Four of us (Steve, Tony and Andy) travelled over on Saturday 31st August and got the 14:00 Ferry from Holyhead leaving Bristol around 05:45. I had concerns about the van a few weeks prior to the trip due to Diesel Particle Filter problems but thankfully got it sorted in time. Ferry left on time and after arriving in Dublin the journey up to Arva was fine arriving at the Breffni Arms Hotel about 19:15.
A quick freshen up and we were soon tucking into home made chicken curry with a few Guinness's. The black stuff was going down well and then Andy aka ''Turtle'' decided he would buy us a Jameson....fatal as once the taste was taken a few more followed in company with more pints.
Despite the amount of alcohol consumed we were all up early for a full Irish breakfast the next morning. Turtle was in the best shape as he went to bed early, Tony was ..... well let's just say he had a pulse, Steve was hanging in there ... just and I was sort of OK.
There is an ''Open Match'' on the Sunday prior to the Festival but we just go and pleasure fish Garty Lough in the town, its a 2 minute walk and holds quality roach.
After breakfast we took a very leisurely amount of time to get to the waters edge. Some improvements had been made by way of a pontoon which could hold 2 anglers, a French guy was already on one end. The water levels were way up but you could wade across a stream to get to a grassy bank were there was another couple of pegs. Steve went on the pontoon and Tony and I went across on the grass. I only set up a waggler rod, Tony set up a whip but only lasted a few minutes after setting up due to still being out of sorts!
Steve was into fish straight away, at first he had them on the waggler and ended up fishing the feeder. it took me almost an hour to get them going and I was set well back behind the line of the pontoon. I ended up with 25lb of quality roach to Steve's 22lb (by the way Turtle was not fishing all week he only comes for the piece and quiet). I also had some small hybrids for the first time out of this Lough.
A much quieter night in the bar followed and the rotational draw for the Festival started about 10:15, a bit late as a lot of anglers still had not paid, can't understand this, it irresponsible and holds proceedings up. Anyway we all ended up starting on D Section which was ''Kevins Shore'' on the Lough Gowna system.
The next morning we had to draw for pegs at 09:00 with fishing from 11:30 - 17:30, I drew 12 which was bangs make in the middle. Due to all the rain the track through the field down to the lake was getting worse and with more rain to come goodness knows what it would be like at the end of the week. I did get the pole out but after setting up decided to put it away as the wind was getting up and white horses starting to shown on the waves. It was blowing straight at us.
Swapping between 2 feeder rods, one at 45 turns and one at 25, both with ''window feeders'' I put together 5kg 800grms which was just short of 3rd in section so missed out on 30 euro.
The section was won with 11kg all on the feeder so think I selected the correct method but no bonus fish.
The following day ''E'' Section which was split between Gulladoo Lough narrows and Rockfield Lough. We all ended up on Rockfield and I drew the end peg, 17.
I have fished Rockfield a few times and decided to fish the pole all day at various depths. The wind did get up a bit and at one stage really strong and I ended up breaking my number 8 section but managed to telescope it and fish on. Ended up with 7kg plus of roach narrowly missing out on another 30 euro!!
Day 3 and ''A'' Section which was Gulladoo Cross and Gulladoo Steps. Steve and Tony were on the steps but I was up on the Cross which is an all out roach fish race. Tried my hardest but only put another 7kg plus on the scales catching at various depths, 11kg won the section, think I was last with that. I know I didn't fish long enough i.e. chasing the fish out after the initial surge at 11 metres. fish in the section were averaging 3oz so you needed a lot of them.
Day 4 and ''B'' Section was another split between Swan Lake in Gowna and Bundoorwa Lough. I drew the latter which had been fishing extremely hard but was told my peg, 12, was in the better area and it was an all out feeder peg. The Lough is not usually in the Festival but due to high water levels elsewhere they had no choice but to put it in.
We had to park up by a gate and carry the gear to the pegs as the farmer didn't want his field churned up due the the rain. Took me 4 trips! Lovely little Lough though.
I went about just setting up 2 feeder rods, one at 50 turns and the other at 25, both with window feeders. It was far from fast and furious but I did put a mixed bag together for 4kg 200grams which was enough to win the section so 60 euro, about flipping time.
Onto the final day and ''C'' Section which was Church Lough in Gowna, again not usually put in and had not fished well after the first day. A boat trip was also involved to get to your peg but I only done the return journey as I was on peg 3 and not too bad a walk with help.
Not a great day, caught on the pole top 5 deep for the first 40 minutes and that was basically it. Only weighed just under 2kg! Steve who was on peg 4 got 3rd in section and 30 euros beating me by a few grams, that's how hard it fished.
So a few more lessons learnt and just missed out on another 90 euro but it could have been much more. But.....some of these anglers have been fishing the venues for 30 years, sometimes 3 weeks of the year.
Back next year with vengeance.
Thanks to the Breffni Arms, Irish Bait and Tackle and the Festival Committee, great job.
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