Mike Weysom, pictured with a grey mullet, gave a resume of the Guernsey Mullet Club’s history at the 25th-anniversary celebrations. Records show that he has caught 722 fish. (S64583)
MULLET enthusiasts have gathered at La Villette Hotel to bring the Guernsey Mullet Club’s 25th-anniversary celebrations to a successful conclusion.
The occasion was the presentation night not only for the Mick’s Fishing Supplies Open Festival but also for the club awards for the 2007 season.
Club secretary Mike Weysom had painstakingly gone through the 25 years of records and gave a short resume of the club’s history.
It had started in 1984 under the presidency of Ron Harris and it was largely due to his efforts and generous sponsorship that the club got off to a good start.
It has had only three presidents, for Harris was followed by Ray Pratt and then Joe Gomez.
The secretary’s post has been filled for the whole of the 25 years by Weysom, a great example of dedication to the club in particular and the sport of angling in general.
No fewer than 82 different members had joined the club since it’s inception and they had caught 5,509 mullet for a total weight of 19,622-0-0.
The most prolific member is Weysom who has caught 722 for 2,358-11-0, while Martyn Torode was second with 578 for 2,219-12-0.
Thanks to the club’s catch-and-release policy the vast majority of these fish were returned alive.
The club record is an 11-8-12 specimen caught by Martyn Torode while the next best was a 10-4-10 fish by Mark Krombach-Moss.
The top golden grey mullet is Mark Dyke’s 2-8-0. Andy Carre’s 7-0-0 fish is the best Sark/Herm specimen, while the club’s best from Alderney was Chris McClean’s 5-14-0 fish.
The best championship result was by Martyn Torode: on one occasion his top 10 fish weighed a total of 66-11-9, an incredible average of 6-10-12.
In view of his support for the club over many years, Harris was made a life member and was asked to present the trophies to the winners.
Tim Cotterill had won the Open Festival, his 6-4-7 fish being a record for the club’s open competitors. He won a rod, £30 tackle voucher and £20.
Cotterill and Paul Carre took the Pairs award, their two fish weighing a total of 10-14-14.
The list of the club’s awards for 2007 was published in January, along with the report of the annual general meeting.
Weysom and Gary Le Poidevin dominated the award presentation, Harris presenting three trophies to Weysom, which included the championship shield, and three to Le Poidevin, which were for the best mullet, the winter championship and the Light Live Trophy. In addition, the two anglers won the Pairs Trophy.
It was confirmed that next year’s open will follow the format of this year’s open festival and will be fished over two weekends, probably in March and April.
SHANE HUXSTER has entered a lesser-spotted dogfish in the March Fish of the Month competition. A legered cocktail bait of squid and garfish on Guernsey’s east coast proving the downfall of a 2-8-0 specimen. It will be judged against the 2-13-11 Bailiwick shore record.
Billy Forman legered a garfish bait on St Peter Port breakwater and was rewarded with a three-bearded rockling.
The 1-8-13 fish has also become an FOM entry and will be assessed against the 3-1-0 Bailiwick shore best.
March proved to be a disappointing month, to the point that no entries were received for boat-caught fish.
Entries are now welcomed for the April competition. Prizes will be the Shakespeare monthly angling award for the top overall fish, the Sea Quest Marine tankard for the best boat-caught specimen and the J. Meerveld and Sons tankard for the top shore-caught fish.
There are the two runner-up prizes of Bucktrout’s Bass beers and the Aval du Creux Hotel junior award.
In addition there is the Tackle Direct prize, the winner coming from a free draw of all the month’s entries.
Bucktrout’s, who sponsor the runner-up awards, have confirmed that the prizes are the Bass beers, which cannot be exchanged for any other of their products.
Article posted on 2nd April, 2008 - 2.29pm
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