2017 MANX BOAT FISHING FESTIVAL
                                SPONSORED BY
                       ELAS BUSINESS SUPPORT
The Isle of Man sits in the middle of the Irish Sea and during the summer months can provide some of the best species hunt fishing to be had in UK waters. The Island is only 35 miles long by 13 miles wide with just over 100 miles of coastline. The beach and rock fishing during this time is good, but it is the boat fishing that excels itself during the summer months (so long as the weather plays ball).
The Festival run by Manx Boat Fishing is not a club as you might expect, but is in fact one man Jamie Hinchliffe, a very keen and knowledgeable boat angler/owner who is passionate about his sport and his catch and release method of running this Festival, here is the story of how the 2017 Festival unfolded.

DAY 1

This year Day 1was for the heaviest Callig (Pollack) and the heaviest flatfish. The weather was not being to kind to us on this day, so numbers of boats and anglers taking part was diminished, but the hardy anglers decided that the comp should go ahead. We met at the Battery Pier in Douglas at 9am for the booking in and left at 09:45 for a hard days fishing. All boats headed straight South to the Wart Bank mark, just off Port St Mary in search of flatfish. There were plenty to be had but no monsters were to be caught on this day. The weather was not getting any better so boats headed back to the safety of Douglas marks in the search of a decent Pollack, all except Merit 1 who called into a mark just off Port St Mary and caught a fish of just over the 8lb mark, would this be heavy enough to take victory on the day, they thought so and headed straight in on their return to Douglas to get warm in the local hostelry. The other boats continued in their quest for larger fish and so it came down to the scales at the end of the day.
RESULTS FROM DAY 1
HEAVIEST POLLACK
1ST MERIT 1    POLLACK 8LB.4.25OZS
2ND KIRSTY 111 POLLACK 7LB.10.75OZS
3RD BONES 11   POLLACK 5LB.5.875OZS
HEAVIEST FLATFISH
1ST MERIT 1   PLAICE 8.875OZS
2ND KIRSTY 111 PLAICE 7.5OZS




NOW FOR THE SERIOUS SIDE OF THE FESTIVAL
                           THE TWO DAY SPECIES HUNT
                                      £1,000 1ST PRIZE
                                       SPONSORED BY
                             ELAS BUSINESS SUPPORT  
The rules for this competition are very simple, you catch a fish it has to be 20cms, it is then photographed with that days catch card and then it is released. Boats may be of any size, maximum of 4 anglers per boat, maximum of 4 rods with 12 hooks in the water in any combination. The only fish that are kept are the Pool Fish which are always of an edible species.

DAY 1

Having met at the Battery Pier at the allotted time of 9 am, “TRAMPIE” had the misfortune of not being able to start their engine due to a starter motor problem. Merit 1 who are one of our larger boats that fish the festival offered if all the other skippers agreed to take the crew of Trampie out with them and fish as 2 teams. All skippers said ok and so at 09:45 battle commenced.
Once again the state of sea was not perfect but with boats starting from Douglas and Port St Mary the fishing got under way. Kirsty III got off to a flyer with a Dragonet 1st drop and then straight into a double of Plaice and Dab on the Wart Bank Mark. Wicked Hen (defending champions also got into the fish early on and fished hard all day with great effect finishing the day on 18 species.
Merit I with restricted power and space did not fare too well with having Trampies’ crew onboard, and it did not go down to well when the boys off Trampie caught a Thornback and a Scad on their mark and they did not, Merit I finishing the day on 12 species to Trampies’ 15. However at the end of the day Merit I skipper Gary Bridson got a starter motor off his Dads boat and fitted on Trampie ready for day 2.Kingfisher II had stayed close to Douglas bay and had a mixed bag of a day but finished day one on 13 species.
TOP 3 POSITIONS AFTER DAY 1
1ST WICKED HEN   18 SPECIES
2ND TRAMPIE   15 SPECIES
3RD KIRSTY III  14 SPECIES

DAY 2

What a difference in the weather, sun shining, calm seas, it must be summer, with John Maddrells boat Trampie now fixed all boats left harbour at 09:45 for the last day of fishing at this years’ festival, could any one catch Wicked Hen? Only another 8 hrs of fishing would determine that. Boat headed out to the 6 mile mark in search of Tope and Spurdogs with different degrees of success. Boats that had not ventured south of the Island did so in search of Flatties and Dragonets.
Most boats did however at some stage in the day fished at Port Grenaugh in search of Black Bream and Conger Eels. Merit I now free from babysitting duties took the opportunity to head all the way around to the west of the Island in search of Bass and it paid off for Skipper Brison who caught 2 in quick succession before heading back to the Port St Mary mark known as the Sheddings in search of a Conger Eel.
Not all boats were having the greatest of days finding for whatever reason the fishing hard and just not having the run of luck that others enjoyed but that is part and parcel of the joys of fishing. One boat that was putting the leaders under pressure was KingFisher II who managed to add 8 species to their 1st days score, but would it be enough to win?
Time was up at the end of a hard fought weekend of fishing and it was now down to the score cards.
RESULTS; TOP 5 BOATS
1ST WICKED HEN   22 SPECIES £1,000 AND THE ELAS SHEILD
2ND KINGFISHER II 21 SPECIES £400 +£50 VOUCHER FOR ALLROUND FISHING
3RD KIRSTY III 20 SPECIES £250 +£50 VOUCHER FOR ALLROUND FISHING
(BY HAVING THE HEAVIER POOL FISH)
4TH MERIT I 20 SPECIES £150 + £60 VOUCHER FOR KELVINS TACKLE
5TH TRAMPIE 19 SPECIES £50 + £80 VOUCHER FOR ALLROUND FISHING
HEAVIEST POOL FISH
HEAVIEST DAB
1ST BONES II 11.25 OZS £100 VOUCHER FOR KELVINS TACKLE
HEAVIEST PLAICE
1ST KINGFISHER II 13.75ozs £100 VOUCHER FOR ALLROUND FISHING.
There was a total of 26 species caught during this years’ festival which due to some of the conditions was really good going by all anglers taking part this year.
The festival will be back in 2018 and we hope to see you there, you can get further info in the coming weeks on www.manxboatfishing.forumotion.com or www.visitisleofman.com
Many thanks must be sent to all our sponsors of this years’ event, ELAS BUSINESS SUPPORT, COLIN DUKE OF ALLROUND FISHING, KELVIN TOSAGH OF KELVINS TACKLE, A to Z PLUMBING, MANNIN ROOFING AND NORTHERN FARMERS, without all of their continued support the event would not be so successful.
 
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