Who has the right?

Who has the Right!?

So a lovely little river I have fished since a child has had this sign erected the last few years! Also somebody decided to block the river in two places with massive boulders, now I cant really understand the mentality behind this but the absolute thuggery that someone might think they have the right to block a watercourse like they did is unbelievable. Also what was the reason behind it? A common belief shared is to hold up fish so then can be netted easier? Who knows!...

So the river in question in the river Scroia in west Kerry and it flows out of the loch famous for its monastic settlements, Loch an Dun. A few years back I was fishing this loch with a friend from Limerick when Bear Grylls decided to land with a helicopter with Courtney Cox across from us, as we fished for Sea Trout. 

Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRMjTMqkk0Q

So this river is the roadway for Salmon and Sea Trout into Loch an Duin and the fact that somebody could just come along and block that access, we just couldn't stand for! As you can see in the picture the boulders have been taken away on one section and this was due to a many locals contacting various organisations. These rivers back west put up with huge amounts of local poaching from the estuaries to the rivers, so they are at there knees as it is. 

With the good water, plenty fish seem to be running the rivers, I have heard of fish from all the rivers except the Laune which seems to be too high at the moment. My local river the Maine and Brown Flesk is throwing up plenty fish and I have heard of at least ten salmon seen and lost. There was a ten pound salmon and twelve pound salmon caught and above Timmy caught a lovely nine pound fish. I had a Sea Trout just under 5 pound and I seen two Salmon also. A few local anglers fishing the Maine seen plenty Sea Trout and one angler had six altogether in a few hours. So this myth that fish are not running the Maine until June is that, just a myth. 

I firmly believe, once you see the buds in the trees and the swallows retuning you can be damn sure the fish are starting to come also. 

Another little interesting thing that happened over the last week was my daughter, finding these skate egg cases in Tralee Bay. These are also called mermaids purses and if you want to see how special Tralee Bay is then I suggest you walk the tide high water mark between Derrymore and Castlegregory. 

You can find hundreds of these cases and it has become a little pastime for me and my daughter. These are quite special though as these belong to the majestic White Skate which is an endangered species in Irish Waters.

 Tralee Bay is the last stronghold for them and I have found quite a few over the last few years. I believe Tralee Bay should be a designated area for Ray and Shark species as there is quite no where like it in Ireland.