216 
THE ETSHTNG GAZETTE 
[]\rAiicii 25, 1896 
present abominable system of poaching. The corpora¬ 
tion as a body cannot be expected to do it themselves, 
and, therefore, the York anglers, with reason, ask that 
the task may be allotted to them. If such were the 
case the long neglected river would be improved in the 
vicinity of the city, and many pleasant days would be 
in store for the numerous angling community of York. 
Several York clubs have held their annual dinners of 
late, but with such festive gatherings it is scarcely 
within my province to deal. I might, however, mention 
that all the leading organisations, at least, are in a 
thorouehly healthy and progressive state. The Old 
Ebor, I understand, has now a membership of pretty 
nigh a hundred pei sons, and is perhaps the largest club 
in the city. The more ancient York Angling A.s 80 cia- 
tion, which has been in existence for something like six¬ 
teen years, while perhaps not so numerically strong, is in 
an equally satisfactory state. A proposition has been 
favoured, with regard to its programme for the coming 
season, that one match only shall be held, and that more 
attention shall be devoted to stocking. The committee 
have intentions to clear some of the water in the 
Pocklington Canal, and thus make it more fishable. 
This is a capital idea, and I congratulate the committee 
upon its inception. The York Waltonian Anglers, a 
young, but promising amalgamated body, had a very 
successful season last year, and are looking forward with 
bright prospects to a further pleasant time during the 
coming summer. 
I learn that the Finance Committee of the Stockton 
and Middlesborough Water Board have approved of a 
letter from their general manager to the clerk of the 
Tees Salmon Fishery Board, requesting him to ascertain 
if it was possible to include in the proposed provisional 
order dealing with Dinsdale mill dam a clause relieving 
the Water Board from the obligation of constructing a 
fish pass in connection with the Grassholme reservoir, on 
terms to be afterwards agreed. 
The Board of Conservators of the Yorkshire Fishery 
Board held a meeting at the Station Hotel, York, a week 
ago, for the purpose of considering a proposed bye-law 
for the extension of the season for trout and char in the 
river Hull and its tributaries. Colonel Haworth-Booth 
%vas in the chair. A letter was read from Mr. W. H. 
St. Quintin, expressing his approval of the proposed bye¬ 
law. After some discussion, Mr. E. Brooksbank moved, 
and Admiral Walker seconded, “ that a bye-law be 
enacted in the words following;—Extension of season 
for fishing for trout or char in the river Hull and its 
tributaries. In the river Hull and its tributaries the 
period during w'hich it shall be legal to take trout or 
char shall be only between the 15th day of October and 
the 15th day of March following, both inclusive. Any 
person acting in contravention of this bye-law shall be 
liable, for each offence, to a penalty not exceeding ^£5.” 
It may be added, that the finance committee have decided 
to expend the sum of ^6100 on the purchase of yearling 
trout, to be placed in the Eivers Hull, Derwent, Eye, 
Ure, Swale, and Codbock, the fish to be apportioned to 
the various rivers by a committee appointed for the 
purpose. 
FROM IRELAND. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
DUBLIN.—A general review of the reports issued 
from most of the leading angling districts of Ireland 
since the middle of February when most of the rivers 
opened for rod-fishing, goes to show that beyond doubt 
we may look forward to an excellent season’s sport. 
From almost every quarter news comes of an abundance 
of fish and of splendid quality. Take, for example, the 
Shannon river (the largest in Ireland), and we find it 
recorded last week that one magnificent salmon weigh¬ 
ing 601b. was caught in the nets below Limerick, whilst 
two other huge fish weighing 641b. and 701b. respec¬ 
tively, were also killed; and no doubt many springers of 
big dimensions have since then found their way up the 
river. Instances like these encourage us and bespeak 
the sport which is in store for anglers along the lordly 
Shannon. Numerous arrivals from England and else¬ 
where are reported at the innumerable preserves along 
the river, and a positive rush may be counted as a cer¬ 
tainty during the Easter holidays. If the weather of the 
past week has not been all that might be desired, there 
is a decided change for the better, and in all possibility 
another week will dispense with the harsh March 
winds. 
