Angling Notes: For the second year in succession, Liam O'Callaghan emerged a clear winner of the Howth EBS Open Boat Competition last Saturday week.
O'Callaghan, of Bray Sea Angling Club, fought off a strong challenge from worthy contenders to win the Dr Michael Woods Perpetual Cup and a cheque for €500. The competition was held under the auspices of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers and it incorporated the fourth leg of the Leinster League.
Weather on the day was ideal, as 10 boats ventured out from Howth Harbour for six hours of competitive angling within the confines of Dalkey Sound and north to Rockabill Lighthouse. For insurance reasons, boats were compelled to stay within three miles of land.
O'Callaghan adapted "gilling" tactics at Lambay Island for most of the day, and when the tide slackened he moved further north to Rockabill, off the Skerries coastline. He was rewarded with 27 pollock and one cod, sufficient to win the competition outright with 280 points.
His boating partner, Fergie Griffith, also of Bray SAC, managed 15 pollock, eight wrasse and one coalfish for second place, and Kit Dunne of Wicklow Bay SAC with 37 fish, comprising 26 dogfish, seven pollock, three wrasse and one bull huss, finished third. Paul Kane of Howth SAC caught a fine cod of 59cm.
At the prizegiving in Howth Angling Centre, Philip Manuel, manager of EBS Howth/Sutton branch, said he was delighted to be involved with the event and congratulated all competitors on the huge amount of fish caught and returned.
- A group from The Irish Times enjoyed a pleasant day's boat angling out from Duncannon, Co Wexford, with charter skipper Walter Foley aboard the Orinico, a week ago. Drifting between Hook Head and Dunmore East, the group encountered an excellent catch of codling with a sprinkling of gurnard, ling, pollock, bull huss and dogfish. Mackerel were also plentiful. Mark Lambert caught the longest codling of about 54cm. The day was somewhat curtailed following a distress call to the Orinico from a smaller boat because of engine trouble and which required a tow into port. For bookings, tel: 051-389242.
- Courtmacsherry in west Cork came up trumps for a group of Dutch anglers with a catch of cod to 8.1kg, coalfish to 6.4kg, conger to 15.9kg, ling and pollock. The best day saw 92 conger boated, all averaging 9kg. For bookings, e-mail csal@iol.ie.
- Belmullet Sea Angling Club held its 35th international open boat competition at which 80 anglers took part over the two-day event. Species landed included dab, turbot, plaice, haddock, cod, ling, whiting, red, tub and grey gurnard. The overall winner, with 16 species, was Michael Selfridge of East Belfast SAC. Two specimen red gurnard were also recorded. For bookings, tel: 051-389242.
- Partry Anglers held a competition on Loughs Mask and Carra last Sunday week with 162 anglers weighing in 107 trout. Patsy Treacy from Fermanagh took first place with eight trout for 4.5kg, with Oughterard's Basil Shields taking second, with seven for 3.8kg. Padraic Munroe from Partry was third with three trout. Sean Creane caught the heaviest fish at 1.3kg.
- A local competition hosted by Garrison Anglers on Lough Melvin produced 25 sonaghan for the 19 boats participating. Most fish were caught from the Schoolhouse and Roosky Point area. The winning boat of Gary Caruthers and Tom Webster caught five trout and 2006 World Cup winner Philip Rooney and Andreas Ferrari managed four for second place. There is still a reasonable hatch of mayfly on the lough and some spent gnat falling in the evenings, according to Lindsey Clarke.
- Visitors to next month's World Casting Championships at Carton House Estate in Co Kildare can avail of the gentler side of angling in the Fly Tying Marquee. Michael and Betty Hayes have gathered a team of fly-tying experts from counties Mayo, Galway, Cavan and Kildare to demonstrate their skills and share their enthusiasm for the craft. Categories to be showcased range from small delicate rivertrout flies, lake trout and working salmon patterns, right through to classic salmon flies, according to Betty Hayes.
- New conservation bylaws recently introduced by the Minister of State for the Marine, John Browne, to protect Ireland's coarse and pike fisheries, are now available in eight languages. In an effort to inform all anglers, the eastern regional fisheries board has translated the bylaws (and summary), into Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, German, Hungarian, Russian, Irish and French. To obtain a copy, e-mail info@erfb.ie and type "byelaw request" in subject line, or tel: 01-278 7022.