Boat anglers will be pleased to learn that Hook Head charters in Co Wexford has now the capacity to accommodate 36 anglers following the arrival this season of a third charter angling vessel.
The Brandon Lisa, a 42ft Interceptor skippered by Michael Nolan from Fethard-on-Sea, has joined the resident Orinico and White Swan, owned by Walter and Jim Foley, respectively, in the new wave of luxury boat angling.
As a former commercial fisherman, Nolan has all the necessary qualifications and knowledge of the fishing territory to ensure anglers attain the best possible opportunity to catch fish aboard his top-of-the-range angling vessel.
"I took delivery of the boat last September and so far this season I am pleased with bookings. Weather permitting, I intend to keep her in the water all year and avail of every opportunity to take groups out fishing," he said.
Last Saturday week, a group from The Irish Times joined the Brandon Lisa at Ballyhack for a day's angling off Hook Head and Dunmore East. In ideal weather and reasonably slack tide, the group encountered 12 species, with whiting easily the most prominent. A number of squid also featured.
All 11 anglers caught fish and only those required for personal consumption were retained. A "pool" for the longest codling was shared between Denis Coghlan and guest Noel O'Hara. Each fish weighed 2kg (4.4lbs).
Highlight of the day was undoubtedly the sighting of what appeared to be two pilot whales (Globicephala) that circled the boat for several hours, lobtailing and spyhopping in the process.
The Irish Times group was so impressed with the day that a return visit is already provisionally booked for September. Contact mick@hookheadcharters. com or 087-9895499.
A recent e-mail from a dismayed Co Wicklow angler speaks volumes for the downward spiral experienced at Greystones over the past two decades. Once the most popular venue on the Irish coastline, particularly for codling, Greystones is now virtually devoid of "clean fish" and bypassed by most anglers.
"It has been 15 years since I fished a boat off Greystones. Equipped with the best of bait, and a good knowledge of tides and marks, a plan to sample various drops was put into action. We caught seven species and returned most as undersize, including mackerel.
"Catching 'full houses of joey mackerel' and the complete lack of codling on the Ridge was the most depressing aspect of the trip. We caught three codling, one undersize and the other two barely touching 0.7kg. The inshore plaice grounds were devoid. The whole area is now a desert where once it was the Garden of Eden," he said.
"I just can't believe this has occurred in such a short space of time. Does it not matter? Where is the outrage? I'm deafened by the silence. It's not too late and it can be reversed."
Killybegs Sea Angling Club hosted last weekend's Master Angler Boat Championships, held under the auspices of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers. Club chairman Brian McGilloway and secretary Mary Roullier worked extremely hard to ensure this premier championship was a resounding success.
Some 80 anglers representing clubs from the four provinces converged on this famous fishing port to compete for a top-five place to represent Ireland in next year's world championships.
The two-day event entailed four three-hour sessions during which anglers accounted for 2,311 fish across a spectacular 18 species. Results: 1, L O'Callaghan (Bray); 2, H Drier (Post Irish); 3, L Longmore (Larne & Dist); 4, D Jolly (Carrigaline); 5, K Dunne (Wicklow Bay).
Meanwhile, the surfcasting team to represent Ireland in this year's Confederate Internationale Peche Sportif world championship in Brazil is: N Fogarty (Dublin, Capt), J O'Brien (Waterford), S Brennan (Dublin), J Meere (Cork), J Hennessy (Waterford). Coach: T McAdam. Manager: T Lillis.