IRELAND 195 



both for nets in the tideway and for rods in the 

 upper waters, improved. A few years having passed, 

 it fell off, especially in the upper waters. Of late 

 there has again been improvement. The take in 

 nets and at Lismore Weir has been large, and spring 

 angling as far up as Clondulane Weir has been good. 

 In the summer of 1905 the pass at Clondulane 

 underwent improvement, and it is believed that fish 

 will henceforth be able to get over that obstacle at 

 any time. About thirty years ago, when the season 

 opened on March 1, instead of opening on February 1, 

 as now, and there was no night netting at Lismore, 

 the angling above Fermoy was better than it has 

 been since. For some unknown reason, fish do not 

 run up to the higher pools so early in the year as 

 they used to run. Winter poaching has decreased. 

 The sewage of Mallow, Fermoy, and other places 

 runs into the river, in contravention of the Pollution 

 of Rivers Act ; but the high floods in winter prevent 

 it from being very harmful. 



A sportsman resident at Mallow sends a very 

 interesting letter: 



" Our grievance up the Blackwater is that the 

 spring fish do not reach us till summer. Then 

 the weather is becoming fine and the water low. 

 For four years we have had no good head of fish 

 above Fermoy until May 7. Thirty years ago 

 there was excellent angling all along the river 

 after about March 17. Now angling is very good 

 from Lismore to Clondulane, Careysville, from 

 February 1. A great many fish spawn in winter. 



