Weekly Pike Fishing Update for Ireland's Shannon Region

Bodo Funke, Angling Services Ireland, Boyle, Co Roscommon http://www.anglingservicesireland.com/ reports.

No new reports. See Angling blog for latest reports http://www.anglingservicesireland.blogspot.com/

BOYLE AND DISTRICT ANGLING CLUB NEWS

EASTER PIKE ANGLING FESTIVAL

Boyle and District Angling club this year celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of the club, and this is the 18th year for them to host their annual two day Easter pike angling festival which takes place on Lough key, Boyle County Roscommon on Saturday 3rd and Sunday the 4th of April 2010.

This is now one of the major events in the countries pike angling calendar. This competition attracts upward on 200 anglers annually. Anglers travel from near and far, Ireland, England, Germany and Holland to take part.

Over the years this competition has continued to grow, from both an angling perspective and the large number of spectators who come to see the fish weighed and enjoy the atmosphere and join in the banter and the fun associated with this event. This event is held at the Doon shore on the shores of Lough key, Boyle Co Roscommon, a most idyllic location. On the shore anglers and spectators can avail of lots of on site refreshment in the comfort of a tented village and this enhances the hospitality of the event.

This festival provides opportunities for all anglers with its adult section (male and female), ladies section, junior section and special prizes for club members. This competition down through the years has being won by anglers of all ages, the youngest winner being Jim Suffin from Boyle back in 1998 to anglers who only fish once a year for the craic Mark O' Connor and Brian Byford being two names that spring to mind, and this shows how fair and open this competition is.

The overall prize fund is €10,000 with the prizes in the main section being
1st prize - €3500 plus the Moonstone Jeweller’s Perpetual Cup. ( for the single heaviest fish)
2nd prize - €2500
3rd prize - €1250
Entry fee is €60 per angler for the two days (regardless of age) which represents good value for the prizes on offer.

It would not be possible to put up a prize fund of this magnitude without the continued support of the anglers who turn up year after year and the generous sponsorship of our local businesses.

The organising of this festival is major undertaking and without the help of a loyal workforce it would not be such a success. Without Our office staff, Stewart's, patrol teams, catering core, weigh masters and the officials from the Shannon regional fisheries board who oversee the event every year and provide officials at each weigh station such an event would not be possible.

The competition is a boat only event and the safety of our anglers is of utmost importance. We urge all our anglers to have and wear lifejackets at all times, we have safety officers, trained first aiders and a patrol boat on standby incase anyone gets in to difficulty. The welfare of our pike is also very important to us and we ask that all boats have suitable holding tanks. We support a strict catch and release policy and we ask all our anglers to support this.
Boyle and district angling club was founded in 1980, since that time the club has gone from strength to strength and provided much competitive angling and entertainment for its anglers over the years. In addition to the Easter competition the club runs 12 major competitions throughout the season and this includes junior competitions.
The club adopted a strict catch and release policy a number of years ago and we are delighted to see so many clubs are following our example. The club also purchased a patrol boat and have a number of waterkeepers appointed by the courts to monitor fishing and aid in the preservation of fish stocks.

For application, boat hire and further information see the Boyle and District Angling Club blog http://boyleanglers.blogspot.com/ or contact the Secretary Jane Suffin on 086 8301261

Brian Bohan CHAFLYNNS COTTAGE & GUIDING SERVICE MOHILL reports on angling in the upper Shannon region around MOHILL and CARRICK ON SHANNON

No report this week.

Kevin Lyons, MELVIEW LODGE GUESTHOUSE, Drumlish Road, Clonrollagh, Co Longford Tel : 003534345061 Mob: Email: info@melviewlodge.com Web: http://www.melviewlodge.com

No Pike fishing report this week.

MID SHANNON AREA

The ShRFB reports for Ray Duthie Old Forge Banagher, Bait Stockist, Tackle and ACCOMMODATION PROVIDER Tel: 057 9151504. BANAGHER area this week.

Water levels have come back to normal but few Pike anglers out.

LOUGH REE INTERNATIONAL PIKE ANGLING FESTIVAL 2010
By Dave Houghton Date: 17th February, 2010

Anglers will get three days of exciting pike angling on the massive waters of Lough Ree near Athlone and a chance to share in a staggering cash prize fund that could total over €40,000.

Festival organisers yesterday agreed to extend the entry and allow 150 boats to compete in what is bound to become Ireland’s richest angling competition. The angling club secretaries attended the Athlone meeting and they agreed there was such great buzz and lots of excitement surrounding this brand new event, based on catching the biggest fish over three days and to win the guaranteed €3,000 first prize.
The event takes place over three days - Wednesday to Friday April 14-15-16

Failte Ireland are sponsoring the first prize and in addition to that, all entry fees will be returned in cash prizes along with €1,500 angling tackle given by Grandslam Angling.
Brochures are entry forms are now available by telephoning Failte Ireland in Mullingar on 044 9348650 or emailing eastandmidlandsinfo@failteireland.ie
You will find everything from entry forms and rules to the cost of a nights B&B in Athlone if you go to http://www.pikefishinginireland.com or come to the Failte Ireland stand at the Hooked Live angling show on February 27 and 28 at Citywest Dublin.

