| Pike Ireland | |
| Press coverage |
|
Erne your pikeUpper Lough Erne is quite dissimilar from Lower Lough Erne. The upper part is shallower and supports more coarse fish, whilst Lower Lough Erne is deeper and is still a good venue for trout. Pike thrive in both parts of the lake, but the shallowness and clarity of the water in the upper lough - plus the presence of large concentrations of coarse fish on which they feed - make it ideal for pike fishing with the fly. Indeed, this is the area from which local pike fly-fishing expert Alan Hanna hails, and his Ballindoolagh Bomber is a favourite for Upper Lough Erne. Island on an islandOriginally named Ballymacmanus, the Belle Isle is ideally situated close to where the River Erne runs out of the Upper Lough Erne. So when you rent one of the boats from the estate you can fish large parts of the lake as well as many miles of river. Belle Isle itself has been inhabited since the 11th century. One of the compilers of the Annals of Ulster, Cathal Og MacManus, lived and died there. The first larger type of house was built on Belle Isle in the 17th Century by Sir Ralph Gore, a descendant of Paul Gore, who was granted the island by the Crown. A grandson of Ralph Gore made further extensions to the house and also created the magnificent garden that extended to the shore of the lough. In 1830 Belle Isle was sold to the Porter family for £68,000. The family immediately began with the expansion and alteration of the house, which included the addition of the tower. In 1991 the last member of the Porter family sold Belle Isle to the Duke of Abercorn. He bought it for his second son, Lord Nicholas Hamilton, who is currently studying in Dublin. In 1992 the Garden House was the first cottage to be converted to a holiday house. The conversion of the Hamilton Wing, which forms part of the main house and can sleep up to 14, was completed the following year. The Coach House was converted in 1996 and the Courtyard in 1998. Fly-Fishing in Ireland, March 2004 - Rudy Van Duijnhoven Belle Isle Estate
|