal) for pike from selected Irish lakes by same opinion. It is simply a case of gross mismanagement over a
Inland Fisheries Ireland. Below are the responses period spanning decades.
we received prior to publication... The strange thing is that no one will be held accountable for
what went on at Lough Conn/Cullen over the many years. Inspector
Declan Cooke, who is in charge of these gill netters, actually joined
Gill netting of pike in Irish lakes by in to help them. Strangely he is listed as an author of the new IFI
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for pike management and
control. This does not make any sense to me, or many others.
Inland Fisheries Ireland
KENNY SLOAN Click here to watch Kenny
Salmon, trout and pike angling guide, Sloan’s video footage
Foxford, Co. Mayo
I
have been guiding for salmon, pike and trout in Co. Mayo for the
past 15 years. I host many groups from France, Italy, Germany
and the UK. All of the anglers I bring into the region are disgusted
at the gill netting/electrofishing for pike [culling/removal] that they
see taking place while they are fishing with me on Lough Conn and
Cullen. Many come to fish for salmon but also like to try their hand at
pike fly fishing. They save up all year to come here and when they
see Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) killing and removing the very fish that
they are after it does not make sense to them - they do not come
back! I pay my taxes every year to fund this scandal and think the
very people who do this in my part of the world would be better off
patrolling the River Moy and stopping the wholesale slaughter of the
Pg 9 Off the ScaleNATIONAL COARSE FISHING GEOFF COOPER
FEDERATION OF IRELAND (NCFFI) Founder of the Irish Angling Alliance (IAA)
T T
he National Coarse Fishing Federation of he Oxford dictionaries’ definition of a dictator is: A
Ireland do not support the wanton slaughter ruler who has complete power. A person in power
of wildlife through the use of gill nets, the more so as fish friendly who acts cruelly or unfairly. The same dictionary
methods of fishery management are available and in use by IFI. We describes a megalomaniac as “craving for or mental delusions of
are at a loss to know why this most precious of angling resources is power” If you throw in with that the fact that most of them are,
being abused and wasted. while they are getting away with it, actually pocketing a lot of
The NCFFI are in favour of fishery management, including money out of the folk they are ignoring or selling short, I reckon that
the capture and transport of fish. Most of the countries’ waters are pretty well weighs up the bloke that is in charge of Inland Fisheries
managed in this way successfully by Inland Fisheries staff and by Ireland.
anglers in cooperation with the IFI. If we also throw into that mix the destruction of some of
It has been suggested to our executive that IFI’s current Ireland’s most valuable assets and the wealth that they used to
plans are limited to seven wild trout fisheries. However, while bring to this country then we’ve pretty much hit the nail on the
acknowledging that the practice will no longer be widespread, head.
we view the use of gill nets as barbaric and any use is a cause of The shame and disgrace any normal person would feel would either
major concern. We will continue to review inconsistencies in the bring about their resignation or the seeing of sense and make a
implementation of fisheries law and work to challenge them. massive attempt to redeem themselves and put right the wrongs
We believe in the right to protest for everyone and the they have condoned during their tenure. This won’t happen of
NCFFI will complement the public campaign by meeting with the course as this does not fit the physiognomy of the deluded.
department and politicians if need be. Consider the world of mega business. The directors of
Meanwhile it is important for our overseas anglers to continue operations for each particular company are judged on their
to see the good angling product we have on offer on Ireland’s free merits and what they have each achieved for that organization.
public waters. We must continue to support the rural communities The ones that step up to the mark are amply rewarded. The ones
many of whom rely on the economic benefit of angling tourism. that don’t are swiftly thrown into the gutter. I guess you would
We need to ensure that our challenge to the rules for this particular think that under those circumstances the bloke that oversees the
campaign does not damage the good work and contribution from destruction of Ireland’s coarse fish, the dismantling of our tourist
our clubs across the island and deter the visiting angler from coming industry through the shear bad management of all he surveys plus
back to enjoy our angling. the turning of a blind eye to certain pollution issues, would have his
Quite apart from any ethical question (and there are many) lords and masters at least asking him what the hell is he playing at.
the significant economic value, (€100 million is the estimate for the Unfortunately, public office in many cases doesn’t work like that -
Irish Pike Fishery alone) should give cause for a rethink. certainly not in this wonderful country of ours. Fiddling whilst Rome
burns is an anachronism that instantly springs to mind. The powers
that be are either badly informed or on a different planet.
