Ballycotton Big Fish event organisers advise that applicants from far and wide are coming in for this September’s huge sharking fishing competition in Co. Cork. Closing date for applications to fish Europe’s richest shark fishing tournament is 15th April so be sure to get your name down sooner rather than later.
The inaugural Ballycotton Big Fish, a 4 day Shark Tournament, will be taking place 12-15 September 2019. Each day the angler who lands the biggest fish will win €20,000. And the angler who lands the biggest shark in the competition will win a huge €170,000.
This tournament will be adhering to a very strict ‘Catch, Tag and Release’ policy. Blue, Porbeagle, Thresher and Shortfin Mako are the only shark species permitted in this event.
The Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs (IFPAC) is a body representing pike anglers in Ireland, North and South.The IFPAC was founded on 17th January 1988 at a meeting held at the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan. The membership for that year stood at fifteen clubs representing six hundred anglers, today membership of IFPAC is approaching 100 affiliated clubs representing in excess of seven thousand anglers from all walks of life.
Bill Braizier, Editor at Off The Scale gives a run down of whats in the latest edition of this on line fishing magazine…
Off the Scale no. 27 is now live for your viewing pleasure on our site. We loved this shot so much we had to make it the latest cover. Angling coach and top match angler Phil Jackson with Maciej ‘Magic’ Bober at the recent Fishing Tackle & Bait open weekend in Enniskillen – what an awesome pic from and awesome event!
We had 18 seniors and 6 juniors out for the Murphy Cup. Venue had to be changed few times due to high water levels so in the end we fished 3 small lakes with only 1 producing most fish. Unfortunately no juniors caught and seniors landed 37 pike to 10lb 02oz. Man on fire at the minute is Jimmy Conway winning back to back competitions. Full results are as follows..
Winder of Murphy cup 2019 is
1st Jimmy Conway 10lb 02oz heaviest fish and 57lb 08oz bag
2nd Eugene mc cabe 18lb 7oz bag
3rd Dave Murphy 17lb 14oz bag
Jimmy also won guess the weight with 10lb 03oz, 1 oz off the actual weight but the closest guess.
Jimmy with the heaviest fish – 10lb 2oz
Dan O’Reilly, Stephen Cummins and Stephen Sheridan each won a €20 Southside angling vouchers.
Our 1st quarter of mini league ended Sunday so results are as follows
1st Jimmy Conway 34.12 lb
2nd Eugene Mc Cabe 29.12lb
3rd Tommy Winder 22.02lb
Well done to all our winners next club comp is the 14th April and juniors welcome at this one also so again thanks to all that made the trip.
The Irish Bass Festival organisers have announced the dates for this year’s event and there is a bit of a change in the timing and format.
First of all the dates have changed to later in the season and it will now run from 27-29th September.
Secondly this year’s event is running without big tackle prizes or sponsorship. The competitors will be fishing for the that one and only trophy along with bragging rights and some token small prizes !
The entry fee will be reduced to €25 per angler to cover running costs.
It’s still going to run the same way, a fully catch and release competition. Check in Friday morning at the Butterfly Loft and finishing up Sunday afternoon.
Menapia Sea Anglers report on their latest competition fished at the weekend…
The wheels on the bus just kept on turning and Double Decky hits the wall at Menapia’s latest club competition held at Ballyhack last weekend.
Triple hook up at Ballyhack
Angling legend Jimmy The Bus took his first club win in a while with a solid bag of 25 fish. Jimmy was closely followed by Brian Cantwell on 20 fish and Howard Wang finished third with 16 fish. Decky Walsh struggled to hit his rhythm and couldn’t capitalised on his last win, rumours had it his hooks were to small from all the freshwater angling he’s doing lately
With a full attendance in conditions that weren’t ideal but all anglers managed to catch, species landed included, Codling, Eel, flounder and Dab.
Longest fish went to Paddy Ryan with a 38cm Codling.
