Holy carp!
Two Cork anglers hooked Irish record-breaking fish in 2024, a new report has revealed, with one monstrous specimen having been hauled from the Lough!
Young Cork angler Amy O'Brien, 13, must have been absolutely 'bait' after she pulled a 9.07kg carp from the Lough in Cork city. But she fin-ished the job in style and earned her place in the 2024 Irish Specimen Fish report, a newly published book displaying some of the largest fish caught in Ireland in 2024. Amy will receive the Dr AEJ Went Award for Young Specimen Angler of the Year in recognition of her amazing catch.
Fellow Cork angler, Patrick Lombard, is also in fly-ing form with his record breaking 4.37kg gilthead bream caught in Clonakilty Bay last April, smashing the existing gilthead bream record by over 0.5kg. Almost 500 exceptionally large fish of different species were caught by anglers from venues throughout Ireland in 2024. All fish featured in the publication were caught, measured, weighed, and released.
Overall, Cork-based anglers caught the most specimens (32%), with Dublin anglers accounting for 31%.
The report found the small shark species such as spurdog and tope were predominant in the saltwater, and large skate were also present in good numbers. In freshwater, tench and dace featured prominently in anglers’ catches.
Dr William Roche of Inland Fisheries Ireland, and Irish Specimen Fish Committee (ISFC) secretary, said: “The 2024 report shows the diversity of fish species available to anglers in Ireland, and where and when they can be found.
“The results last year were very encouraging, as the number of specimen catches reported was relatively high.”
He added: “By providing a wealth of information about the abundance of large fish in Irish waters in the past 12 months, the report should give anglers a head start for 2025.”
The Irish Specimen Fish Committee, which is mainly supported by IFI, is an independent all-Ireland voluntary body which verifies and records the capture of large fish caught with a rod by anglers in freshwater and marine waters.
The 2025 ISFC Specimen Awards Day will be held on 15 February at 2.30pm in the Clayton Hotel, Leopardstown, Dublin. Hard copies of the report can be requested free of charge from IFI offices.