Lure Team Ireland were back on the water this weekend at the Predator Qualifiers on Lough Erne seeking a place on Team Ireland 2024.
Seven boats took to the water on Saturday & Sunday as Round 2 of the Qualifiers took place on Upper Lough Erne at Watermill Fishing Lodge. The coloured water after the recent rain and sunny calm conditions didn’t make it an easy task but some excellent fish were recorded.
Fresh back from the World Championships, top duo Daniel Nesbitt and Danny Colleran just lost out on a perfect 4-point score coming second to Tomi & Jacek on leg 4 today.
They still hold the top ranking with 5 points after this round followed by fellow 2023 team members Aidan O’Connor & Krzystof Sibiga in second place with 13.
Bronze medallists of 2013 Tomek Kurman & Jacek Gorny are still hopeful for a place on the team currently joint third on the qualification table with Simon Gibson & David Dennis.
World Championships
Earlier this month Daniel Nesbitt, Danny Colleran, Aidan O’Connor & Krzystof Sibiga made their debut on the world stage under the watchful eye of David Dennis at the World Championships in Riga.
The event involved two days of training and three days competition with countable fish sizes of Pike 50cm, Zander 45cm and Perch 25cm. After training it was decided that boat A would concentrate on Zander with B seeking pike and perch. Through changeable weather conditions the lads did well on day one with Daniel & Danny catching an incredible 10 Zander, a species they had never caught before and Aidan & Krzs 7 perch of countable size for 5th place. A tough day three with just 3 fish caught followed by another 6 Zander and 8 perch on the final day fished in rough weather conditions. Team Ireland ranked a respectable 8th position against the 14 competing nations and the world’s best lure anglers.
Round 3 of the qualifiers will be deferred until the venue for the World Championships is announced. The NCFFI awarded the hosting of the 2024 championships by FIPSed Fédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive en Eau Douce is hopeful that it will be possible to stage the championships on the Erne.
