Cobh International Deep Sea Angling Festival 2011:
There’s no more rig tying; there’s no more preparation; this is it…..almost.
The 2011 Deep Sea Angling Festival will be held in Cobh this very soon. Celebrating its 45th year, the buzz around the event is steadily growing. The festival is set to take place from Monday 5th of September to Friday 9th of September and will see more than 50 anglers (from over 6 nations) compete across a multitude of categories.
Cobh International Deep Sea Angling Festival is one of the longest running and most prestigious events in the Irish and European calendar. This can be seen from the fierce levels of competition each year to the sensational prizes which the anglers will be ‘battling it out’ for.
Although it’s hard to be sure what to recommend; wet gear or sun cream, we do know some of the categories in which participants can win prizes; Best Pollack, Most Pollack, Best Cod, Most Conger, Best Conger, Most Fish, Most Species, Best Place Each Day, Top Twenty Anglers at the End of the Week, Best Team etc. A large portion of these prizes (up to €2,000) are in cash with the lucky overall winner to receive €1,000. The runner up will receive €400, third will receive €200 and €400 will be awarded to the best overall team of four.
This competition is renowned all over Europe for its competitiveness and fairness. Points are awarded for each kilo of fish weighed and the species recorded. All fish are to be weighed on board the boats and will be returned alive to the water unless the angler wishes to retain it for eating. Boats depart Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am and Friday at 9am and will return each evening at approximately 5.30 pm. Wednesday will be taken as a day of rest although some anglers who just can’t get enough prefer to do some fun fishing on this day.
After each night there will be food, drinks and entertainment in one of the local bars who have sponsored the day’s prizes. Here is where the craic will really begin with tales of the ones that got away being shared. It’s been said that this is what sets this event apart from others like it. People travel from far and wide and come back year after year to enjoy the “craic and banter”. Friends made here are said to be for life and the Anglers always “work hard and play hard”.
To finish off the week in style, on Friday evening there will be a presentation of prizes and the Gala dinner in the Commodore Hotel. The dinner jackets and acceptance speeches will round off what is sure to be an incredible week for both Angling and Cobh.
If you would like to enter the 2011 Deep Sea Angling Festival, contact Club Secretary, Mary Geary on 00 353 21 412167 or by email on seaangling@esatclear.ie. An account of last year’s superb festival may be read on http://cobhsac.blogspot.com/2010/09/2010-festival.html.
