This report from the Killarney Salmon and Trout Anglers Club on their recent youth fishing event:
A total of 23 juvenile anglers attended the ‘Try Fishing’ event on Barfinnihy Lough and they were accompanied by a mix of parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins for what was a really enjoyable evening’s fishing.
The fishing methods followed the angling code for the lough, with younger participants fishing with a bubble and worm, older children spinning and, fantastically, a few brought fly rods and displayed their skills on the night. A combination of advice and mentoring was available from senior club anglers on the night and IFI personnel who were present. The participants learned the tips on handling the rods, importance of safety when fishing with the spinners and hooks, and gained experience in judging the take and playing and handling the fish.
Fishing commenced at 6pm and at around 8.20pm the horn was sounded to summon the remaining anglers to the car park, as the fading light was noticeable. However, the atmosphere was brightened with the delightful smiling faces of the young participants as they arrived back with their tales of great sport.
IFI Assistant Inspector Tim Moore, who was ably assisted by his officers, Paul and Jose, presented the youngest members of the outing with memorable “Go Fishing Bags” which were sponsored by IFI. These were lovely practical kits to help to encourage the youngsters in the sport.
Killarney SATC Club Chairman DJ O’Riordan also presented all participants on the night with a KSTAC Medal as a memento of the occasion and to mark their participation. To replace the energy lost on the banks for the last few hours, refreshments were served out to a willing and deserving bunch of anglers.
The club would also like to acknowledge the support of Denis O’Neill, in O’Neill’s Tackle Shop of Plunkett Street, Killarney. This shop is another important asset in introducing young participants to the sport, where they can get good practical advice and handle the equipment while of course listening to tales of all the ones that got away and are still out there for the catching!
Denis sponsored equipment for the night that ensured no one had to stop fishing for a dreaded irretrievable tangle or lost bubble. The club ran the event as an outing, to get a good idea of the interest among the juveniles and to prepare a calendar of similar events into the future. Based on the uptake and interest, the club will be putting together a calendar of events and competitions in 2025 and looks forward to working with IFI in that.
The Club would like to acknowledge the assistance of Inland Fisheries Ireland in providing the sponsorship of the event through their Sponsorship Programme and the fantastic assistance from the South West IFI office. The local staff ensured that the lake was stocked in advance of the event and provided a fantastic team on the night who were on hand to assist and advise the juveniles, as well as kindle the rapport that will exist between these anglers and the fisheries teams for years to come.
