Boat fish off

What date is the boat fish off?

29th and 30th of Oct.
I got the call up myself on Sunday evening, but unfortunately I cant make it

It seems very unfair on any angler based in the North half of the country to be expected to travel to Cork every year!
Its not like Cork harbour is going to present similiar conditions to South Africa.
I thought the purpose of the pool idea was to ensure that the best in the country go on to represent Ireland in the world championships, yet over the last two years there has been 6 guys from Ulster who have finished in around the top 20 in the MA yet they have been unable to travel to Cork for various reasons be it financial, work or family.
I have heard it said that the same names are rising to the top of the fish-off's every year, its no surprise that these names are all circa 2hr drive from cork.
I couldnt justify a weekend in Cork 1 month after an 16hr return drive from Inishowen to Caherciveen for the interprovincials.

Hi Paddy

Try and get to the IFSA AGM in November and air your views !

After seeing lads loosing 30 sets of gear in one session in killybegs at this years masters ( App cost at €2.50 a rig = €75 per session ) its far cheaper to travel to Cork Paddy

Killybegs is definitely tackle hungry ground, however its one of the few spots in Ulster than can be fished during most weather conditions.
I can count on one hand the amount of trips I've had out of Culdaff this year, due to our wonderful summer

29th and 30th of Oct.
Its not like Cork harbour is going to present similiar conditions to South Africa.

Just remember any changes to the present qualifying system made at this years AGM will not come into effect for the team heading to South Africa. The World Championships 2013 will be held in Portugal so it will be back to small fish as it has been over the past three years.
I agree with Paddy that its unfair to hold the Qualifiers in one venue year on year and would be much fairer if it went around the provences like the Findlater and Master Angler. The problem is as Paddy pointed out finding a venue which can be fished in any weather conditions especially at that time of the year.

The reason Cork Harbour is chosen is that it's held in late October where WX can be very unpredictable, Cork is the second largest natural harbour in the world It has a vast 194.5 square miles of sheltered harbour in which the boats can fish in all but the most extreme weather conditions, NOWHERE else in Ireland or in fact Europe can claim such a fact!

IMO If an angler is whinging and moaning about having to travel to Cork Harbour for the fish offs he doesn't deserve a place on a national team anyway! I wonder would he / she also be whinging and moaning about having to go all the way to S Africa or Portagal or anywhere else for that matter with the team if he /she were picked........ I think not!!!!!

I think we all know how good a facility is , however does every angler not have a right to have his say without someone saying he is whinging !

Not travelling myself this year despite being in the pool for various reasons, chiefly being stationed up north these days also. I do think however a change of scenery for the fish offs would be nice, the thoughts of another mega whiting blast did nothing to sway the mood either. Would like to see it move around the country a bit, possibly hold the Masters a little earlier to accommodate this but I fully understand and accept why Cork Harbour is the preferred choice although the venue for the fish offs, (to my knowledge) is not set in stone. Best of luck to all those who are fishing, Ill miss it this year no doubt about it.

Why not have the fish offs the day after the master angler? The people fishing it are there. The boats are there? Can't see a problem.

Why not have the fish offs the day after the master angler? The people fishing it are there. The boats are there? Can't see a problem.

now there is the best idea i have heard in over 40 years fishing

I would love to see the fishoffs move around the country as well, but because of the fishing calender it has to be held later in the year, and the only viable venue is Cork harbour, the only other viable venue in my opinion that you could fish this event would be in Kilmore quay, but this venue is too open to the weather conditions.
The reason I would pick either of these venues is because of the variety and volume of fish you can catch there.
I feel there is no point running an event like the fishoffs, boat or shore, in a venue which owes more to luck than the anglers ability, winning your boat with 8 or 9 fish is not an acceptable way to pick a team to compete in a World event.
people complain about it being a whiting bash, but there were 17 species caught in Cork Harbour last year, and you don't hear the shore guys complain about a flounder bash.....
on the contrary, fishing a venue with large amounts of fish will reward the better angler over the 4 sessions, as the ability to prepare all your bait correctly before starting to fish, having the right rigs to catch optimally, and being able to speed fish are vital no matter where you travel for a world event.
in South Africa the fishing will be for smaller fish than most people expect, and Cork harbour is as good a venue to pick a team as any.
It's also interesting to note that out of the 2 lots of top 10 anglers in the fishoffs for '09 + '10 only 3 out of the 20 were from cork harbour, 11 of them were from Leinster !!
I can empathise with anglers who can't travel due to time, family, or economic reasons, but if they can't travel for any of those reasons, they surely would not be able to travel to a world event because of the huge demands it makes on your time, pocket, and family as well, and that's just a reality in this day and age.
Fishing it the monday of the Masters is not a bad idea as long as it's on a suitable venue over a bank holiday weekend, the rules for both events are the same (fips-m) and the pool system continues, as this is I feel the best way to continue improving our world boat team.

