Andrew McIlhone from Ardglass has a driving passion shared by many. He is a devoted angler fishing in fresh and saltwater, and has been since he was knee high to his dad’s welly boots.
But Andrew is leading the way in Ireland in a branch of angling that is just starting to take off.
He is a kayak angler, foraging out into the sea and the Irish loughs and producing catches that many anglers just dream of.
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Ardglass angler Andrew McIlhone with a nice freshwater pike from Lake Muckno in Co Monaghan caught from his kayak.[/caption]
For example, on a trip on a pleasant day in late summer off the north side of Ardglass, he hooked up into eleven different species which included pouting, pollack, haddock, whiting, cod, ling, mackerel, ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, and, wait for it… squid and octopus!
This mouth-watering array of species is something he does on a regular basis and occasionally hooks small conger eels. “That was the reason I took to kayaking. There seemed to be a drop-off in the amount of fish being caught from the shore, so I decided to buy a sea kayak and give it a go.
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A small cod and a cuckoo wrasse caught on the same rig off Ardglass last summer.[/caption]
“It is quite safe and you do need to observe the basic survival rules such as checking the weather forecast, using a VHF radio, and ensuring you have flares and a good lifebelt too. You do need a survival suit too to keep you warm if you do get turned into the sea which happens occasionally. But you do have to learn how to get back in to the kayak. Also, you need to learn how to paddle effectively to get the most out of using up your energy.
“Saltwater kayaking is certainly a growing sport around Ireland and is not all that expensive. A full kayak and kit could cost around £1500. You will have great all summer in it.
“I’m a member of Irish Kayak Angling . They are a great bunch of guys from all over. We had our Christmas bash in Dublin and it is no secret what the main topic of the conversation was! ” joked Andrew.
“I personally would not venture out in the winter if conditions were rough or changeable, as if you are bouncing around too much you loose contact with the bottom where the fish may be.”
Last October, Andrew took part in a kayak competition at Muckno lake in Castleblaney in Co. Monaghan and hooked into a couple of excellent pike. “This method of fishing gets you out to corners of loughs you normally would not reach especially if bank fishing. On the day the Irish Kayak Angling club produced quite a few good pike which was encouraging.
“But the biggest event of the year in 2014 for kayakers was the catching of a 150lb blue shark off Cork. A fellow kayaker got a fishing boat to take him fifty miles off the South coast of Ireland to fish for shark. He hooked up and before long was playing a large blue shark which dragged his for some distance This was a significant first in Ireland.”
Andrew never goes out to sea on his own. The rules of safety dictate that it is safer when you are in a small group. He said: “From October, the weather became less predictable and so many of the anglers in the Irish Kayak Angling group decided to fish on a few good pike lakes which certainly livened up the winter months.”
As the lighter nights approach and the fine summer weather beckons, Andrew will no doubt be considering catching a tope off Calingford Lough or Strangford Lough or setting some new species record. He thrives on competition, but his passion for the sport of angling drives him on. He has now created his own angling blog and has even received some sponsorship from equipment companies making his hobby all the more enjoyable.
“You just can’t beat an beautiful evening out on the sea in your kayak. It’s just pure heaven. Catching fish is a bonus… almost!”
Check Andrew’s blogspot at: Andrew McIlhone Kayak Angling]]>