Almost all dictators have the proverbial Achilles heel. It is
the fact that they continue to ignore the thousands of ordinary folk
that surround them and treat them with utter contempt. Ultimately,
Pg 10 Off the Scalegood and honest folk cry ‘enough is enough’ and begin to work as Rubbish dumped by the local council spread as far as the eye
a body to bring down the perpetrators who miscarry the office in could see. I got there bright and early and set aside the rubbish.
which they stand. I firmly believe that there is now a groundswell of Also as far as the eye could see were British anglers on every peg.
feeling amongst the Irish/UK angling fraternities that is now strong I managed to find a gap and my first cast produced a bream
and relentless. We at the Irish Angling Alliance (IAA) are prepared around 4lbs in weight. The next cast produced a similar fish.
to lead the charge and bring down the folk who blatantly ignore Looking down the line of anglers almost everybody else was doing
us. The IAA was formed with the object and desire to bring together similar. The bream stocks were beyond the wildest dreams of any
whatever discipline all anglers partake in with a common objective; angler. If you fish there now I defy anybody to catch bream of
to protect and improve what we have here. By having a common any description. Where did they go? All now gone, without any
goal we can do this. investigation by the IFI or any of its regional offices or predecessors.
Let’s forget all the petty squabbles between certain factions I fished there for several days on my first visit and to be honest
that have taken place in the past. Forget the clash of personalities. I bored of filling up to three large keep nets every day and decided
We must now all work together before it really is too late. Go with us to visit the canal at Rahan. It was beautiful and almost virgin water.
at the Irish Angling Alliance. We have the knowledge and expertise That day I landed over 90lbs of superb rudd, bream, perch and
to win our case. We are working for you and with you to stop the hybrids. It was angling El dorado. From an angling point of view,
carnage that is taking place on our great lakes. Help us to turn our worth a King’s ransom.
angling economy back to being vibrant and flourishing once again. Several other lads, on my recommendation decided to
Help us to stop water pollution and bring the miscreants to justice. give it a go. I’d decided to take a day off and on their return they
With the help and backing of the good folk of Ireland and the UK reported bank to bank dead fish. I visited the scene and I found an
we can now stop the rot. area where slurry had been dumped into the canal. I phoned the
I ask the question; who pays the wages of the employees SHRFB (now IFI Limerick) and told them of the fish kill. The person on
of Inland Fisheries Ireland? YOU DO - the tax paying public. Are the other end of the phone reacted quickly and with interest. I then
we happy with how they squander our hard earned cash. You bet pinpointed the location. There was a drawn out pause. The person
we’re not. Now is the time do something about it. then said, “Coarse fish?” I replied that they were. The person then
said, “Oh don’t worry if they are only coarse fish” I was staggered,
So I’ve written my personal opinions of the current regime – but began to get the picture.
barbaric, and it has no idea of how to manage our precious coarse Over the years I have witnessed many awful things. The gill
fish stock. The gill netting controversy is only part of the bigger netted fish that were sold to the pet factory at Edgeworsthtown by
picture when it comes to the total disregard of our valuable assets. the SHRFB. Dead bream on Lough Forbes in their thousands. Illegal
Here is a short resume of my experiences in these matters over the fyke nets, some with dead otters in them plus hundred weights of
last thirty years… dead coarse fish with no response from either the old SHRFB or the
My first visits to this country were as an angling tourist. I was new IFI. Yes the gill nets HAVE to go but they are just an integral part
pointed in the direction of Cartontroy on the outskirts of Athlone by of the bigger picture. Those that are complicit must now take the
one of the major tourist agencies sending anglers to Ireland. There consequences.
were four agencies then operating from the UK sending thousands
of anglers here. Only one exists now and has had to diversify to stay
afloat.
I was told to fish the rubbish tip below the weir in the town.
