MATCH OF MONTH
Dab hands help out charity.
Now in its eighth year, the World Dab Fishing Championships has raised a colossal amount of cash for the RNLI. With Tronixpro as its major sponsor, along with backing from Sea Angler, it’s become a permanent fixture on the match calendar.
Regardless of the rather tongue-in-cheek match title, its aim is purely not to take it too seriously. The initial purpose of the event, though, is relatively laid back, with the emphasis definitely focussed on the social side of things. Having said that, walking away as the World Dab Fishing champion, sees a few anglers trying just a little harder.
FUNDRAISING
As usual, the main headquarters was Dungeness lifeboat station, where the fundraising immediately got underway.
As competitors arrived to pay their entry fee, they were also tempted to stick their hand into their pocket by a waft of bacon and sausages being grilled for breakfast rolls.
Eventually, 188 anglers headed off to their chosen marks on Kent’s most famous beach and prepared for the 10am start.
The weather was basically a tale of two halves. The stretch known as The Boards was relatively sheltered, with a slightly calm sea. Around the corner, near to where the fishing boats are beached was completely the opposite. A fiercely strong wind was blasting anglers head on. With a large running swell crunching the shingle bank, conditions were certainly more testing here.
FRUSTRATING
A steady stream of fish were reeled in on three-hook flapper rigs, but an increased size limit of 25cm imposed on to the all-important dabs, meant locating better-sized fish was becoming frustrating. There were even hordes of whiting and rockling to contend with too.
The popular choice of bait was black lug tipped with squid or mackerel. However, those who had been prepared to let their worms decay and turn sticky scored better.
Kane Wood-Brignall was fishing The Boards stretch and found a couple of decent 25cm and 26cm specimens after the 17-yearold, from Romney Marsh, started tipping his black lug with pieces of queen cockle.
Next door to him was Rochester, Kent, angler Tony Dean, who opted to use black lug with sprat baits. He started in style by also bagging a couple along with a plump 28cm fish.
Despite the freezing cold, windy and, at times, wet conditions, anglers stuck at it hoping for the better fish to show. News started filtering along the beach that a few anglers were looking good for the title with three fish in the bucket. But it appeared that Tony Dean had added to his earlier good
fish and suddenly went into a lead with four good-sized dabs.
At the weigh-in, the generous anglers again dug deep to buy raffle tickets and burgers, with all of the proceeds being added to the final tally.
Match organiser Simon Newman announced that among the 188 competitors, several hundred dabs were caught, with 81 bigger than the the size limit. He also reported that £5,001 had been raised throughout the day for the RNLI.
In the end, Tony Dean hung on to his lead and took the title with four dabs for 1.65lb. Angus Stephenson was runner-up with three for 1.56lb, while Les Chappell also bagged three for 1.25lb to finish third.
In total, 50 anglers weighed in, and pools monies were paid down to 33 places.
“Those who had been prepared to let their worms decay and turn sticky scored better”