Anglers Battle for Top Prizes in the Hong Kong and Guinness Fish-and-a-Half Trophies
It was all action on the water this weekend as the Crosshaven Sea Anglers Club hosted the eagerly anticipated Hong Kong Trophy and Guinness Fish and a Half Trophy Competition, proudly sponsored by O’Connor Motor Factors, Glanmire.
With rods at the ready and the tide in their favour, local anglers reeled in a total of 87 fish across 9 different species, making for a thrilling and diverse contest.
Alister Kennedy with a nice ling
Anthony Austin proved unstoppable this year, landing a whopping 34 fish for 345 points, taking 1st Place Overall and clinching the prestigious Hong Kong Trophy with 233 edible points.
Anthony Austin receiving the Guinness fish and half trophy
Trailing the leader but putting in a stellar effort were:
2nd Place Overall: Eddie Deasy – 10 fish, 161 points
3rd Place Overall: Gary Sullivan – 13 fish, 131 points
The next generation of anglers made a splash too:
1st Place Junior: Alister Kennedy – 16 fish, 202 points
1st Place Juvenile: Kate O’Connell – 10 fish, 184 points
Kate O’Connell with the juvenile trophy
Species Breakdown
The sea offered up a colourful array of fish:
38 Pollack
18 Pouting
8 Cuckoo Wrasse
7 Coalfish
5 Ballan Wrasse
5 Poor Cod
4 Conger
1 Ling
1 Lesser-Spotted Dogfish (LSD)
It wasn’t just about the prizes — it was a day of camaraderie, sea air, and unforgettable moments for the Crosshaven angling community. A huge thanks to all participants and to O’Connor Motor Factors Glanmire for their continued support.
Go fishing…
Join the club
The Crosshaven Sea Angling Club (SAC) has been a cornerstone of local sea angling since its founding in 1957. Whether you’re targeting pollack, bass, conger, or dogfish, the Club offers plenty for anglers of all skill levels. In 2024, Crosshaven welcomed teams from 13 countries for the 59th World Senior Boat Angling Championships—showing the club’s capacity to host world-class events
We are open to adults and particularly juniors, where new members enjoy camaraderie, tackle sharing techniques from seasoned anglers and plenty of social events.
We support our youngest anglers, nurturing future talents like Jack Walsh and Sarah Lynch who will represent Ireland at the World youths boat championships in Montenegro in 2025.
Whether you’re an experienced angler or a curious beginner, Crosshaven Sea Anglers Club welcomes new members of all ages and skill levels. Join us for competitions, social events, and the best fishing Cork Harbour has to offer!
For membership details, contact Fred Vickery (085 747 6807) or check out our Facebook page – Crosshaven SAC.
Had a great trip with Colorado resident Lance Elmshaeuser. I juggled the limited dates he had available to give us the best chance of getting the trip done and in the end we had more than enough time, but other challenges presented themselves! The heat of the previous days meant that as we met in the morning the coastline was cloaked in fog, with even a mist of rain falling, but more importantly the sea was calm…
First things first, get afloat
Having gone through the final briefings we went afloat and paddled to the first location as Lance got used to his new ride and I pointed out what could be seen through the mist. We found fish through experimentation and by moving from spot to spot with some of the bigger pollack needing teamwork to get them up from the depths and one (New) rod failing prematurely under load!
Pollack
As the trip progressed the sun burnt off the fog to reveal the stunning West Cork coastline in all it’s glory, which must have been a highly memorable vista for Lance considering he lives 20 hrs drive away from the US Coastline…
Lots of fish
On the way back in, after a longer than usual trip due to the now ideal conditions, we found Sandeel shoals dispersed across a wide area, which we were able to watch through the crystal clear waters of the bay and explained the wider than normal distribution of the fish in that area…
Sandeel
Go fishing…
Contact me now to arrange your Guided Trip or Workshop – Mullet, Pollock, Bass, Wrasse,
Fly or Lure, Kayak or Shore, plus Junior Coarse Fishing. [email protected]
David has been lure then fly fishing since the mid noughties with some of the best guides and anglers in Ireland and abroad.
