The weather forecast changed dramatically and affected boat strategies from the start – everyone used the good weather on day one to get outside the harbour and max out on species for the more difficult and windy days ahead in the shelter of Cork Harbour.  Quattro, (16) Uptide Girl (15) and Skua (14) made good starts on day one with surprise entry Bella Vista collecting a credible 12 species and in touch with the leaders – In my pre match summary – I discussed the three bearded rockling as a viable species and Bella Vista duly obliged – even if it was almost devoured on the way to the boat by a hungry conger ! Some angling duo are Grundy and Murphy – where did you get the shirts lads ?????

Well – let’s wait and see what days two and three bring – westerly winds for sure and some paranoia from boats near the top of the leader board – do they go for the harbour banker species  (not too many of those these days – even the flounder and dabs are getting scarcer by the year) …………OR go balls out for a Trigger Fish, (they are about if you look !) Red Mullet, Gilthead, and Thick Lip to demoralise the opposition.

High pressure building over Ireland and set to keep weather conditions good for this years competition. The water clarity in Cork Harbour is alsonow excellent after a wet and windy summer of resulted in various shades of tea coloured water for weeks !  I predict with these conditions and good fishing prospects inside and outside the harbour 23 species (enough to win in 2007) won’t be good enough to win this year. A target of 27 should be easily reached by top boats this year.

Boats have already been practising – Tony Tait has had some great (specimen claims) Red Gurnard from the Ling Rocks but just cannot find the flounder an eels that abound inside the Harbour – Guess what Tony – they’re easy pickings but they won’t readily take squid baited Hokkais on the drift !!  Fifty Fifty arrived early and was spotted messin about on Turbot Bank - try a bit harder lads…………… the Blonde Rays are still there if you know the right spot – you were close on Sunday but not close enough !   The Dymchurch boats Fifty Fifty and Kracken underachieved last year although they seem to do okay back in Kent - they should do better in 2008 with all that practice ! Trigger Fish have been spotted in the clear water so watch out for them in the surface layers.  Red Mullet and a few prized Giltheads are about and have been caught in recent weeks but are very localised. Sceeming Reels could hold a couple of aces here and should do better this year with expert local knowledge and confidence high after the Rosslare victory.  Whiting are plentiful and could be a nuisance on Turbot Bank particularly.  Beastmaster Jones could be hard to beat again this year but Uptide Girl’s confidence will be low after a dismal performance in Rosslare – I think the Welsh lads with dispute the leadership with Screeming Reels and be first and second and possibly Skua as an outside shot for leadership should come third.  Quattro has the talent to make a challenge but won’t be able to stick to their plan with the onboard bickering. BellaVista could be a surprise entry to the top five if Kevin Murphy leaves his phone at home. Old campaigner John Grundy should be a great (tor)mentor.  Highlander under performed last year but has the pedigree to improve.  Apollo was observed at East Ferry checking out the Corkwings but failed to land one and shouldn’t trouble the leaders this year !!!  Goldilocks will win the drinking comp once again. Three Bearded Rockling can be caught during daylight hours but none were registered last year ! The harbour is alive with them at night – so come on lads get your thinking caps on. Thornbacks could be a challenge this year but are available in the usual spots in small numbers. Bull Huss are plentiful.   

Good luck, Tight Lines and Safe Boating to you all !

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Rumour has it that Bella Vistas Cap’n K Murphy may have teamed up with one of the founder start up members of the Cork Small Boats Competition and dragged him out of angling competition retirement for a serious attempt at the 2008 tournament. I hear that pre-fish preparation planning has started already to stage an unlikely upset of the leader board of the fancied “big hitters” boats !

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