Irish Daily Star Journalist and angling correspondent David Gray reports:
Sixty beach anglers from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales braved the storms last week during the 25th Irish Shore Angling Festival.
For three days the anglers battled it out on a number of east facing Leinster beaches for a slice of the €10,500 prize and pools fund.
On Thursday they fished a midday session at Ballinoulart Beach where flounders made up the bulk of the catch. Sand dabs, whiting, rockling, turbot and coalfish were also recorded.
Kevin Lewis, Scotland, Peadar Taite, Ireland, Leigh Chapman, England and Chris Clark, England all picked up maximum points for winning their zones.
FORECAST
The horrendous weather, forecast for Friday, prompted the organisers to move the session from Clones/Kilgorman to the more sheltered North Beach, Wicklow.
Fish showed from the start at 12.00 noon and a good catch was expected. But this was not to be. They stopped feeding after half an hour.
The hardy match anglers persevered through the awful conditions to see the fish come on the feed again during the closing stages.
Species caught included whiting, flounder, dabs, rockling, coalfish and a single dogfish.
Zone winners here were: Mick Mullane, Ireland, James Ryan, Ireland, Chris Clark, England and Gordon Thornes, Wales.
The final session on Saturday was fished on Ballinesker Beach in “almost summery” conditions starting at 11.00am. Again fish showed immediately but as with the previous day they stopped feeding very soon after the start.
One or two anglers in each zone took a commanding lead during this early bonanza.
Once again, flounder made up the bulk of the catch.
Zone winners were: James Ryan, Ireland, Chris Clark, England, Dave Roe, Ireland and Kevin Lewis, Scotland.
Retired turkey farmer, Chris Clark from Hampshire, England was the overall winner with 3 zone wins to collect the ?1,000 first prize, a Waterford Crystal vase plus zone and pool cash prizes.
RESULTS
SEA
Irish Shore Angling festival on east coast beaches
1 Chris Clark, England
2 Kevin Lewis, Scotland
3 Dave Roe, Blackrock, Ireland
A total of 1,105 fish from 7 species were recorded over the 3 days.
Compliments of:
David Gray,
Irish Daily Star,
Web: www.goingfishing.ie
Email: [email protected]
