Mc Bride Cup and the Courtney Cup
19/05/2009
Omagh Anglers held their annual McBride and
Courtney Cups on Sunday 17th May 2009.The
competitions having been cancelled the previous
week due to bad weather. A record number of
entries turned up this year with almost 60
anglers taking part. It was positive to see a few
new junior faces entering this year. The McBride
Cup is awarded annually to an adult member of
Omagh Anglers who catches the heaviest wild brown
trout in club waters, while the Courtney Cup is
awarded to the captor of the heaviest trout in
the junior section.
Conditions were fair, with falling water and
fluctuating temperatures, which meant various
methods were needed throughout the day to entice
these trout to take.
After a long days fishing, most competitors made
their way back to Loughs Agency office in Omagh,
who facilitated the competition, to weigh in
their respective catches. There were some
fabulous bags of trout on show, with everyone in
agreement that the local rivers in the Omagh area
are healthy, and predominantly free from
pollution.
The junior winner was first time entrant Paul
Jackson with a fine specimen of 1 lb. The proud
winner was presented with the Courtney Cup by
longstanding Chairman of Omagh Anglers, Bobby
Rodgers. Young Nathan Sides came 2nd in the
junior section and also had the heaviest junior
bag. Ryan ODonnell came 3rd while Laura Smithson
came 4th.
In the adult section Newtownstewart man Brian
Baird won the McBride Cup and a £100 voucher with
a huge trout weighing in at an incredible 2lb
7oz. His fishing partner Barney Noble came second
and also had the heaviest bag. George Jordan came
3rd with a beautifully marked Drumragh trout
weighing 1lb 7 oz.
The Committee would like to thank everyone for
turning up and making the competition a huge
success this year and also thanks to the Loughs
Agency for facilitating the competition in their
offices.
These fish were taken on a variety of methods
from fly to mepps to worm and most anglers caught
fish during the day, even though they were not
all specimens.
