THE Minister of State for Office of the Taoiseach, Paul Kehoe, recently launched the Hook Bass Angling Festival at the famous Hook Lighthouse in Wexford. The competition takes place from October 26th to 28th and is held on a catch-and-release basis at various locations on the Hook Peninsula where you can find a beach a day for a fortnight – perfect for the festival.
On the Friday and Saturday evening at 7pm in Neville’s Bar and Restaurant, Dr Ed Fahy will give a talk on bass fishing and Billy Colfer on the history of the area.
The restaurant will also be serving a special anglers’ menu and hosting the prize giving on the Sunday evening.
First prize is a weekend at Grangecourt Holiday Cottages, Fethard-On-Sea, that sleeps up to five people and, a boat fishing trip for two with Wild Swan, Mermaid Angling, Arthurstown. Prizes are also awarded for second, third place and for the longest bass.
Entry fee is €75 for three days or €25 per day. You can enter on hooktourism.comor call 051-397502.
The three-day festival is geared towards a family event as the Hook Peninsula has many historic sites to see and activities to do, especially for Halloween. For more information go to hooktourism.com. This is the first bass angling festival on the peninsula and has the hallmarks of a great competition and fun for all the family.
* Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has recently seized illegally caught bass off the Wexford coast and illegal nets off the Waterford coast. While the specifics are not being released for legal and operational reasons it is often the flexibility and dedication of IFI staff that lead to these successes.
Seizures such as these are often initiated following covert, intelligence-led policing operations that are carried out during day and night time. In both instances off-duty fisheries staff quickly mobilised to execute the seizures.
The regional IFI director praised the dedication of the staff and said the seizures were very important in the protection of Ireland’s bass, salmon and sea trout resource.
It is widely known that illegal fishing could have devastating consequences on our valuable fishery resource. Anyone who has information on illegal fishing activity can contact IFI 24 hours a day on 1890-347424.
* The Golden Olive (pictured) is a pattern I am seldom asked to tie of late because most of the older patterns are being replaced by a never ending selection of dabblers, according to fly-tyer Jimmy Tyrrell.
However, this is an old traditional Irish pattern that is still useful to have in the fly box. It can work very well during a mayfly hatch and is a handy pattern to put on when the olives start.
“I like to mix in a small pinch of orange seal fur to the body, just enough so that the golden olive in the body shows through,” he said. See irishflycraft@gmail.com or call 086-8451257.
* Annamoe Trout Fisheries Winter League dates for the diary: Sat., Nov 3rd and 24th; Sat., Jan 8th and 26th and Feb, Sat., 16th. Start time 10.30am until 2.30pm. Prizes awarded to first three places in each event and for largest and smallest fish (excluding the winner).
Overall winner to be decided over four events by accumulative catch. Entry fee is €20 per event. Entries to Brian Nally at 086-2598563.
* If you adore the wild Delphi Valley in Ireland or searching for an exceptional rental property for an Irish vacation, then check out Waterfall Cottage. Home to Peter Mantle for the past 15 years, the cottage is now available for weekly rental.
It’s in a spectacular location in Co Mayo, very close to the coast and at the heart of Ireland’s best fly-fishing region.
See waterfallcottage.iefor more details.
angling@irishtimes.com