Angling Notes:The annual report of the Irish Specimen Fish Committee (ISFC) always makes for good reading. Now in its 52nd year, the 2007 issue lists 53 species of coarse, game and sea fish from which anglers endeavour to reach specimen weights.
Surpassing these targets creates a record for the species and inevitably "raises the bar" for future specimens.
The ISFC in 2007 received 594 claims, of which 530 were ratified, including four new records.
In his chairman's review, Trevor Champ reports that research into genetic fingerprinting of cyprinoids (roach, rudd and their hybrids) has produced very satisfactory results. Fish scales were accepted in 2007 to identify these species.
The new development will allow anglers to submit claim forms accompanied by good photographs and a small sample of scales. It is hoped to expand the technique to include the allis and twaite shad, thus obviating the need to provide bodies.
Working closely with Dr Stefano Mariani and Brian Hayden of the School of Biology and Environmental Studies, UCD, the ISFC will continue to explore the potential of the technique across an even wider range of species.
Throughout the year four new records were ratified in quite diverse categories. Stephen O'Neill from Cork just pipped the 40-year-old record for Garfish (B. bellone) by 0.071kg with a fish that opted for mackerel, from Cork Harbour in May.
Just one fish in the red mullet category was sufficient to topple the record of this rare species. Local angler Joe Cooney caught his fish of 0.71kg close to Achill Island in August on ragworm.
Perhaps the fish that caught the headlines last year was the albacore tuna. Pioneering tuna specialist Derek Noble, Henry Macaulay and friends ventured out from Cahersiveen in Co Kerry in September and over three days the group caught 35 albacore tuna.
Macaulay's tuna, however, weighed 29.96kg and surpassed the existing record of 16.66kg set by Alan Glanville in 2003. In fact, the big fish also set a new European record and fell short of a world record by just 5.5kg.
Robert McClean from Dublin made short work of the one-year-old record for gilthead bream by almost doubling the existing weight. Both fish, coincidentally, were taken from Cork Harbour. The new record of 3.24kg fell to crab bait in September.
The Dr Michael Kennedy award for the "mullet of the year" went to Dan Lynch from Ballinhassig, Co Cork, for his golden grey mullet of 1.021kg caught in Cork Harbour.
Matthew McSorley from Co Armagh was the recipient of the Dr AEJ Went prize for a river brown trout of 5.39kg from the River Blackwater. This award is based on the highest percentage of specimen weight taken by an angler aged 13 years or younger.
A magnificent tench of 3.572kg from Ballyhoe Lake was sufficient to earn Vincent Jackson, from Clondalkin, the Minister's award for a "fish of a lifetime" and the best specimen of the year.
The committee, having received numerous claims, has added the Blackmouth dogfish (Galeus melastomus) to the specimen list and reduced the flounder weight from 1.2kg to 1.1kg. The issue of "conservation specimens" based on fish length for tope and blue shark will be examined over the next two years.
In the appendix, well-known specimen hunter Brian Cooke offers some interesting advice to budding specimen hunters in their search to land the big fish.
The annual presentation of awards will be held in Dublin on March 1st at a venue to be announced. Free copies of the report may be obtained from the Central Fisheries Board, Swords Campus, Swords, Co Dublin.
Ireland's largest angling exhibition will take place at the National Show Centre, Cloghran, Co Dublin (near the airport), on February 16th and 17th from 10am to 5pm. New for 2008 will be a casting demonstration area for rod testing and demonstrations featuring a host of world-class instructors including Andrew Ryan, Peter O'Reilly and Charles Jardine.
A "Kiddies Korner", organised by Angling First, will feature for the first time and provide expert tuition and encourage good bankside habits. And Des Taylor's rig-tying clinic will be a mixture of fun and sound advice.
With more than 100 exhibitors and theatre talks, anglers throughout Ireland are assured of a day to remember, according to managing director Tony Cox.