Kayak fishing by lure & fly now takes him and his guiding guests beyond the shore to target Pollock, Bass or Wrasse with the chance of other species such as Codling, Coalfish, Mackerel or Garfish.
Shore fishing at night is also a very special experience.
Paddy Dunworth at Celtic Angling was out with Brock Pfost from Missouri last week. Brock was on a cruise around Ireland on the Azamara Quest liner and he jumped ship at Foynes for a full day fly-fishing session.
River Deel and Bateman’s Mill at Newbridge
The River Deel at Newbridge was the prefect venue as it’s only a 20 minute drive from Foynes. Conditions were ideal barring the bright sunshine. There was a NW wind, which was ideal for fishing upstream dry-fly, a nice bit of freshwater in the river after the rain and the air temperature was a comfortable 18°C temperature. To backing track of unending birdsong Brock handled the wading and fly-casting admirably. Paddy’s photos tell the story.
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Brock's beautiful brown trout from the Deel
...and another
Overall Brock was thrilled with the opportunity to fly-fish for real Irish wild browns in a natural and challenging environment. He had success too, catching 5 or 6 fish and he a lot more rises as well. The fly of the day was a size 16 Black Gnat. All fish carefully released.
Badged Fly-fishing Guide and Instructor for wild brown trout on Co. Limerick’s rivers Deel and Maigue.
Notes: Based near the picturesque village of Adare(Ireland’s Prettiest Village)
Paddy has been delivering personal guiding for wild brown trout on local streams and rivers for 25 years now. He is a qualified Marine and Countryside Guide and offers Fly-casting tuition for beginners and improvers.
Paddy replies promptly to all queries, email best so I have reference record of details in the event of a follow-up booking. Deposit not usually required as advice of accommodation suffices in lieu.
Tackle and gear hire
Full fly outfit/waders etc. on hire also for those wishing to go alone.
ast weekend saw cooler weather and widespread rain spreading east across the country resulting in rising water levels and dropping water temperatures. This short-term change in the weather improved angling conditions for a while. However, with temperatures rising steadily since the beginning of the week and a Status Yellow high temperature warning in place (temperatures are expected to peak at around 30 degrees over the coming weekend), most angling will be impacted again.
Anglers are reminded during these periods of high temperatures to consider fish welfare. The use of keep nets is not recommended when waterways, particularly canals, experience high water temperatures, low water levels and low oxygen. Pike become very sensitive to temperature and pressure changes and angling for them is not recommended. Stress of capture can lead to mortalities for salmon and trout when water temperatures exceed 20 degrees Celsius.
In this context IFI has announced that the Galway Fishery, the Erriff Fishery and the Cloongee Fishery on the River Moy will be closed from midnight tonight as water temperatures exceeded the 20-degree threshold today. A closure of the Moy Fishery in Ballina is also expected and anglers are urged to check with the Ridge Pool Angling Centre in Ballina (+353 (0)96 22669) for up-to-date information.
The Grand Canal in Co. Offaly saw a great turnout at the NCFFI All-Ireland Youth Canal Championships held in Daingean. The championship brought together junior anglers from across the country, competing in a fun and friendly environment designed to promote canal angling among youth. A full report is available here. Also in Offaly, members of the Leinster Coarse Fishing Federation found water levels to be well down on the canals from the norm last weekend, but that didn’t seem to impact the fishing too badly, with good mixed bags of hybrids, roach and bream.
Moving to Co. Wexford, where the 25th anniversary Dunbrody Festival was held at Oaklands over the past weekend. This 2-day festival saw difficult fishing with strong winds but there were still some great nets weighed in, especially by winner Ronan Minogue. Staying in the southeast, fine bags were reported from Loch Mahon – Ireland’s newest Carp Fishery. Loch Mahon is situated 10 minutes from Enniscorthy and 20 minutes from New Ross and can hold up to 15 anglers at a time, with loads of room for feeder anglers and pole anglers. The carp range from 1lbs to 10lbs, and there are some lovely tench as well. Further info available here.
