Sport

Angling Notes: Greystones to host two-day tope festival

Spate of ‘barbaric’ illegal fishing offences reported on the river Loughor in Wales

Bert McGregor with a 47lb tope caught at Greystones, Co Wicklow, venue for the Monster Tope Festival in August.

Derek Evans
Mon Mar 21 2022 - 06:00

Greystones Ridge Angling Club in Co Wicklow will host its first two-day Monster Tope Festival on August 20th/21st on a strict catch-and-release basis.

Reading through the extensive rules and regulations, it is refreshing to note that the plethora of prizes consist of top-of-the-range fishing tackle and Southside Angling vouchers. There are no cash prizes.

First prize for the longest tope includes a Poseidon 500R, a Diawa Kenzaki boat rod and €200 voucher.

Anglers will be supplied with an ID card each day which must be visible in photographs of fish. Two rods are allowed, both with a single hook trace – one for tope, the second for animal species. A third rod with mackerel trace can be used for bait fishing.

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Ground baiting is allowed and there are no fishing boundaries. A minimum of two anglers per boat will apply and each boat must be equipped with an IFI measuring matt.

The species hunt is for animal fish only, namely ray, tope, bull huss, lesser spotted dogfish, spur dog and smooth hound. Anglers will be added to the competition WhatsApp group at check-in. Clear photographs of catches to be submitted on this group for evaluation.

Entry fee is €60 per person for the two days and a deposit of €20 to accompany entry form (non-refundable). Closing date for entry is July 31st.

For further details and entry form, contact club chairman, Robert Cooper at 087-250 8408 or secretary@grac.ie.

Important guidelines for bringing a tope on board:

If you need to bring a fish on board then the safety of the fish and angler is paramount. Remember, sharks have no ribcage and water pressure keeps the vital organs in place. Dragging a fish backwards over the gunnels can easily rupture the internal organs. It may swim off fine but die a few days later. It is essential to bring the fish in horizontally, with arms supporting the abdomen.

When the tope is aboard and placed on the deck, the lead man should squat around the fish applying enough pressure to restrain it. A wet cloth soaked in sea water should be placed over the head ensuring the eyes are fully covered, this usually pacifies the tope and makes removal of the hook with a disgorger an easier procedure. Remember, a loose tope on the deck can cause much damage to itself and to persons of board.

Waterville salmon catch

Two salmon were reported from Lough Currane in Waterville, Co Kerry, last week. On Monday, Noel Clancy of Waterville and Dublin caught a cracker of 12lb while trolling along the north shore. Two days later, local gillie Bob Priestley landed a fine 7lb salmon on the troll. Both fish were sportingly released.

Foul hooking incidents reported

National Resources Wales enforcement officers have been busy tackling a spate of illegal foul hooking incidents which have taken place on the river Loughor, near Swansea.

Six men have been fined more than £2,200 (€2,600) each for two separate incidents of illegal foul hooking/snatching fishing offences.

Enforcement officer Mark Thomas, said: “The use of this barbaric and totally unethical form of fishing is being carried out by a minority of anglers. It is not only indiscriminate on what species or size of fish that are killed, but untold damage is also inflicted to fish by those who use this method of deliberately tampered fishing lures.”

If you have an angling story to share, please send it to me at angling@irishtimes.com

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