Here’s a look ahead to some of the biggest and best sea angling events, festivals, matches and shows taking place across the UK and Ireland in 2023.
See what sea angling events are happening every month.
Sea Angling events in January
Amble Open – 8th January 2023
For a small club in north-east England it’s remarkable how the Amble Open has established itself as one of the biggest shore matches in the UK. In 44 years the club has never had fewer than 450 entries and this year’s 45th Open should see similar numbers flock to the Northumberland coast. Boundaries are south side of Seahouses Harbour to Cambois Pier excluding all rivers and piers. You can register on the day at the Radcliffe Club, Charles Road, Amble, Northumberland, NE65 0RA, from 6.45am.
Pre-registration is available from 2 January at local tackle shops. Weigh-in is at the Radcliffe Club from 12.30pm – 1.45pm. The open takes place on 8 January from 8.30am – 12.30pm, £12 entry, all classes.
February’s Sea angling events
SBS Boatlife – 16th – 19th February 2023
In its second year, SBS BoatLife 2023 is again set to bring the boating community together at NEC Birmingham with an exciting line-up of sponsors, partners and exhibitors. Following great success in 2022, the show provides a great chance for visitors to become fully immersed in the wonderful marine world. A much-anticipated feature is the exciting Angling Village, a vibrant area for beginners to connoisseurs to soak up the vibe and which is perfectly complemented by two prominent ambassadors from the angling sector. Expect to see top power, RIB and sports boat names exhibiting in this locale, with price points to suit every budget and a wide choice of size, design and style. There will be a pool zone with professional demonstrations plus family visitor sessions, industry figureheads taking to the BoatLife stage and the highly popular inland waterways exhibit returns. From 16-19 February.
To book your ticket and for all further information go to boatlifeevents.com
March
European Open Beach Championships – 4th – 5th March 2023
The Paul Roggeman European Open Beach Championship will be held 4-5 March with the exciting Flattie Bash warm up event taking place on Friday 3 March. The event is now in its 29th year and is the largest three-day beach fishing competition in Europe. Held on the stunning East Yorkshire coast, from Bridlington North Beach to Spurn Point, the event features an exceptional prize table, with huge cash prizes and fantastic fishing equipment to be won! Competitors will also be able to pick up valuable experiences, tactics, skills and techniques whilst enjoying a fun-filled weekend meeting new and old friends. Some of the top companies within the industry will be exhibiting at the event hub, Sand le Mere Holiday Park to provide you with an insight into all aspects of sea angling.
June
Mull of Galloway Sea Angling Festival – 10th – 11th June 2023
Festivities kick off in June from 10-11 with the tope event – a boat event with a maximum of 60 boats launching from Drummore. Longest tope wins while there are also prizes for longest bull huss, smoothhound, thornback and mackerel.
Pre-booking only, online booking form via MOGSAF Facebook page. A tractor launch is available!
Westport Sea angling festival
Fished in the beautiful waters of Clew Bay, County Mayo,Westport Sea Angling Festival is now in its 67th year and one of Europe’s longest running festivals. In the heydays of the 1970s and 80s over 200 anglers descended on Westport for a week-long event. The competition is on a point system and is fished over three days. After a short break due to covid organisers are looking forward to welcoming back English, Welsh, Scottish and Dutch anglers once again. Most competitors are now old friends who have been attending this event annually for almost 30 years. The festival will take place on Friday-Sunday of June (23rd-25th). Booking is essential and the closing date is the 30th of April.
Contact Ray: 087655374 or Julie: 0877656202.
Sea Angling Classic 14th – 18th June 2023
The success of the 2022 Sea Angling Classic events exceeded many expectations and there’s a buzz of excitement around what will only be the third staging of the event in 2023. The Classic will take place from the 14-18 June commencing with a spectacular opening parade in Portsmouth. The fishing arena will remain the same (subject to weather) as there were over 3,000 fish caught last year. The event will be a catch photograph and release event using the live leaderboard event app. A phenomenal prize table includes an Extreme 745 Game king with trailer complete with a 300hp V6 Yamaha engine and Helm Master EX system with joystick control. The captain of the winning boat also wins a trip to New Zealand to see the amazing build quality of the boat. Prizes go from 1st to 20th place with categories for biggest of each of the five species, best placed lady angler, best placed junior and best placed boat 6.7m and under. The event will culminate with a celebration party on Saturday night, 17 June, in Portsmouth at Gunwharf Quays followed by the full prize giving on 18 June.
