Blacker's Art of Fly Making Part 10

There is a very nice river[D] running along the southern side of the Wicklow Mountains, pa.s.sing by a place called "Little Aghrim," from whence to the wooden bridge, three miles from Arklow, there is excellent trout fis.h.i.+ng in March, April, and May; it pa.s.ses through a long lough or piece of deep water, out of which the trout issue in the spring into the river; there is no obstruction on its banks from the Wooden Bridge Inn up to Aghrim. There is a bridge crosses the river three miles up from the Wooden Bridge, where the angler may fish up to Aghrim or down to the "Meetings." The Wooden Bridge is called the "Lower Meetings of the Waters,"--this is the most beautiful place of any in the neighbourhood of the Vale of Ovoca, as you can see fine vales from the mount behind the Inn; although from the grounds of Howard Castle, where the little and great Avon meet, the views are sublime,--this is Moore's "Sweet Vale of Ovoca, where the bright waters meet."

From the town of Rathdrum to the Meetings there is good fly fis.h.i.+ng in the spring; through the vale there is no angling in the river, in consequence of the copper mine water running into it from the hills on each side, Cronebane, and Balymurtagh.

There is very little fis.h.i.+ng in the river Dargle, as the stream is so small, but the scenery is magnificent, particularly in the vicinity of Powers Court Waterfall, it is about two miles and a half from the village of Powers Court.

The best way to go from Dublin to fish the rivers "Avon" and "Derry,"

would be through Bray and Rathdrum; begin here to fish the Avon, to the Bridge at Howard Castle; and from the Wooden Bridge angle up the Derry to Aghrim, I never saw so many small trout in my life as there are in this beautiful stream, in the spring; there are numbers of small rivers descending the Wicklow Mountains, towards the east, south, and west, in which the trout run small.

We will return to Dublin and pay a visit to the once celebrated "salmon leap," at Leixlip, a few miles west of the City--this is a charming place, where a few days may be spent to advantage; the groves and rocks, and the romantic glen are the theme of admiration. And the Park of Castletown, the most beautiful in the Kingdom; from the ancient castle at the end of the town there are views of the river and waterfall. The salmon fis.h.i.+ng has been spoiled here by the sewers of the City running into the Liffey.

At New Bridge, on the banks of the Liffey, the station before you come to Kildare, on the Cork railroad, close to the celebrated "Curragh of Kildare," a race course of 3000 acres of verdant plain, there is capital trout fis.h.i.+ng in April and May, and pretty fair sport may be had throughout the summer; the flies to suit the river Liffey are very small, and those little ones in my list for the season will answer well.

FOOTNOTE:

[Footnote D: The River Derry.]

THE RIVER LEE, AT CORK,

Would be as good a place as any in Ireland "to go to fish," were it not for the "weirs," and foul play in many ways, which is practised all the way up, on the poor salmon; there is some little sport to be had in it in the spring, and after heavy rains. The flies to suit it are rather plain and small, blue, grey, brown, claret, and green; mallard wings, mixed with a little golden pheasant tail and neck feathers; blue macaw feelers, black head, and mixed tails like the wings. Hook B CC, in high water BB and No. 9.

SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND.

We will bid adieu to old Ireland for a season, and its fair city Dublin, "with the blue sky over it," and step into the steam boat at Kingston for Holyhead, seat ourselves in a carriage, and trundle off to bonny Scotland--a country of many waters, stored with fine fish; we cross the Tweed, at Berwick, of pastoral fame, and dash into "Auld Reekey" with flying colours in no time.

The beautiful city of Edinburgh must not be left without viewing it from end to end, as it is worth while to spend a day or two in it, if you have not been there, were it only to inspect its monuments and antiquities, which are numerous, in fact, the city at large is a complete curiosity. From here the angler will be able to take rail for Perth, on the banks of the famous "river Tay;" and as the line touches on Stirling, should it be convenient, there might be a day or two spent on the Forth. There are abundance of trout about four miles up the river, and some salmon; small plain flies suit it best.

THE RIVER TAY.

This beautiful salmon river is the princ.i.p.al one in Perths.h.i.+re, in its course it expands into Loch Tay, on leaving which it finds itself a channel and becomes rapid for miles; it has a long course, pa.s.sing the towns of Dunkeld and Perth, and falls into the sea at Dundee.

