Necessary restrictions imposed on river and lake angling due to the foot-and-mouth crisis has prompted charter skipper Mr Mark Gannon to suggest game anglers might like to try their hand at deep-sea angling. Mr Gannon operates a very successful charter facility at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, with two fully equipped and Department of Marine registered 38 ft Aqua Star charter boats.
Certainly, on last season's performance, Courtmacsherry proved to be the jewel in the crown with 33 recorded specimens including two Irish records for ling and coalfish at 48.5lb and 27.6lb, respectively. An abundance of sunken wrecks, including the famous Lusitania in the vicinity, has veered Mr Gannon towards this specialised niche. Last weekend saw the start of the new season at Courtmacsherry. And what a start. On Saturday, a group from England, Holland and Ireland enjoyed a fantastic day wreck fishing aboard the Lady Louise with 60 ling to 21lb, nine conger to 25lb and 14 pollock.
Sunday was as good with a Cork contingent recording 32 ling to 22lb and 24 pollock to 10lb.
For booking details, contact Mr Gannon at Courtmacsherry Angling Ltd, Woodpoint, Co Cork. Tel/Fax: 023-46427. The Institute of Fisheries Management in conjunction with Irish Char Conservation Group (ICCG) and North Western Fisheries Board is holding an all-day seminar in the Pontoon Bridge Hotel, Co Mayo, next Thursday, April 26th.
Entitled "Ireland's Most Threatened and Rare Freshwater Fish", the conference will address the theme of conservation. Speakers will include 10 of Ireland's leading scientific experts and a paper will be given by Prof Peter Maitland of the Fish Conservation Centre in Scotland. The ICCG extend a warm welcome to all those interested in fish conservation. Admission is £10 (lunch £6 extra). For further details contact Mr Paul Mitchell at e-mail: iccg@oceanfree.ie
I paid a fleeting visit to New Ross, Co Wexford, at the weekend to see how the coarse angling facility had progressed since my visit last year. Oaklands Lake is in fine fettle and now stocked with almost 3,000 common and mirror carp to 5lb, 400 tench to 6lb and bream.
Located a mile from New Ross off the N25, the four-acre lake is wheelchair friendly and open all year from virtually dawn to dusk. Angling is by permit at £5 per day and barbless hooks only are allowed. Contact Mr Michael Browne at 051425196 or e-mail: nrcaltd@tinet.ie for further details.
Tomorrow, Trout Anglers' Federation of Ireland (TAFI), a.g.m., Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, 2 p.m.
Maynooth Fly Fishing Club is holding a competition on Sunday, May 20th, in memory of Mr Kelvin Hassett. Substantial cash prizes will be on offer and a choice of two starting times. Entry fee is £30. Contact Mr Grant White at (01) 629 3203 or e-mail: maynoothflyfishingclub@ eircom.net
Correspondence and fishy photographs to The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Fax: 679 1881. E-mail: angling@irish-times.ie