Irish Angling Update – 23 November 2018

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November 23, 2018

One of the rarer Donegal bay shore catches – lumpsucker

Congratulations to Letterkenny Educate Together National School who were named winners of the national education programme, ‘Something Fishy’. Something Fishy allows students to learn about fish and the environment in a local context. Students enjoy classroom based activities as well as practical fieldtrips with Fisheries Officers as part of the programme. To find more visit: Letterkenny school scoops top prize in national ‘Something Fishy’ competition

Coarse anglers are recording some good catches in winter leagues and other competitions across the country. Sheemore Anglers had bags of fish to over 20lb at their competitions on Albert Lock, in fact small roach made up a very impressive 34lb for Brian Bohan recently. Portumna was also producing small roach and weights to 14lb were made up of bits in a Munster Coarse Anglers competition. Some lovely skimmers were landed by CM Lakelands anglers on Muckno in their winter league and continuing North, Rickey Peoples took the 2018 Bann Bonanza title with a 5-day weight of 32.125kg.

Martin proudly displays his new PB – a 22lb 12oz pike that wins Catch of the Week

The 2nd annual “King Of The Corrib” Catch and Release Pike competition run by Predator Hunters Ireland, was held at Greenfields on Sunday the 18th November. Fishing was tough but there were some good pike measured. Evaldas Gusarovas had the longest pike – 110cm and he went on to win the competition with Aidan Traynor. Some good pike were also caught and released by Pallas Lake Pike Angling Club in their latest competition also fished on Sunday. Martin McCrory only managed one on the day, but it was enough for 2nd place. His 22lb 12oz pike is his new PB and also winds him Catch of the Week.

A November Blue for Skipper David Edwards

Charter boat Tigger in West Cork had some great late season blue shark fishing earlier this month. Also in the catches were plenty of small to medium cod with the occasional double shots of 3-5lb fish showing as well as occasional fish to 9lb. Around the corner in Kerry anglers fishing with John Quinlan were getting some lovely bass and mullet on fly earlier in the month. Staying in Kerry Tralee Bay Sea Angling Club fished through some brutal conditions last week in their winter league but some decent fish were landed, mostly bass and flounder. In Donegal it was flounders and turbot with the odd coley that made up the catches in the Killybegs Mariners winter league last week – as Stefan Martin put it “Beaches are in prime fishing mode now and the noise of flounder tails slapping on the sand was constant throughout the night”.

Fly anglers looking for something to do over the winter months are reminded to keep an eye out for the various winter leagues that are under way such as those at Annamoe and Rathcon. Most rainbow fisheries stay open through the winter and offer entertaining sport for any fly fishers feeling cabin fever.

Finally, all water users along the River Shannon are being urged to take precautions after confirmation of an outbreak of Crayfish Plague (which kills native freshwater White-clawed Crayfish) on a stretch of the Al River. This river is one of the main tributaries to the River Shannon in Athlone and flows westerly, entering the Shannon downstream of the weir. More information here Water users urged to take precautions to limit an outbreak of Crayfish Plague confirmed on Al River, Athlone, Co. Westmeath

And now the weather…

After all the rain of yesterday and today we’ll have a good deal of dry weather in most areas on Saturday with bright or sunny spells and just an isolated shower in eastern areas. However showery rain will continue for a time along the south and southwest coasts with the slight risk of a heavy thundery burst. Highest temperatures 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, in a mostly light northeast breeze, which will be a little fresher along coasts. Sunday will also be mostly dry with showers in places and the cold feeling will persist as we start the day with a frost. It’s due to get windier next week and the further outlook is for unsettled weather with wet and windy spells as an Atlantic flow dominates.

Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.

Myles Kelly
Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to [email protected].

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Weather doesn’t dampen spirits of the festival anglers at the Bann Bonanza!

By

myleskelly

-

November 23, 2018

Forty festival anglers were met with less than desirable conditions for the annual Bann Bonanza coarse angling competition earliler this month. A calm river still at summer levels turned into a raging torrent as the inclement weather saw the necessary opening of the flood gates to push the river into full flood conditions by Friday. Coloured water and a fast flow saw catches become more difficult as the week progressed with the whip and pole feeder at short range the main methods in use.

Never the less it was a close-run competition that saw Coleraine angler Rickey Peoples (Hinders Bait) take the 2018 title with a 5-day weight of 32.125kg. Rickey took the lead on day three of the festival with a magnificent net of roach for 18kg 400 all caught on the whip close in, alternating with the short whip and long pole flat float the rest of the week. Good performances saw Belfast anglers William Donaldson finish in the runner-up position and Aaron Hutchman third both having fished consistently throughout the week.

The festival on the Lower River Bann takes place on Mid Ulster Council’s angling facility at Portglenone, County Antrim, Northern Ireland where there are 89 managed swims over a mile-long stretch.
The competition sees anglers draw random rotations of four sections along the river which uniquely ensures a different mix of anglers each day, finishing with a full open draw on day 5.

