SHANE HUXSTER took home the top award at the West Coast Sea Angling Club’s annual dinner and presentation night held at the Peninsula Hotel.
He won the overall championship for the fourth consecutive time, a club record. Other top winners were Guernsey shore champion Roger Robinson, Herm champion Steve Huxster (pictured), Winter League champion Keith Quertier and Summer League champion George Jennings.
Club president Sam Robins welcomed everyone, including the club’s guests.
There were special words of appreciation to the club’s sponsors and the two club members, Tim Froome and Mark Addlesee, who had donated two new trophies.
The president was able to confirm that the club was continuing to enjoy great success with a steadily rising membership, which had now topped 70.
In some ways it had been a hard year as although a number of great specimens were caught, fish had been extremely hard to locate at times, in spite of many hours of dedicated fishing that the members had put in.
Congratulations were given to all the prize winners, but in particular Shane Huxster for the fourth win in the championship.
Billy Forman was also congratulated for his winning success in the Specimen Fish Hunt and other club members who had done so well in the island’s open competitions.
The prizes were presented to the winners by Anita Fletcher.
THE Sark AC’s championship is going right to the wire. In January Glyn Williams took over the lead from Liz Dewe, who had previously held the top spot since the first match in the club year.
As a result of winning the February competition, Williams has extended his lead to 20.5 points. It will all be finally decided by the March competition, the last in the club year.
Seven members entered the February contest, an eight-hour roving shore event, but only three found fish.
Williams had a 2-6-0 ballan wrasse and two pollack for 4-6-0 and 22.5 points. Colin Smith was second with two pollack for 1-13-0 and 10.25 points, while Liz Dewe managed a 1-11-0 ballan wrasse for 8.75 points in third place.
MEMBERS of the Guernsey Sea Anglers’ Club looked back over a mixed year at their annual general meeting held at La Villette Hotel.
Membership levels had remained stable, club finances were up to the point where junior members’ boat fees were able to be reduced, but fish totals were well down on previous years for both the senior and junior sections.
Although senior catches had dropped by nearly 20%, the quality had greatly improved. This was confirmed by the 37 entries for the D. Cains Specimen Trophy, an all-time record.
There were some surprises. In a year when most anglers struggled to find pollack on the inshore marks, GSAC catches in boat competitions were only marginally down by just 3.5%.
The annual conger competition had been outstanding, clearly the best for many years. On the second leg, a four-hour evening boat match, 27 conger for a total weight of 587-9-0 were boated, all caught over inshore reefs.
Conversely mackerel were a disappointment. In a year considered a good one for this species, catches in competitions slumped from 300 in 2008 to 142. Black bream catches also fell away from 120 down to 58.
One alteration was made to the fishing programme. Due to the ongoing absence of plaice the annual shore flatfish competition was discontinued.
A few changes were made to the committee. Martin Smith retired from the secretary’s post and was replaced by Justin Jones.
Daniel Smith left the treasurer’s post and dropped down to become an ordinary committee member, with his vacant position being filled by Martin Smith.
President Adie Sarre, vice-president Joe Gomez, competition secretary Mike Weysom, boat organiser Peter Frise and junior secretary John Davey were all re-elected.
Dave Tostevin, Ron Harris and Martin Crittell were re-elected as committee members. Stuart Tostevin was the member replaced by Daniel Smith.
Delegates to the Bailiwick of Guernsey Record (Rod-Caught) Fish Committee, Ron Harris and Len Le Page were also re-elected.
THE Bailiwick Bass Club will be the first in the Bailiwick to run three separate senior championships.
The shore contest will continue as before, but they decided at their annual general meeting to split the boat championship into separate boat and kayak competitions.
The majority of the committee were re-elected, president Daryl Butcher, vice president, fixture secretary and Bailiwick Record Fish Committee delegate Nigel Mahy, fish recorder Jason Brouard, junior secretary Shane Branquet and committee members Dawn Marley, Mick Damarell and Paul McLaren.
Jon Collenette’s old job as secretary/treasurer has been split. Des Fletcher was elected on to the secretary’s post, while Collenette will continue to look after the money.
Steve Greenway was elected as an additional committee member.West Coast Sea Angling Club: Overall champion sets a new club record of successive wins
Article posted on 24th February, 2010 - 2.29pm
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