FEDERATION OF PIKE ANGLING CLUBS NEWS

John Chambers reports

The first Kingspan National Pike Championships Qualifier will be held on the Inny at Legan on Sunday 11th April. The top 5 go through to the final and the top 10 will fish against 10 top Polish anglers a month or so after. WATCH THIS SPACE for further details.
May - Killywilly Lake near Ballyconnell.
June - River Suck
July - Shannon, possibly Castleconnell, date may change
August - Erne at Belturbet,
September - Mayo venue yet to be clarified
October - Lough Acannon in Co. Cavan
November - Rossmore Park Lakes
December - Ross lake near Castleblaney
January - Lough Sillan

More info See Fed website and visit their forum: http://www.angling-in-ireland.com

ShRFB reports for the RIVER SUCK VALLEY - Mid River Suck

Two Castlerea anglers enjoyed excellent pike fishing on the River Suck two weeks ago. They had a great pike of 22lbs, one fish of 9lbs and other smaller fish to 5lbs. Weather was very cold with very low air and water temperatures.

For local angling info contact Mr John Ryan, Assistant Fisheries Inspector Tel: 094 96 40103 Mob: 087 2536064 and John Devaney, Assistant Fisheries Inspector, Roscommon for the lower River Suck 087 2266735.

ShRFB reports for the River Shannon at PORTUMNA - Mike Murray , MURRAY'S B&B, Derryhiney, Portumna reports

No Pike fishing reported.

ShRFB reports for INNY BAY B&B - fishing at TOM FOXES ANGLING STRETCH and lower RIVER INNY Tommy Foxe Mob: 087 9960173 for enquiries and boat hire

Water levels are low for the time of year, following an extended dry spell.

ShRFB reports for the MULLINGAR AREA

Mick Flanagan, Angling correspondent and photographer Mullingar reports for the Midlands. Mobile: 087-2797270

PIKE NEWS....

This Sunday Mullingar travelling pike anglers will be hitting Lough Gara, and Easter weekend we once again will team up with Boyle & District Anglers for their Annual Easter pike festival. Last year Paddy O'Neill from Mullingar topped the 2 days and won the €3,500 top prize and the splendid Moonstone Jewellers Perpetual Cup. I was talking to Paddy this week and he is fired up for the 2010 festival. More on this in the coming weeks and contact details.

Dermot Killeen Shannonbridge Tel 090 96 74112 Email: derry.killeen@gmail.com reports for SHANNONBRIDGE area

Shannonbridge Fishing Report to March 15th, 2010...

Aidan Kelly Shannonbridge fished the Hot Water stretch on the 3rd March and used a spoon bait to catch a 6lb pike which was returned alive. Aidan reckoned that the water level was a bit too high at that time. Christy Ryan Tullamore fished the Shannon for the first time on the 12th March where Barry King once erected fishing stands and legered dead mackerel to catch two pike weighing 8lbs and 10lbs which were returned. Locals John and Gerry fished the Suck a week ago without a bite. Bob Galligan saw them fishing and reckoned that chances were slim as a nasty wind was blowing from the east. Come Patrick's Day they will give it another try. I read on The Star on Friday 12th March that three Ballinasloe pike anglers had a number of pike while fishing the Shannon upstream near Clonmacnoise. Shane Treacy landed a fine 35lbs pike which he photographed and weighed and put back in the water alive and well. I heard of some anglers fishing from the floating jetty on Friday, they had a variety of coarse fish and pike in keepnets. Fish catch log-book at Killeens awaits to record your catches.
River level is at a good summer level. Sad to hear of the death of Mick Wright from Leicester who was a regular visitor to Shannonbridge. May he rest in peace.

LOWER SHANNON AREA

TJ O'Brien, TJ's ANGLING CENTRE KILLALOE Tel: 061 376009 Mob 087 8108225 reports for the Lower Shannon, Lough Derg and East Clare Lakes

No reports.

Peter Gleeson has recently commenced a new Angling Column in the Nenagh Guardian newspaper, entitled HOOKED ON FISH. .

No Pike angling report this period.

HERMAN MOLENAAR Web: http://www.fisherman.nl Email: herman@fisherman.nl Tel: + 353 (0)87 985 74 91. Main Street, Killaloe

Herman Molenaar operates an angling tourism business for Pike Fishing on Lough Derg and the lower Shannon. We look forward to commencing a regular angling column from Herman commencing from mid April.

Fished the region last week ! - Like to send us a fishing report for our next update!

If you have fished any of our fisheries over the past week and wish to send us in your fishing report to feature on our next update, please CLICK HERE and complete our online form or simply send us an email with your contact particulars and catch details and attach a photo if you have one to Brian Mc Manus Email: info@shannon-fishery-board.ie