Pg 11 Off the ScaleLIAM FAULKNER Ecosystems and the trophic levels within them are controlled from
Save the Brown Trout Facebook group (1400+ members) the top down. What this means is the top predators in an ecosystem
controls the abundance of lower levels and not the other way
A
s the founder of Save the Brown trout group on Facebook our round. Apex predators keep the rest of the biomass genetically
aim was to highlight the decline of stocks on both our river healthier with their presence, picking off the diseased and dying,
and lough systems in Ireland and the UK. We believe this is not the weak and the slow, ensuring genetic lines stay strong by leaving
solely down to predators such as pike but to many combinations of the fit and healthy to spawn. Pike are not the greatest threat to
impacts such as pollution, invasive species like zebra mussels or curly trout and salmon in Irish waters or any other waters for that matter;
weed (Lagarosiphon) and over-fishing by man, to name but a few. their presence actually benefits the trout. None of these ideas are
The latter, the greatest predator of all needs to be re-educated and radical, fantasy or fiction. They are proven through science and
shown that the way forward for angling is conservation considered sound by the scientific community and accepted
By protecting stocks, encouraging catch and release far and wide by most modern, forward thinking individuals. A cull
especially during competitions and mayfly-time and reducing bag of pike is therefore akin to shooting all of Africa’s lions in a bid to
limits. Mother Nature has given us the balance on everything on protect gazelles; it makes no sense!
the earth, why does mankind want to change it? Gill net is an out- The ecological damage that tinkering in waterways will
dated and failed method of predator control, catching wildlife such produce is matched only by the economic damage the practice is
as swans, otters as well as the game fish they strive to protect, Brown responsible for. Every year SIX FIGURE SUMS are spent by those hell
trout. bent on removing an indigenous apex predator from it home. Even
Anglers need to take control and realise that they are the bigger sums are lost through the loss of visiting angler revenue such
ones who need to change their attitudes. Gill netting is a waste of is the international disgust for a method of fishery ‘management’
resources which IFI simply do not have. It is barbaric, bleeds bad that should have died off in the 60’s. In modern Ireland, these pike
publicity and has killed off a lot angling tourism. culls pander to the minority while flying in the face of the majority.
Finally, what type of message does a practice like this
Save the Brown trout. Please practice CPR – catch, photo, send out to our youths, the future of the sport? In a day and age
release. where an X-Box is nearly always first choice over a tackle box, an
antiquated practice of letting part of our heritage be strangled
and slowly suffocated does not appear to be appealing to the next
generation of angler. Maybe to encourage more children into the
GARY ROBINSON sport of angling we should start taking a more modern approach?
Fisheries biologist / journalist Stop the decades of lies and rhetoric when it comes to pike in
Irish waters. They are something that should be cherished and
S
addened, annoyed, angered, embarrassed, incredulous, protected, not persecuted and exterminated. They have their place
mystified but ultimately not surprised. That’s is more or less how in the ecosystem just like every other inhabitant and although it has
I felt when reacting to the news that once again, in 2016, gill been completely overlooked by some, the ecosystem services that
nets have been rolled out by Inland Fisheries Ireland by way of their they provide to the nation cannot be underestimated.
latest pike cull. The angler in me knows that this practice is wrong. Gill netting and predator control – no sense, no logic, no
The Irishman in me is ashamed. The aquatic scientist in me is lost for point.
words….
Pg 12 Off the ScaleNATHAN EDGELL ROSS MACKLIN
B.Sc (Hons) Countryside Management; professional UK angler Ph.D candidate Freshwater ecology; Environmental/
fisheries consultant
I
reland is famous for its stunning countryside, history, lovely people
T
and, of course, angling. With no closed season, it’s angling history he boom and bust patterns of zebra mussel and roach are the
and fantastic waters are a Mecca for anglers worldwide. To see main protagonists in the cascading cycles in many Irish lakes,
gill netting practices (which cannot only affect pike but all other as has been shown in the literature. These invasive species in
types of species too) is truly a tragic and barbaric shame in this day Irish lakes help regulate the stasis of lakes from the bottom up (i.e.
and age. It’s well known that nature finds a balance within any cycling of nutrients, zooplankton etc.). Large-bodied, low density of
ecosystem and removal of species and interference within that top predators would be the desirable stasis in mixed stock cyprinid,
system will only upset the balance to the detriment of the fishery. percid, salmonid fisheries. Stability would come if nature were
Consequently, all species will suffer as nature fights to restore the left to balance itself out, and with the increase in poaching and
balance. Please stop this practice now! other pressures the removal of pike has helped change the stasis
of the large wild lakes. Large pike will eat large fecund roach and
help reduce roach recruitment and therefore are very beneficial
in regulating a pelagic fish stock that is harvesting zooplankton.
