awards-testimonials

The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/all/20020207141622/http://www.shannon-fishery-board.ie:80/awards.htm

We are very pleased that so many Irish and angling tourists have found this site helpful and informative. Since it's launch in 1998 a number of sections on the site have been revamped and in some cases re-written to provide the level of information you want, and this will continue to be our primary concern. Truly a site like this will never be completed and will continue to be developed to address all your information needs. There is already a lot of additional information on the site which wasn't originally planned when first launched, much of which is in direct response to your requests. We wish to thank those who have contributed and submitted their suggestions and comments to us both through our 'online' general angling questionnaire and by email. We enjoy your interaction with us and value your feedback. Here is a sample of some of the many encouraging comments and suggestions we have received to date via our general angling questionnaire forms. Many more interesting comments have been raised by email which we thank you for.

From: Noel Lowry Ballinrobe Angling Association. Kilbride Anglers Association - Larne Co. Antrim
General comments: An excellent site, the best of all the boards. Up to date angling reports are almost impossible to find, a very useful tool. A great service, keep up the good work. Improvement of services: All area boards should have the same regulations and charges,etc. This includes Northern Ireland as well. A standard "share certificate" or "licence" to cover the whole of Ireland. As well as the angling clubs in the south I am a member of several fishing clubs in the North although some of the waters I fish very little. As follows: Larne and District Anglers (River Inver & McCammons Dam), Coleraine Anglers (River Rhee & Ballinrees Reservoir), Maguires Bridge & District Anglers (Colebrook River) and Garrison Anglers(Lough Melvin).

From: Mick Fordham, Prestcold Angling Club: Aldermaston Angling Club, Wokingham Berkshire England.
General Comments: Great Site keep up the good work. Improvement of services: More info on how to get to the venues within Ireland, as finding them can be a nightmare.

General Comments: This is one of the best web site layouts that I have come across - very well done. Just to say, many tight lines to all our visitors in 2000, this web site is a great start. Improvement of services: This web site is a great start, a credit to everyone that had a hand in it. The main thing that I see is we have to keep our lakes and rivers pollution free. There are not too many places left in Europe , we have a great resource but we much keep on to top of it , everything else is well catered for, good marketing, great accommadation, good boat/ ghillie service, good tackle suppliers,etc.

General Comments and Improvement of Services: Would like to see little maps of the lakes, rivers described with "x" marking hotspots , fishing platforms and parking places.In the News section would like to see details of baits used where big catches are reported.Would also be interested in stories / reports from "average" anglers i.e those who catch 25 lbs but had a fantastic day, rather than those anglers who catch 200 lbs+. Would like to see roadmaps of Shannon area as this would have allowed me to plan my holiday entirely from your web page (I got my accommodation, bait and info on good coarse fishing spots from E-mailing the contacts at the bottom of your pages) only thing I couldn't get was local roadmaps. Also, online purchasing for bait? Don't take these comments as criticism as I think overall this is an excellent Web site!! I've literally spent hours in it and associated Link pages. Well done, beautifully written, presented and easy on the eye (no flashing, garish colours) If the fishing is as good as you make it look then I'll have an excellent time in Athlone next week

General comments: It is very easy to navigate and full of excellent & timely information. I think that this site is well laid out and full of information, not just for people overseas like me, but for local as well. I would like to see an area that would give the dressings and if possible a picture of the flies mentioned in the reports. Although the country is split up into different fishery regions, it would be a great idea if this page was expanded to cover the entire country, or linked to all other fishery regions. I must admit, although I am far away and don't get back as often as I would like, I still get a lot of satisfaction from reading your reports. Slan agus Beannacht Jerry Connor

Your general comments: A great site, it makes me wish my holidays in Ireland this year were during the fishing season instead of over the Christmas. I have fished many of the lakes which you manage as well as the river Suck on many occasions. Improvement of services: American anglers are still under the misguided opinion that the cost of a fishing holiday in Ireland is prohibitively expensive. I have informed many people on various Q & A web sites about Ireland that superb fishing can be had for as little as 10 pounds per day. Most think it cost hundreds a day. An open invitation from the fisheries board to some of the fishing shows which air on sports channels here in the states might persuade a great number of people.

General Comments: (Re: Recent 2 week visit to Ireland)We found that bringing rods required an oversized baggage charge of $155 US, so we rented and borrowed them. In the Boyne area my husband lost an afternoon/evening of fishing for which he had permits because we could not find a rental rod. The next day we found a Ghillie for him to fish with with excellent results, but it was impossible to find a rental rod. In addition to permits on line, it is very much needed to have rental rods sources listed. The listing of tackle shops is not helpful because if one purchases the rod one then has the problem of shipping it home afterward. Improvement of services: Representation (LINKS) for each of the regional fisheries on internet sites and bulletin boards that deal with travel planning;e.g., Doras, GoIreland, Cupla focal, Browserireland, Bord Failte. Information regarding where to fish (with maps), appropriate permits and licenses, where to RENT tackle.

