Munster’s young anglers excel at interprovincials

THE Irish Federation of Sea Anglers 2011 Juniors/Youths Interprovincial Shore Championships were held this year in Ulster with headquarters at Coleraine.

The first venue was Ballycastle Beach, with fishing from 10am to 2pm. The beach had a big surf and as a result, fishing was very poor, with 15 of the U16s hooking fish and 10 of the U21s with fish.

The night session from 6pm to 10pm was changed to Waterfoot Beach, where fishing was excellent, with every angler recording double-figure fish catches. Coalfish, flounder, whiting, rockling and bass were all caught.

It was all down to the last session on Sunday morning on Benone Beach, with a big surf, that left all the young anglers scratching for fish.

Benone fished very poorly with small flounder, turbot, with only nine of the U16s and 10 of the U21s with fish. More than half the anglers had blanked but it was looking good for Munster as the U21s took gold and U16s took silver.

Overall results for the U16s saw Ross Nolan and Luke M O’Sullivan, Munster had made the Irish team and the U21s Joseph Birney and David Hoban.

- There are more springers running than for a good number of years. Fish are being sighted daily on lower beats. The Lodge has taken four for the season but there haven’t been many anglers out on the river. The fourth fish was caught last Saturday week.

The prospects of catching a springer, especially on fly, are the best they have been for years.

One 8lb salmon was caught on the lakes of Killarney. Another salmon caught on a worm on Beat 2 weighing 9lbs and a 7lb salmon was caught on Beat 1 of the River Laune.

Carrowmore Lake, Glencar Lake and the lower River Moy all produced their first spring salmon of the season recently, heralding the true start to the game angling season in the Bangor, Ballina and Sligo Fisheries Districts.

On the River Moy, Fergal Ginty successfully caught the first spring salmon of the Lower Moy on the Ballina Salmon Anglers water: an 8½lbs salmon caught on worm.

- Carrowmore Lake, perhaps the most prolific spring salmon lake fishery in the country, got its season off to a flying start with the capture of the first salmon of the season.

Rocky Moran, Castlebar, was the successful angler who hooked the fine 11.4lb salmon, near the mouth of the Glencullin River. The salmon was caught on a Jaffa fly, tied by Eamon Kennedy, and successfully boated by angling partner Kevin Beirne.

Glencar Lake also produced its first spring salmon recently. The fish, weighing 7½lbs was caught by Michael Conroy, Sligo and released.

- Local pike angling guide, Kenny Sloan, enjoyed success once again while fishing the lakes of the Castlebar/Foxford area. A fine pike measuring and weighing 23lbs, was caught while trolling a large roach bait. The fish was quickly photographed and safely released. Kenny reported that some pike in the area are already spawning, with the water temperatures locally warming to 7C.

- Ballyhass open day is on March 26. An information day for anglers is being held on Friday March 26 at Ballyhass Lakes Holiday Village and is open to all.

For more information contact Tom at Ballyhass Lakes (022-27773).

- Miroslav Svajlenin caught the largest recorded bag of fish this year on the Barrow weighing in at an astounding 70lb.

- Portobello Angling Club fished their Spring League at Gaulmoylstown where mostly small carp showed in the 4C water but some fish of 2-3lbs were also landed.