WATERWAYS IRELAND CLASSIC FISHING FESTIVAL DAY 2, WEDNESDAY 10TH MAY

LOCAL ANGLER SCOOPS TOP DAILY PRIZE

Bright sunshine bathing the shores of Upper and Lower Lough Erne around Enniskillen greeted the 265 anglers fishing the second day of the three day Waterways Ireland Classic Fishing Festival; but a change in the weather failed to change the leader board as Manchester visitor, Richard Smith, retained his place at the front of the race to land the £3,000 top prize.

Day two winner was local angler Gordon Williams from Florencecourt, who netted 23kg 220g on the Trory section to win the top daily prize of £500 and elevate himself to tenth (10th) place overall going into the final day's fishing today (Thursday).

Although weather conditions yesterday were more suitable for acquiring a suntan than catching fish, catches were well up on last year and the organisers are hoping the warm weather will encourage the fish to feed and that more good weights will be recorded today. The competition is wide open and any one of the thirteen sections, including the two still-waters newly developed by the Erne and Melvin Enhancement Company, have the potential to produce a competition winning catch.

English anglers occupy most of the places in the top 20; the top local being Kevin Locke, formerly of England but now living near Bellanaleck.

Coincidentally, brothers Paul and Peter Randle from Nuneaton are in 15th and 16th places overall, separated by a mere 400g.

Organised by Fermanagh District Council, the festival is sponsored for the fourth year by Waterways Ireland, the North/South implementation body responsible for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the inland navigable waterways system.

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Further information from:

Ms Aoife Morrissy, Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland, 00 353 71 9650787 or 00 353 87 9918412. Or
Eddie McGovern, Fermanagh District Council on 0044 28 6632 3110.

Date: 11.05.2006
PR06011