Improvement of services: The whole industry to come together and to put packages together to the benefit of all. Market Ireland as an upmarket destination with the best wilderness fishing in the world.Make more money available to develop angling in Ireland.

General Comments: This web-site is exceptional and has even greater potential. Keep up the good work. Very well developed and informative web-site. Has enormous potential. Improvement of services: Tackle Dealers need to improve on range and quality of stock. Perhaps they should look at the British Tackle shop model where range of supplies are infinitely superior. The Irish model in this regard is very disappointing. Fisheries Board need to ensure that very detailed information (text & maps) covering access points, land owners, fish species, best baits etc. would be very useful. Most anglers (Irish or British) have difficulty in finding access to virtually 'hidden' waters.

General Comments: Have just discovered your website and I think it is excellent. Keep up the good work. I was looking to see if there were any reports on mayfly fishing before my annual trip to Lough Derg on the River Shannon and perhaps Sheelin, if not now but later on this summer. Improvement of services: Continue to conserve and enhance the natural fisheries in Ireland.The "product" is easily sold if it offers quality and value for money! Angling reports from a wider selection of waters would be nice, particularly at mayfly time.

General comment: After 11 years living and fishing in the UK, I have just returned to Ireland and am delighted to discover this amazing source of angling information. I'm encouraging the members of my former angling club to come fishing to Ireland this year and this site has made doing the groundwork for their visit a lot easier. Keep up the good work - especially the weekly fishing updates.

General Comment: This site is very helpful. Try to find all coarse fishing lakes and list them on your web site. Improvement of services: Ireland needs more carp lakes, a better guide to where to fish apart from Shannon . You need at least 5 good coarse fisheries in every county in, but not all around the one town

General Comments: A very interesting and informative site. I have seen a lot worse. Do you have any information on Angling Information Sessions ie at night or any details of Angling Stands at any forthcoming Game Fairs etc.Improvement of services: Better detailed and more up to date hard copy guide books

From: Alan Forrest, Mohill, Co Leitrim - An English Angler and retired Marketing Executive living in the Shannon Region

General comments: Most informative and up to date site. Improvement of services: Better advertising of angling tourism products and services, and more information on the web that is kept up to date such as your site. More detailed information on specific areas and types of angling available.

General Comment: Keep up the good work! Improvement of services: I would like to say that your homepage is very well presented and very informative, but I think an effort should be made to highlight, the small rivers in the Region! as a lot of visitors use these rivers quite a bit when on holidays! Thanks for your time!

General comment: Congrats on an excellent site, good reading. Is there a site for other Fishery Boards e.g. Eastern fishery board? Improvement of services: A lot of info about angling is directed to the foreign market. Maybe circulating info about lakes/rivers to clubs e.g. there are a lot of lakes unheard of that are good fisheries. I would suggest a monthly newsletter indicating where the best places to fish at that time and the best flies to use etc as we are not all fortunate enough to have access to the net.

General comments: Keep up the good work, excellent site I visit every week for the updates. Improvement of services: Encourage more catch and release of trout and salmon. I think a catch and release program should be tried on a lough for a number of years to see if it affects catches for the better.

Improvement of services: One of the most important things about fishing in Southern Ireland is that it is free!! I appreciate this may sound trivial but it makes a pleasant change from some of the rip off prices we have to pay in England to fish in a quarter acre carp puddle. I am aware that in some areas notably the Lee Valley that plans are underway to charge visiting anglers.I am very impressed with the website and it is very nice to have a look and see how areas are fishing. I shall certainly be using it in the future.

General comments: Good Luck. Improvement of services: Information on temperatures, water temperatures & water depth levels - update & historical.

We were very pleased to be offered Site Awards from AFCA, Top Rod Site Award and 4 Shamrock rating by Irish Eircom Internet 'Doras'.

AFCA is the official organisation representing Australia's Federation of Coarse Anglers. It's duties are to organise competitions both international and domestic, to promote the field of Coarse Angling nationally and to serve the needs and requirements of affiliated clubs across the continent.

' Top Rod site Award' presented by TV Fishing Show , Fishing with Shelley and Courtney (American based) have selected this site as one of their Top Rod Site Awards in the World.

' Doras' Telecom Internet (now Eircom) one of Ireland's leading directories and reviewers of Irish sites have awarded this site a 4 shamrock quality rating. Their review

" Any question a potential angler might have about pursuing the activity in the Shannon region will, no doubt, find the answer at this extensive site. Information relating to fees, awards, weather and accommodation are all available, as well as useful links. Press releases, questionnaires and competitions bolster the site's already diverse content.
Technically this is an excellent site, which also helpfully features a useful site map. Graphically pleasant but not striking, this is a definite bookmark for the angling enthusiast"

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