Kilmore
September 21st, 2003, 10:39 AM
"Skipper" > wrote in message
...
> With some good weather finally reaching South East Ireland, I managed to
get
> afloat twice so far this week out of Kilmore Quay aboard Eamonn Hayes'
> Autumn Dream. On these trips I was fortunate enough to catch two specimen
> sized Tope of 48lb and 59lb respectively. (The Irish record weight for a
> Tope currently stands at 66lb with 40lb the minimum qualifying weight for
a
> specimen).
>
> Details of the larger fish have been submitted (along with photos) to the
> Ireland's Eastern Region Fisheries Board for classification as a specimen.
> However, even though the ERFB have said they will include the catch on
their
> website and promotional material, they may choose not to register the fish
> as a specimen as both the skipper and I agreed that it was wrong to kill a
> female tope in pup for the benefit of a non-record claim. The fish was
> weighed, measured and tagged and returned to the water otherwise unharmed
by
> the experience.
>
> In Ireland, Tope are a protected species and may not be killed except in
> claim for a record or specimen catch. I think the ERFB should feel ashamed
> that they demand a fish of this status be destroyed just to recognize the
> validity of a relatively minor claim. Perhaps there is some merit to
> verifying the weight of a record catch to prevent false claims by glory
> seekers, but for an accolade as minor as having your catch recognized as a
> specimen there can be no justification. Surely, the image of our sport
would
> be enhanced by not demanding the death of a specimen fish?
>
> Anyhow, just my $0.02. Out again this evening for the 59lb Tope's daddy!
> Wish me luck.
>
> Tight lines.
I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago when I caught a tope well into
the sixties and it took us a long time to get it on board. One of the guys
with us is a regular competition man and rather than claim glory I am being
even a little generous when I say 60Lb because it was the largest specimen
he had ever seen. Like yourself, rather than kill it we released it again
to fight another day. I used a full mackarel after bleeding it and then
drawing the knife along its two upper sides allowing a littlle scent to
escape! We had seven in all.
...
> With some good weather finally reaching South East Ireland, I managed to
get
> afloat twice so far this week out of Kilmore Quay aboard Eamonn Hayes'
> Autumn Dream. On these trips I was fortunate enough to catch two specimen
> sized Tope of 48lb and 59lb respectively. (The Irish record weight for a
> Tope currently stands at 66lb with 40lb the minimum qualifying weight for
a
> specimen).
>
> Details of the larger fish have been submitted (along with photos) to the
> Ireland's Eastern Region Fisheries Board for classification as a specimen.
> However, even though the ERFB have said they will include the catch on
their
> website and promotional material, they may choose not to register the fish
> as a specimen as both the skipper and I agreed that it was wrong to kill a
> female tope in pup for the benefit of a non-record claim. The fish was
> weighed, measured and tagged and returned to the water otherwise unharmed
by
> the experience.
>
> In Ireland, Tope are a protected species and may not be killed except in
> claim for a record or specimen catch. I think the ERFB should feel ashamed
> that they demand a fish of this status be destroyed just to recognize the
> validity of a relatively minor claim. Perhaps there is some merit to
> verifying the weight of a record catch to prevent false claims by glory
> seekers, but for an accolade as minor as having your catch recognized as a
> specimen there can be no justification. Surely, the image of our sport
would
> be enhanced by not demanding the death of a specimen fish?
>
> Anyhow, just my $0.02. Out again this evening for the 59lb Tope's daddy!
> Wish me luck.
>
> Tight lines.
I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago when I caught a tope well into
the sixties and it took us a long time to get it on board. One of the guys
with us is a regular competition man and rather than claim glory I am being
even a little generous when I say 60Lb because it was the largest specimen
he had ever seen. Like yourself, rather than kill it we released it again
to fight another day. I used a full mackarel after bleeding it and then
drawing the knife along its two upper sides allowing a littlle scent to
escape! We had seven in all.