MARTIN SALTER Interestingly, there has been no link made between roach and the
Former MEP; UK angling journalist reduction in the mayfly hatch. It would seem plausible that roach,
when in an upward cycle of numerical abundance, would crop
I
t is nothing short of appalling to see the IFI reneging on promises mayfly in addition to zooplankton, thereby impacting trout stocks
made last year with the Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs negatively.
(IFPAC) and the trout federations to phase out gill netting on The decline in salmonid spawning tributaries is considered the
Lough Cullen, and the other Western lakes and Lough Sheelin. primary impactor on salmonid recruitment to the large lakes and
Gill netting is a dreadful and indiscriminate fishery efforts should be focused on salmonid river enhancement instead
management tool and leads to a huge amount of by-catch of of other methods. The abolishment of schemes such as REPS and
other fish, many of which end up dead or injured. I understand that the projected increases in agricultural output with Food Harvest
IFI spent a significant amount of money importing electrofishing 2020 may result in the decline of rivers and streams running into the
boom boats from the States last year so they could specifically lakes further, in addition to the continuation of new and existing
electrofish small pike, instead of indiscriminately killing larger pike catchment pressures. Anglers in Ireland, including pike anglers,
and coarse fish as well as the very trout they are trying to preserve. want to conserve trout stocks and also pike stocks. It would seem
Over here in England one of our best trout reservoirs at Chew that conclusive evidence on the effect of pike stock management
is also the country’s premier pike water due to the large stocks of would be best achieved by placing a moratorium on the culling
roach and perch which make up a large proportion of the pike’s and reviewing after a period of time to establish evident changes in
diet. And of course big pike love to eat small pike so why doesn’t IFI the stasis of mixed stock fisheries objectively.
simply stop wasting public money and let the fisheries flourish?
Pg 13 Off the ScaleNARA (NATIONAL ANGLERS REPRESENETATIVE
ASSOCIATION)
Representing game/trout angling clubs across Ireland
I
n 2012 an expert group met to draft Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Pike
Policy Document and Brown Trout Policy Document. Executive
members of the Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs (IFPAC)
“THE SECRET OF
participated on this expert group and fully supported both policy
documents. The Pike Policy Document and Brown Trout Policy
Document set out the framework for pike management on
CHANGE IS TO
designated managed brown trout fisheries. The group accepted
that scientific evaluation had demonstrated that necessity for
controlling pike stocks in designated managed brown trout fisheries.
FOCUS ALL OF
YOUR ENERGY,
A list of these waters is contained within the Brown Trout Policy
Document. In accepting the science the group recognised that
IFI have to undertake pike removal exercises in the designated
trout lakes. The pike policy expert group also recognised that pike
management on the designated trout lakes involved the removal of
pike by netting and / or electro fishing. NOT ON FIGHTING
* Many other anglers, stakeholders, bodies and organisations
THE OLD, BUT ON
were asked for comment but the above are only the responses we
received prior to publication. Some declined to officially comment
on the issue of gill netting/predator control in Irish lakes.
BUILDING THE
Notably, Dr. Greg Forde, Head of Operations at Inland Fisheries
Ireland failed to issue a response on the matter.
NEW”
Disclaimer: all of the views expressed above are those of the authors/bodies/organisations
~ Socrates
themselves and not necessarily those held by Off the Scale.
Pg 14 Off the ScaleWe asked graffiti artist Dusto for his views on the recommencement of pike gill netting... This was his response Pg 15 Off the Scale
By Jason Nash
Turning Photography by Jason Nash & friends
GREY to SILVER
Looking down river on a bleak spring day, with dark, low lying clouds
and skeleton-like trees lurking above you, the water beneath looks
empty and devoid of life. Peer a little closer and quite the opposite is
true. The fast flowing river and its salmon are currently in a state of
transition; eggs tucked away under inches of gravel are developing
into alevins as their spindly, meagre parents, worn from their travels
and combat, peregrinate their way back to sea for a much needed
and deserved meal. In turn, out in the rough waters of the Atlantic,
exuberant, sparkling spring salmon are homing in on their natal river
using the earth’s magnetic field, the river’s unique chemical smell and
pheromones released by resident fish, to spawn the next generation
of salmon.