In and around the Dublin district little has been done 
yet in troutfishing, and the latest reports from the clubs 
say that with the disappearance of night frosts and a 
little rain, the rivers would be in better condition. 
The Tolka Club members have not turned out in full 
fjrce yet, although a few good baskets of brown trout 
were made, whilst at the Anglers’ Club of Ireland pre¬ 
serves at Blessington and Brittas, great sport in trout 
in trout is expected this season, owing to the splendid 
stock of trout these waters contain. The counties 
AV'icklow and Wexford are now fully open for both 
salmon and trout fishing. In the former (Wicklow) 
there is, however, no salmon fishing worth talking 
about, as the rivers are too far up. But for trout it is 
greatly patronised, and if the rivers of the co. Wicklow 
do not yield fish of superior quality to those of the 
counties Meath.or Kildare, it is because of the moun¬ 
tain torrents (severe in many cases) to which they are 
suhj- cted in breeding. 
Trout fishing on the Bray (co. Wicklow) river is 
reported bad since the opening. The weather was 
severe, and, although the fish are about in numbers, few 
were taken. Mr. J. Eyan, fishing here last week, got 
one dozen or so about Jib. weight. A goodly lot of 
salmon have got up the Dargle river, I am tpld, and 
permission can be had to fish there on payment for a 
licence, which can be obtained through the agents to the 
Earl of Meath and Lord Powerscourt respectively. 
At Woodenbridge a heavy frost has prevailed each 
night during the week, and whilst it continues not 
much fishing will be done. Mr. George Hunter was out 
two days, and caught three dozen trout one day, and 
three dozen and ten the other. Captain Cook, Mr. J. 
Caskins, and others, are on the river too, but the aver¬ 
age takes are about one dozen fish dail.y. Two or three 
new arrivals are reported at the Woodenbridge Hotel 
last night (Tuesday) for the fishing, and good sport is 
anticipated when a favourable change takes place. 
In County Wexford salmon’ fishing by rod has, during 
last week, been successful in some parts, and not quite 
so successful in others. One gentleman informs me that 
since the commencement (Feb. 16) he has taken thirty- 
seven salmon; this was in the Slaney, in the vicinity of 
Ferns. The weather there now is very fine and the 
water low. “ There has been a good many rods down 
here,” says my informant. The river is preserved from 
Salisbury, near Enniscorthy up to Newtownbarry, but a 
tributary, the Bann, is free, and there are some good 
fish to be got between Carnolin and Scarawalsh. Collich 
is the general bait used in the Slaney just now ; the fish 
caught are in good condition, and range from 91b. to 
201b. in weight. Several English visitors are just now 
trying their luck along the banks of the Slaney. 
A gentleman angler, writing to me on the subject of 
net fishing at Enniscorthy, says : “ From Enniscorthy 
to the sea anyone can net fish provided they have a, net 
and a boat and a ^63 licence. Takes, from one to thirty- 
five fish per haul; sometimes none.” 
The nsual monthly meeting of the governors of the 
Baltimore Fishery School was held on the 14th inst., 
when the Most Eev. Dr. Fitzgerald, Bishop of Eoss, 
occupied the chair, and, amongst others. Sir Thos. 
Brady was also present. Arrangements for the 
approaching fishing season and other subjects occupied 
the attention of a lengthened sitting. The medical 
officer’s report as to the health of the boys and the 
sanitary state of the school was highly pleasing to the 
governors, who afterwards inspected the school. A 
splendid model of the school, showing all its internal 
fittings, made to the order of the Baroness Burdett- 
Coutts, and which reflects the highest credit on the 
maker, Mr. Eichard Sisk, of Baltimore, was despatched 
for the Chicago Exhibition on the same day. 
KEEEY.^—The weather for the past week has been 
very mild and spring-like, but sport throughout the 
districts where the angling has opened has been far 
from good. 
