Editor: Paul Bourke, Angling Information Officer
E-mail: paul.bourke@cfb.ie
Website: www.cfb.ie
Phone: 00 353 (0)1 8842600 Fax: 00 353 (0)1 8360060

Catch of the Week
06 May 2010

This week the Catch of the Week goes to Karel Sourek for this incredible 25lb 2oz ferox trout from Lough Corrib. Only a few ounces short of the Irish record this enormous fish is the biggest trout caught in Ireland for over 100 years. Karel and his friends were stranded in Ireland following the plume of volcanic ash from Iceland that grounded airplanes all over Europe. With little choice in the matter the Czech anglers extended their holiday and returned to fish on Lough Corrib. During the stay they caught 8 ferox over 70cm the biggest of which was 90cm and weighed 25lb 2oz. All the fish were carefully returned to fight another day. The monster trout was caught on the troll using lure.

If you catch a big fish in the next few weeks and have a good photograph of your catch, please submit it to Paul Bourke at 01 8842674 or e-mail paul.bourke@cfb.ie.

New coarse angling regulations for 2010

A 2010 regulation - that will be welcomed by most - is that which prohibits the killing of coarse fish (including eels).

As a summary (with effect from 1st January) -

Coarse fish. It is prohibited to kill coarse fish (however, see regulation on pike, below) in the Foyle and Carlingford areas waters.

Eels. It is prohibited to kill eels in the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

All such coarse fish and eels caught, must be carefully handled and returned alive and unharmed to the water.

Pike. There is a bag limit of 2 pike weighing 4 kg or less, on any one day. Pike of 4kg or more must be returned unharmed to the water. There is an exception for specimen pike with a bag limit of 1 specimen pike in any one day (a specimen pike in a river is 9 kg or more; a specimen pike in a lake is 13.6 kg or more).

Live bait. Live fish cannot be used as bait in fresh waters in the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

LARGEST FISH EVER CAUGHT ON ROD AND LINE IN IRELAND

Tom from Ash Apartments and Trinity Island Lodge, County Cavan (June '09) reports:

We have had very good fishing on our private waters over the past few weeks. Bobby and Andy prebated heavily and got results 125 and 115 lbs. of bream.

John and Dave continued catching this week also with catches over the ton all lovely healthy bream up to 7 lbs.

On the more shallow side of the lake Tim had 40 lbs of skimmers one day and another day he could not lift his net out of the water.

FISHING ON THE BEARA 

As sea water temperature continues to rise in the fine warm weather the shore fishing is improving daily, and in particular the ray fishing is as good as we have ever experienced.

Jason, Mark, Gavin and Paul were on their annual visit to the Beara and after the miserable July week they experienced last year this time round was unbroken sunshine. The bright weather though did little to put off the ray and they caught over 70 during their stay, mainly thornbacks to 8 pounds with a few spotted (homelyn) ray. In between the ray they also took huss and conger to double figures and a specimen 2.2 pound Three Bearded Rockling.

Tonnie and Edwin from Holland enjoyed their first experience of Irish fishing with a full variety of species including conger, huss, pollack, wrasse and topped by a days ray fishing which produced plenty of fish including a specimen spotted for Edwin of 2.36 Kilos.

Harry Mounsey from Cumbria went looking for big wrasse and found fish to over 5 pounds using hard back crab as bait.

A plethora of Marlin Bells!
20th Jan 2010

Unreel with David Bird, Terry Pendry and Phil Revett had 2 Striped marlin and a sail tagged and released and some bottom fish.

21st Jan
Unreel with Paul Janaway caught 1 Striped marlin and a sail, both tagged and released.White Bear fished by Marcel and Annick Prot had 1 Striped marlin on fly.
Seastorm with Simon Rickarby got 2 Striped marlin.

22nd Jan
B's Nest with Gordon and Susan Mason got 2 Striped marlin.

Ol-jogi with Peter Fox had 1 Striped marlin.

Sea Storm with Roger Ireland and John and Val Aveyard; first time anglers, got 1 Stripey each. Marlin bells were rung, congratulations!

Tega with Mark and Connor Mountfield had 2 Striped marlin while Unreel with David Bird and Phil Revett got 1 Striped marlin, also tagged and released.

23rd Jan
White Bear with Richard Baudry and Eddie Bulley had 1 sail on fly.

Ol-jogi fished by Peter Fox had a fantastic day with 6 Striped marlin and 2 sails. Congratulations Peter!

Wwhile Tega with Rose, Anna, Zyg and Zenia Gregorek had 3 Striped marlin and 2 sails.

Instedda with Imraan Moosa and Ali Harazi got 1 Stripy on fly and 1 sail all tagged and released.

24th Jan
Instedda with Imraan Moosa and Ali Al Harazi got 5 Striped marlin and 1 sail.

Ol-jogi fished by John Evans and Joss Leighton had 1 Striped marlin and 2 sails ( John's first marlin - congratulations John!)

Simba with Tina Allen caught 1 Blue marlin 60kgs, 1 Striped marlin and 2 sails.

B's Nest with Gordon Mason got 2 Striped marlins and 4 sails.

White Bear with Richard Baudry and Eddie Bulley had 1 Stripy and 1 sail on fly.

White Dove with Mike Hatter got 1 sail.

Unreel with David Bird, Clive Norman and John Brice had 7 Striped marlin, 2 sails and a Red snapper 24kgs for a superb day out, with John Brice getting his first marlin, a nice estimated at 70Kg Stripey. Congratulations John!

Tega with Joe Drury, Zyg Gregorek, and Andy Butts closed the day with 1 Blue marlin 60kgs and 6 Stripey all tagged and released.

25th Jan
B's Nest with Julian Mills, Robin Minter - Kemp and Jonathan Lowe caught a Black tip Shark 80kgs which they fought for over 2 hours and then tagged and released.

Ol-jogi with Jeremy Block got 2 Stripey and 1 sail all on fly.

Gai Cullen on Simba with Richard Baudry also keen on fly fishing had 1 Striped marlin 30kgsand 2 sails on fly. The Stripey which was tagged by Gai being the first Marlin ever tagged on fly by a lady in East Africa. White Bear with Peter Fox got 1 Stripey.

Seastorm with Joss Leighton and John Evans had 1 Striped marlin 65kgs and 3 sails (this being Joss's first ever marlin caught for another marlin bell).
Other boats out were Pussy Cat skippered by Andy Adams and fished by Bernd Ragotzky who caught 2 Stripeys.

Tega with Zyg and Zenia Gregorek who got 2 Striped and a sail.

Blue Eyes reported 5 Stripeys, 3 sails and 1 short bill spearfish in 3 days fishing.

Peter Danborough on Alleycat got 1 Blue, 8 Stripeys, 4 sails and Callum Looman on Tarka reported 2 Blacks and 20 Stripeys over the week.