Full more details and to register for 2023 visit www.seaanglingclassic.com
July
The Big Lerf Fundraiser
The Big Lerf Fundraiser is an annual one-day lure only competition helping to raise money for charities relevant to angling, such as the RNLI and Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme. Last year competitors raised £1,500 for the causes and over 50 anglers made it to the event. This year there will be free entry for junior anglers and there will be a huge variety of prizes in multiple categories, ranging from top-of-the-range LRF rods to tackle bags and bundles. The event takes place on Saturday 8 July from 9am-6pm at Mount Batten Breakwater, Plymouth, Devon. £20 entry – all proceeds going to charity.
See the website for more details. Tickets available online at ko-fi.com/thebiglerf
August’s sea angling events
Mull of Galloway Sea Angling Festival – Species Hunt – 11th – 13th August
The MOGSAF Species Hunt is a boat fishing event taking place from 11-13 August (fishing the best two days). Most species wins and there are also prizes for eight nominated species. Pre-booking only. Boats will be launching from Drummore and Portlogan. Again, a tractor launch is available.
Please visit the online booking form via the MOGSAF Facebook page.
Sea angling events in September
Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival
The Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival returned for its third year in September 2022 in Chichester Harbour and Hayling Island. Over 130 anglers from all over the UK descended on the beaches of Hayling Island in pursuit of bass and mullet. The annual festival welcomes all ages and abilities and although there is a competition element, the main aim is to bring together like-minded anglers to forge new friendships, develop new skills and learn more about Saltwater Fly Fishing, which is becoming increasingly popular on the UK coastline. The weekend celebrated a record number of catches alongside a record number of competitors.
In 2023 the festival will take place in early September and the Orvis Beginners Saltwater Weekend will take place in July, with tickets for both events on sale at www.orvis.co.uk in January.
Big Lerf Weekender – 8th September – 10th September 2023
The Weekender is a worldwide, free entry, online lure fishing festival which gets bigger every year. The event celebrates the huge variety of species that can be caught on lures across the world. It is run through The Big Lerf Facebook and Instagram pages. Competitors work together to add species to the total but there are also individual prizes for UK, Ireland and international anglers in various categories. The Big Lerf Weekender takes place from 11am on 8 September until 6pm 10 September.
For more information visit Ben Bassett’s blog at www.benbassettfishing.home.blog or search The Big Lerf on Facebook or Instagram.
Mull of Galloway Sea Angling Festival – Bass Event 30th September – 1st October
Some truly specimen bass were caught at the MOGSAF bass event in 2022. The event is shore only using bait and lures. Anglers will compete from 30 September – 1 October. Longest bass wins with a separate junior category.
Pre booking only, online booking form via the MOGSAF Facebook page.
Southampton International Boat Show – 15th – 24th September 2023
The Southampton International Boat Show will take place at Mayflower Park, Southampton from 15-24 September. The show features everything the experienced or newbie boat angler could wish for with boats, kayaks, electronics and everything else boat fishing related to suit all budgets. Building on the new show layout introduced in 2021, the 2023 show, which runs over 10 days, promises to bring even more attractions, new VIP experiences and something for everyone with hundreds of exhibitors, over 650 craft on display, a purpose-built marina and plenty of opportunities to get out on the water. If you’re planning on heading to the Southampton International Boat Show 2023 then you take advantage of the early bird ticket offer and remember, up to two kids go free with every adult ticket.
www.southamptonboatshow.com
Torbay Festival – 1st September – 10th September
The 2023 Borough of Torbay Sea Angling Festival begins at 7pm on 1 September and continues unbroken until the same time on 10 September. Entries and weigh-ins will be at Torbay tackle shops and the headquarters of Paignton Sea Anglers Association in Cliff Road, Brixham Sea Angling Club, Castor Road and Dartmouth SAC on Oxford Street. As always, the prize list will be worth in the region of £10,000 and there will be substantial cash awards for the Best from Boat (excluding wrecks) Best Shore and Top Wreck. The usual array of trophies will be on offer including the now very valuable Dame Agatha Christie.