On Waterville Lake only a few salmon have been got, 
though the weather was all that could be desired for 
trolling, which is the chief method employed during the 
month of March on this water. Whenever a breeze 
sprang up fly-fishing was tried, but this also proved 
unavailing, except in a few instances. Such a state of 
things on the lake has not been known for the past 
forty years at this season. Several veteran anglers 
have told me that they remember a spring abont forty 
years ago, when nothing worth mentioning was done 
until about the middle of March, and that after the 17th 
of that month (remembered distinctly by the anglers 
because of the annual national festival on that day) the 
sport was first class up to even the end of May. I hope 
that this year, which up to the present resembles—as 
far as sport is concerned—that of which I speak, will 
turn out as satisfactory for the remainder of the spring 
angling. Anglers are rather hopeful, too, that it shall, 
for the salmon appear to be numerous, judging from the 
large number of them “ rolling ” or “ showing ” daily, 
and many of the fishermen attribute (whether rightly or 
wrongly I cannot say) the present dearth of sport to the 
sluggishness or sulkiness of the fish, while others 
believe that it is occasioned by an abnormal supply of the 
natural food of the salmon, which keeps them from 
getting “ hungry.” 
I have heard nothing from either Killarney or 
Glencar, and I may infer that nothing worth recording 
has been done at those places. 
On the Inny, which is now running very low, sport, 
generally speaking, has declined, though a few local 
anglers had pretty good baskets of brown trout on a 
couple of days at the end of the past week. Angling 
will soon be brought to a standstill on this water if the 
present dry weather continues. 
On Coppal Lake, sport among brown trout has been 
pretty good with anglers fishing from the banks, though 
the fish landed was generally of an inferior size. 
On Cnmmeravanig, brown tront continue to afford 
average sport. No white trout or salmon can ascend 
into this water, in consequence of natural obstructions. 
The outlet from it, too, is nothing more than a mere 
rivulet, except in time of heavy fiood. 
On Waterville Eiver nothing worth mentioning has 
been done since last notes. Salmon are now coming up 
in small numbers, only four being got during the past 
weekly season at the weir. Salmon as a general rule, 
however, rarely ascend here during March in anything 
like good numbers. 
Local juvenile anglers have had a good time on Lough 
Drenane. Several baskets of over two dozen were had, 
and one angler, on the 12th, in about an hour, caught 
a dozen brown trout weighing 41b. 
No anglers have been out on the Cnmmeragh, which 
is now rather too low for angling. 
There is not much to speak of this week in the line of 
sea fishing, except that at Portmagee the fishermen en¬ 
gaged at the ling fishing have done very well. I am 
glad to state that the Congested Districts Board have 
advertised for contractors to build a landing place at 
Brandon Creek at a cost not exceeding .£1,000. This is 
badly wanted at the place mentioned, which is an 
important sea fishing centre. 
LIMEEICK.—The salmon fishing on the Shannon here 
has up to the present been very poor, indeed, probably 
the worst on record. We can only account for it by 
the fact that there has been no run of fish since the 
opening, Feb. 1, although great numbers of very heavy 
fish were taken in the nets during the month of .lanuary. 
Several of these fish turned the scale between 401b. and 
501b., and one splendid fellow went just over 60lb. On 
the Sleigh More water (Mr. Eyre Powell’s fishery) two 
good fish have been taken by Charles Armstrong, Esq., 
weighing respectively 341b. and 301b. T. Faulkner, 
Esq., of Enstone, Oxon., also had one from the same 
water, on the opening day, of 331b. ; A. Nestor one of 
201b., and higher up the river, at Plassy, two fish of 
321b. and 341b. were taken by Mike Coffey. 
But if the Shannon has so far shown poor results, here 
not so its tributaries. 
The Eiver Deel, for instance, at Askeaton, sixteen 
miles north of Limerick, has yielded splendid sport. 
Here is a record of eighteen days’ fishing on Mrs. Eobert 
Hunt’s water, known as the Incherourke Fishery;— 
February 3rd, eight salmon ; 4th, three; 6th, four ; 7th, 
three; 8th, two; 14th,two; 1.5th, one; 17th,one; 18th, 
three ; 20th, two ; 21st, three; 22nd, one ; 23rd, ten ; 
24th, six ; 25th, ten ; 26th, two ; 27th, three ; 28th four, 
a grand total of sixty-eight fish. On one or two days 
three rods were out, but the majority of the fish were 
taken by Mr. Farmer Hall, the present lessee, that 
gentleman, on the 25th nit., taking ten. In addition to 
this, thirty fish, lightly hooked, were not brought to gaff. 
