International deep sea angling festival to reel in big crowds

IT’S the Six Nations of deep sea angling and it will pit some of the best anglers in the world against each other next month.

Details of the 45th International Deep Sea Angling Festival, which will be held in Cobh, Co Cork, next month, have just been announced and more than 50 anglers from more than six nations have already registered to take part.

The festival is one of the longest-running and most prestigious events in the Irish and European sea-fishing calendar.

There will be prizes over a large number of categories, including; Best Pollack, Most Pollack, Best Cod, Most Conger, Best Conger, Most Fish, Most Species, Best Place Each Day, Top 20 Anglers at the End of the Week, Best Team etc.

Thousands of euro in cash prizes are on offer for the winners, with points awarded according to species and weight of fish caught.

All fish are weighed on board the boats and are returned alive to the water unless the angler wishes to retain them for eating.

The competition kicks off in Monday, September 5 and concludes on September 9.

Boats will depart the town on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10am and Friday at 9am and will return each evening at approximately 5.30pm.

Club secretary Mary Geary said the festival has a very social aspect to it.

“After each night there will be food, drinks and entertainment in one of the local bars which have sponsored the day’s prizes. This is where the craic will really begin with tales of the ‘ones that got away’ being shared. People travel from far and wide and come back year after year to enjoy the craic and banter,” Ms Geary said.

“The week will conclude on Friday evening with the presentation of prizes and the gala dinner in the Commodore Hotel rounding up what will undoubtedly be, a tremendous week for angling and a tremendous week for Cobh,” she added.

Anyone wishing to enter the 2011 Deep Sea Angling Festival should contact Ms Geary on [phone] or email [e-mail]