Bumper catch for sea anglers

THIRTY-TWO anglers, representing 12 sea angling clubs, competed in the Munster Open Boat deep sea angling competition fished out of Dunmore East, Co Waterford.

The May 29 fixture, hosted by Rinnashark SAC, was fished from 9am to 4pm, under flat calm sea conditions and returned a bumper 953-fish catch from the four competing boats. All fish were returned alive to the water.

Top angler was Gordon Darker, Stella Maris SAC, with 59 fish; second was Milo Burke, Ardmore SAC, 53 fish and third Danny Kane, Crosshaven SAC, 47 fish.

Elsewhere on the River Flesk, two 4lb salmon were landed by local anglers spinning.

The end of last month was good for the Laune Salmon & Trout Anglers with six salmon caught. Among the lucky club anglers were Gary Fernane and Tom Ward, Tralee, each had 8lb fish on the fly at Johnstons and Heffernans.

There were also serious battles, with really big fish, which escaped in the end — Billy Downes had a 14lb bar of silver caught at John Breens after a long struggle.

The good fishing continued into June when Jim Flinders, Waterford, landed two 12lb fish on fly at Johnston’s and Gorry. Tom Curtyane, Killorglin, had an 11lb fish on the fly at Cliffords. Cork’s Kieran Conlon had a 13lb fish on fly in Tom Johnstons while Johnny Sullivan of Tralee had a 14lb beauty spinning a yellow Flying ‘C’ at Cronins.

There were a total of 14 fish reported for the week, most of them good fish. As seems the trend countrywide, there is a small run of big fish, which are a little earlier this year.

Twelve salmon were landed last week on the River Lee by local anglers fishing shrimp. One weighed in at 12lbs the rest averaged six.

Six salmon were landed for the week on the River Bandon by local anglers — two over 8lbs — all on shrimp. Two salmon landed, one at Coomhola Bridge and the other at the Flat Hole, weighing 7lbs and 6lbs, all on a Flying ‘C’ by local anglers.