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Young sea anglers set to take on the world

Rod & Line

Team players: the IFSA Junior and Youth teams for the 2017 World Junior Shore Angling Championships... Stephen Birney, Sean Carley, Killian Farrelly, Conor O’Leary, Jordan Muir, Ryan Blair, Finian McCarthy, Sean Cushen, Darragh Byrne, David Farrelly, Jake Melly and Evan Ryan Expand

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Team players: the IFSA Junior and Youth teams for the 2017 World Junior Shore Angling Championships... Stephen Birney, Sean Carley, Killian Farrelly, Conor O’Leary, Jordan Muir, Ryan Blair, Finian McCarthy, Sean Cushen, Darragh Byrne, David Farrelly, Jake Melly and Evan Ryan

Team players: the IFSA Junior and Youth teams for the 2017 World Junior Shore Angling Championships... Stephen Birney, Sean Carley, Killian Farrelly, Conor O’Leary, Jordan Muir, Ryan Blair, Finian McCarthy, Sean Cushen, Darragh Byrne, David Farrelly, Jake Melly and Evan Ryan

Team players: the IFSA Junior and Youth teams for the 2017 World Junior Shore Angling Championships... Stephen Birney, Sean Carley, Killian Farrelly, Conor O’Leary, Jordan Muir, Ryan Blair, Finian McCarthy, Sean Cushen, Darragh Byrne, David Farrelly, Jake Melly and Evan Ryan

By Vic Thomas

The Irish Federation of Sea Anglers have announced their Junior and Youth teams, who will represent Ireland in the 2017 World Junior Shore Angling Championships on the beaches of Cote d'Opale, France, in July.

Each team will consist of five anglers and a reserve, a manager and assistant manager and the IFSA's National Youth Officer, Joe Bryne, will also accompany the teams.

The Youth team is Stephen Birney, Sean Carley, Killian Farrelly, Conor O'Leary, Jordan Muir, Ryan Blair with managers Jim Snoddy and Joe Carley while the Junior team consists of Finian McCarthy, Sean Cushen, Daragh Byrne, David Farrelly, Jake Melly, Evan Ryan plus managers John Kinsella and Brian Cooke.

The Federation thanks sponsors NationWide Baits, Turkana Fishing, Asso UK Fishing Line and Eurocamp, without whose help it would not be possible to send the two teams to France.

  • After three days of match fishing, Erne Anglers Easter Festival produced a total weight of over 422Kgs caught by the competing anglers.

The pole was the favoured method at Viaduct and Cleenish where the matchmen enjoyed fishing the venues recently enhanced by DAERA Fisheries, while bream showed up on the Airport section but it was mostly hybrids and roach for all competitors.

On the final day, the top weights came from the Viaduct section with Gavin Brown best with 21.220Kgs and Maurice Lawson second with 20.100Kgs. Gareth Williams completed the top three with 16.650Kgs from the Airport section.

Overall winner Simon Huthwaite, who led from day one with his 31Kgs catch at Airport, finished with a total weight of 51.790, banking the top prize of £500. Second was Tony Green, 31.730Kgs, £300; third, James O'Doherty, 30.850Kgs, £230; fourth, former World Champion Kevin Ashurst, 28.780Kgs, £180 and completing the top five was Nick Howell with 28.400Kgs and £100.

  • In keeping with the tradition of switching between the Royal and Grand Canals, the ninth NCFFI All Ireland Senior Canal Championships will this year take place on the Grand Canal at Prosperous, Co. Kildare, on April 29-30. It is the only two day Canal match of its kind.

 

  • Latest reports from the River Drowes show that around 28 salmon have been banked recently.

Among the successful anglers was Colin McCormac who recorded a 9lb salmon on fly from the Mill Pool. Billy Grimes reported a 9lb salmon on fly from Briney's and Darryl Kennedy accounted for a brace of salmon weighing 9lbs and 9lbs, caught and released on shrimp from the Old Sea Pool and Melly's High Bank respectively.

Jim Moran logged a 7lb salmon on worm from the Eel Weir; Oscar Obles grassed a 10 pounder on prawn from the Blackwater and next day banked one at 6lbs, also on prawn, from the Blackwater.

Joe Broderick recorded a 7lb salmon on a Cascade fly and Darryl Kennedy bagged two further beauties at 10lbs on prawn from Melly's High Bank and another at 12lbs caught and released on prawn from the Blackwater.

Gary Bennett registered an 8lb salmon on prawn from The Grazing's, Virgilio Alonso logged a 10lb salmon on prawn from the Blackwater and Darren Haire landed one at 8lbs on prawn from the Mill Pool.

Belfast Telegraph