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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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Ireland specimen Tope...
just like to add ,a tope taken from Carlingford Lough, Co Down,in August, by
John Kehoe aboard his own boat the St Jude was guesstimated to weigh 62lb by using a conversion formula which is attached, the fish was photographed measured (59"longX29" girth) and returned to the water quickly, alive and well,...think wexford has a bit to do before it claims thee record!!, POPS,. |
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