It did not win any prizes in the August Fish of the Month, but Alex Druce is delighted with his 6-5-7 turbot.

DAVE SAUNDERS has taken an early lead in the Specimen Fish Hunt organised by the West Coast Sea Angling Club.

He caught five qualifying fish to give him a score of 230.84%. His catches were 2-4-9 black bream, 4-0-11 grey mullet, 1-5-1 three bearded rockling, 5-1-0 ballan wrasse and 1-13-3 golden grey mullet.

He is being chased by three opponents who have each caught three qualifiers. Marc Eppelein who has scored 158.29%, Keith Quertier 136.31% and Shane Huxster 114.75%.

There are no fewer than 12 anglers on two species. All the results are subject to final confirmation.

The event got off to a successful start, with the 113 entrants being well up on last year. Catches were down on 2007, 67 qualifiers as compared with 96, but it must be remarked that last year saw the glut of trigger fish, which accounted for 37 of the catches.

As a comparison, no triggers have been caught in the first leg this year.