Wet weather fails to dampen enthusiasm of Offaly anglers

Tullamore and District Angling Club held its annual open pike angling competition for the Hogan cup on Sunday last, February 20.  

This is the club’s biggest pike angling event of the year and is fished in memory of Jim Hogan, who was a well-known angler in the Tullamore club although Jim is no longer with us, he still lives on in the memory of his friends and family today.

Conditions were challenging to say the least, with constant rain and strong wind throughout the day. Although the conditions were rough, they provided an excellent feeding spell on various spots along the canal, as the pike fed well throughout the low-pressure conditions.  

Most of the 30 anglers who turned out to fish the event on the Grand Canal caught pike throughout the competition and in all 60 pike were landed.

The winner on the day was Robbie Lawlor. Rob caught steady throughout the day and finished up with a catch of 8 pike, and a combined weight of 42lb 4oz. Well done, Robbie.

In second place was Charlie Lawlor. Charlie also had a brilliant bag of fish and weighted in 6 pike, for a combined weight of 31lb 15oz. Well done, Charlie.

In third place was Pat Foran. Pat caught 8 pike throughout the day which added up to 15lb 13oz.

In fourth, we had Eamon Hogan, who also had a catch of 8 pike and a total weight of 15lb 10oz.

  and in fifth place, we had Pat Conlon who had 3 pike for 9lb 3oz. Well done Eamon and Pat.

The Junior prize on the day went to young Jake Maher, who had a nice jack of 2lb 4oz. Good work Jake.

The heaviest fish went to   Charlie with a lovely fish 10lb 8oz.

The club returned to the Irish National Foresters for our prize-giving ceremony. The anglers enjoyed hot food and refreshments.

The club also announced the final results of the 2020 and 2021 pike fishing competitions.

The committee also awarded on the night the Gordon Bushell Memorial Shield for the heaviest pike of 2021.

This was won by Charlie Lawlor with a nice pike weighing 15lb 12oz.

The Joe Lambe Memorial Shield for the best bag of the years 2020 and 2021was awarded to Pat Foran, Pat had 106lb 13oz in 2020 and 43lb 8oz in 2021, giving a combined weight of 150lb 5oz.

Other heavy bags over the combined 2020 and 2021 season included Seamus Hogan (90lb 15oz) and Dan Lawlor 80lb 10oz and Robbie 52lb 13oz.

Over 2020 our members caught a total of 211 pike and in 2021 we had 94 pike.

The smallest of these fish was caught by a junior angler Chris Leavy and weighed just 4oz.

The club would like to thank the Hogan family for sponsoring the event and supplying the wonderful prizes to be raffled off to ensure everybody left with something.

Paddy and Johnny Hogan travelled from New York to fish the event, they brought one of their American friends, Bill Casey over for the occasion.

It was great to have our overseas guests in Tullamore, and we wish them a pleasant and safe stay in Ireland in the next few weeks.

The club would like to extend a huge special thanks to all the Hogan family and Foresters for making the event such a success.

The club would also like to thank all our committee members and competition officers who have worked hard behind the scenes to keep the show going and also a huge thanks to all our members new and old, who support the club with their attendance.

Tullamore and District Angling Club will host the next pike competition on February 27th.

New members are welcome. Meeting at 9 am at Kilbride Plaza, Tullamore.

For more info contact Pat 0863545579