This Is Guernsey

Esther Hatton with her 13-7-10 bass from the Boue Blondel. (0705762)

ALDERNEY anglers Mark Harding and Dick Smith enjoyed a bumper catch when they fished from their kayaks a few hundred yards off Platte Saline beach.

Between them they had more than 150 black bream with fish up to 3-0-0 and four Couch’s sea bream, all taken on squid or mackerel bait.

The top two Couch’s sea bream weighed 3-7-0 and 3-5-0, which would have broken the British record if they had been shore-caught.

The majority of the catch were returned alive, after all there is a limit to how many fish you can store in a kayak.

Smith also landed a conger well in excess of 30-0-0. He got it up alongside his kayak, but to his relief it shook the size one Aberdeen hook and escaped.

After all, the thought of sharing a kayak with 30-0-0 to 40-0-0 of angry conger was not very appealing.

Both anglers are now hoping for a spell of calm weather, which would enable them to enjoy more of the excellent sport.

BLACK bream dominated the Sark AC’s January competition, a seven-hour roving shore event.

The stormy conditions deterred some members from taking part but the seven who decided to brave the elements enjoyed some good fishing.

No fewer than 65 black bream were brought to the scales, along with seven garfish, five lesser-spotted dogfish, two ballan wrasse and two rather unusual species, as the catch included a small spur dog and a modest starry smooth hound.

The event was won by the current championship leader Liz Dewe who landed 20 black bream, four garfish and one ballan wrasse for 21-15-0 and 99.75 points.

Her nearest rival Glyn Williams finished second with 16 black bream, one lesser-spotted dogfish, one garfish and the spur dog for 15-14-0 and 87.5 points. A good effort but not enough to prevent Dewe increasing her lead at the top of the championship list.

Junior angler Jason Brehaut finished fifth on the day with nine black bream and two lesser-spotted dogfish for 11-14-0 and 57.5 points but it was enough to ensure he hung on to third place.

Mind you he is being severely challenged as Heath Curry is only 2.75 points back in fourth, while Dave Brehaut is just another five points back in fifth.

AS MENTIONED in last week’s column, there will be only four new Channel Island records when the 2009 list comes out in February.

This is the smallest number since the CI records were established in 1971.

Three of the new records come from our Bailiwick and one from Jersey, all beating the previous record caught in their waters.

Kevin Beausire is the new Spanish mackerel record holder, his 1-5-8 fish displacing the 1-2-2 previous boat best.

Alderney angler Dick Smith takes over the grey mullet boat-caught record, his 8-7-6 fish ousting the old record of 6-3-4, which had also been caught in Alderney in 2005.

Simon Newton is the only new CI shore record holder, for his 3-4-7 Couch’s sea bream beat the old record, which stood at 2-15-1.

The new Jersey-based record is the 12-2-2 boat-caught smooth hound landed by D. Kane. He beat the previous record of 11-2-3, which was also caught in Jersey waters in 1993.

THE Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society has a new president.

At the society’s annual general meeting held at the Wayside Cheer Hotel, Brian Montgomery was elected to replace Karl Le Prevost, who had decided to stand down from the top spot.

Montgomery had previously filled the dual post of secretary/treasurer. These are now split with Andy Hockey becoming the new secretary and Jean Prout treasurer.

Dean Tulie was re-elected to the vice-president’s post. He also took over the fixtures secretary’s duties previously done by Le Prevost, who in turn filled the new post of assistant fixtures secretary.

John Dunne was re-elected as social secretary, while the committee was completed by members Simon Russell, Gavin Arnold and Tom Brock.

Carl Foulds and Tulie were re-elected as the society’s two delegates to the Bailiwick of Guernsey Record (Rod-Caught) Fish Committee.

The members will have a new trophy to fish for in the coming season.

The Specimen Shield will be awarded to the member with the five best shore-caught bass.

The society has confirmed that their Open Festival will be held from Thursday 20 August to Monday 24 August.

BASS caught at Boue Blondel have become entries in the January Fish of the Month competition.

The first was a 13-7-10 specimen caught by Esther Hatton on a legered sandeel bait, while the second was a 10-8-0 fish caught by junior angler David Dyson, also on sandeel. Both will be judged against the Bailiwick boat record, which currently stands at 18-6-12.

The two fish have also become the first entries in the 2009 Phoenix Fish Bass competition.

Article posted on 21st January, 2009 - 2.29pm