Angling notes: Team Ireland in Portugal for World Youth Angling Championships

Team Ireland arrived safely in Portugal last week to take part in the World Youth Angling Championships. The event is the largest on the Fédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive en Eau Douce (FIPSED) calendar, which caters for teams in the U25, U20 and U15 age group representing national federations worldwide.

This year’s event is hosted by Federação Portuguesa de Pesca Desportiva and will be held on the Rio Sorraia in Coruche, Portugal, where species are expected to include barbel, carp, mullet, bleak, boop and carassius.

The trip concludes months of planning as Adrian Browne leads the squad in his inaugural term as youth manager. Representing Team Ireland in the U20s are John Browne, Brian Clark, Donagh McSherry, reigning world champion Charlie Richards and, making his first appearance, James Wellwood.

The squad is supported by Nick Richards and James O’Doherty along with accompanying parents.

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Grant funding was gratefully received from National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland and sponsorship from Garbolino UK and Gowen and Bradshaw with support from Inland Fisheries Ireland and a host of supportive companies.

The team drew box section No.3 for the first of four days training ahead of the championships on August 5th and 6th. (Full report on results in next week’s Angling Notes.)

Lough Erne championship

With high water levels affecting venues across the country, the All Ireland Coarse Championships was staged, for the first time, on Upper Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.

Anglers were positioned at Bellanaleck, Dolan’s Ring and Derrychara, all selected for ease of access to the fast-flowing River Erne.

Catches were good with quality skimmers, hybrids and bream more than making up for the undesirable weather, with rain persistent throughout.

Thomas Dowd (Virginia) took the top honour with his 10.15kg catch, closely followed by Ian Kelsey (Munster) on 9.8kg. In third place, William Wheeler (Fermanagh) managed 8.9kg. Mary Tigwell (Drumshanbo) won the Women’s Cup.

Clubs interested in representing Ireland at next year’s world championships in Slovenia are invited to register at: ncffi.ie/float-club.

Upper Lough Erne is also the venue for the float club qualifiers over the weekend of 19th/20th August.

Lough Mask trout contest

The Ballinrobe and District Trout Anglers’ Association club competition on Lough Mask last Sunday is always strategically arranged to fall on the week before the world cup championships on the same lake.

Now in its 48th year, a good turnout of club anglers is assured in order to whet the appetite and earmark possible locations where trout may be congregating. (Mind you, it doesn’t always work!).

Looking back on the perpetual cup plaque names since 1975, most, if not all, have found success at the world championships.

John Lyons from Kanturk made his own piece of history at last Sunday’s competition by winning in fine style to match his win in last year’s event. With the bag limit set at two fish per angler, his catch of 3.514lb was sufficient to take the plaudits.

Conditions were difficult all day, with heavy downpours and a stiff southwesterly. Still, for those prepared to weather the storm, the rewards were good. At lunchtime, it was standing room only in the hut on Devenish Island and a sense of reluctance to venture back out.

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For Cork anglers Ian Riordan and Rory Guerin, it was their first time on Mask and with the former catching a trout of 1.33lb, they were more than pleased with their day.

Later, the Irish stew and Chinese chicken and rice were more than welcome in the clubhouse to round off a hard but pleasant day’s fishing.

If you have an angling story to share, please send to me at angling@irishtimes.com.