F
or the game least, but all is not hydraulic power of
angler, it’s time lost. 2015 in general water lower down a
to dust down was a very wet year, river is much greater
the rods and in comparison to the than that experienced
get the gear ready previous two. Salmon upstream. Studies
for the new season and trout had easy conducted by the Spey
ahead. It’s been a long access to the spawning Fisheries Board in
winter, with many grounds for much of it Scotland portray the
pondering how trout and my observations flexible growth strategy
and salmon redds have on the Bandon showed of juvenile salmon
fared during the winter there was very little parr. Smolt production
floods. Quantifying spawning on the following a large
the damage incurred lower catchment. spate(s) is reduced.
is difficult to say the This is positive as the However, year classes
Pg 16 Off the Scaleof surviving fish 1. Likely water to the same methods as hydrofoils to hug
for a springer
grow much quicker - a series of of presentation is the boundary layer
and exhibit higher pools on the a mistake. Water where the speed of
survival rates due upper reaches temperature is a water isn’t as fast as
of the River
to less competition, Drowes in Co. limiting factor to a it is on the surface.
mitigating to a large Donegal. salmon’s movement. Remember, these
extent the loss of smolt 2. Don’t be
In the early spring, creatures don’t feed
production by the afraid to use you can expect and won’t spawn until
second year following a big, flashy flies temperatures to be the end of the year so
to grab the
spate event. attention of a generally between conserving their energy
Fishing springer. five and eight degrees is a survival strategy.
in spring is a cold Celsius. Lethargic When temperatures
affair. High water spring salmon hold are around four
dominates, with low station low in the degrees and lower, a
water temperatures water column, using salmon’s swimming
governing the early 1 their pectoral fins speed is diminsihed the
months, up until April
and spinning are the intend to do. If the
at least. Summer
only two methods I water was low and
tactics are a thing of
would consider using I spotted a definite
the past and will not
on a quest for an spring fish resting in a
yield many positive
early springer. Prawn/ pool then an allowance
results at the start
shrimp fishing is would be made (with a
of the year. Spring
something I have tried quick strike once a take
salmon are a sight to
in the past and rarely is felt) but otherwise
behold, creatures of
do now. Worms, whilst the worms can wait
beauty and epitomise
useful and a great bait, until later on in the
what salmon are all
have no place in spring year.
about. Having spent
fishing for me. Too Firstly, I will
at least two winters
many kelts (previously cover fly fishing. As
at sea feeding, they
spawned salmon) are mentioned already,
are pristine and much
migrating back to sea summer techniques
coveted by fishermen.
and trout at this time are based around
To have the chance of
of year are ravenous. moderate flows and
latching onto one of 2
If I chose to fish the average to high water
these special creatures,
“When temperatures are around four degrees and lower, a salmon’s
worm my chances of temperatures. To
the right techniques
hooking one of these expect spring salmon
must be engaged. swimming speed is diminished, which is why fishing below weirs and
would be far greater to react the same way
For me, fly fishing rapids is so successful at the start of the year
and it is not what I as summer salmon
Pg 17 Off the ScaleIf this page does not display, then
click or double click the image...
3 45. Waiting for when they are scarce bumping the bottom using your rod like
the take, with
a loop of line enough. For this than you probably this means you are
ready to be reason, more often aren’t fishing deep winding up more
released as than not, I carry a
soon as a bump enough and although slack line which as a
is felt. spinning rod with me you may lose some consequence, takes
at this time of the year. lures, when a salmon pressure off you reel
6. A quartet of
Flying C’s ready
There is much more to strikes the losses are and back!
for battle. this method than mere quickly forgotten. Use For spinning, a
Colour of body chuck and chance. The your rod to impart life 9 or 10 foot rod, rated
and blade will
change to suit same golden rule for in your lure in areas for 10-40 gram casting
water and fly fishing applies to where the water isn’t weight, is perfect.
