An inter club coarse angling match was held today at Black and Yellow Islands on Lough Muckno. This fun match was organised by Les Harris of Lakeside Angling in Castleblayney and the local Castleblayney Coarse Angling Club, Carrickmacross Youth Angling Development and Coarse Angling Club and Drogheda Coarse Angling Club all took part, with between 25 and 30 anglers fishing.
For early March, you could not have asked for a better day. Yesterday, the waves battered these stretches with white horses rolling onto all of these swims all day. Today, temperatures were in and around 9 or 10 degrees and it was overcast with light winds and an occasional piece of hazy sunshine. A perfect fishing day.
The all in was called at 10am with the 4 hour match finishing up at 2pm. Some quality roach, hybrids and some nice bream were taken. All pegs produced fish and some great weights were taken by a number of the junior anglers. Young Stephen White from the Carrickmacross club had a great net of over 14lbs made up of bream and hybrids that were taken at distance on worm. Another youth angler Lee Harris of the Carrickmacross club also had a nice 10lb+ net of bream, hybrids and roach.
In the end honours were taken by the Carrickmacross club with some great weights of 14+lbs, 11+lbs and 10+lbs. Most anglers managed between 5lbs and 7lbs with catches consisting mainly of roach. Best of the seniors was Martin Edwards also from the Carrickmacross club with over 11lbs. The fun and social side of the match was very evident, giving people a chance to get together for a bit of “craic” doing something they are all passionate about.
One thing however did stand out above all others and that was the quality of young anglers in all of the clubs that took part. It is safe to say that there is a bright future ahead of many of them, so the seniors better watch out. In particular the youth development programme being run by the Carrickmacross club seems to be paying off with two of the youths returning 2 of the top three weights in a thirty strong field which consisted of juniors and many well seasoned senior anglers as well.
A big well done to all of the youths on a great performance. The future of coarse angling is bright and angling was the real winner today. A big thanks to Les and his lads for all their efforts in organising this fun day.
