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Ireland specimen Tope...
"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. |
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