Leading species will include bass and black bream. More details will be available by the end of March. The dates for the Wyvern Small Boat Championship, held in Salcombe for over 40 years, has yet to be confirmed and the same applies to the Dartmouth Sea Angling Festival. Another date to be decided is for the Wyvern Junior Competition fished from Plymouth’s Mount Batten Breakwater.
Rosslare Small Boats Festival – 9th – 15th September
The 36th Annual Rosslare Small Boats Festival will be held in 2023 between 9-15 September. The festival is a four day species hunting competition. The boat crew who catch the greatest number of species are crowned the winners. Separate competitions are run alongside the main event including a prize for largest nominated species, the heaviest round and flat fish, best specimen of the week, heaviest fish of the festival, best newcomer, biggest bass and boat returning the most fish alive.
The competition is fished from Kilmore Quay Harbour, a purpose built, modern marina with excellent berthing and boat launching facilities. The species fishing around Kilmore Quay is some of the best in the whole of Ireland; it’s not uncommon for over 40 species to be landed during the competition. Festival HQ is located at Coast Rosslare Strand Hotel, Rosslare. This is where anglers gather each night for a chat and a pint, important news from the committee is relayed here and daily competitions are drawn each night too. The Welcome Night is held at Coast Rosslare Strand Hotel on the first Friday of the festival, with the Presentation Night held on the following Friday.
For further information contact John Belger, 98 Dunbar Road, Southport PR8 4RL Tel: 01704 566195/ 07814 422943
UK Saltwater FlyFishing Festival – 28th September – 1st October
One of the UK’s best flyfishing festivals in one of Cornwall’s most beautiful spots. After six very successful years The UK Saltwater Flyfishing Festival will be held from 28 September – 1 October, based and hosted around the historic fishing harbour of St Mawes, Cornwall. Participants will fish from the shoreline, using the many beaches and rocky areas where sport is to be found. This is a catch and release event. A full social programme is included and there are some superb prizes on offer. Accommodation is available to suit all budgets and there will also be a ‘training’ day included in the entry price, featuring some of Cornwall’s top guides. The 2023 festival will feature a variety of training clinics. There will also be detailed local information, available only to festival participants, of the best local marks and how these vary with tide and wind conditions. Entry costs £90.
For more information visit The UK Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival at saltwaterflyfishinguk.com
Cork small boat festival – 15th – 22nd September
Head to south west Ireland in autumn where the this popular small boat festival takes place from 15-22 September. The competitions are fished on a 100 per cent catch and release basis. There are prizes for the longest of 10 nominated species, day prizes for most species and overall prizes for the most species caught. The shelter offered within Cork Harbour means competitors can fish in most conditions so it’s rare that a day is missed due to weather. Bookings for UK boats are done through Anglers World Holidays.
For more information contact anglersworld.tv
October’s Sea angling events
Dartmouth Fishing Festival – 7th – 9th October
The 62 Dartmouth Fishing Festival will take place from 7-9 October. The festival is open to everyone with shore, sea, river and wreck categories covering most species on a percentage basis for specimen fish. The festival attracts between 100-200 anglers, many travelling from right across the country, with a weigh-in every afternoon at the Dartmouth Angling and Boating Association clubhouse. Entry fee is reduced for fishing all three days.
More information on the festival will be available in due course at www.dartmouthfishingfestival.com
Alderney Angling Festival – 14th – 21st October
Sea Angling ‘heaven’ on the most northerly Channel Island accessed by small planes from Southampton and Guernsey via Aurigny Airlines. The week-long specimen hunt competition is in its 36th year and cash prizes are awarded for species based on best percentage of the local record list. Bass, conger, tope, huss, bream, pollack, mullet, wrasse, mackerel, garfish and many more are caught and catch and release operates where possible. Guernsey, Jersey and UK teams join together to send tackle in their vans by Channel Seaways in advance from the other islands (and Poole). The autumn fishing can be outstanding from the 900m breakwater with various rock and beach marks and many specimen fish being landed. The spirit and the ‘craic’ bring back teams and individuals year-on-year and they combine to book self-catering through www.alderney-accommodation.com (01481 824139).
The festival takes place from 14-21 October. More information is available from alderneyanglingfestival@outlook.com. See the festival Facebook page for details of 2022’s event.
