THE PISHING GAZETTE 
289 
April 22, 1893] 
THE CREEPEK TAKING. 
Quite a month before the usual time the 
creeper is taking in the North. In the Caldew, 
near Carlisle, on April 6, a young angler basketed 
eight trout with that killing bait. The Caldew 
is always a week or so earlier than the Eden, but 
for years I have regarded the first Saturday in 
May as the earliest date on which it was any use 
fishing the creeper in the Caldew. One year on 
that date I did fairly, basketing eighteen trout, 
and on the previous Thursday the late famous 
expert, Dickie Routledge, had tried it in the 
Eden without a nibble. This year, however, so 
far the season, as judged by the hawthorn hedge¬ 
rows, which are already in leaf, is un¬ 
usually early in the North; the almost 
entire absence of east winds this spring 
has made an enormous difference, and 
the same thermometrical conditions 
which forwarded tKe bud and leaf have 
evidently been at work in the fishing 
regions. The brilliant sunshine and 
balmy air on Wednesday and Thursday 
in Easter week inspired two interest¬ 
ing movements, namely, the movement 
of the creepers towards the edges, and 
the movement of the trout—knowing 
by instinct when they are likely to find 
that succulent bait—to the streams in 
search of the creeper. The insect— 
which is the larva of the stone-fly— 
is in the water all the winter, hiding 
under stones and buried in gravel, until 
the warm sunshine inspires a mysterious 
impulse to go out upon the land, climb 
upon a stone or up the trunk of a 
tree, grip with its feet, and die. At 
all events it must think it dies, for 
its back bursts, and out comes a lovely 
yellow fly—the newly-born stone-fly is a 
very pretty object—and the empty husk 
of the creeper bears witness for weeks that it is 
dead. The life history of the insect is both 
interesting and significant. 
The creeper only moves by slow degrees to the 
side, usually in the hottest part of the day, and 
it is at such times that it is most deadly as a 
bait. In a late season it is not over before 
June 20; as a rule it is not on before the 
beginning of May, and this year’s experience of 
a take of trout with it on April 6 is unprece¬ 
dented. The stone-fly, moreover, seldom seen in 
numbers before the middle of May, has already 
appeared on the banks of the Eden, six weeks 
earlier than last year. 
There is no form of trout-fi.shing more en- 
trancing than thit with either of these baits. If 
either is equally available, say about the middle 
of May, it is a good plan to have a supply of both. 
If the day be sunny, warm, and calm, the creeper 
is infinitely superior; if the weather be dark and 
blustery the fly is the more killing, fished— 
not in the streams as the creeper is—but in pools, 
especially under trees and near grassy banks. 
There are days, of course, when a thoughtful 
hand will change from one bait to the other and 
back again to suit the vicissitudes of the weather. 
If on a cloudy day there comes a warm gleam of 
sunshine, it is worth while putting on the creeper, 
as the trout with one consent change their 
quarters completely in a few minutes. The fly, 
though a tenderer bait, and more difficult to cast, 
has one advantage over the larva; with the latter 
the angler must be prompt—two seconds are too 
much to allow the fish, which soon feels the hooks 
and ejects the bait; but the fly seems to possess 
a more irresistible attraction, as if the trout misses 
it or fails lo hold it, he will come at it again 
and again. One of the wrinkles I picked up from 
Dickie Routledge was that “trout will take a 
worm when they will take a creeper,” but, though 
I am fond of angling with the worm on the 
Stewart, I prefer to take more trouble to obtain a 
supply of creepers, which are not only a more 
cleanly bait, but seem to afford more sportsman¬ 
like practice. When the first flood of June 
carries away the stone-flies, that is early enough 
for the worm ; and trout, gorged and surfeited 
with the banquet of stone-flies, take the worm 
with avidity about three days after the flood. 
Greta. 
LAMPERNS AND THE KODAK.” 
Dear Mr. Marston, —In nearly all the streams 
near us there are lots of lamperns, and just now 
it is very interesting to watch them making their 
spawning beds. They gather together in com¬ 
panies of from three or four, to as many dozens. 
They like to work round and round, and excavate 
quite a hollow. They prefer clear water with a 
smart little current. They move quite good- 
sized pebbles out of their holes, and are so intent 
on their operations, that a stick thrust down 
among them will not drive them away. I saw 
one little colony of about thirty, working away 
round a stone as big as my fist. I quietly with 
Kodak” Photograph op Lamperns. 
my stick moved the stone, and instantly all the 
lamperns were working where the stone had been 
imbedded. 
I sent my son on Monday to have a snap-shot 
at them with his “Kodak,” and enclose you a 
rough print (unfixed). Ir. is taken from an almost 
vertical holding over the fish, and of course 
through the water. 
It is the first time that lamperns have been 
photographed, I fancy.—Yours, &c , 
Watford, March 20. 1893. C. E. Fry. 
[In reply to this letter we asked Mr. Fry if he 
would kindly send us a fixed silver print of the 
lamperna and he kindly did so, and we have re¬ 
produced it in the Gazette .— Ed.] 
SOME FREE AND OTHER PISHING 
IN IRELAND. 