Join the Club…
The Menapia Sea Angling Club was founded in 2000, by a small handful of Wexford anglers. It was felt that to retain and grow interest & membership of a successful club, it would have to engage a wide variety shore-angling, that would cater for all. For more information see
Angling club CM Lakelands reports that 29 pairs fished the All Ireland Feeder Pairs match on Lough Muckno on Sunday. Fishing was hard in places but everyone caught fish.
Darren Fairhurst and Brendan O’Brien winners at Muckno on Sunday
The winning pair are Darren Fairhurst and Brendan O’Brien with 3 points 2nd was James O’Doherty and Johnny McKinley with 4 points 3rd was Eimantas Kasalynas and Deimante Karaliunaite with 6 points.
Well done to all the teams and very well fished.
Eimantas Kašalynas won his section on Black Island with 2.775 kg.
Individually the winners on the day were
1st Rory O Neil
2nd Davie Hamilton
3rd James O Doherty
The event will be run again next year around the same time of year
New angling facility in Foxford gives access to all
Tuesday, 2nd April 2019:Inland Fisheries Ireland has welcomed the opening of East Mayo Anglers Association disabled angling facility on the River Moy in Foxford, County Mayo. The €200,000 facility, which was opened last Friday by Michael Ring TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, gives access to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility over a large stretch of the popular salmon angling destination.
The new facility comes with a 76 metre accessible fishing platform with access ramps and railings to allow all members of the public to safely access the river. It also includes changing facilities, designed for shelter from the weather, and an accessible car park. The project was funded by Inland Fisheries Ireland to the tune of €160,000 under the National Strategy for Angling Development with a further €30,000 contributed from East Mayo Anglers Association.
Angler Lester Cassidy enjoying the new angling platform
The project is just one of many fisheries development projects being completed across the country under the National Strategy for Angling Development, which is the first comprehensive national framework for the development of Ireland’s angling resource. With an overarching emphasis on conservation, the Strategy focuses on improving angling access, developing angling tourism and recognising angling as a key leisure and recreational pursuit.
The new accessible angling platform
Michael Ring TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development said at the launch: “The highly collaborative approach of both East Mayo Anglers Association and Inland Fisheries Ireland has led to the high quality facility here today. The ongoing conservation and development of our fisheries resource relies on a high level of collaboration between all those who have an interest in this precious natural amenity and today, we see the fruits of such a partnership. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and sincerely congratulate all the club committee members who have worked tirelessly to get us to this point today.”
Changing facilities at FoxfordThe completed carpark which also improves accessibility
Dr Ciaran Byrne, CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “I would like to acknowledge the commitment and hard work of East Mayo Anglers Association who have delivered this fantastic new angling facility. Their dedication and constructive attitude to making a valuable difference in their locality is exemplary.
The idea for this accessible angling facility was borne in Foxford and we were delighted to support with financial assistance and guidance, where needed, from our staff. We are working to replicate projects and partnerships, just like this one, across Ireland through the National Strategy for Angling Development.”
Michael Ring TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, opens the new facility
Inland Fisheries Ireland will announce details of a new funding call under the National Strategy for Angling Development in April. Further details will be available on www.fisheriesireland.ie .
Westport angler, Brian Hope, caught & released the first salmon of the season on Carrowmore Lake! Brian’s fish was caught on Saturday 30th March and took a Green Peter Variant and weight approx. 7 lbs. Brian and his boat partner also hooked and lost another two fish. Well done to Brian who is a regular on the lake.
Brian Hope releasing the first Carrowmore salmon of the 2019 season
Only two days later, two more fish were caught. Til Frohlick, Dublin, had a 5 lbs. fish while Frank Dooley, also Dublin, caught a seven pounder. Frank’s fish took a Sedgehog.
Please note that Carrowmore Lake is a Brown Tag Fishery this year! For fishing on Carrowmore Lake contact Seamus Henry on +353 (0)97 83487 or visit www.bangorerrisangling.com.
