The first FOM entry of 2009: Steve Greenway with his 10-5-8 shore-caught bull huss. (0697901)

AFTER four years of finishing second or third in the Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society’s shore championship, Brian Montgomery has finally taken the top honour.

It was, however, a very close finish, with the result in doubt right up to the last days of the month.

At the beginning of December, Paul Clark led the championship with an aggregate weight of 99-14-13. This was 1-8-6 ahead of Montgomery, who held second place with 98-6-7.

It all came down to the catches made during December.

Clark found two fish – 4-15-0 and 4-9-0 – for a total weight of 9-8-0.

Montgomery replied with four of 5-5-0, 4-4-0, 4-0-0 and 3-14-0 for a total weight of 17-7-0, enough to give him victory by 6-6-10.

There was some consolation for Clark for he had already had a runaway victory in the boat championship and also won the boat-shore aggregate trophy.