World Masters Fly Fishing to be staged on four lakes
International Fly Fishing teams from all over the world will be competing in Galway for the World Masters Trout Fly Fishing Championship next week.
From June 13-19, nearly fifty people from nine countries around the world will compete on the renowned lakes of Lough Corrib, Lough Inagh, Lough Fee and Lough Muck for the Fips-Mouche World Masters Fly Fishing Championship.
Those countries include France, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, South Africa and the United States.
The championship will showcase Ireland’s best trout fishing venues and some of the most scenic areas in the west of the country.
Eugene Nolan, the Connacht Angling Council Competition Officer, said some of the anglers have already been in Galway for over a week, but most arrived earlier this week.
“From start to finish we expect this will bring in €200,000 to €250,000, but the long term benefits will be much greater,” he said.
Mr Nolan said many people will be spending money on fishing licenses, hotels, at pubs and restaurants, but the place that will benefit the most is the Western Connemara region.
The Connacht Angling Council is supported by about 150 local anglers and their clubs who will assist the competitors by supplying boats and boatmen.
This is the second Fips-Mouche World Masters Fly Fishing Championship. The first championship of this kind took place in Chile in 2014.
Mr Nolan said they simply applied for the event to take place in Galway, and they were given the bid.
Teams will stay in the Connacht Hotel during the third week of June.
An opening parade and ceremony will take place on June 13 at 6pm. The parade will start at Eyre Square then walk down Shop Street, High Street and Quay Street and finish at the Spanish Arch where all teams will be introduced.
St. Patrick’s Brass Band and local Irish dancers will lead the parade.
On June 18 medals will be presented to all championship winners at the Connacht Hotel during an awards dinner.
Local film crews and drones will ensure worldwide coverage.
Since June 1, Lough Inagh has closed to all fishing. Lough Corrib will close from Glann Shore Inchagoill Island and across just north of Salt House Bay. All areas south of that will remain open.