Loch Mahon in Co. Wexford
Last but not least over to sea angling. As in previous weeks, charter boats recorded some outstanding catches. On the east coast, Kit Dunne of Wicklow Boat Charters continued to produce the goods for his clients reporting plenty of bullhuss and tope on most days, with the odd big one thrown in. Best fish of the week was a specimen tope at 161cm for Dan O’Reilly which wins our Catch of the Week. Earlier in the week, Kit had the local club, Wicklow Bay SAC, onboard for a species competition. The fishing was excellent with a total of 18 species recorded, including plenty of tope, hounds, gurnard, ray, whiting, pollack, wrasse, dogs, some bullhuss, dragonets, and a few more.
Blue shark were also on the plate for anglers aboard the Clare Dragoon, skippered by Luke Aston, fishing out of Carrigaholt. But even on the windy days his guests enjoyed some good fishing in shelter, with tope, thornback ray and bullhuss featuring in catches. A number of porbeagles were also caught by his clients making it a perfect week along the Clare coast.
Skipper Sean Maguire who also fishes out of Carrigaholt reports that while the weather hasn’t been the most helpful lately, the fishing when they could get out had been quite productive, with plenty of pollack, spurdog, mackerel and even squid, while a little further north in Galway Bay, John Fleming reported a few more blues together with good mixed fishing for anglers on the Brazen Hussy II.
Further up the coast, the National Junior Competition / Daniel Peacock Memorial 2025 took place in the seas around beautiful Clew Bay. The event was organised by Newport SAC, and it was a special occasion as it marked the 20th anniversary of the passing of a local club angler and the grandson of former club secretary, Sue Steer. The overall winner of the competition was Daithi Nevin with an impressive haul of 14 dogfish, two ray and two bulhuss giving him a total of 160 points on the day.
Finally, we would like to make all interested sea anglers aware that the Greystones Annual Tope Festival will be fished on 30th & 31st August. Tight Lines!
And now the weather…
Tonight will be dry with long clear spells and light winds. Very mild or warm with temperatures not falling below 13 to 17 degrees. Saturday will hot with temperatures reaching 26 to 30 degrees. It will be dry and sunny with light to moderate southeasterly winds. Sunday will start out largely fine and dry with good sunny spells and mostly light winds. Cloud will build from the west with outbreaks of rain pushing in across Atlantic coastal counties. Some heavy and possibly thundery showers are possible in the west during the late afternoon and evening. A very warm day with highest temperatures of 22 to 28 degrees and southerly breezes. Indications for next week are for a change to more unsettled and cooler weather with more rain turning heavy at times.
Don’t forget to double-check the forecast before heading off, and if you’re going to sea, check the tides.
If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update, please send it to [email protected]and don’t forget that all of our fishing reports are available on our dedicated Angling Ireland Facebook page.
Skipper Sean Maguire says that while the weather hasn’t been the most helpful lately, the fishing when they could get out ha been quite productive, with plenty of pollack, spurdog, mackerel and even squid. Below are some photos from recent trips where anglers certainly enjoyed their day out.
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Go Fishing
Isle of Aran
Fishing Adventures on Séan Maguire’s Isle of Aran, a Lochin 33 charterboat which operates 15 miles from Kilbaha, Carrigaholt, and Kilrush.
Whether you want to go to the Atlantic Ocean for a large selection of species, including different types of shark, or fish the estuary for ray conger tope etc, Fishing Adventures will cater for whatever fishing you desire. Telephone: +353 (0) 877508758 or +353 (0) 894431182 Email:[email protected]Web:www.fishingadventures.ie
Skipper Luke Aston says weather has been a bit tough of late, but even on the windy days his guests enjoyed some good fishing in shelter, with tope, thornback ray and bull huss featuring in catches.
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A settled day saw them have a try for sixgill shark, but although no monsters appeared, they did have the first blue shark of the season to the boat.
