Tom Brock with his overall winning bass of 12-12-7. (0831460)

THE catches in the Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society’s Open Bass Festival’s boat section were possibly the best ever.

No fewer than 55 bass were entered, well up on last year’s 23, and the high standard of the catches was quite remarkable.

In 2008 four double-figure bass were caught in the whole festival. On this occasion there were 19, and a further 12 over 9-0-0, all in the boat section.

Richard Blackwell started the ball rolling with a 10-11-9 specimen at the first evening weigh-in on Friday.

He must have thought he had a chance of top honours but eventually this catch could only finish in 11th place. Even Blackwell himself beat it with a 11-2-1 fish at the last weigh-in on Monday.

The winner was Tom Brock with a 12-12-7 fish, just nine ounces clear of Martyn Denning in second place, who boated one of 12-3-7.

Third was Mark Addlesee 11-14-12, fourth Mark Page 11-6-6 and fifth Mark P. Fletcher 11-5-7.

The top woman angler in the boat section was Davina Fallaize who had an 8-8-6 fish. Although it was a good fish, the high standard of the catches meant she finished in a lowly 37th place overall.