weather. spinning; depth. Even too fast or when the A rod of this length
though you have a 20 spinner is downstream gives you the power
gram spinner attached, of you. Pausing or to play a strong spring
if you cast it and simply slowing down your salmon and fish heavy
5
retrieve than
bigger the fly. A big fly have too long a leader, the matter is, fishing you will not
is classified as anything the fly will be nearer flies won’t cover every reach the
around 3-4 inches in the water’s surface conceivable situation. required
overall length. Tied and will negate the Many pools, on smaller depth. To do
on plastic, aluminium, purpose of the sinking rivers especially, have so, you must
copper or brass tubes, fly line. A leader of areas which cannot let your lure
every situation will 3-4 feet, comprising be reached with a fly. sink, cast
be covered. Patterns 20-30lb breaking Quite often river height upstream
should be limited to strain fluorocarbon, and clarity early on in or both.
proven fish catchers is perfect. If the river the year are unsuitable Combing a
as opportunities to level drops and the for effective fly fishing pool when
cover early running clarity is gin clear, so spinning tactics in flood,
spring salmon are reduce your sinking may be employed. As think of the
limited. Due to the line rate, size of fly and much as one likes to depth and
weight of the flies and lengthen your leader, limit one’s self to the the structure 6
the desire to fish at tapering it with lighter fly, to do so deprives which you retrieve and jerking the spinners in high water.
depth, short leaders fluorocarbon. you of the opportunity observed during the tip of the rod breaks Anything much longer
are necessary. If you The fact of to cover fish at a time low summer months up a monotonous is too soft and will put
in your mind’s eye. Let straight retrieve and unnecessary stress on
“If you’re not bumping the bottom than you probably aren’t fishing the spinner sink where
needed and retrieve
the fluttering of the
spinner can induce
your reel. With regards
to the reel, buy quality
deep enough and although you may lose some lures, when a salmon
strikes the losses are quickly forgotten slowly. If you’re not a take. As a bonus, and strength. Cheap,
Pg 19 Off the Scale7. A strong,
MAIN DISTINGUISHING • Thin shape due to not feeding reliable reel is
FEATURES OF A KELT for an extended period of time needed to fish
a heavy spinner
• Flat, hollow belly effectively
• Distended vent post in high, cold
water.
spawning
• Presence of gill maggots 8. A pristine
on the red gill filaments spring salmon.
Perfect reward
• Fins and tail may be for after much
damaged or torn patience and
perseverance.
small reels will not see water intrusion. Its swivel 3 feet above the
the summer if regularly size and gear ratio spinner to eliminate 8
used for spinning in mean I can retrieve the risk of knots and
high water. I have a the spinner as slow as tangles. season; yellow and off when fishing with receive a sustained run
Shimano Spheros, I want without putting As for spinners, black. As mentioned friends who may stick of these magnificent
in the 6000 size. stress on the reel, thus the ever reliable Flying already, these colours to their initial choice early fish and most of
Designed for saltwater increasing its longevity. C has enticed countless command the colour throughout the day! them tend to be lake
use, features such as Load the spool with salmon over the years. scheme for attracting Being in the right place fed, such as the Caragh
X-SHIELD and X-SHIP strong monofilament For spring work in high spring salmon. at the right time goes in Kerry and Drowes
offer gear durability of 15 to 20lb breaking water I only ever use Although there are a long way in salmon in Donegal. On these
and protection against strain and attach a 20 gram (Size 4) lures exceptions, during fishing and none more rivers and elsewhere,
as anything brighter days the so than in the spring determination and
lighter yellow excels, whilst on time. The first salmon patience is needed.
doesn’t gain duller days the black entering a river are Adapt to the salmon,
the required comes into its own. In programmed to run to think about where they
depth. coloured water, salmon the upper part of the may be in any given
Casting find a copper blade system and will travel condition of water and
with these more appealing and in the furthest of all. an elusive, fresh, silver
is easy and clear water the silver The upper and middle reward will eventually
loads of blade takes over. Using sections of river are transpire.
water can a clip to change lures where most efforts
be covered is extremely useful should be concentrated Good luck!
