Thomas McGuane wrote that we have reached the point where every fisherman must become a keeper and a steward — that we are past putting back what we take out, and “must put back more than we take out”.
after Thomas McGuane
Environmental statement
From the beginning, many different influences and considerations have shaped the thinking behind both my bass fishing and the guiding. The Irish saltwater bass fishery is a very important resource — unique within Europe, perhaps — and it is critical that it is managed, promoted and protected in a responsible and connected way.
The guiding service closed after 2014, but the principles below have not. They governed how the guiding was run, and they still govern how I fish and how I run workshops today. Thirtyards interacts with the fishery and with the natural, cultural and local environment on a minimal-impact basis. Catch and release has always been the policy here.
On the water
- One hundred per cent catch and return. Every fish goes back to the water as safely as possible.
- Single barbless hooks.
- No weighing — a fast measure against the rod, and a rough conversion.
- Fly fishing only, with lure fishing used where fly is impractical or unsafe.
- Fish are played and landed efficiently, to minimise unnecessary stress.
- Groups of two people at most.
On the coast and in the countryside
- Zero impact on any other person living or working in the countryside or on the coast.
- Narrow roads and lanes used carefully; parking respectful of residential and farming needs at all times, with permission sought where necessary.
- Countryside property — fences, embankments, signage — fully respected.
- Constant awareness of wildlife and countryside disturbance, minimised by walking and fishing across many different locations over time.
- Always cognisant and respectful of farm animals.
- Leave nature as we found it.
- Constant awareness of the danger of introducing invasive species.
- No interference with archaeological structures, and no building of structures.
- Never litter, in any way.
- Careful management of fire for the Kelly kettle during a picnic or shore lunch.
- Respect for other anglers who fish legally and fairly.
In this section
- Catch and Release — handling, hooks, nets and reviving a fish, and where to check the current rules.
- Leave no Trace — the wider principles for moving through the coast and countryside.
- Clean Coasts — the two-minute beach clean.
- A code of angling ethics — how fly anglers are asked to conduct themselves.
The guiding years
The guiding service is closed, and its story sits apart from this section: Coastal guiding on why it ended, Guiding for bass on how it was built, and Eco tourism & guiding on the thinking behind it.
