After twelve months of planning its hard to believe we are here reflecting over the weekend and the third annual Dunmore East Small Boats is over. This time last May we announced 25^th and 26^th May was going to be the weekend for the 2019 Small Boats. A lot of hard work and meetings were undertaken by the committee, we are lucky to have a good committee and everyone digs in and share the work.

The weekend began with a meet and greet in the Ocean Hotel with a number of anglers which had arrived on the Friday turning up for beverage and chat (more like a game of cards with plans been held close to the chest) not much being given away. Some boats got a run in Friday as the weather was good. The weather for Saturday was good and the fishing was unrestricted with Sunday looking to be restricted to inside hook head due to high winds.

Boat entries were up on the previous two years with 16 boats consisting of 45 anglers entered, all of whom would spend the two days competing in trying to catch as many species as possible and/or as big as the nominated species as possible. Great to see boats from all corners of Ireland and Scotland and Wales.

Saturday morning breakfast was served up and check in was from 7 am in the Ocean hotel. Boats left the harbour at 9am and had nine hours to do their best. The sea conditions made the going easy some boats had their eyes on the bigger fish heading straight to the wrecks on the outer limits of the fishing zone. Other boats went after the species and went in varying directions to try scratch the species off the list. Reports were mixed with some boats struggling to catch their intended species in the morning where others were off to a flying start. In the afternoon some boats slowed up and others only started building the number of species. At 6 pm boats arrived back at the slip ready for weigh in eager to see how everyone else did and if they were in a good position for day two. For the committee it was good to see some new species not recorded in previous years, namely Spur dogs, Tope and haddock.

The standing after day one were:

With results very close after day one, most retired to the Ocean hotel to get dinner and refreshments. It was time to put plans in places for day two and teams weighed up weather and tides to see what species would be there for the taking. Day 2 was restricted from Hook head to Falskirts rock and all inside.

Day two boats were eager to get going and at 9 am boats headed up the estuary at speed. Finish time was 5 pm on Sunday. Weather was not kind with stiff North West winds hindering the best made plans making it tough for all boats. With two 2^nd places in previous years Sea Witch from Wales was not letting the weather stop them notching up the species trying to better the two 2nds. Katie lying in 2^nd after day one was also getting the species when other was struggled.

Unfortunately, in potential after a good day one Fin Chaser had to withdraw. The lead boat  from day 1 Team Rinnashark knew they were up against it with some serious competition but managed to notch up a good number of species, but would it be enough, at 5 pm all boats returned after a blustery day a float. Any boats which tried the outer limits got plenty of rocking and rolling in the choppy seas. At this stage its whispering and questioning to see how everyone else had done, would them few should of caught species be your down fall or had you enough? Had someone bet you or is your fish going to tip the scales and get you in amongst the prizes?

After the dust had settled and all boats checked in and weighed in; with 4^th place in the previous two years of the Dunmore East Small boats team Rinnashark on Barry’s boat (no name)  finished day 2 with 8 species adding to 13 from day one making a total of 21 species to win the 2019 Dunmore East Small Boats. Close on the heels and 2^nd for a 3^rd year was Sea Witch adding 7 species to the 12 from day one to finish with 19. Katie managed 4 species on day 2 to finish on 17. The full results are:

The biggest fish prizes over the weekend was dominated by Viking but some other boats got a look in too.

Biggest fish, Saturday – Viking

Biggest fish, Sunday – Viking

Biggest Flat – Here Fishy Fishy

Biggest Cod – Viking

Biggest Pollock – Viking

Biggest Gurnard – Sea Witch

Biggest Ling – Viking

Juvenile Prizes

Adam O’Neill & Will Dunphy

Over the two days at total of 32 Species, as the years go and the more and more species show up and as lads get to grips with the area and try tease out more and more species. We are blessed in the Dunmore area to have two sheltered venues (Tramore Bay and the Estuary) and huge mix of reef, rock pinnacles, wrecks and clean ground open sea marks.

The Species were:

Red Gurnard, Corkwing wrasse, BullHuss, Launce, Tope, Weever, Whiting, Rockcook wrasse, goldshinny wrasse, Dab, Dog, Flounder, Pollock, Mackerel, Poorcod, Pout, Sea Scorpion, Smoothound, Cod, Grey Gurnard, Cuckoo Wrasse, Ling, Haddock, Ballon Wrasse, Bass, Coalie, Goby, Scad, Silver eel, Plaice,Spurdog Butterfish

On behalf of all at Rinnashark SAC we would like to thank all the sponsors and the anglers who travelled from near and far. It was great to see a lot of new faces, with a mix of very experienced and some more novice so I hope everyone learned something new to help improve the future fishing trips. Hopefully angling friendships were made that will last a lifetime. I really hope everyone had a good weekend and will consider coming back in 2020 for the 4^th Dunmore East Small Boats.

Once again I would like to thank all the anglers and hopefully, we will all meet up for the 2020 Dunmore East Small boats date to be announced within the next week.

A Huge Thank you to all Our Sponsors:

Mikes Custom rods, Shamrock Tackle, Waterford Outdoor and Angling centre, Rodfinder, American Tackle Inland Fisheries Ireland, Bobbys Angling Supplies, The Ocean Hotel, O Neill & Cunningham Builders, Purcell Properties, Pierce Hire, Spar Dunmore East, Haven Hotel.