Displaying items by tag: Hook Bass Angling Festival

5th November 2012

Bass Fail to Show at First Hook Bass Angling Festival

#ANGLING - Bitterly cold weather and some hungry marine mammals kept the bass away from the inaugural Hook Bass Angling Festival in Wexford last weekend, as The Irish Times reports.

The angling went on regardless, however, with Mark Baker from Co Meath hooking a 1.5kg 'schoolie' of a flounder to take top prize of a five-day holiday at Grangecourt Holiday Homs and a day's fishing with Jim Foley.

All taking part enjoyed the weekend despite the absence of the titular fish, and promised to return next year - for which the dos and don'ts will be ironed out, according to Cathy Howlin of Hook Tourism.

Meanwhile, the weekend also featured an evening talk by Dr Ed Fahy who discussed the threat to Ireland's sea bass should the fishery be opened to commercial interests, and argued the case for bass angling tourism as a greater boon for the economy.

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Hook Bass Festival Hopes to Catch Ireland's Best Anglers

#ANGLING - Minister of State Paul Kehoe was on hand at the famous Hook Lighthouse recently to launch the first Hook Bass Angling Festival, which takes places over three days from 26-28 October.

The contest will be held on a catch-and-release basis and comprises various locations on the Hook Peninsula, situated on the amazing southwest Wexford coast, where you can find a beach a day for a fortnight - perfect for the festival.

First prize is a weekend's accommodation at Grangecourt Holiday Cottages in Fethard-On-Sea that sleeps up to five people, plus a day trip fishing for two with Wild Swan, Mermaid Angling, Arthurstown. Prizes will also be awarded for second and third place, and for the longest bass.

Aside from the angling action, the Friday and Saturday evening will see talks from Billy Colfer and Dr Ed Fahy about the history of the area and bass fishing respectively. These will take place at 7pm each evening in Neville’s Bar and Restaurant, which will also be serving a special anglers menu - and will host the prize-giving ceremony on the Sunday evening.

The entry fee for anglers is €75 for the three days days or €25 per day. You can enter online via www.hooktourism.com.

Families are more than welcome, as the Hook Peninsula has many historic sites to see and activities to do, especially for Hallowe'en, such as the 'Ghostly Guided Tours' of Hook Lighthouse. For more information visit www.hooktourism.com.

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour