The inaugural Irish Bass Festival (organised by Absolute Fishing of Tramore) took place last weekend. By all accounts it was a great success with over 121 anglers taking part. BASS is very proud to have been able to support this event and we extend our congratulations to Cian and James for a) coming up with the idea and b) seeing it through to fruition. Well done guys.
The trophy list read thus:
Juvenile winner: Darragh McCarthy
Best combined three fish: Seamus Enright
Visiting Angler: Steve Richardson
2nd Longest fish: Patrick Morris
Winner of the Irish Bass Festival: Anthony Phealan
Eric Upton managed a lovely fish of 73cm on Sunday morning when conditions were at their best along the rocks, a SW wind creating a nice fizz on the water. The fish earned him 3rd place, with the 3rd longest fish of the weekend.
BASS members Steve Richardson won the visiting angler award – just reward for the amount of effort he and many others from the UK were putting in, fishing all-night sessions in many cases, and walking around looking like zombies! Fair play to them I say!
In total 250 bass were caught and released over the weekend. Conditions were tough with less than ideal flat calm seas. The guys who targeted estuaries by day and rock marks by night got their just rewards with some quality fish being landed. The new BASS backdrop, was at the festival HQ for the duration of the fishing, and provided a superb focal point for conversation, with the old pop-ups either side of the shop door leaving everyone in no doubt about BASS’s commitment to these kind of events. For a full report of the event visit Absolute Fishing’s Blogspot.
Grateful thanks go to BASS’s Ian Morris who lugged the ‘NEW’ BASS display stand over to the Irish Bass Festival and spent the weekend handing out BASS newsletter’s and chatting to the visiting anglers.
Ian commented:
“Just a note to let you all know the festival was a resounding success with some great fish caught despite extremely testing conditions. The best fish was 80cm 11 1/2 lb’er caught by a local angler on a £40 rod and a £20 reel, using a lure that he had to be forced to buy by his friend, despite his protestations that it cost 5 euros more than his reel! I thought it was just brilliant . . . an “Only in Ireland!” moment.”
