Enda Fields of Emy and District Anglers reports that the club has been very busy over the last few months preparing to host over 50 international youth anglers on their club waters at Emy Lough in Emyvale, Co Monaghan. These top flight anglers from many different countries are participating in this year’s World Youth Fly Fishing Championship. On Tuesday morning the 16th July, Emy and District Anglers hosted teams from South Africa and Canada and in the evening the French team also arrived on the lake to check it out. The teams are really getting to grips with the fishing very quickly indeed and trying out all techniques that may catch fish fro them during the main competition.
It was an over cast day with a light breeze and the lake is in very good condition. Up to the arrival of the French team this evening over 30 trout had been caught during the day weighing between two and four pounds. All fish have been taken on intermediate or sinking lines. Emy and District Anglers PRO Enda Fields said “Emy and District Anglers are very happy to be involved in this event which will let everyone see the quality of trout fishing available in Co Monaghan. The competitors that have visited our fishery today have said that the “fishing is awesome” that we have “a great fishery”. We at Emy Anglers are delighted to be able to share this with the WYFFC competitors and anyone else wishing to visit us here in Co Monaghan. We hope that people will come along to support the event and will then want to get involved in angling. The club runs a number of angling workshops every year and all are welcome to participate in these workshops”.
This year the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland (TAFI) is hosting the prestigious Fédération International de la Pêche Sportive (FIPS) Mouche, 12th World Youth Fly Fishing Championship 2013, for the second time. This year’s Youth Championship has been jointly organized by the Ulster and Leinster Councils of TAFI and is being run on a cross border basis between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The event is being fished in the North and East from 21st to 26th July and up to 9 International fly fishing teams will be competing, including teams from, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Spain, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Scotland and Ireland. Competition venues are spread over the five counties of Antrim, Louth, Monaghan, Meath and Tyrone and include two rivers and three lakes. Daily fishing sessions will be fished at venues north and south of the border on the River Fane, Quiggery River, Loughmacrory, Woodford Fishery and Eskragh Lough. Practice days are being hosted by Emy and District Anglers on Emy Lough in Emyvale Co Monaghan and by the Kells Angling Association on the Kells Blackwater in Co Meath. Competing teams and individuals will be fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout and an official practice day will be held on Emy Lough and the Kells Blackwater on Monday 22nd July. The official practice day is then followed by three days of competitive fishing.
William Walsh, Inland Fisheries Ireland Director said “IFI are delighted to be involved with this event and would like to thank all concerned for their efforts in securing, organising and running the event. We are looking forward to welcoming all of the teams and their families and friends to the north east and wish all the young competitors well in the upcoming event. We hope that they enjoy the top quality trout fishing available in the area and enjoy the hospitality of a real Irish welcome. The hosting of this event is the result of many years of dedicated voluntary work by TAFI members, both promoting youth angling within Ireland and in the training of the Irish Youth Team to fish in all the World Championships since they began in 1998. This is a great opportunity for us to showcase the quality of trout fishing available here.”
The opening ceremony takes place in Dundalk, County Louth on 21st July with the Carrickdale Hotel situated on the border as the championship headquarters. The marvellous setting of Hillsborough Castle, County Down hosts the official closing ceremony, the awarding of medals and a Conservation Symposium on 26th July.
Inland Fisheries Ireland, with the assistance of all stakeholders including the World Youth Fly Fishing Championship Organising Committee, DCAL and the Loughs Agency, clubs, teams and anglers will be also be advising on bio security measures to be implemented at the event and providing disinfectant facilities at all of the designated competition locations. These measures will ensure best practice and help prevent the inadvertent introduction and transfer of invasive plants and animals and harmful pathogens which represent major threats to Ireland’s habitats, native species and internationally renowned fisheries.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the Loughs Agency and DCAL along with a number of businesses and individuals have sponsored the event which is also part of the “Gathering” 2013.
In addition to the opportunity to showcase the quality of Irish angling, the World Youth Fly Fishing Championships will be providing a tourism dividend for many local and rural communities north and south of the border. Many of the visiting teams will arriving well in advance of the event and some will be staying on long after the event is over. It is hoped that their experiences during their visit will prompt and promote further visits into the future.