Even with high winds and heavy rain the angler’s spirits were not dampened as in true Irish style this makes for a sociable festival; plenty of banter and craic on the bank, the chance of a ‘flyer’ on Friday and plenty of prizes shared around the match including a wooden spoon and voucher from Loughview Angling Centre presented to Ron Parker (Oxfordshire) for being last man of the match, all in good spirits. Anglers from the UK and Ireland were this year joined by Petar Dimitrovski from Slovenia who took part to get a flavour of the river ahead of the planned European Championships next June.

Winner — Richard Peoples won the event with 32.125kg

1st Richard Peoples 32.125kg
2nd William Donaldson 31.175kg
3rd Aaaron Hutchman 29.850kg
4th Niall Mc Kitterick 29.750kg
5th Philip Scooby Hartin 28.350kg
6th Robert Buick 27.500kg
7th Gary Cummings 27.450kg
8th Ron Jordan 25.500kg
9th Bill Ellis 24.850kg
The winners

Fantastic support from The Honorable Irish Society, Mid Ulster District Council, Waterways Ireland, GW Pumping Services of Leeds, Loughview Angling Centre, Champion Feed UK and Ireland , Fish Matrix and Prescot Angling Centre all make for a fantastic prize fund. There were trophies for the top 3 plus prizes for the top 9 overall, supplemented by daily winners and mini section prizes which saw the fund shared all around.

Festival organiser Derek Buckley, who not only runs the festival with the help of his fiancé Lucy Donnelly but who sources the sponsorship and promotes the event throughout the year, would like to pass on his thanks to all the sponsors, to the The Wild Duck Inn Portglenone for their warm hospitality and complimentary food and to Philip Hartin and members of the Lower Bann CAA who assist throughout plus the anglers who volunteered for the daily weigh-ins. Not forgetting all those who travelled to the area to take part in this year’s festival.

2019 Bann Bonanza

The 2019 Bann Bonanza will take place from the 4th to 8th of November. The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland have been awarded the privilege of hosting the Fips-ed European Championships in Ireland in 2019 and the River Bann is a preferred location. Working with Waterways Ireland and Mid Ulster Council the Portglenone angling facility is set to be enhanced to facilitate the event in the coming months and its anticipated we can look forward to more events on the venue.

The annual coarse angling competitions for schools takes place on the venue in April. The event is open to secondary schools in Northern Ireland, contact John Taggart tel: 07891 516677

Irish Angling Update – 23 November 2018

By

myleskelly

-

November 23, 2018

Congratulations to Letterkenny Educate Together National School who were named winners of the national education programme, ‘Something Fishy’. Something Fishy allows students to learn about fish and the environment in a local context. Students enjoy classroom based activities as well as practical fieldtrips with Fisheries Officers as part of the programme. To find more visit: Letterkenny school scoops top prize in national ‘Something Fishy’ competition

Coarse anglers are recording some good catches in winter leagues and other competitions across the country. Sheemore Anglers had bags of fish to over 20lb at their competitions on Albert Lock, in fact small roach made up a very impressive 34lb for Brian Bohan recently. Portumna was also producing small roach and weights to 14lb were made up of bits in a Munster Coarse Anglers competition. Some lovely skimmers were landed by CM Lakelands anglers on Muckno in their winter league and continuing North, Rickey Peoples took the 2018 Bann Bonanza title with a 5-day weight of 32.125kg.

The 2nd annual “King Of The Corrib” Catch and Release Pike competition run by Predator Hunters Ireland, was held at Greenfields on Sunday the 18th November. Fishing was tough but there were some good pike measured. Evaldas Gusarovas had the longest pike – 110cm and he went on to win the competition with Aidan Traynor. Some good pike were also caught and released by Pallas Lake Pike Angling Club in their latest competition also fished on Sunday. Martin McCrory only managed one on the day, but it was enough for 2nd place. His 22lb 12oz pike is his new PB and also winds him Catch of the Week.

Charter boat Tigger in West Cork had some great late season blue shark fishing earlier this month. Also in the catches were plenty of small to medium cod with the occasional double shots of 3-5lb fish showing as well as occasional fish to 9lb. Around the corner in Kerry anglers fishing with John Quinlan were getting some lovely bass and mullet on fly earlier in the month. Staying in Kerry Tralee Bay Sea Angling Club fished through some brutal conditions last week in their winter league but some decent fish were landed, mostly bass and flounder. In Donegal it was flounders and turbot with the odd coley that made up the catches in the Killybegs Mariners winter league last week – as Stefan Martin put it “Beaches are in prime fishing mode now and the noise of flounder tails slapping on the sand was constant throughout the night”.

Fly anglers looking for something to do over the winter months are reminded to keep an eye out for the various winter leagues that are under way such as those at Annamoe and Rathcon. Most rainbow fisheries stay open through the winter and offer entertaining sport for any fly fishers feeling cabin fever.

Finally, all water users along the River Shannon are being urged to take precautions after confirmation of an outbreak of Crayfish Plague (which kills native freshwater White-clawed Crayfish) on a stretch of the Al River. This river is one of the main tributaries to the River Shannon in Athlone and flows westerly, entering the Shannon downstream of the weir. More information here Water users urged to take precautions to limit an outbreak of Crayfish Plague confirmed on Al River, Athlone, Co. Westmeath