The Irish Federation of Sea Anglers held their Master Angler 2024 event on various beaches in counties Wicklow and Wexford last weekend. It was a difficult weekend for the organisers as weather and weed forced last-minute changes to venues, which made it a bit of a headache for all involved. But it all came good in the end, and the competitors hit the beaches in droves over three different sessions. And when all the cards were marked and the sums were done after the final session, Fiona Ryan from Tralee Bay SAC and David Farrelly from South Shore SAC were crowned Master Angler 2024. Both Fiona and David will go on to captain the Irish teams at their next world championships. Congratulations to both Fiona and David.
Here’s a steward’s report on the event from Richard Dodd of Borough SAC Angling Club…
The call for volunteers for the IFSA Master Angler Shore 2024 fishing competition was met with some enthusiasm. I was among those who stepped forward to steward the event, and it was a rewarding experience to witness the best anglers in the county in action. The event kicked off at 9am on Curraclore Beach. Upon arrival, it was clear that it would be a challenging day for all anglers due to a strong southeasterly wind and a strong tide. The anglers were split into five sections, one of which was for ladies. Despite their best efforts, it was a tough day for most anglers, with one section only having four anglers returning fish. Our club member Noel Bailey had two fish, while Graham Dungan did not catch any. That Evening Due to weather and weed, the decision was made to change venues in the interest of safety. Anglers were split across four venues: Arklow, Rooney Point, Dodds Rock, and Kilgorman Beach. This proved to be a great decision as the wind dropped and turned northwest, making it more comfortable for fishing. The night saw a fantastic return with over 2000 fish caught and returned. Club member Noel won his section with an amazing haul of 52 fish, while Graham fished well in his section, returning 11 fish. On Sunday, the venues were changed again to Dodds Rock, Rooney Point, and Morriscastle Beach. It was a beautiful summer day on the beach with no wind and sunny conditions. All anglers fished well with all beaches returning lots of fish. Club member Noel had 11 fish, while Graham’s total was not available. Congratulations to David Farrell from South Shore who scored 68 points and Fiona Ryan from Tralee Bay who scored 32 points, taking the honours. A massive thanks to John Marshall for looking after all the stewards over the weekend.
