Young anglers vie for wily brownies

LAST Sunday saw young anglers from the four provinces of Ireland converge on Mallow to fish the All-Ireland river competition, otherwise known as the Inter-pro.

Munster Council Youth Officer John Willis welcomed the anglers and their parents and had them draw for their stretches. Each angler had to bring a steward with him who was then picked to steward an angler from a different province.

Fishing of the first session started at 10am with these young anglers trying with their favoured patterns to catch the wily brownies of the Blackwater. Each trout caught was measured for length and then returned to the water as quickly as possible. Only trout of 20 centimetres or longer were to be recorded.

At the end of the competition John Willis thanked all the anglers for their co-operation. He also thanked the stewards for being so helpful, clubs and riparian owners as well as farmers whose water was fished over were thanked also.

John then announced the result. Kevin Healy was called on to present the Mark Healy Trophy to the winner, Chris Fehilly, of Macroom Trout Anglers and Munster. In second place was Fergal Armstrong from Ulster and third was Gerard McLoughlin of Leinster. Armstrong also had the longest trout.

Alan Barrow was the top Mallow angler who, along with Aaron McCann and Stephen O’Connor of Mallow TA, were part of the victorious Munster team, which was the top province on the day.