quickly and as I often find myself as this is where the
efficiently. chopping and changing majority of fish intend JN
Two colours during the course of to stop, take a breather
dominate a day. Time and again and rest. Only a
the early this versatility has paid handful of Irish rivers
7
Pg 20 Off the ScaleNothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught... Pg 21 Off the Scale
Skipper’s Diary
A behind-the-scenes look at the life of a charter skipper
With John Fleming
G
iven the unforeseen NEW SEASON GOALS Looking constantly at charts and Again on the slightly rarer side we
weather of last season, researching new ground will bring are going to be targeting porbeagle
we look eagerly forward With the new season under way more prospects and that’s what I’m in a big way as well. We will also be
to the 2016 season, which we have decided to going to put aiming towards. trying to get as many days at anchor as
has already gotten off to a a strong emphasis on getting a lot we can, drifting for the likes of plaice,
great start with big specimen pollock more species, both big and small, Skate are going to pay a major turbot, brill and ray to add to our ever
and coalies falling to jigging tactics. on the boat. Also a big effort will part of this seasons angling as we growing species list. There are still a
This season is shaping up to be a great be made to try and get as many have located the ground they are in, lot of superb sea angling opportunities
one with bigger prospects and bigger specimens (as ratified by the Irish happily hiding well away from areas of off our shores if you look hard enough
fish to target. Specimen Fish Committee) as we can. the seabed that can be netted easily. in the right places, at the right times.
Pg 22 Off the Scaleany harm to the
fish.
Another day
in particular which
always comes to
mind when speaking
about shark fishing;
the day we saw
our first specimen
being taken since I
started the business.
It was a huge fish,
measuring at 2.03
metres and weighed
approximately
109lbs, using the
weight/length formula. It had the
SHARK SEASON 2015
largest head I have ever seen on
an example of the species. It was a
Last year’s sharking got off to a
beautiful looking fish too, sporting Above left
magnificent start, once the weather David O Malley taking the
a silvery grey belly with a fantastic
eventually settled down. Our first strain of a big blue on a
shade of dark blue on its back. It was calm, misty morning in
day out in early June saw four decent
caught by a good friend of mine David Galway Bay
blues to 86lb, and it kind of carried on
O Malley from Newport Co. Mayo.
like that with the number of sharks
It took Dave approximately an hour Above right
increasing every day we managed to
and fifteen minutes of long fast runs Our biggest shark last
get out. year which topped 109lb!
and hard pumping to land that fish. It
A seriously impressive
was promptly photographed, tagged fish
Interestingly, we saw a huge
and released. That same day we had
number of small blues (“pups”)
another nine sharks all of which were
amongst the big boys. In fact in one Right
a good average size of 70-80 lbs. And measured 203cm in
stand-out day we had sixteen blues
It was a day I will never forget as a length!
below 30lbs which is a fantastic sign
“
skipper and something I am glad that
for the future as it shows the stocks
are strong and increasing. These small
I could have been a part of. Its days There are still a lot of superb sea angling
like these that make being a skipper so
fish have a wicked temper nipping
rewarding.
opportunities off our shores if you look hard
at anything! We ensured they were enough in the right places, at the right times
released as fast as possible to reduce
Pg 23 Off the ScaleOnce September came
we started to see the size of the
fish was greatly increasing with
a lot more sharks of around
the 90lbs mark coming to the
boat. We also had two more
specimens (fish weighing over
100lb and or measuring over
190cm) between September
and October. Getting one was
fantastic but two more - I
wasn’t expecting that to be
honest!
We were also blessed
with unusually warm waters
in the late part of the season
which saw days at sea fishing
for shark go on right until late
November. Actually on our last
day out before the weather
finally broke we managed seven
lovely blues up to 80lb.
If the water
temperature ever stays up like
this it means we are blessed
with an extremely long season; Top left
a whopping six months to A typical good-sized blue about to be
fish for them, which would measured
be absolutely fantastic if it
happened again this year. Top middle
Sometimes it’s not such a hard life!
We were very happy
Top Right
“
the way last season worked
out with no less than 74 blue sharks That same day we had another nine sharks...of Who said this was a good idea?!
caught and released. a good average size of 70-80 lbs... It’s days like
Left
these that make being a skipper so rewarding Another happy customer!
Pg 24 Off the ScaleYou can also read