The river Erne, after a long and rapid course falls into the Tay below Perth. There is also the "Timel," at the pa.s.s of Cillecrankey, on the road to Inverness from Dunkeld, and is fourteen miles from the latter place, there is a small inn close to the river, in which there is good trout fis.h.i.+ng; the coach from Perth stops here to change horses and breakfast; it is a fine rus.h.i.+ng stream. And also the "Keith," at Blair Dummond, where there is a very high waterfall, the sound of which can be heard at some distance; it falls into the Tay.

There is excellent angling for salmon and sea trout in the river Tay, five or six miles above Perth, in September and October; the white trout are in abundance in this river in the latter month; the salmon run very large in this water, in April, May, and June; and are best taken with large salmon flies of rather a sombre hue.

At the town of Dunkeld there is famous fis.h.i.+ng in the Spring and Autumn.

From Dundee to Perth and Dunkeld, through the "Ca.r.s.e of Gowrie," the Valley of the Tay is one of the most beautiful parts of all Scotland, in my estimation; at both sides of the river it is interspersed with excellent gentlemen's seats, and beautiful grounds.

There is a fishery a little above the Bridge of Perth, which is very productive.

The flies to suit this fine river are:--

No. 1. Brown pig hair bodies, ribbed with gold, dark brown-red hackle, wings light brown spotted turkey tail, red tag, and a scarlet joint above it; the body to be made long and taper. Hook No. 8. Rather large for the spring.

No. 2. A bronze peac.o.c.k harl body, ribbed with gold tinsel, a brown-red hackle, and wings of mallard mixed with hen pheasant tail, the tail of the golden pheasant, red tail of mohair cut short, and the body to be thin. No. 9 hook.

No. 3. Brown mohair body, with a long red-brown spotted grouse hackle; the wings a mixture of mallard, brown turkey, and a little hen pheasant tail. Hook No. 8 or 9.

No. 4. A puce mohair body ribbed with silver, purple hackle over it, yellow tail of small topping, and a yellow hackle round the shoulder; wings of golden pheasant tail, with a little spotted bustard, a topping over all, and a black head. Hook No. 8 or 9. (A piece of wood-duck each side.)

No. 5. An orange body ribbed with black silk and gold tinsel, topping in the tail, and a black-red hackle over it, (a hackle with the black streak running all the way through it); scarlet tag and tail; wings light brown turkey tail, rather lighter at the tips, a few fibres of wood-duck each side, the same quant.i.ty of bustard, and a bronze head.

Hook No. 9, or for high water, No. 7.

This fly will be found an excellent killer in the Tay, or any other river in Scotland.

These, with the twelve painted and engraved flies, no man can desire better. Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 11, will be found excellent in low water, and Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, in high water.

THE SEA-TROUT FLIES are orange bodies, mixed wings, jay at shoulder, silver tinsel, and a small topping for tail. Hook _fff_ or C, say No.

6, Kendal.

Blue body, black hackle ribbed with silver, and mallard wings. Hook CC.

Green body, black hackle, gold twist, and dark brown turkey wings.

Light brown body, red hackle, gold twist, two fibres of red Ibis for tail, and glede wings. Hook No. 6 or 7. In low water they take them rather small, with the tinsel, of course.

Hare's ear body, ribbed with silver twist, a greyish dark hackle, the colour of the dark fur on the ear, mallard wings, and tail of the same.

Make another fly mixed with orange and yellow mohair.

A black fly ribbed with silver tinsel, black wing with white tips, black hackle, and a yellow head and tail. Hook C.

It would be as well to try very small gaudy flies occasionally, as you may rise a grilse during the time you are fis.h.i.+ng for white-trout. A grilse loves to rise at a middling gaudy fly after leaving the sea.

Blue, green, and red flies are all good.

I will give three more favorites that will not miss:--

No. 1. Body brown claret colour, mixed with the fur of hare's ear, ribbed with silver twist, a short black hackle, wings rather light brown mallard, and a black head. Hook, Green Drake size, or No. 6.

No. 2. A black body, tipped with orange silk, ribbed with silver twist, a black hackle, and dark brown turkey tail wings. Hook No. 6 or C, varied with blue body and black-red hackle.

No. 3. A blue dun body, a dun hackle ribbed with silver twist, tail two fibres of mallard, and grey mallard for wings. Hook C, or No. 6. A fly with an olive body, and one with yellow and mallard wings, are good.

These flies will be found great killers where the fish are plentiful, with a good ripple on the water, and would do admirably on the Dee and Don, at Aberdeen.

THE DEE AND DON.