Mr. Kirk and Mr. George Hunt also had some excellent 
sport on the same river, particulars of which I have not 
yet received. The Eiver Maigue, nine miles north of 
Limerick, has also shown good results, upwards of thirty 
fresh springers having been taken, Messrs. Browning, 
of Carass Couit accounting for twenty. Good baskets 
of tront have already been had, and the prospects for 
the coming trout season are most encouraging. 
ULSTEE.—The Co. Down Eailway for the third time 
has refused to grant reduced fares to anglers fishing 
streams on this line. This is stinginess with a ven¬ 
geance, and in great contrast to the action of the Great 
Northern and the Belfast and Northern Counties lines. 
The Belfast Angling Association has just secured a 
great concession in being granted by the Belfast Water 
Commissioners permission to angle on Stoneyford lake 
—a splendid stretch of water some 160 acres in super¬ 
ficial area. The lake is well stocked with brown trout, 
and is situated very conveniently. 
Writing me a correspondent says, re the Bosses, co. 
Donegal; ‘‘ Wo have no one fishing here as yet. There 
are plenty of brown trout to be had, and the prospects of 
a good season’s fishing are excellent. As our rivers are 
late we will not have white trout till the end of July.” 
The Bosses are famed for their superior white trout 
fishing in the latter end of the season. 
Angling is dull enough on the Bann and its tribu¬ 
taries. A bad start was made on it this season. I 
have details of a few baskets on the Clady, Crossgas, 
and Six-mile water. The police-station erected a couple of 
years ago on the banks of the Agivey has been abolished. 
Thp station was principally for the purpose of affording 
protection to spawning salmon and trout while on the 
redds in small streams. 
The Irish mill-owners are again up in arms. This time 
against the Irish Salmon Fisheries Amendment Act at 
present before the House of Commons. On Wednesday 
evening a meeting of the Co. Antrim Mill-owners’ De¬ 
fence Association was held in the Adair Arms Hotel, 
under the presidency of Mr. Maxwell Gault, an ex¬ 
tensive manufacturer and user of turbines. The atten¬ 
dance was very large. The grievances of the mill-owners 
having been duly trotted out, the following resolutions 
were adopted : (1) “ That we condemn the Irish Salmon 
Fisheries Amendment Bill at present before Parliament, 
and that we call on Irish members to oppose and block 
this measure, as being opposed to justice, hostile to the 
industries of the country, and placing an absolute bar 
to the development of the valuable water power 
throughout the south and west of Ireland.” (2) “That 
we again affirm the principle of the assimilation of the 
Irish fishery laws to the English laws in regard to the 
relation of the fisheries of the greater manufacturing 
industries of the country, and that we call attention to 
the fact that prior to 1863 that the Irish law was the 
same as the English law; that in the year 1869 two 
penal sections directed against the manufacturing in¬ 
dustries of Ireland were secretly slipped into formal 
Bills before the last stage into the House of Parliament, 
at the instigation of the fishery proprietors, in violation 
of all constitutional legislation, and without the know¬ 
ledge of the manufacturing interests affected; that we 
demand that Irishmen engaged in advancing the best 
interests of their country in the employment of the 
people shall not be treated as criminals in the 
exercise of their just rights; that an Englishman, 
under similar circumstances in English rivers, 
would be protected by the law as a law-abiding 
citizen; that we hereby declare that in our view no 
moral obligation rests on the Irish manufacturer to 
obey their criminal enactments passed in the unconstitu¬ 
tional manner stated.” (3) ” That we call upon the 
Government of the day, when the business of Parliament 
admits of it, to pass an equitable measure dealing with 
the fishery questions, and to repeal the criminal sections 
of the Acts of 1863 and 1869, hostile to the manufactut- 
