Coll Fishing Competitions

Coll has two annually run fishing competitions...

The Fishing Competition

2024 Fishing competition is to be held on the 22nd July, weather permitting.
The fishing competition was started in the early 1970's as a way to allow the fishermen of Coll to compete for the position of best fisherman while engaging with visitors to the island. Rules were written to include having to have a visitor as part of a three-person crew to give them an unforgettable memory of Coll to take away with them and also to handicap the locals who would have to contend with the fishing inept. The fishing competition became an annual event, trophies and prizes were gradually acquired for the top three boats and also for adults and children who fished off the pier.
In 1990s the best dressed boat was introduced, boats sporting their appropriate/inappropriate apparel parade in front of the assembled crowd on the middle pier while being judged for the prize which included a massive bottle of whisky, an incentive if ever there was one!
The after competition events also progressed and there is now teas, coffees burgers and ice cream on the pier during the event followed by a prize giving ceilidh and raffle held at the village hall at the weekend following the competition.

East-end Fishing Competition

In the 1990's another fishing competition was started up based at Bousd and running out of Cornaig bay. The east end competition is altogether more lawless with no official rules so fishing can be from boats or the nearby shore. Trophy's are presented for heaviest total catch, heaviest ladies fish and heaviest overall fish.

The east end fishing competition will be on Friday 20th of September 2024 at 18:00 or thereabouts from Cornaig harbour at Bousd.
The competition will run for two hours with a tide of 3.1m at 18:00 and 4.3m at the finish with high tide of 4.4m at 20:10 so will be ok for boats to get to the pier/slip at finish time.
Rules are slack compared to the Village competition and are detailed below:
1. The competition will run for two hours, exact timings will be decided on the day dependent on weather, other Coll events and tide.
2. Fishing will be off boats or off the shore.
3. The competition will start and finish from Cornaig Harbour.
4. Owners of large and/or fast craft should pay due heed to other competitors and not cause a dangerous wake or allow their boats to be driven without due consideration for others.
5. No limits on people onboard boats, within safety limits.
6. The heaviest overall fish and heaviest ladies fish will be identified by the crew and handed in for weighing.
7. There are no limits to the fishing tackle that can be used in the competition.
8. There are no limits on electronic equipment that can be used in the competition.
9. The skipper of each boat will be responsible for the safety of his boat and the crew therein.
10. All trophies are to remain on Coll. Any winner who lives off island please leave their trophy with John Fraser at Bousd.
Boat safety should be paramount at anytime while boating and not just at the competition. Please make sure your boat is safe for you and your crew as well as not posing a danger to other boaters. The use of lifejackets and engine kill cords can greatly reduce the risk of drowning or injury from an out-of-control boat so please ensure you use these and have checked they are serviceable.
There will be boats travelling round to Cornaig from Arinagour leaving early afternoon so please arrange to meet at the middle pier if you wish to go round with the safety of being with other boats.
There is plenty space for boats to be left on your own anchor in Cornaig bay or there is a spare mooring at the pier available to use. There are 5 in all and with calm weather a mooring can take two boats so potential space for 10 boats at the pier. Best to speak to John Fraser if you're planning on leaving your boat at Bousd.
There is a BBQ after the competition which everyone is welcome to come to, there will (hopefully) be fish for the BBQ but please bring your own BBQ food if you fancy something else.
East End Awards are:
First prize for the overall heaviest catch is the Johnnie MacInnes Challenge Tankard.
Heaviest Fish Overall wins the MacQuarrie Trophy
Heaviest Fish Ladies wins the Ladies Cup.

For both competitions

Events, rules, pictures and more details on the competitions are available at: https://www.facebook.com/isleofcollfishingcompetition