Rathmullan Tope & Whitefish Festival - 2nd & 3rd Jun

[arthurg]

This years festival got off to a difficult start with weathger conditions being poor. As usual there were boats setting off to fish Whitefish and others seeking Tope. Nobody told the fish!

Some names seen on here from time to time arrived in Rathmullan windswept and as interesting as usual ........... JGF & Tanglerat included. Danny had come over on his annual excursion from Hollywood. Great actor is Danny.

Great credit must go to the Lough Swilly Sea Angling Club for running superb competitions. .............................. but then I would say that wouldn't I!

On to the fishing.

Tope:

Saturday was poor with only three being caught by anglers in the Tope competition. Rather embarassingly, another two were caught by those fishing whitefish!

Sunday was much better weather - still wet but much less wind. Ten Tope were caught this time by the proper anglers all fishing off Dunaff.

Whitefish:

Pretty good if uncomfortable fishing particularly on the Saturday. Twelve species caught with it all getting very tight up at the top. No doubt it was tight enough much further down the rankings but I never looked to see how Michael Vambeck done.

Results:

Junior Winner - Daniel Gallagher - Culdaff S.A.C.

Senior Whitefish

1st Noel Kinnear - Ulster Bass S.A.C.
2nd Pat McGinty - Lough Swilly S.A.C.
3rd Dano Gallagher - Culdaff S.A.C.

Senior Tope

1st Tommy Walsh - Lough Swilly S.A.C. (3 Tope)
2nd Pascal Keeve - Lough Swilly S.A.C. (2 Tope)
3rd Arthur Gent - Lough Swilly S.A.C. (2 Tope)


Hugo McLaughlin got a commendation for landing a 45Lb 11Oz Specimen Tope however this was returned unharmed and it was only later we looked at the charts to calculate the weight that we realised that it was a specimen - well done Hugo.

Despite inclement weather we had some really good fishing. There seems to be plenty of Tope in the lough along with other species not usually so abundant. I was out again on Monday and over the weekend we saw / caught Tope, Porbeagle Shark, Basking Shark, Sunfish and a pod of Dolphins. I notice on another thread mention of the Porbeagle being caught. This was indeed on the Enterprise I skippered by Niall Doherty and with a group from Derry on board. They were fishing off Dunaff hoping to catch some Tope as we had done over the weekend when they landed the Porbeagle estimated at 80Lb.

If someone explains how to attach some photos from the Tope competition I have them here on CD Rom.

[pete]

Nice report Arthur, did you get any runs yourself?

[arthurg]

Nice report Arthur, did you get any runs yourself?

.................err .................... look at 3rd place in the Tope!


I'm being gentle with them since it is my first report this year!



I had a run on Saturday but missed it, then a crimp gave way on Sunday when I had one well up. C'est la vie!

[Tanglerat]

Some names seen on here from time to time arrived in Rathmullan windswept and as interesting as usual ........... JGF & Tanglerat included.

Pretty sure I wasn't there............ :?

[JGF]

Think he meant Dingbat not tanglerat. Couple of tope photos to follow....

[arthurg]

Some names seen on here from time to time arrived in Rathmullan windswept and as interesting as usual ........... JGF & Tanglerat included.

Pretty sure I wasn't there............ :?

................. Oops, sorry. Always get you two mixed up. Dingbat it was!

[pete]

Missed that Arthur :o , fair play in getting a placing. As for Dingbat & Tanglerat....they are the real spit of each other :lol: :lol:

[Tanglerat]

Some names seen on here from time to time arrived in Rathmullan windswept and as interesting as usual ........... JGF & Tanglerat included.

Pretty sure I wasn't there............ :?

................. Oops, sorry. Always get you two mixed up. Dingbat it was!

ahhh, that's good. I'll not have to adjust the medication, then so. :D