ANGLING NOTES:IRELAND has a new World Cup champion. Michael Keady from Moycullen, Co Galway, took the crown with five fish at the World Cup Trout Fly Angling Championships at Lough Mask, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, over the bank holiday weekend. All roads led to Cushlough Bay for the five-day championships to compete for the ultimate prize in brown trout fly fishing.
From a humble beginning in 1953 with just 164 home-based anglers, the festival now attracts a strong flavouring of tourist anglers and is widely regarded as the premier competition in the northern hemisphere. This year, 460 anglers competed.
Speaking to a large gathering at Cushlough on finals day, the cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Michael Burke, said: “On behalf of Ballinrobe I extend a warm welcome to all participants and look forward to seeing you all again next year.” The event is of major economic importance to the town.
Qualified Hardy instructor and fly-tyer Keady caught his five fish on Mayfly and Sedge patterns fishing the deep near College Bay. “I caught most of my fish late in the afternoon including four undersized. I would like to thank my friend Harold O’Toole who tied the Mayfly patterns for the occasion,” he said.
Keady brought into play the rule introduced last year whereby only four fish are allowed to be despatched. Fifth and subsequent fish must be measured and verified by boatman and fishing partner, and returned alive. An estimate of the weight is taken against the length and joined forces with weight of four weighed fish.
Martin McGorian (Dublin) and Michael Gough (Scotland) also managed five fish on their qualifying days on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Margaret Rooney (Dublin) scooped the ladies’ prize with two fish on Saturday and one on finals day.
Heaviest fish was an absolute beauty of 2.8kg (6.19lb) caught by John McElwee from Strabane. The fish opted for a Muree fly close to Devenish and took an hour and 10 minutes to land.
The Ferguson partnership from Scotland brought yet another first to this long-standing competition. Fishing from two different boats, both Joe and Jean caught one fish each of exactly the same weight, 0.6kg (1.33lb).
The winner was presented with a 19ft Angler’s Fancy boat sponsored by Burke Boats of Ballinrobe, a boat trailer, a 15hp Honda outboard engine from Duffy Sons of Headford, a Hardy Drifter rod and a World Cup Gold Medal. Not bad for a day’s fishing!
Well done to Denis Kelleher and his committee for organising these magnificent championships.
Salmon Watch Ireland (SWI) is concerned some anglers are ignoring salmon tag regulations. In a statement, it says: “Tagging regulations are designed to conserve Atlantic salmon, and all stakeholders, anglers and commercial interests must respect these regulations to ensure the future of the resource.
“Reports of illegal numbers of salmon taken by some anglers in the Moy is indeed a serious breach of these conservation measures and as such cannot be allowed to continue, and SWI calls on Inland Fisheries Ireland to enforce the conservation regulations in all areas.”
The statement continues:“The return of fish to some rivers this year appears to be on an upward trend but it is not a national trend, with many rivers appearing to be struggling to attain their conservation limit.”
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Recent floods have brought a fine run of summer salmon and grilse into the Newport river and Lough Beltra. A sample of catches included a fresh salmon of 6.4kg (14lb) for Eamon Kennedy, while David Nevin caught two of 1.6kg and 2.3kg, respectively. David McClune landed one of 4.1kg (9lb) and Dr Noel Cahill returned two fresh grilse, one from Beltra. Prospects look good for August.
One day’s free fishing is available on Newport river to resident guests of Newport House. info@newporthouse.ie or tel: 098-41222.
angling@irishtimes.com