This Is Guernsey

By Len Le Page

BOTH bass clubs enjoyed excellent shore catches in March, with no fewer than 35 fish being entered in the competitions. The most successful angler by far was Karl Le Prevost from the Guernsey Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society, who caught 11 for a total weight of 71-2-0. His catch included the heaviest of the month, 9-5-0, plus fish of 8-8-0 and

7-5-0.

Paul Clark landed four for 25-15-0, including fish of 7-12-0 and 7-8-0, Dean Tulie had fish of 6-2-0 and 4-7-0, while Scott Rowe weighed in fish of 5-7-0 and 4-7-0.

Single fish were caught by Brian Montgomery (7-5-0), Simon Russell (6-0-0) and Gavin Arnold (3-15-0).

In all, GBass members landed 22 for a total weight of 134-12-0.

It’s not surprising that Le Prevost has built up a big lead at the top of the club’s championship list.

He has 13 for a total weight of 82-10-0, well ahead of Clark in second place who has seven fish for 42-6-0.

Dean Tulie is third with two for 10-9-0 and Scott Rowe fourth on two for 9-14-0. Tulie and Le Prevost head the pairs list with three for 18-8-0.

Mick Damarell topped the catches in the Bailiwick Bass Club, landing four for 24-13-2. His top two fish were 8-6-9, which gave him the Collenette Jones award for the best bass of the month, and one of 7-7-0.

In all the members entered 13 bass for a total weight of 71-2-8. Second in the catch list was Daryl Butcher with three fish for 15-2-4 while Colin Patch was third with two for 12-1-0.

Members with single fish were Jason Brouard 6-0-4, Steve Huxster 4-9-14, Shane Branquet 4-5-10 and Richard Exall 4-2-6.

As it was the first month in the club year, the order in the catch list is also the current championship positions.

In the pairs championship Branquet and Damarell lead with five bass for 29-2-4, Butcher and Patch are second on five for 27-3-4.

Three pairs have recorded one bass, Brouard/Ben Mahy (6-0-4), Steve and Shane Huxster (4-9-14) and Exall/Jon Collenette

(4-2-6).

THE 20-year-old record for shore-caught three bearded rockling has been broken by a specimen caught on St Peter Port Breakwater.

John Dunne, who restarted angling only last year after an 18-year break, used an unusual bait of sardine to tempt the 2-11-4 specimen.

It easily beats the current Bailiwick record, a 2-10-10 fish caught on Alderney Breakwater in December 1987, but falls a tantalizingly six drams short of the Channel Island mark, a 2-11-10 specimen caught in Jersey way back in 1970.

The British record was not put in any danger for it stands at 3-12-14.

Dunne has confirmed his catch will become an April fish-of-the-month entry.

TIM COTTERILL leads the West Coast Sea Angling Club’s winter league as it goes into its summer break.

In March he landed the potential 1-0-5 record shore rockling and a 1-3-14 golden-grey mullet, which pushed him up from third to the top of the table.

Although he caught a 5-12-0 ballan wrasse, previous leader Shane Bentley dropped back to third spot. Sandwiched between the two in second place is Mark Le Page who had retained his position by virtue of landing a 1-2-4 three bearded rockling and a 1-9-2 golden grey mullet.

The most dramatic climb up the table was achieved by Paul McLaren who went from 17th to fifth. His catches during the month were a 1-2-5 garfish, 2-5-8 red mullet, 5-2-0 ballan wrasse and a 5-6-4 grey mullet.

Steve Huxster also made a significant advance, rising from 16th to ninth. He caught a 4-0-0 grey mullet, 1-14-0 golden grey mullet, 1-2-1 red mullet and a 4-9-14 bass.

The current leaders in the pairs contest are Sam Robins and McLaren who have 12 fish for 605.20%.

As always the league is producing an exciting competition. At the moment each of the top three have entered eight species and are separated by only 40.18%.

March was a great month for the league, with 29 qualifying fish being entered and all the members will be hoping for similar sport when the competition starts again on 1 October.

MEMBERS of the Guernsey Mullet Club entered 28 fish in the club competitions in March, 23 thick-lipped and five golden-greys.

Mark Gillson could find only one fish but it was the best of the month, a 6-5-9 specimen.

Top of the catch list was Sam Robins with nine for 26-13-0, while Gary Le Page had five for 18-9-4 and Mike Weysom four for 17-4-8.

Three members had mixed catches covering the two species: Tim Cotterill had three thick-lipped for 10-3-0 and a 1-3-14 golden-grey, Mark Le Page had a 4-4-0 thick and a 1-9-2 golden, while Mick Dowinton landed a 3-12-0 thick and three golden-greys for 6-7-0.

The remainder of the catch list was completed by Paul McLaren, two for 8-11-10, Gary Le Poidevin, one of 5-14-11, and Paul Carre, one of 2-8-0.

Current club champion Weysom tops the championship list with three for 15-4-9, just ahead of Le Poidevin, three for 13-4-11 and Cotterill, three for 12-10-2.

Article posted on 12th April, 2007 - 12.00am