(Continued from page 208.) 
By J. T. E. 
There are several smaller streams in the imme¬ 
diate neighbourhood of Groom, the fishbig in most 
cases being excellent and free ; perhaps the best 
are the Rivers Comogue and Morning Star. The 
former joins the Maigue close to the town, and is 
an exceedingly pretty stream ; the trout run, as 
a rule, larger than in the main river, fish up to 
41b. frequently being landed. 
Like the Mnigue, it can easily be fished without 
wading, but differs from it somewhat in character, 
the pools and rapids following each other in 
closer succession. Salmon run up this river at 
times in considerable numbers, and the trout 
fisherman spinning a minnow will often en¬ 
counter them; unfortunately small pike are 
rather numerous, and play sad havoc with the 
minnower’s fine tackle. 
The flies generally used by the local anglers 
(and as a rule it is policy to follow their lead) are 
the March Brown, Hare’s Ear, Orange and 
Grouse, and the Olive and Green Wrens, but no 
doubt any of the flies used on such rivers as 
the Itchen or Test would prove deadly here, 
and in fact on any trout stream in Ireland. 
The Morning Star is also a tributary of the 
Maigue, and joins that river between Bruree 
and Rosstemple. The trout do not run quite so 
large as in the Comogue, but they are remarkably 
game and very numerous. Close to the town of 
Croom is Tory Hill, modestly so called, although 
it might be correctly described as a small 
mountain ; at its base is a tiny lake, perhaps not 
more than twenty acres in extent, but of extra¬ 
ordinary depth, and reported to hold pike of very 
large size ; it certainly looks “ jacky,” and a day 
would probably not be wasted in giving it a trial. 
There is a boat upon it belonging to a farmer 
living on the mountain side, who will willingly 
lend it to the visitor. 
While in this district the angler should not fall 
to visit those celebrated angling resorts, Castle 
Connell, and Killaloe. To do this he must retrace 
his steps to Limerick, and take train thence by 
Waterford and Limerick Railway. Castle 
Connell is a small village on the banks 
of the Shannon, seven and a half miles 
north-east of Limerick city, and is un¬ 
doubtedly thebest salmon anglingstation 
on the river. The fishing is, however, 
at present let, but the angler will not 
regret a visit, even though he cannot 
fish, the salmon leap and waterfalls on 
the Hermitage and Doonass fishery 
alone being worth a long journey to 
see. The salmon taken here run very 
large, 301b., and even 401b., being a not 
uncommon weight. 
In addition to the river scenery, there 
are many other objects of interest, not 
the least among them being the remark¬ 
able ruins of the famous castle. It is, 
however, the fishing tackle manufactory 
of Messrs. Enright and Son, established 
here, that has made the name of Castle 
Connell familiar in every part of the 
world. Probably there is no salmon 
angler living who has not heard of the 
Castle Connell rod, and the great repu¬ 
tation they have gained for casting power, 
in which they are surpassed by no other 
rod made, is richly deserved. I had the privi¬ 
lege of looking over this celebrated factory, and 
must say that I was considerably astonished to 
find such an extensive business existing in this 
distant Irish village. The stock of greenheart 
presently being seasoned is enormous, and the 
finished rods ready for immediate despatch have 
to be reckoned by hundreds. Surely, if the ex¬ 
pression “ a forest of rods ” was ever justified, it 
should be applied here ; salmon and trout rods in 
every conceivable size and variety, are stacked 
away in such immense numbers, that I could not 
forbear asking if it was within the region of 
possibility to find customers for them all. A ' 
glance at Messrs. Enright’s order book give me 
a complete answer; orders and repeat orders ' 
were pointed out to me from almost every part of 
the world, and there is no doubt that the demand 
for these beautiful rods is very large indeed. 
The Shannon Hotel is by far the largest in the 
district, and under the personal supervision of 
Mrs. Enright, offers the comforts of home to the 
tourist and angler, rarely to be met with in 
Ireland. Mrs. Enright is the le-see of the 
“Prospect,” “Doonass,” and “Newgarden” 
fisheries on the south side of the river, and some¬ 
times has a vacancy for a rod or two. 
The town of Killaloe, some six miles further 
north, is situated upon the banks of the Shannon, 
on the boundary line of Tipperary and Clare, a 
fine stone bridge of thirteen arches connecting 
the two counties. The surrounding neighbour¬ 
hood is singularly beautiful, and no matter in 
which direction one turns, a magnificent pano¬ 
rama of mountain scenery and luxuriantly 
wooded heights is presented. To the angler, 
however, the charms of river and lake will pro¬ 
bably prove more seductive, and I know of no 
place upon the Shannon which I would recom¬ 
mend in preference to this. 
In the first place, a considerable portion of the 
river is free to the salmon angler, and in one 
particular pool upon this free water many good 
fish are taken annually. This pool is the first 
above the bridge, and immediately in front of 
the Shannon View Hotel (Mrs. Reddans!, to 
whose hospitality, by the way, I most cordially 
recommend visitors. 
It is a curious fact that these free waters often 
yield sport when the most strictly preserved 
