ENFIELD C.A.C: Royal Enfield Coarse Angling Club recently hosted their 2-day International match competition along the banks of the Grand Canal. It was a huge success and Royal Enfield CAC secretary, Mark O’Donoghue sent us a cracking report, along with some eye-catching photographs of fantastic catches from the competition. Over the 2 days, Dublin angler Pat Bartley produced a net full of fish weighing 20lbs 12oz to win the competition. Pat was certainly chuffed with his prizes, which included the AL Perpetual Cup, the Fred Moss memorial Cup and almost a thousand euro in prize money. The event had many visiting anglers from England and Joe Lawerance from England was 2nd with 14lbs 15oz, and 3rd was also an English angler, Neil Paterson with 13lbs 6oz.
KING OF THE CANAL: Staying with the coarse angling scene, Julian Kendrick of Daingean Coarse Anglers tells us they had a fantastic one-day open match competition. Up for grabs was the King of the Canal crown and we have the photograph of winner Paul Holding being crowned by Irish International angler Conor Browne. The event was fished in a 55 pegged stretch of the Grand Canal flowing through Daingean, and Paul produced a catch of 11lbs 9oz to be crowned King Of the Canal. Many more match competitions are penciled in for the Daingean Coarse Anglers and we will keep you posted on all the prize winners.
THE NOLANS FROM KANSAS: It’s becoming a very small world these days on the angling scene with facebook, social media and all that stuff. I was contacted last week by Steve Nolan from Kansas who was traveling across Ireland with his wife Kathryn. We managed to get them to venture to Mullingar and spend a few days fishing our local lakes. Steve is based in Fort Leaveworth Combined Arms Forces Center and Kathryn is on a break from school teaching. It was not their first trip to Ireland, but they had never dropped into Westmeath before. Well, the rest is history, as Steve and Kathryn were over the moon with their few days in Mullingar. I will be keeping in touch with the Nolan clan from Kansas and you can be sure they will be back in the heart of the midlands.
RAINBOW DELIGHTS: Last week we featured Derrymore Springs Fishery and adventure center near Killucan and as you could see it’s a magical spot for a bit of fishing. Last week I ventured out and caught up with Sarah Whelehan who was fishing from one of the boats on Derrymore Springs. The lake is open seven days a week and is a grand spot to take the family for a day out. I got chatting to Pat Whelehan of Derrymore Springs and he told me quite a few young anglers are having a go at the fishing. This is great news as in every sport you want young blood coming online. Pat can be contacted on 087-7174336.
STAR ANGLERS: I have started an angling slot in the Irish Daily Star and ‘Mick the Fish’ catches up with what’s happening in the angling world every Wednesday. I cover all the angling news from across Ireland, and naturally I will be giving the midlands a good old mention in this weekly piece. Keep me posted on club news, competition results and upcoming events.
Mick Flanagan
E mail mick@midlandangling.com
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