Never forget - the fish are the real stars of the show

Coarse angling is one of the most diverse and complex branches of the sport that we call fishing. It can become almost mesmeric with the vast array of tackle, bait, rigs and tactics on offer. One of coarse fishing"s greatest appeals is that it is so wide and varied there is bound to be an area to suit everyone.What we anglers must be wary of, what we should never forget, is that the real stars of coarse fishing are of course (pardon the pun) the fish. It can become very easy for the angler"s head to be turned by the mountains of designer tackle which can be purchased. Some of the new baits can infatuate even the most experienced fishermen and there are new rigs appearing on the market almost daily which promise to be the answer to all your fishing questions. All of this makes coarse fishing the exciting sport that it is but, at the end of the day, all of the rigs, baits and tackle in the world are worthless without the fish.Anglers must realise that the fish are what is important, we must nurture and care for the fish if our sport is to survive. We must ALWAYS endeavour to return the fish carefully to the water in the same condition as we caught them.In fairness, the vast majority of coarse anglers are always very careful in their handling of fish, as repeat captures of fish in pristine condition will testify, but we must ensure that this continues in order to safeguard our sport.Here is a quick look at some of the species of fish that we might expect to catch in Irish waters:The perch (Perca fluviatilis)A powerful - large mouthed predatory fish, with vertical stripes and a spiny dorsal fin. An average fish will be around 20cm (8ins) and 0.25kg (8oz). A big perch is around the 40cm (16ins) mark, weighing in at 5lb or so.The perch is widely distributed in Ireland. Most rivers, lakes and canals will have a population of perch.Perch are both solitary and shoaling fish depending on the population density, size and age of the fish. Older large fish tend to be solitary.The Bream (Abramis brama)Specimen weight: 3.4 kg (7.5 lb). Record: 12lb 3oz, Bolganard Lake, 1997.Bream are one of the most common coarse fish species in Ireland. They range from relatively small canal fish (although big specimens can be taken from stretches of limestone canal) to Shannon shoal fish sometimes averaging over 5lbs each, to the small groups of specimens in limestone loughs where individuals can exceed 10lbs.Adults are easily recognizable by their bronze hue, black fins and protruding upper jaw. Immature bream are termed "skimmers" and differ from the adults by virtue of their silver coloration.Diet in adults consists mainly of chironomid and caddis larva, gammarus and benthic invertebrates. Maggots, worms, bread, casters, sweetcorn etc. with brown crumb and a range of continental groundbaits and flavourings.The Roach (Rutilus Rutilus)Specimen weight: 907 grams (2 lb). Record weight: 1.425 kg, Drumacritten Lake, 2002.Roach were introduced into Ireland and they are now one of the most prolific of Irish coarse fish, occurring in waters in all parts of the country and offering sport throughout the year, winter and summer.Roach are easily identified by their silver colour, red fins and red eyes. Roach generally spawn during May but, unlike bream, are mature after 2 to 3 years and are very prolific breeders. Roach readily hybridise with bream and rudd and these hybrids are common in areas where the species co-exist. Because of the prolific nature of roach, they can over-run a mixed fishery in a relatively short time period. Egg size is 1-1.5 mm. Adult roach can produce 25,000-1,000,000 eggs/kg. They can live for up to 15 years. Adult roach feed mainly on insects and small crustaceans. Juveniles feed on zooplankton and phytoplanton, maggots, worms, bread, casters, hemp etc. with brown crumb and a range of continental groundbaits and flavourings.Next week we will look at some more of the species of fish that you can expect to catch in the lakes, rivers and canals of Ireland.Angling QuoteFishing gives you a sense of where you fit in the scheme of things - Your place in the universe... I mean, here I am, one small guy with a fishing rod, on this vast sea, and out there in the vast expanse of the ocean are these hundreds of millions of fish ...all laughing at me.- Unknown.