‘King of the Lake’ will attract leading anglers to south Longford

The event, previously known as the Pike Classic, is also to be rebranded as the Lough Ree 'King of the Lake International Pike Festival', after supports from Fáilte Ireland, Roscommon County Council and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

The festival will open with a new exhibition and angling show in Ballyleague on Friday, September 8, to be followed by two days of competitive fishing on the entire lake of Lough Ree between the bypass bridge in Athlone and the lock at Tarmonbarry in county Roscommon as the search for the ‘King of the Lake’ begins.

The prize fund has also been increased to over €11,500 with ten new sponsors coming on board, more cash prizes and the opportunity for one lucky angler to head to one of the busiest fishing trade shows in France next year.

Lough Ree Angling is also teaming up with Fáilte Ireland to bring a team of angling journalists and presenters to the region during the festival in September.

"We are delighted with the new structure for the competition," explained Chris Scally, Vice Chairperson of the Lough Ree Angling Hub.

Mr Scally added, "This is what pike anglers have been looking for. It's a vast lake from Athlone to Tarmonbarry but hundreds of anglers from all over Ireland and abroad want to come here and compete so from now on, there will be no frontiers."

The Lough Ree Angling Hub has also paid tribute to Fáilte Ireland for their additional support for the festival this year. "We have been supported to promote the festival at one of the largest events in Europe at Clermont Ferrand - and now we hope to bring some of the top angling journalists and presenters in France here to the Hidden Heartlands to see for themselves how good the fishing is on our lake," Mr Scally said.

He also thanked the new festival sponsors this year: Dennistons, Longford; Wild Total Outdoors, Wild Hunter, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, Visit Roscommon, Roscommon County Council and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

This year’s festival begins with an angling exhibition on Friday, September 8 at the North Quay and Waterways Ireland marina in Ballyleague. Competitors will be able to moor their boats safely at the Waterways Ireland marina in Ballyleague overnight on both Friday night September 8 and Saturday night, September 9 as there will be a professional security firm in attendance both nights.

On Saturday and Sunday morning, locals can launch their boat from either the old harbour slipway in Lanesboro (just south of the duck pond) or from the Waterways Ireland marina in Ballyleague but each competitor must come to the marina in Ballyleague to collect their pack and measuring board and the very latest edition of the rules.

Entry fee is €150 per boat with just 4 rods allowed on each boat – a full copy of the rules and details of registration is available from Donal McAteer, the festival officer administrator at loughreeanglinghub @gmail.com

Special thanks has been paid this year to Roscommon and Longford Civil Defence crews, Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club, Longford Scuba Divers and the Garda Water Unit for their support in assisting in the safe running of the festival.

A special accommodation rate has also been secured for competitors this year at Hannon’s Hotel, Roscommon town. This hotel is just 15 minutes from Lanesboro and Ballyleague. To get the festival rate for both Friday and Saturday night please call Ursula Hannon directly – at 353 90 6637644 and quote the Lough Ree Fishing Festival Code ‘Liam G 1 2023’

To facilitate anglers who are staying on after the festival for local entertainment in Lanesboro and Ballyleague, a feeder bus will be available to Hannons each night and each morning to drop anglers in and out.

To enter the event please email loughreeanglinghub @gmail.com or go to the hub Facebook page and complete the Registration. You can also call Donal 087 7611274 for more information.