IFSA Shore Species Hunt 2014

[corbyeire]

IFSA species hunt update
Hi everyone.
Sorry about the late report for July, a combination of been away on holidays and some laptop problems has me only getting to it now.

July was a month for the big predators show in numbers. Pete Atkins had a Huss scoring 120 points followed by Gary McCurry and Barry Platt with Conger scoring 126 points. Aidan o Halloran was next with an other Conger for 134 points but the biggest Conger and fish of the month goes to Junior angler Conor McDermott scoring 155 points.


Special mention also to Paddy Barnwell with the biggest Gilthead Bream yet 56cm.

As of now we have 65 different species recorded and the leading anglers have broken the 40 individual species bracket. Will anyone be able to hit the 50 species??

Pete.

[corbyeire]

Hi everyone.

Things have been a bit hectic of late so I'm going to send out both August and September's report in one.

August seen a massive amount of species, summer fishing at it's best. Conor McDermott sent in the best Ballen wrasse scoring 104 points, then we have a couple of good mullet from Andrew Ferguson and Gary McCurry scoring 107 and 109 points. Andrew also sent in the highest scoring fish of the month a Conger scoring 114 points but the fish of the month goes to Joe Duggan with a cracking Painted Ray for 112 points.




September produced even better fishing around the country, I'll start with a good mix of Ray, Dean Quigley had a Cuckoo Ray for 86 points, Joe Duggan Undulate Ray 97 points, Joe Birney Jr Thornback Ray 101 points and Denis Morley Painted Ray 105 points.




Next are some great fish worth a mention, Gary McCurry Tadpole Fish 99 points, Denis Morley Scad 100 points, Joe Birney Snr Corkwing Wrasse 102 points, Joe Birney Jr Cuckoo Wrasse 103, Stephen Hodge Herring 104.

But it has been a great month for Joe Birney Snr. Joe has the two highest scoring fish of the month with a Grey Mullet 111 points and a Conger for 119 points. To top it off for Joe is his Lemon Sole which scored him 98 points the only one caught this year, it's not the highest scoring fish caught this month but anglers will go a lifetime and never see one don't mind catch one. Well done Joe and it's the fish of the month for September.




I'm glad to announce some good news for the 2015 IFSA Species Hunt. The Irish Anglers Digest has agreed to come on board and sponsor the fish of the month, we will also have a slot in the magazine for a small report and photos every month. I will confirm the details of how this will work later in the year.




Also for this years Species Hunt, all anglers who finish on 30 or more species will receive a patch with the number of fish caught on it. So all anglers who are on around 20 species will how have something to aim for before the end of the year. A staggering 66 species have been caught so far this year by everyone with a few more I'd expect to be caught like Triggerfish, John Dory and Black Sole. A total of 70 species is a nice target to reach before the end of the year.




Pete.

[corbyeire]

Hi everyone.

October has being a slow month, people are finding it harder to catch new species or they are just holding their cards close to their chest and send them all in at the last minute.

We did have a couple of big movers, Aidan O Halloran sent in 17 species to see him jump up to40 species, Congratulations also to Aidan on winning the Jimmy Smith recently. The other big mover was the superstar match angler Joe Byrne, Joe sent in 24 species and you would have to wonder where he finds the time to run a tackle shop and still have time for so much fishing, he seems like a man on a mission.

The most unusual catch of the month surely goes to Anthony Foley and his Red Mouthed Goby, have to say I've never seen or heard of one before. Anthony also sent in a Conger scoring 129 points.

Fish of the month goes again to Joe Birney Snr for his Painted Ray scoring 119 points and weighing in at over 13lb well over the specimen weight. Well done Joe.




Pete.

[corbyeire]

Hi everyone,
November has being a quite month and we are truly into the winter species with a lot of codling, coalfish and whiting sent in.
We had two big movers in the overall standings, Wexford's finest Dean Quigley and Joe Duggan now see themselves into the top 5 for the first time.
Fish worth a mention this month are Dean Quigleys Codling of 48cm, Joe Duggans Codling of 47cm and a Shore Rockling of 30cm.
Fish of the month goes to Gary McCurry with a fine Bass 70cm from the north coast for 98points.
I would invite all anglers who registered during the year to vote for the best fish of the year. You can take your pick from the largest of each species folder. Which ever angler receives the most votes will have the bragging rites for the coming year.
Pete.

[corbyeire]

Congrats to Aidan O'Halloran on winning the IFSA species hunt - 47 species some going from the shore
http://ifsa.ie/index.php/99-latest-news ... 014-winner

[pollachius virens]

Is there any word on a 2015 hunt?

[corbyeire]

the card is on ifsa.ie to download

[pollachius virens]

Thanks for that Corbyeire.