The Ulster Stillwater Bank Fly Fishing Championship took place on Saturday the 19th November 2011. This is the third year of the Championships and it is growing in popularity. This year had nineteen anglers competing to make the 6 man Ulster team. The fish where feeding very high in the water making the top tactic on the day size 16 dry flies! The crown of Ulster Champion went to Darren Haggan.

Darren Haggan (centre) the Ulster Banks Champion with Charles Kennedy (left) and Darren Wallace (right)

The Ulster Banks Team that will compete in the Inter Provincial Bank Championship in Leinster for the chance to make the TAFI Ireland Team to compete in next years Four Nations International hosted by Wales is as below:

1. Darren Haggan 8 fish for 6,760 Points
2. Brian Kerr 7 fish for 5,980 Points
3. Campbell Baird 5 fish for 4,720 Points
4. Stephen Allison 5 fish for 4,520 Points
5. Gareth Morris 4 fish for 3,740 Points
6. Gary Crothers 4 fish for 3,620 Points

Reserve:  Harry McAteer (Jnr.) 3 fish for 3,000 Points

2nd Brian Kerr

3rd Campbell Baird

4th Stephen Allison

5th Gareth Morris

6th Gary Crothers

Reserve: Harry McAteer Jnr.

The best of luck to the Ulster Team in the Inter-Provincial Banks Championship who will be looking to retain their title for the third year running.

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The 2^nd International Bank Championship was held at Lough Barfinnihy, Kenmare, Co. Kerry on the 19^th November 2011.  Teams from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales competed in this Home Countries International.  It was a very successful competition and was organised on behalf of T.A.F.I. by the Munster Regional Trout Angling Council in co-operation with Inland Fisheries Ireland.  A special mention must go to Fishery Inspector Michael Hennessy and his staff for their assistance in helping to organise the competition.

Barfinnihy Lake is a wild mountain lake which is managed by Inland Fisheries Ireland. It is located on the Sneem Road a short distance from the World renowned Molls Gap.  The lake is stocked on a regular basis by the fishery board and daily and annual permits are available from local tackle dealers during the fishing season.

The weather was not too kind during the practice sessions on the two days previous to the competition.  While it improved a little on the day of the competition the fishing was still very tough to say the least.  The leader board both team and individual changed a lot as the day developed, which made for a very exciting finale.  In keeping with tradition the four teas were led to the lakeside in the morning by a lone piper.  There were a total of eleven controllers on duty and the organising committee wishes to express their deepest gratitude to these people who volunteered and gave up their day to act as controllers.

The controllers were as follows – Richard Willis, Liam Sheehan, Graham Landy, Paul France (Mallow), Ronnie Cagney, Seamus Butler (Thurles), Tony Ankettell (Boherbue), Anthony O’Sullivan, Daniel Murphy (Macroom), Padraig Coughlan (Killarney) and Hubert Smith who travelled all the way from Dundalk.

At the end of a very tough and exciting competition Ireland’s Terry Kelly emerged as the top individual rod, with Scotland taking team gold and Ireland taking team silver for the second year in a row.  England took place with Wales finishing up in fourth place.

Terry Kelly - 1st Individual in the 2011 Four Nations Bank International

At the presentation dinner the Chairman of M.R.T.A.C. Maurice Willis welcomed all the teams and congratulated all the winners.  T.A.F.I. Chairman John Buckley also welcomed the teams and said that he hoped that they would return again in the future.  T.A.F.I. Fips-Mouche Representative Denis Cronin said that he hoped the competition would continue to go from strength to strength and he paid tribute to those people who first mooted the idea of a Bank International.  The International Organiser Pat Buckley then announced the official results which were as follows:

Team Results

1^st Scotland – 146 Placing Points

2^nd Ireland – 179 Placing Points

3^rd England – 190 Placing Points

4^th Wales – 203 Placing Points

Individual

Gold – Terry Kelly (Ireland)

Silver – John Morton (Scotland)

Bronze – Peter Thurnall (Wales)

Longest Fish – Lee Tatton (Wales) 50cm’s

Total Fish caught: 45

The medals were presented to the winners and runners-up by Maurice Willis M.R.T.A.C. Chairman and by Tom Ankettell Hon. Sec. M.R.T.A.C. along with Patrick Doyle Vice Chairman M.R.T.A.C. Competitions Committee.  The trophy for the longest fish was presented to Lee Tatton (Wales) by Pat Buckley the International Organiser.  The Captains of the competing nations thanked the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland for hosting the event and paid tribute to the controllers for their work during a very long and tough day.

Team Scotland - winners of the 2011 Four Nations Bank International

Team Ireland - Silver Medallists

Team England - Bronze Medallists

Team Wales - 4th in the 2011 Four Nations Bank international

John Morton (Scotland) - 2nd Individual

Peter Thurnall (Wales) - 3rd Individual

Lee Tatton (Wales) - caught the longest trout 50cm's

The Piper leads the teams down to the lake

Thanks to the Controllers

The Organising Committee