Belgian Roger Raedts and his fine 12-6-2 thornback ray. (0600804)
BELGIAN visitor Roger Raedts has filled a vacancy on the record lists that has stood since the Record Committee was formed in late 1966.
He was out with Richard Seager on Out the Blue south east of Sark when his legered mackerel strip was taken by a 12-6-2 thornback ray.
In his book, The Fishes of the British Isles and North West Europe, Alwyne Wheeler states: ‘This is the most common species of ray in British waters.’
Strangely this certainly doesn’t seem to apply to our Bailiwick, for very few of this species are reported locally.
Our normal method of fishing on the drift does not help as ray prefer a static bait, which means fishing from an anchored boat.
If more anchoring had been done over the years, it’s possible this elusive species would have been included on our record lists some time ago.
There seem to be more in Jersey and as their preferred method is fishing at anchor, they do catch them on a fairly regular basis and as a consequence hold both Channel Island records, 18-0-0 shore-caught and 22-9-0 boat-caught.
The British boat record stands at 31-7-0.
Raedts will have a long wait to get his claim approved as the Record Committee has just had its annual general meeting and has no plans for another meeting for some time.
n JASON BROUARD has entered a big ballan wrasse in the June Fish-of-the-Month competition.
He was legering a large green sandeel on a mark east of Sark when he hooked a 6-5-3 specimen. It will be judged against the 8-1-0 Bailiwick boat record.
Junior angler David Dyson has entered a ballan wrasse. He was legering a ragworm bait at the White Rock when he caught a 5-0-0 fish. It will be assessed against the 8-10-13 shore record.
Entries in the June competition have reached double figures, confirmation that the murky water is clearing and, as a consequence, fishing has generally improved.
It’s still a little hit and miss, but at last things are starting to move in the right direction.
Anglers are now invited to make entries in the July competition. Prizes at stake are the Shakespeare monthly 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 also the two runner-up prizes of Bucktrout’s Bass Beers, the Tackle Direct spot prize, the Aval du Creux Hotel award for juniors and the Richard Keen Tankard for the best fish landed by a visitor.
In addition the Phoenix Fish Bass Competition will run until the end of the year.
n ONLY one new record was approved at the annual general meeting of the Bailiwick of Guernsey Record (Rod-Caught) Fish Committee.
This was Frederik van Zyl’s 3-8-13 boat-caught pout, which removed the previous 3-6-12 mark.
The secretary reported on a busy but very unusual year. No fewer than 16 claims had been received, six for boat-caught fish, five for shore fish, one mini and four freshwater.
This was the highest number of claims made in one year since 1991.
All the claims came in the first nine months of the year but this busy period was immediately followed by nine months with no claims being received at all.
During the year two British record claims were successfully made, for Colin Torode’s 1-7-12 Almaco Jack and Raymond Fallaize’s 6-9-7 Couch’s sea bream.
The committee’s three officers were re-elected for a further term. Mike Weysom, chairman, me as secretary/recorder and Joe Gomez, treasurer/assistant recorder.
Anglers are reminded that full details of all the Bailiwick and Channel Island records, committee members and the procedures necessary to claim one are included in the record list booklet obtainable at tackle dealers.
Article posted on 2nd July, 2008 - 2.29pm
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