The reel capital!

Cork is setting records for catching large fish specimens once again.

Three large fish specimens feature in a newly published book showcasing some of the biggest fish of their kind caught in Ireland in 2025. Among them is a 5.2kg thick lipped mullet that was caught by Sean Bannon in Cork harbour, surpassing a record that had stood since 1993 by more than a kilogramme. A new size record for shore rockling (41.5cm long) was also set by a Cork angler Clinton Rachman fishing near Ballycotton, while a 26.5cm corkwing wrasse caught at Slea Head, Co. Kerry, established a new length record for the species.

An outline of such catches is found in the 2025 Irish Specimen Fish report, which documents more than 500 exceptionally large fish specimens landed by anglers in Irish waters last year.

Dr William Roche of Inland Fisheries Ireland, and secretary of the Irish Specimen Fish Committee, said: "The 2025 report shows the range of fish species, in marine and freshwater, available to anglers in Ireland, and details of where and when they can be found. The 2025 results were very encouraging, as the number of specimen catches reported was relatively high. By providing a wealth of information about the abundance of large fish in Irish waters in the past 12 months, the report should give anglers a head start for planning their fishing in 2026."

Smaller shark species like spurdog and tope featured strongly in 2025, as did large skate, thick lipped mullet and several species of wrasse. In freshwater channels, tench and river pike dominated.

The Irish Specimen Fish Committee, which is mainly supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland, is an independent all-Ireland voluntary body which verifies and records the capture of large fish caught with a rod by anglers in freshwater and marine waters. All fish featured in the publication were caught, measured, weighed, and released.