The following day was too rough to anchor, so another shark drift it was, and they were rewarded with plenty of action, and 6 blues up to 2 metres long.
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With the weather settling this week, conditions are much nicer and another day sharking produced 3 nice porbeagles to the boat.
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And as Luke says (and we agree fully) it’s always nice to see someone get their first shark. And what a fish this was for a first catch!
Go fishing…
Clare Dragoon
Clare Dragoon is a LOCHIN 366 powered by 650HP engine, skippered by Luke Aston and operating out of Carrigaholt Co. Clare…
I have some offers up on my web site www.fishandstay.com and if anybody is interested in putting a trip together please do get in touch. Also I Twitter from the boat on @fishandstay and try to update my face book page www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtSeaAngling fairly often!To experience some of the best deep sea fishing available in Ireland contact Luke. Telephone: +353 65 9058209 or +353 87 6367544 Email:[email protected]Web:www.fishandstay.com
Skipper John Fleming says the weather has made shark fishing a little difficult lately, but with the warm settled spell this week that will surely change.
One trip saw 2 dropped runs and small pup porbeagle to the boat. Great to see the young fish showing, good sign of a healthy breeding population.
Mixed species fishing has been reasonably good, with some nice pollack and wrasse landed.
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The better weather this week allowed an offshore trip, and resulted in the first blue to the boat this year, with more dropped runs. We suspect the porbeagle fishing will take off any day now…
Go fishing…
To book fishing with John aboard the Brazen Hussy II, give him a call on 087 7571320
A regular day is between 9am- 6pm from either Rossaveal, Spiddal or Galway depending on species being sought after. Fishing on the inshore reefs for pollock, cod, ling, wrasse, conger eel and mackerel can be reached in 10 minutes from departure, while our offshore reef marks are within 45 minutes of departure. Our ground fishing for tope, spurdog, ray, bullhuss, turbot, plaice and the giant common skate can all be reached within the hour which ensures the most amount of time is spent fishing.
The shark season usually starts at the end of June and runs into late October, this is the ultimate angling adrenaline rush with these hard fighting blue and porbeagle sharks all being tagged and released safely.
Package deals available
We received a late report from the week ending Sunday 25th May.
An Garda Siochana held their annual competition over two days in May. Thirty-one anglers fished showing a return of ten trout on day one with day two showing no return in extremely difficult conditions.
An evening of celebration and presentation for the winners of the Garda Competition
Serving members section results.
1st Damian Barron. Three trout for 3lbs3oz.
2nd Barry Carolan. One trout for 2lbs9oz.
3rd Colin Dodd. One trout for 1lb9oz.
4th Mick Bradley. One trout for 1lb7oz.
5th Niall Kenny. One trout for 1lb3oz.
Retired members section.
1st John Donohoe. One trout for 1lb 3oz.
2nd Dessie Mc Entee. One trout for 1lb2oz.
3rd Dean Kerns. One trout for 1lb1oz.
Heaviest Fish.
Barry Carolan. 2lbs 9oz.
Elsewhere, Kevin O Boyle reports of being out on the River Deel and Lough Conn last week with father and son anglers Jack Blake from Dublin. They had four trout off the Deel averaging 1.1 lbs and two trout off Lough Conn of similar size all of which were released with bumbles and olives working well for them.
Water levels fluctuated greatly and rapidly over the week due to continuous heavy rainfall in the catchment on two separate days. Water levels at Ballylahan rose to 1.22 m on Tuesday 1st July dropping to 0.43 m on Friday 4th and rising again to 1.3 m on Saturday 5th before settling on 0.7 m on Sunday 6th July. Weather wise, the week has seen rainfall amounts from 33 mm to 49 mm recorded in the catchment.
The week ending 13th July is forecast to be largely dry and settled with high pressure building towards the weekend and air temperatures of up to 28 degrees Celsius currently forecast.
A Status Yellow – High Temperature warning for Ireland is in place valid from 12:00 Saturday 12th July until 06:00 on Sunday 13th July and this will have an impact on angling and water temperatures which are already creeping up. Possible fishery closures are likely.
