David and Andrew ‘reel’ happy with cup glory
DAVID Crawley and Andrew McDonnell took the major salmon prizes on the River Fane recently.
Crawley clinched the Glyde Cup as winner of the Saturday Salmon competition with a catch of around 5kg, pipping Robert Badington to the title.
The following day 17-yearold Andrew Mc Donnell claimed the Irene Quinn Cup as winner of the Sunday Salmon Competition with a fine 8kg catch. A second salmon was caught by Kevin Manning.
All salmon caught were returned alive to the water under club rules and Inland Fisheries Ireland current law.
The Dundalk Salmon Anglers Association have encouraged catch and release of salmon over the last number of years to help the wild salmon population survival.
The number of salmon entering local rivers over the last few years has declined, however this year saw a good number of salmon run the river Fane.
Up until 2015 the association had operated a hatchery where salmon from the river were stripped. The eggs from these salmon were placed in areas of the system that salmon had not spawned in for many years.
The Gylde Cup was presented to the Dundalk Salmon Anglers Association in 1967 by the late Mr. Jim Donegan, a founder member of the Association.
The Irene Quinn Cup was presented to the association by the late Ms. Irene Quinn on the club’s foundation.
Both cups are fished for annually over the same weekend.