Floods floods and more floods. I reckon somebody up there wants to drown us all. When there is that much water and you cannot find a decent place to fish it's time to take up bloody tiddley winks. Having said that what a fabulous back up water the Shannon Erne link has now become. Anywhere you fish it will guarantee almost a bite every chuck. Fished it today for a couple of hours with my old mate Martin Blacow and we both had around 60 fish in less than three hours. I was talking to John Astell yesterday and heaven forbid last week he was approached by would you believe it, a FISHERIES OFFICER asking if he had seen anything suspicious taking place. I could have thought up a 1001 daft answers for that one but John asked him to elaborate. He also made the point that it was the first time in 30 years that John had met a Fisheries Officer on the bank. The chap asked John if he had seen anybody killing fish recently and John said he had witnessed it but not of late. My advice to the fisheries officer is to keep looking and keep at it until next spring when like the daffodils the perpetrators will all be out in force again. Like the leaves on the trees they tend to go out of view in winter. Hope the fisheries officers don't do likewise.

Death by Pollution

I have been receiving reports all week about the catastrophic pollution on the River Trent. Along with the River Witham the Trent was where I learned my trade so to speak. In those early days vast rafts of foam covered it's surface but it still carried a good amount of roach, dace and chub. I am told that there is now almost 30 miles of the river cevoid of fish life. It appears that none caring evil bastards allowed cyanide to enter a main drain at Stoke on Trent. The poison then made it's way through the treatment plant and then into the river. I guess the company that did it will plead innocence and declare it a terrible accident. Bollocks I say. Excuses like that shouldn't wash and in this case I hope won't be accepted. I hope this will also be a reminder to all those who have not yet forked out their 20 quids to support the Angling Trust which now incorporates what was the A.C.A, the body which for years now has supported the angling community in their battle against polluters.I believe the highest amount of damages the A.C.A has won is in the region of 240,000 Sterling. In this latest case I hope they manage to smash that amount by a country mile. Personally I would like to see the perpetrators of this crime strung up by their nuts and hosed down with cow shit on an hourly basis. And yes, I don't apologise for my language as this kind of irresponsibilty just make me furious. To go on from the above. I know the Trent was making a fabulous comeback but I was always a little suspicious of how clean it was. My mates that fish it on a regular basis waxed lyrical as to how clear the water was. I often asked had anybody taken a private water sample and had it tested. Gin clear water is almost always on big rivers a sign of pollution. The pollutant 'dropping' out all the natural growth and colour. I know from first hand experience. The Shannon suffered from it for years caused by a factory upstream of here where the EPA here granted them (would you believe) an I.P.C license For those of you who don't know what an I.P.C license is, it is a license to pollute a water course. Bloody unbelievable don't you think!

Monday the 12th of October.

I recently bumped into a bloke from Nottingham called Steve O'Sullivan. He was over on holiday staying up at Ballinamore. He recognised me as he was clutching a copy of the Angling Star, the magazine I write a monthly article for. I was fishing on one of the local lakes near my home and Steve was after info' which I readily passed on. Steve then broached the subject of the now much discussed subject....fish poaching. He told me that this was his second visit to Ireland this year and on the previous visit he had fished at Lanesboro. He was shocked to see our foreign friends killing all the fish they caught and placing them in bags and buckets. It appears when he approached them they got a little menacing and so his next line was to call on Bridie in the local tackle shop and ask her if she would contact the fisheries board. She informed him that it was a waste of time and money as she had phoned them on many occasions before with absolutely no response. It appears that this is not an isloated situation. Indeed from my own point of view I have reported situations where the miscreants would have been caught red handed but no action was taken.
Last week Senator Terry Leyden spoke on Shannonside radio with regard to the ridiculous rod licence fees the fisheries board charge for fishing the River Suck and other waters including the River Camlin which flows through Longford. He told how the charges were keeping anglers away. Damn right they are. I believe the fees are as follows, 39 Euro's for a full ticket, 20 for a weekly and would you believe 11 Euro's for a day ticket. Bloody outragious and very stupid. As I have pointed out before angling tourism is on it's knees. How the hell do we expect folk to return with daft charges like these being made. I say, wake up and get it scrapped. Enough damage has been done already!

