Conditions put a brake on catches

Angling

The curse of clear waters and bright skies prevailed for this year’s Heron Angling Society v Greenhill SAC shore challenge match, meaning catches were slow. The Greenhill contingent consisted of nine members while the Heron had just eight. Despite gloomy periods with a few showers, conditions saw just three anglers bringing a catch to the scales. Heron’s T. Morris got the best of the bunch from West beach with an eel and a bass of 2lb 0.05oz for the win. In second place, Greenhill’s Ryan Wall captured a lone mackerel of 12.32oz from the Kings Hall and thirdplaced Bradley Perry-french had a more unusual catch of a 5.25oz ballan wrasse fishing at Hampton for the Heron. Heron won the trophy with 2lb 13.25oz to Greenhill’s 12.32oz. In a good turn-out, 13 Heron members took up their oars for the Old Rules competition. In this unique event, anglers must row their boats to and from their marks and may only use one rod with up to four hooks as were the rules in years past. To say the fishing was slow would be an understatement, most returned without so much as a bite. P. Gower brought back a lone whiting which turned out to be just under size but the winners were junior twins Bradley and Lewis Perry-french. The boys, keen rowers, took their grandad’s self-built boat and got out beyond the pier head. There, they both hooked into skate with Bradley also landing three dogfish for the win. Results 1 B. Perry-french, four fish, 10lb 7.8oz; 2 L. PerryFrench, one fish, 4lb 13oz.

Bradley and Lewis PerryFrench with their skate