Moy Fishery
A total of fourteen salmon were caught across the Moy Fishery beats this week of which four were released. Eleven of the salmon were caught on the Ridge Pool and three were caught on the Weir Pool. Fly, worm and spinning all worked well this week as water levels were up with weights ranging from 3 lbs to 6 lbs. Due to increasing water temperatures prospective anglers are advised to contact the Moy Fishery office prior to travelling. The angling boat is now available on the Lower Beat which comprises of Polnamonagh, Spring Wells and the Ash Tree Pool. Permits can be secured by contacting the Moy Fishery office at 096 21332 or by email at [email protected]
Nathan Kane with a 4.5 lbs salmon off the RidgeMike Hornsby releasing a 6 lbs salmon back to the Ridge Pool
Ballina Salmon Anglers
Peter reports forty-five salmon caught for the week all on the worm and spinning with weights mainly ranging from 3 lbs to 7 lbs. The heaviest fish weighed 9 lbs.
Mount Falcon Estate
Mike reports of four salmon caught for the week, all on the fly.
Knockmore Salmon Anglers
Kenneth reports of thirty-one salmon caught for the week mostly on the worm with weights from 3 lbs to 7 lbs.
Attymass Angling Club
Kevin reports of twelve salmon caught for the week, mostly on the worm.
Coolcronan Fishery
Nick reports of thirty-seven salmon caught for the week using all methods with the best weighing in at 7 lbs.
Byrnes Fishery
Roy reports of forty-seven salmon caught for the week of which seven were released mostly on the worm and spinner. The best fish weighed 7 lbs.
Gannon’s Fishery
Pat reports in with thirty-eight salmon caught for the week of which four were released.
The Foxford Fishery
Granville reports of thirty-three salmon caught for the week of which three were released, mainly on the worm. The best fish weighed 8 lbs.
Foxford Salmon Anglers
Harry reports of eighty-four salmon caught for the week using all permitted methods with sixty-five of these coming off Rinnaney.
Foxford Town
Reports of twenty salmon caught for the week were received with a number released in the town stretch. It was also reported that a lot of fresh fish were seen.
Cloongee Fishery
A total of eleven salmon were reported caught for the week of which three were released with the fly and the worm working best. Weights ranged up to 9 lbs. Anglers are reminded that they must make a “Catch/No Catch” return on the blue duplicate of their permit and place in the catch return boxes located in the two car parks. Catch/No Catch returns can also be made by email to [email protected]
East Mayo Anglers Association
Kathleen reports of thirty-two salmon caught for the week of which six were released and one sea trout of 1.5 lbs also released. All methods working well with most weighing 3 lbs to 6 lbs and the best weighing 10 lbs.
East Mayo Anglers Association will be holding a Youth Angling Event on Saturday 26th July at the Disabled Anglers Facility. Details are set out in the poster below.
A very worthwhile youth angling event planned by East Mayo Anglers Association coming up soon
The Moy Estuary
Simon reports from the estuary aboard Nettie’s Star of twelve sea trout caught over two days of which eight were released with the best weighing 3 lbs 6 oz.
Seamus and Vinny aboard Nettie’s Star on the Moy Estuary
During the months of May and June a total of 125 anglers fished Ballin Lough, which is a managed fishery and located near Westport in Co. Mayo. Throughout that period the fishery produced 770 trout with half of them being released.
Ballinlough Fishery
Ballinlough is a shallow, limestone lake of 22 hectares located 3.2km north of Westport and is managed by IFI. It is a rich lake with a marl bottom and has been stocked with rainbow trout and brown trout. The fish are known to be free rising, and are encouraged by hatches of olives, sedges and wind-blown terrestrials. Trout can be taken on traditional wet flies including Peter Ross, Bibio, Invicta to mention but a few. Streamer patterns such as the Minkie and nymphs can also work well. Dry flies, however, can also provide great sport particularly during evening times and during sedge hatches.
Notes: Based near the picturesque village of Adare (Ireland’s Prettiest Village)