The reason Cork Harbour is chosen is that it's held in late October where WX can be very unpredictable, Cork is the second largest natural harbour in the world It has a vast 194.5 square miles of sheltered harbour in which the boats can fish in all but the most extreme weather conditions, NOWHERE else in Ireland or in fact Europe can claim such a fact!

IMO If an angler is whinging and moaning about having to travel to Cork Harbour for the fish offs he doesn't deserve a place on a national team anyway! I wonder would he / she also be whinging and moaning about having to go all the way to S Africa or Portagal or anywhere else for that matter with the team if he /she were picked........ I think not!!!!!

The reason Cork Harbour is chosen is that it's held in late October where WX can be very unpredictable, Cork is the second largest natural harbour in the world It has a vast 194.5 square miles of sheltered harbour in which the boats can fish in all but the most extreme weather conditions, NOWHERE else in Ireland or in fact Europe can claim such a fact!

IMO If an angler is whinging and moaning about having to travel to Cork Harbour for the fish offs he doesn't deserve a place on a national team anyway! I wonder would he / she also be whinging and moaning about having to go all the way to S Africa or Portagal or anywhere else for that matter with the team if he /she were picked........ I think not!!!!!

No point in whinging n moaning on the forums about having to travel to Cork Harbour (Ireland's national stadium of boat angling ) if you feel you're simply either not good enough to compete at this level or you're simply not dedicated enough whichever is the case as I said if one has to whinge and moan they do not deserve a place on any national team!!

The wind is 260 deg gusting to 32 knots at present and the harbour here is still perfectly fishable other venues would be postponed in such WX leading some to have to take more time off work or travel to a venue a second or third time hence the reason Cork was chosen as the venue

Dave Jolly's post above is excellent I suggest you read it again esp this part

It's also interesting to note that out of the 2 lots of top 10 anglers in the fishoffs for '09 + '10 only 3 out of the 20 were from cork harbour, 11 of them were from Leinster !!


I can empathise with anglers who can't travel due to time, family, or economic reasons, but if they can't travel for any of those reasons, they surely would not be able to travel to a world event because of the huge demands it makes on your time, pocket, and family as well, and that's just a reality in this day and age.

Let me remind you that this is all about picking a national team, hard work and dedication are what cuts the mustard, whinging and moaning (and remember the OP just asked what date the FO's where being held on) will not win international angling events, whilst your complaining on here some of the more dedicated anglers have been travelling to and going out in Cork Harbour practising in the lead up to the fish offs

There is no doubt about it certain fishing suits certain anglers, the fact is there is some very good anglers in ireland the only thing i think would be a huge improvment would be to have the fish offs both boat and shore, fished on the irish venue most suitable to where the world championship is going to be held. when i fished the home nations this year the english team picked were some of the best estuary anglers they had. Look at the shore team success in south africa imho this was partly because the team was suited to that type of fishing.

I dont agree with the suggestion that having the fishoffs in Cork harbour is favouring the local lads,however it is not improving anyones angling as everyone knows by now it is a whiting and dab bash.We need variety of venue and fish to find the most versatile anglers.

After seeing lads loosing 30 sets of gear in one session in killybegs at this years masters ( App cost at €2.50 a rig = €75 per session ) its far cheaper to travel to Cork Paddy

Thats because you did'nt keep your bottom snood hi enough.

Jim,

If Cork Harbours is 'The National Stadium for Boat Angling', then why is it that there has been no major championship held there for many years. The biggest comp held there in recent memory has been the Cork Harbour Championships and the least said about that the better.

Another point, as far as I can remember the Master Angler Boat competition has not been cancelled due to weather so I don't see any reason why the Fish Off's is not combined with it and it rotates with the Masters. Too many people looking for the easy / cheapest way in. If you fish the Masters / Interprovincials - Findlater/ Fish Off's you'd have no change fom €2K - don't know many with that kind of disposable cash any more...............

By the way, are you Hired for the 'Fish Off's?

Just be aware: The Clubs & Comp section has been changed to a "Pre-mod" status. It might take a short while for your comments to appear.

If Cork Harbours is 'The National Stadium for Boat Angling', then why is it that there has been no major championship held there for many years. The biggest comp held there in recent memory has been the Cork Harbour Championships and the least said about that the better.

What about the Cork Small Boats Festival....... oh wait, that's real fishing!

Just be aware: The Clubs & Comp section has been changed to a "Pre-mod" status. It might take a short while for your comments to appear.

If Cork Harbours is 'The National Stadium for Boat Angling', then why is it that there has been no major championship held there for many years. The biggest comp held there in recent memory has been the Cork Harbour Championships and the least said about that the better.

What about the Cork Small Boats Festival....... oh wait, that's real fishing!

Hear hear and no bitching