Stephen Hanway reports on his recent angling adventures where a record tope was caught and released…
We left Greystones harbour on Wednesday the 3rd October at 7.30am the sea was calm with no wind. Myself and Sean drifted for some fresh mackerel in the area, we anchored around 9.00. While on anchor we caught some mackerel and herring. The first tope run was around 10.20 a lovely fish at 43 lb falling to Sean’s rod.
We had a second fish at 11.30 a fish around 30lb we didn’t weigh this fish (tea time).
All went quite till around 14.30 when my rod bent over didn’t think it was a big fish at the start but when the fish realized it was hooked it gave some big runs. At this time I had idea it was a new Irish record. The fight lasted probably around 15 minutes. When we got the the fish to the side of the boat it was so big that I knew it must be a new Irish record. We got the fish on board and headed into the harbour. As we always have the anchor ready to buoy it only took about 4 minutes to return to land. On the way into the harbour Sean keep water going through the fish’s gills and over its body.
Once in the harbour we beached the boat and put the Tope in the weigh sling and it weighed an impressive 75lb. Sean held the fish on till it recovered and as it swam away. It look great going off strongly in the crystal clear water of the harbour.
Anglers are reminded that any specimen claims they have must be returned to the ISFC by 31st October for inclusion in this years awards and report.
