County Wicklow Fisherman's Paradise

County Wicklow offers the angler an abundance of choice be it river and lake coarse fishing or sea angling that takes his or her fancy. The choice is simply overwhelming when it comes down to where you would like to fish and what you would like to catch. With an abundance of lakes, rivers, and splendid beaches offering up sea and brown trout, salmon, pike, bass, wrasse, codling, place, flounder, mackerel, dogfish, conger eels, and much more than this article can give time to mention, County Wicklow will simply not fail to satisfy. Combined with a scenic backdrop what more could one ask for. For the traveller into Ireland the fishing in Wicklow is easily accessible with its close proximity to Dublin Airport at just over 20km away and the road and rail networks improving at a very rapid rate. The county is also accessible from Dun Laoghaire ferry port to the north of the county and Rosslare port to the south in County Wexford.

When going fishing a State Licence is required for salmon and sea trout angling only. The inland rivers and lakes are normally controlled by

Nice One

local angling clubs and a Permit of Ticket must be obtained before fishing can commence. Apart from the rivers a Permit is also required when fishing on the Blessington and Roundwood lakes. Permits can be purchased for a day, week, or indeed a full season. Maps and tackle are available in many of the bigger towns and there is a wide choice of accommodation on offer.

Coarse Angling is accessible on Blessinton Lake, which is noted for its beauty and only 30km from Dublin. Roach, Perch, and Pike are in abundance and indeed Brown Trout are found in large numbers. The season for coarse fishing runs from November 1st to September 30th and the lake is closed for October. Game angling for Brown Trout using artificial fly is available on the Roundwood Lakes but fishing using bait is only allowed on the Lower Reservoir. The best fishing here can be had in April and May, and August, September (daytime) June and July (evenings).

Of course there is also great game angling on the rivers, Varity & Ashtown Reservoir, Dargle River, Tinnehinch Fishery (on the Dargle and privately owned), Annamoe Leisure Park & Trout Farm, The Aughrim River, The National Disabled Angling Facility, Aughrim- angling for all, The Avoca River, The Avonmore River, The River Derry and Derry Water River, The Upper Liffy, The River Slaney, Lough Dan & Lough Tay. All in all an extensive list to chose from and get lost far from the maddening crowd, if only for a day.

After all of that there is another 51kilometres of coastline for the sea angler and this is used to hold National and International competitions. Indeed the World Surf Casting Championship of 1996 and

Splendid Beaches

the European Shore Angling Championships of 1997 were held on Wickow's beaches and produced some wonderful catches for the competitors. Here again there as a multiplicity of choice including from north to south: Bray Harbour Piers, Bray Beach, Greystones South Beach, Kilcoole, Newcastle, The Five Mile Point at Killoughter, Wicklow North Beach, Wicklow Harbour Piers, Silver Strand, Brittas Bay & Ennereilly Beaches, Arklow Harbour Piers, and Arklow South Beach to mention just a few. Remember it is illegal to catch Sea Bass between 15th May & the 15th June. For further information contact the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers, 67 Winsor Drive, Monkstown, County Dublin. So get out there and enjoy it and remember please leave no litter, plastic bags, fishing line or bait bags, and please do at all times be aware of your own personal safety. Enjoy it and good fishing.