A young Killaloe fisherman landed his first big catch using a pig shad bait in Lough Derg recently.
Rhys Mowat (10), Newtown, Killaloe caught his first big pike measuring about 84 cms in length, which is regarded as a large fish for a child to land.
It is estimated the fish weighed nine or ten pounds as it wasn’t weighed in line with catch and release policy.
The Killaloe Ballina Fishing club member has been fishing since he was eight years old.
His father Johnny told the Clare Champion they fish together very regularly on a fishing boat.
“Rhys has really got interested in fishing in recent years. This was the first big fish that he reeled in by himself,” he said.
Johnny has been fishing for about more than twenty years since he was about ten after joining a local fishing club.
Normally the club would run competitions but these have been deferred due to restrictions imposed by Covid-19.
A keen sportsman, Rhys plays U-12 hurling at wing back with Smith O’Brien’s GAA club, rugby with Killaloe Ballina RFC and soccer with Lough Derg FC.
Dan Danaher
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.