Patient Peter finally gets reward

God loves a trier and on the salmon season’s opening day last Wednesday Peter Wolstenholme hooked the first salmon of the 2012 season on the Bandon Salmon & Trout Anglers club waters.

The Courtmacsherry angler has been out on the opening day on the River Bandon since the 1970s and had to wait until 2012 to catch a spring salmon on opening day. He was fishing with club member, Michael Browne, who had two fresh salmon on opening day in 1994.

Peter was fishing below Bandon town when he hooked a 6/7lb spring salmon on a 10 gram Toby spinner with a single hook. After playing the fish he guided him to a stream from the main river to release the hook and set it free. All salmon caught between opening day February 15 and May 11 are released.

Peter is a well known potter based in the West Cork coastal village. He retired last year and is now concentrating on his painting work.

Elsewhere, Cork Sea Anglers Club, founded in 1960, has been busy fishing its annual series of fixtures. Their Rambler Trophy shore angling competition was fished on the Monkstown Wall, where Roy Calnan, with two fish, emerged the winner.

Results: 1, Roy Calnan (172pts); 2, Tom Burke (164pts); 3, Eric Gosnell, (162pts); 4, Alan O’Dowling, (118pts); 5, Con Cronin, (112pts), 6, Frank Cronin, (87pts).

One of their few open shore angling competitions was fished on Youghal Beach. The Garryvoe Cup open attracted sea anglers from four clubs.

The anglers caught five flounders, two cod, 23 coalfish, one pollack and a single bass.

Results: 1, Alan O’Dowling, Cork SAC, 7 fish (509pts); 2, Mick Maher, Cork SAC, 5 fish, 397pts; 3, James Kiniry, Cork SAC, 5 fish, 363pts; 4, Joe Mc Evoy, Dunmore East SAC, 4 fish, 286pts; 5, Kevin McGowan, Cork SAC, 2 fish, 130pts; 6, Roy Calnan, Cork SAC, 1 fish, 95pts; 7, Frank Cronin, Cork SAC, 1 fish, 81pts; 8, Noel Cashman, Cork SAC, 1 fish, 77pts; 9, Con Cronin, 1 fish, 65pts; 10, Eric Gosnell, Cork SAC, 1 fish, 55pts.