GUERNSEY Freshwater Angling Society chairman Dave Copperwaite has broken the Bailiwick record for tench. Using a pole rig he presented a sweetcorn bait on float tackle which tempted a 5-10-0 fish.
It was caught in the same quarry as the existing record, a 5-8-0 specimen landed by Darren Parrish in May last year.
Although our freshwater records are being steadily improved, they still have a long way to go before they start to challenge the British ones.
The tench is a case in point, for Copperwaite’s fish falls far short of the 14-7-0 national best.
He can’t even look forward to a Channel Island record, for a CI freshwater list does not exist.
Unlike our record committee, the Jersey body are not responsible for their freshwater list: it is compiled by their freshwater club.
On a number of occasions over the years, our committee have contacted the Jersey coarse fishing enthusiasts concerning the possibility of forming a CI list, but our proposals have always received a negative response.
The first boat-caught entry in the May fish-of-the-month competition has come from junior angler Jack Robilliard.
He legered a sandeel bait at Banc du Nord and was rewarded with a 15-9-10 turbot which will be judged against the 30-4-0 Bailiwick record.
The fishing season has got off to a sluggish start. The bad weather experienced during May certainly hasn’t helped the situation, with many planned angling sessions both afloat and ashore having been cancelled.
Consequently it’s not a surprise that only three entries have been received for the May FoM, an unprecedentedly low figure for the time of year.
A few specimen fish are being boated. There is a confirmed report of a 27-12-0 turbot being caught, but the captor decided he wanted no publicity and consequently did not submit an FoM entry.
However, flattie catches generally are down on those of recent years, with the average size of the fish being very disappointing.
Anglers seeking sport on the inshore marks are having very little success.
Mackerel on the Great Bank have started to show, but the average catch is very modest.
Shore anglers are not faring any better. Mackerel are being taken on float gear on north coast marks and bass enthusiasts are finding some takeable fish, but as recent club competition results show, fish are proving hard to find in any quantity or quality.
One notable exception was the lesser-spotted dogfish landed by Lee Gillot and Jamie Falla during a recent WCSAC match.
At one time the 19 they landed would have been considered a very unusual catch for this time of the year, for big hauls of dogfish always occurred in the autumn or early winter months.
They now seem to be present all the year round and in an ever-increasing number.
The FoM committee and their sponsors will be hoping for improved catches and an increase in entries during June.
Prizes at stake will be the Shakespeare Monthly angling award for the top overall fish, the J. Meerveld and Sons Tankard for the best shore-caught specimen and the Peter Frise Tankard for the top boat-caught fish.
There are also the two runner-up prizes of Bucktrout’s Bass beers and the Aval du Creux Hotel award for the best catch by a junior. The month also sees the start of the visitor’s competition, for the Megabite Tankard.
Article posted on 1st June, 2007 - 12.00am
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