Joe Kiernan of the Garda Coarse Angling Club reports:
Eamonn Bracken, turned in a “Storming Performance” at the most recent Garda Coarse Angling Club match on the Navigation Canal at Levittstown, County Kildare. The match was scheduled and held in what turned out to be atrocious weather conditions, during the recent Storm Gareth.
Club members Eamonn Bracken, Noel Stapleton, Derek O’Raw, Barry Roche, Joe Kiernan, Peter O’Connor, Dave Mc Cooey and Eric Fagan fished the match. Water levels were high in both the canal and the adjacent River Barrow, following recent heavy rain.
The target fish were roach and dace. Like each of the other competitors, Eamonn fished the pole using Cenex 10mm 1.02kg hook lengths to a size 16 hook and Xitan 3/5 microbore elastic. Hookbaits were maggots and pinkies, while feeding castor in the groundbait.
Eamonn started well with the first quick bite resulting in a good sized roach. Eamonn’s second bite however resulted in the surprise of the match. As soon as the float went down, Eamonn realised he was into a much better fish. The resulting battle tested out his rig to its maximum and ended with Eamonn netting a six pound Salmon. The fish was returned to the water immediately after the obligatory photo.
Eamonn proved that his catch was no fluke by going on to win the match with a total weight of 10.10 Kg of Roach, Dace and Perch. All of the other competitors turned in respectable weights for the conditions averaging 4Kg apiece.
