NORTHERN IRELAND FEDERATION OF SEA ANGLERS TWO DAY FESTIVAL 2021
Check in will be at the Premier Inn Hotel Coleraine between 7pm and 9pm on Friday 3 Sept. Unless current N.I covid regulations change this will be done outdoors.
Entry is £55 and anglers will draw their cards for all three sessions.
If an angler cannot attend peg draw, we can draw their cards if they notify us in advance.
Time and venue of prize giving TBC
VENUES
SESSION 1 LONGFIELDS WALL / RIVER ROE SAT 4 AUGUST 12-4PM
SESSION 2 EAST STRAND PORTRUSH SAT 4 AUGUST 7-11PM
SESSION 3 PORTSALON DONEGAL 11-4PM
The first session will have two zones split over two venues in the Foyle Estuary. Angling will be done from a sea wall which has a track running behind it. Competitors can drive to their pegs on this venue and simply climb onto the wall.
Target species will be flounder and eels with occasional smelt, dabs and garfish.
Recommended baits are crab and worm baits.
Session 2 is a surf beach in Portrush and most anglers will have a substantial walk to their peg. There is lots of parking at western end of strand and limited parking at eastern end.
Target species will be flounder, dab, coalfish, dogfish and whiting.
Recommended baits are rag, lug, maddies, black wrap, sandeel and mackerel.
Session 3 is at a strand situated at the mouth of Lough Swilly in County Donegal. This venue is the furthest from Coleraine and we would advise anglers to allow two hours to get to venue. The venue is also only accessible from one point, so a big walk is involved in getting to peg.
Target species will be thornback ray, dogfish, turbot, dab and flounder.
(This is not a “scratching” venue and most of the fish are at distance so we would recommend gearing up for heavier casting/hauling as well as bringing a metre measuring stick).
Recommended baits are sandeel, mackerel and ragworm.
PRIZES
Anglers will be split into two zones for each of the three sessions and we will pay out cash from first to fifth place in each zone over all three sessions. There will be sponsored tackle prizes for sixth to tenth place in each zone.
We will also pay out for longest fish in each zone over the three sessions.
Fifty pounds of each entry fee will make up the above prize pool and we will have a total pool of sixty- six prizes over the three sessions.
We will also have an overall winner who will receive £1000 which is being kindly sponsored by Clashmore Sea Angling Club.
Anglers will receive one point for a zone win, two for second and so on.
The competitor with lowest overall score after three sessions will win the overall prize.
MATCH RULES
No bait additives allowed.
These matches will be fished on a catch, measure and release basis. Minimum fish size is 18cm and one point will be awarded per cm. Fish must be placed on a recognized match measure with mouth closed and are rounded down to closest cm. Manipulation of a fish tail is permitted to make size/increase length.
Lesser spotted dogfish and silver eels do not require measurement and are awarded 50cm and 30cm respectively.
Each fish caught will be awarded an additional five fish points on tallying of score card.
All ray species are measured nose to tail.
In the event of an exact score tie, the total number of fish will be the decider. If this is tied it will then be decided on the longest fish recorded
Each angler is permitted to fish with one rod and three hooks, while a spare rod may be set up with line through the eyes, but no trace attached. The spare rod must also be kept away from tripod and preferably facing away from the sea.
There is no minimum hook size and a treble hook counts as three hooks.
Additional traces may also be prepared/baited but we would ask anglers to exercise caution doing this in relation to canines/other beach users etc.
On catching a counting fish an angler is permitted to place the fish in a bucket of water while recasting. They must then bring the fish to angler on their right- hand side to be verified and have score card completed.
Reeling in of that cast is not permitted until the fish is verified and then returned immediately to the water.
We would also ask that folk use appropriate means of unhooking fish (disgorgers, forceps, t-bar) depending on species caught.
On completion of each session you should bring your score card to the angler on your right who will underline your last entry and sign your card.
All score cards should be returned to a member of organizing committee before leaving the venue.
Please take all your litter home. A litter walk will be done before and after each session.
The team event will involve a simple scoring method with each anglers score being recorded after each session on a separate sheet. The team with lowest overall score after three sessions will be the winners.
There are no monetary prizes for this event.
Barry Platt
Recorder
