Rosies SAC Annual Tow Away Hijackers please post here

Any chance of changing the format for these small boat competitions which doesn't involve bringing fish back to shore to be weighed. I know it would be difficult as there maybe only a crew of two per boat and having to rely on peoples word and honesty but fish weigh in are in fairness a bit primitive!

Any chance of changing the format for these small boat competitions which doesn't involve bringing fish back to shore to be weighed. I know it would be difficult as there maybe only a crew of two per boat and having to rely on peoples word and honesty but fish weigh in are in fairness a bit primitive!

hi dangler the format works very well we take pics of all rays and conger and lsd and release them as there is a set weight given for them the other species are weighed on the slip any that are alive are returned i had a decent plaice returned alive along with a few dabs 95% of the other white fish was given to a local people . during the rosslare and cork small boats the local people line up for the chance of some good fresh fish for free

"Weigh ins are primative". I could not agree more with Dangler, weigh ins are a throw back to a time when we all thought that the sea was a bottomless pit of fish, today we know better.

I agree with Steryman regarding fresh fish for the locals and yes there is a bit of a spectacle surrounding weigh ins and the chance of seeing a really big or unusual specimen, and to be honest I miss that aspect having grown up with it. But we live in different times and I believe we as anglers and conservationists need to go the whole hog. Why we do things in a particular way can always be justified, but come on lads its time to move on.

I keep fish, in fact I love eating fish, by all means bring some home for personal consumption and the locals on the pier, but ditch the weigh in, the fish deserve better.

Any chance of changing the format for these small boat competitions which doesn't involve bringing fish back to shore to be weighed. I know it would be difficult as there maybe only a crew of two per boat and having to rely on peoples word and honesty but fish weigh in are in fairness a bit primitive!

The simple answer is no not at the present but we do review this issue yearly

I’m not interested in letting this be hijacked by the C&R brigade.

First do you know the format under which this competition was ran?
This might help you understand .

Fish returned to the scales that were not given away for human consumption were, 1 Huss returned alive, 4 Scad, 5 Ballan wrasse, 8 Cuckoo wrasse, 6 Poor cod.

In total 23 fish were returned to the water dead OMG!

All other non edible species were measures and photographed and given a fixed weight.

IF your concerned about the amount of dead fish in this competition then you should look at the amount of fished that was killed at the Master Angler boat that was held the same weekend.
I’ve fished enough of them to see trails of dead ballans, cuckoos, coalies, pollack, ling, and many more floating away or been eaten by gulls.
The amount of fish that were killed by all of us over two days would be well surpassed by any of the good angler in just one session at the MA.

Take a step back Donal and a deep breath, no one is having a cut at your event, it was just that an element of your report prompted a debate regarding weigh ins per se.

In this day and age they do not send a good message and the picture you paint of the Master Angler backs up the reason why they should be done away with.

As regards being hijacked by the "C&R brigade", who are they? Most anglers I know practice C&R but also bring fish home to eat, like most guys/girls nowadays they take photos of special fish as reminders, memories, trophies, whatever. Their actions are responsible and considerate to the future sport, principals I am sure that you and your club members agree to, abide by, and practice as well.

We all want to enjoy our fishing, and as stated previously I really enjoyed the craic, anticipation, and spectacle of the weigh in, but we have moved on. All angling federations and associations that still incorporate weigh ins of dead fish, not live fish as in coarse fishing matches, within their events should reconsider the practice in the interests of conservation and the promotion of same.

By the way, I get drawn into these virtual debates against my better interest, much prefering to offer my point of view in person. So there's an offer, I'll hop down to Cork anytime.