Belturbet tops in Ireland for fishing say French anglers

The recession may be here and the Government may be taxing us to the hilt, but there are grounds for optomism on the tourism front, particularly with the return of the continental angers for the excellent fishing around Belturbet and other areas of Cavan. The proprietors of Fitzpatrick"s Holiday Farm at Puttigan, Belturbet, Sean and Mary Fitzpatrick told The Anglo-Celt this week that continental visitor numbers are up. They said that the anglers are thrilled with the amount of pike they have been catching and are amazed at the sheer size of some of the specimens. Most of the anglers are catching around a dozen pike each day. Sean Fitzpatrick said the pike fishing has been improving in recent years and it is now outstanding. When asked why this turnaround has occurred, Sean explained that there is now a strict policy in operation that all pike caught are returned to the water. 'This makes the fishing for pike a real sport and the anglers are now enjoying the thrill of the catch.' The twelve strong party of anglers who have been coming to Belturbet for the past ten years are from Distroff, an area near the city of Metz in the North East of France. All the anglers said the Fitzpatrick Holiday Farm was a lovely peaceful place on the banks of the river Erne. Mary Fitzpatrick told The Anglo-Celt that a number of new French anglers were here for the first time with the party and they just could not believe the tranquillity and beauty of the area and the friendliness of the Belturbet people and they were knocked out with the fishing experience. Thierry Schmitt told The Anglo-Celt that he has been organising the trip to the Fitzpatrick Holiday Farm for the past ten years and keeps spreading the good news about the holiday treat they have in store in Belturbet. The English market is still slow but Sean notices a slight upturn in recent years. Many of the older traditional English anglers have died off and there is not the same percentage of young anglers replacing them. The numbers of continental anglers coming to the area are particularly impressive in April and May and they also return later in September, October and November. It is too warm for pike fishing in June and July.