Kevin Johnson blitzs competitors to win Muckno July Festival

Dick Caplice reports on Kevin Johnson’s master class performance at the Lough Muckno July Festival…

We predicted late on, that this man would exceed the 70 Kg mark on this festival and his final days scintillating performance achieved this with some exceptional style and exceeded the mark by several kilos.
Sheer mastery all week with an unrelenting super focused Kevin Johnson approach, were once again his trademark, as he streaked away from the field in the end.

Kevin’s performance belies the class field that was assembled for this prestigious Festival on the fairest and most even venue in the land, now beyond any doubt.

When some of the newer renowned anglers, like legend Les Thompson got to grips with the venue after the first two days, they showed what it is truly capable of and this, from pegs that are normally termed as average or less.
Consistency was the mark of Craig Ellis and Ray O’ Sullivan all week and this sufficed to keep them in 3rd and 4th places with great runs of dogged fishing on each and every day. Having struggled to gain a foothold early on, Ewan Weed the Scottish raider showed his class on the final days, with sparkling weights that challenged the top daily spots and earned loads of cash on the way.

The vastly underrated Conor Browne who has come into his own this year with some spectacular performances was the sole home based competitor to make it onto the podium in 5th place and he did it in style, with a faultless performance all week, topped off with two brilliant results on the final two days. Tony Hopkins and Andy Leathers were a constant threat throughout as usual and with both finishing just under the 60kg mark they can be justly proud of their massive challenge in one of the best fields assembled in many years and over many festivals anywhere.

Les Thompson split this awesome pair on the podium and if a question ever hung over the magnificence of Lough Muckno, Les dispelled that myth this week on his first visit but truly not his last, by turning in massive performances on the “so called” wrong ends of every section drawn.

Nicky Harrison, Steve Harwood, Tony Green and Andrew Lightbown after some grim and determined competing just came up short on this occasion but gave cause for concern to the leaders throughout the event and were never out of it till the final all out came.

The remainder of the field was made up of quality anglers to a man and some pre match favorites were scattered throughout, with one or two suffering from a surprising Tuesday blip on Concra Lower, leaving a comeback a forlorn hope, try as the might and try as they certainly did.

In this random rotation, got caught, two of the genuinely certain favorites pre event, Lee Klimczuk and local hero Cathal Hughes and then winning was an exceptionally tough ask, even though the former made a valiant effort moving up into the plus 50kg bracket with fine results on the final days.

It can now truly be said that if you can win on Muckno you can win anywhere such is the level of competition to be had there and such is the evenness of the venues and the prolific nature of the fishing, when spacing gives the best, the greatest chance of honest and fair success.

I commend all of our competitors on a brilliant, fair and sporting Festival and look forward to seeing you on this great venue if not on one of our 4 Festivals to come this year, then on this one in 2017 when we expect a bigger and equally challenging field of top class runners.

To Irish Bait and Tackle ltd, many thanks as always for your special attention and fantastic fresh bait.
Raymond Watters and his great staff again provided every off bank comfort possible, with great food and drink along with first class midweek entertainment in the most courteous and convivial surroundings.

At the presentation of some magnificent cash prizes last night after a courtesy presentation meal, in the Old coach Inn, Councilor Aidan Campbell chairman of Carrickmacross and Castleblayney Municipal Council welcomed all of the 50 travelling anglers from the UK who spent in most cases more than 10 days each and also especially welcomed ten travelling wives and girlfriends, who also accompanied the anglers, in what was erstwhile looked on, as a mainly, manly pursuit.

We are delighted to accommodate this most welcome development and are proud of what the local area has to offer the accompanying friends, partners and spouses.

Aidan also thanked the organisers for their energy and dedication to the Angling Tourist product in the region and reaffirmed his and the Councils commitment to Angling and the Angling Tourism product in this very special and important region, now becoming the hub for Coarse and Pike Angling tourism in Ireland.

Report Courtesy of Dick Caplice at https://www.facebook.com/Lough-Muckno-393107817429399/