28th September 2009

Firstly I apologise for the late posting of this weeks rant. I live in rural Ireland and have no broadband. I am told Irelands broadband system is worse than many third world countries and I can believe it. For most of this week I have been unable to recieve e-mails or connect to Google. I spoke to the local telephone engineer who tells me that my phone line is the equivalent of a wet piece of knackered string with at least 8 other subscribers on it. I have reverted to Vodaphone which is also about as much use a s a pork chop in a synagogue. Only last year, just before Ireland became totaly bankrupt Fina Fail the party in power proclaimed that we were the second richest country in Europe. I ask where has the money gone and why do I have to rely on the equivalent of wet string to provide my communication service. The Celtic Tiger officialy is now dead. I don't think it ever existed only in the minds of Irish politicians who have feathered their own nests at the expense of the common working man.
Now to fishy matters.
Even though I write for two other magazines I still buy on a weekly basis the Angling Times. It is a good read and I enjoy the stuff written by my two old mates Keith Arthur and Des Taylor, both writers of at times, controversial stuff. As I got to page 38 in last weeks mag I was faced with the headline 'These People Can Help Save Angling,' written by associate editor, Steve Partner. He was of course referring to the foreign nationals, the majority of, who rape and pillage our rivers and lakes. I read what he had to say and came to the conclusion much of it was tongue in cheek and lets not forget being a tadge controversial does make people sit up and ultimatley helps to sell copy. In the article Steve makes several very debatable statements. He says there are just a minority who don't stick to the rules. Perhaps a visit to the area I cover would help to change his mind. They ALL break the rules, even if it is not adhering to the county code of practice. Where ever they go, set aside the issue of stealing fish, the piles of crap they leave behing beggars belief. It is so easily recognisable as the beer cans, fag packets, food wrappers and sweet cartons are all in a foreign language. There are now several areas over here closed to ALL anglers on that very score. How is that helping our sport, God only knows. I was so inquisitive of what Steve would pen this week I turned to his page first.
Fair play to the guy, he printed in it's entirety a letter from an AT reader which is headed East Europeans Contribute Nothing which also made some very sweeping statements. Most of which I have to say I personally agree with.
Before any of you take out your racialist bible. I have several very good friends who are from the Eastern block. None are anglers and are very nice folk. Members of my family are also married to folk from foreign climbs who are also top order. My grouse is with the hordes who take fish by whatever method seemingly law abiding or otherwise and leave piles of crap behind with total disregard for the property of others.
Oh by the way Steve. This weeks headline, 'Admit it We Don't Love Roach Anymore.' I don't agree with that either. What is should say is, 'We do Love Roach But We Lost the Abilty to Catch Them.' I see it every week mate. Anglers (I use that term very loosely) who have decided to take a break from fishing what I describe as ----- holes in the ground. These puddles as we all know are so overstocked that any numb nut can catch them. When it comes to proper fishing these guys aint got a clue. They would love to catch wild fish but have either forgotten how to do it or have never been taught in the first place.
And another thing Steve. Keep writing your stuff cos like many other people I will carry on reading it.

16th September 2009.
A couple of days ago two of my mates Martyn Price and Eddie Swan were fishing on a lake near Arva when they were approached by a bloke purporting to be a fisheries bailiff. He went on to tell them how he was very influential within fisheries and sat on all the decision making boards etc. Eventually the conversation turned to the problems we have with people stealing fish and my mates asked why almost nothing was being done to bring them to book. They were informed that in almost all cases 'bailiff,s did nothing because if these people were approached they immediatley picked up their mobile phones and within minutes another 20 would arrive and would then intimidate the bailiff,s or go further and attack them. On the occasions I have approached these miscreants, and there have been many, I have been almost ignored by them. Never have I been accosted by blokes who were either hiding around the corner or behind nearby bushes or trees. IF this bloke is a real bailiff I have a message for him which is attributed to a very famous American president, 'If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.' On the other hand if you are an impersonater and I can't think for the life of me, why anyone who would want to impersonate anyone who works for the fisheries boards I have a message for you. 'Stop shooting bull shit and leave honest visiting anglers to get on with their sport in peace,'

Thursday 10th of September
I have left last weeks rant on longer than usual. My theme today carries on from last week. I have just been talking to my mate Keith Arthur, one of the 'magnificent seven' brought in to help save the Angling Trust which as you all know by now is in deep trouble. The problems are many but not insurmountable providing it has the support of the great angling public. Consider this. Where would you all be without the support of such a body. No voice no vote nowhere! The apathy that most of you suffer from is an indemic disease. Get rid of it. Help to fight for what you have got....and make it better. Get your 20 quids out and send it off now. You can do it on line. Lads that have joined this week tell me that they have had a problem going on line but have managed to sort it and got their 20 quids paid. If you don't, don't moan when pollution takes over your local water. Don't moan when nutters in canoes spoil your day. Don't moan when idiots on push bikes runover your gear cos it will be your own faults.
And another thing.
I see the second fishery owner to ban foreign nationals from his water is taking some right old stick. I see some jumped up Dick head from the Polish Embassy has branded him a law breaker and a rascist. What's racist about protecting what is yours and more to the point what is providing your living. Unless the law has changed....and I don't think it has, the landlord of any public house has the right not to serve and also remove anyone he wishes to do so from his property. During my 'occasional' visits to the hostelries of this country and the UK I have witnessed the removal of 'unwanted' guests more than once. You can't educate a raging p--s head and it is proving impossible to educate these foreign law breakers. Believe me I have tried. 'Me no speak English,' is the usual offering. O.K so I give them the fisheries laws written in their own lingo. They sit and read and then carry on as if you weren't there. Chuck 'em out I say and bloody good luck to the fishery owner who has done likewise.

Hi Marc, Yes I remember introducing you to my old mate Alan Edwards. He certainly made an impression on anyone that he talked to. There is a feeling that the new organisation has tried to run before they could walk. Maybe they have but I still maintain that the apathy amongst the participants of our great sport has to be the highest there is. As for the ethnic thing I can't answer that one and maybe I shouldn't pass comment seeing as I frequently 'rant' about the fish stealing bandits from the Eastern European block as I don't wish to be branded a racist. Bottom line Marc and all the other genuine lovers of this game of ours. Get your 20 quids sent off before it's too late.