PENN SEA LEAGUE

Latest results from our shore contest.

THE 31ST IRISH WINTER SHORE ANGLING FESTIVAL East Wexford beaches, Ireland, 360 anglers

Against a host of top anglers from the UK and Ireland, it was Irish international Paul Whelan (above) who won the three days.

Having finished second in this event in 2018 and winning in 2017, the angler from Ballybrack, Dublin, fished superbly to score three zone wins, each worth 30 points, to finish with the perfect total of 90 points. Runner-up Ben Arnold, of Worthing, improved on his third-placed finish in 2018, gaining two seconds and a first to earn 88 points, while Ged Stevens, of Barrow, had a first, second and third for 87.

Day 1 winner was Shay O’Neill, of Dublin, with 736pts, with Paul Whelan second on 642 and Daniel Crump, of Barry, in third with 614. Day 2 winner was Ronan Doherty, of Dublin, with 1336, followed by Ben Arnold on 1250 and Lar Mooney, Dublin, on 1238. Day 3 winner was Ben Arnold with 1132, followed by Paul Whelan on 961 and Karl Fogarty, of Dublin, with 756.

The Cumbrian due of Ged Stevens and Matt White won the pairs. Ben Arnold had more success by winning the teams of four with Tony Royal, Gary Hazelgrove and Roy Arnold, and finishing second in the pairs with Roy.

■ Result (rule 2, 20pts max, rule 17, down to 5th): 1 Paul Whelan, Dublin, 90, 2389 (20pts); 2 Ben Arnold, Worthing, 88, 2788 (19); 3 Ged Stevens, Barrow, 87, 1752 (18); 4 Gary Hazelgrove, Brighton, 81, 1971 (17); 5 Karl Fogarty, Dublin, 81, 1919 (16). Longest fish – Jimmy Doyle, Wexford, 48cm bass (10).

Zones (rule 2, daily entry of 120 anglers), Day 1 – Shay O’Neill, Dublin; Daniel Crump, Barry & Marcus Blaz, Monaghan (all 4). Day 2 – Ronan Doherty, Dublin; Lar Mooney, Dublin & Simon Dawber, Wigan (all 4). Day 3 –Alan Mulcahy, Waterford (4).

Teams of four – Tony Royal, Gary Hazelgrove, Roy Arnold & Ben Arnold, 279pts; 2 Wayne Phillips, Joe Arch, Daniel Crump & Alan Price, 274; 3 Mike Hughes, Tomos Hughes, Bill Lindfield & Gordon Thornes, 272.

Pairs – Ged Stevens & Matt White, 151; 2 Ben Arnold & Roy Arnold, 149 (3997); 3 Joe Arch & Daniel Crump, 149 (3422).

TONY’S TACKLE EXCALIBUR CHARTERS BIG ONE OPEN Eastbourne and Pevensey beaches, East Sussex, 111 anglers

The £1,000 top prize in this catch and release event, which featured mainly flounders, whiting, plaice, dabs, eels and rockling, went to Darren Bond, of Lancing, with 14 fish for 214 points from peg 14 in zone D at Langney Point.

Close behind with 198 points was Mark Pinder, of Ipswich, who was in zone B at the flats, Pevensey Bay. In third was Martin Sherwin, who was also in zone D, with the most fish, 16, for 194 points.

Craig Buy, of Colchester, won zone A at Billy’s Tower with

165 points, and Lionel Watson, of Sheppey, topped zone C at White Horses with 156 points.

Longest fish was a 56cm dogfish from zone B for Tim Lane, of Eastbourne.

■ Result: 1 Darren Bond, Lancing, 214pts (11pts); 2 Mark Pinder, Ipswich, 198 (10); 3 Martin Sherwin, Eastbourne, 194 (9). Zones – Craig Buy, Colchester, 165 & Lionel Watson, Sheppey, 156 (both 3). Longest fish – Tim Lane, Eastbourne, 56cm dogfish (3).

FORDS SPORTS & SOCIAL SAC 44TH OPEN BEACH FISHING FESTIVAL Netley, Southampton, 80 anglers

Only three fish were caught as the fishing proved tough for the 80 entrants, with a single fish for each of the leading anglers. Winner Dave Lane, of Weymouth, caught a 1lb 9oz flounder to win the £400 top prize, with Paul Barley, of Portsmouth, and Chi Chung, of Andover, finishing second and third with 1lb 1oz 8dr and 6oz 8dr, respectively.

■ Result: 1 Dave Lane, Weymouth, 1-9-0 (8pts); 2 Paul Bartley, Portsmouth, 1-1-8 (7); 3 Chi Chung, Andover, 0-6-8 (6).

SOUTHERN LEAGUE RND 1 & OPEN Eastney, Hants, 78 anglers

Fishing was tougher than usual, but winner Joe Wales managed 3-11-0 on peg 60 in zone C, his heaviest fish being a 1lb 13oz dogfish, which matched a similar fish caught by Paul Carter to share the heaviest fish prize.

Zone D winner Mike Taylor on peg 70 was second with 2-9-0, and Nick Hayter on peg 77 was third with 2-5-0. Other zone winners were Ben Arnold with 0-11-0 at peg 26, and Paul Carter on peg 3 with 2-3-0.

■ Result: 1 Joe Wales, Shoreham, 3-11-0 (7pts); 2 Mike Taylor, Southampton, 2-9-0 (6); 3 Nick Hayter, Southampton, 1-5-0 (5). Heaviest fish – Paul Carter, Gillingham, 1-13-0 dogfish (2).

THE 12TH RNLI ANNUAL OPEN Amroth, Pembs, 69 anglers

Hadyn Cole, of Lamphey, topped this match with five flounders for a heaviest bag of 1.940kg, with runner-up spot going to the heaviest fish, caught by Gwyn Davies, of Pembroke Dock, a 0.835kg dogfish.

In third was Jeff Stephens, of Bridgend, with three flounders for 0.960kg. The event raised £687 for the local lifeboats. ■ Result: 1 Haydn Cole, Lamphey, five flounders, 1.940kg (6pts); 2 Gwyn Davies, Pembroke Dock, 0.835kg dogfish (5); 3 Jeff Stephens, Pembroke Dock, three flounders, 0.960kg

WELSH FSA EAST REGION SHORE LEAGUE OPEN Aberthaw & Boverton, Vale of Glamorgan, 61 anglers

Dogfish, conger eels, a codling and a blonde ray for 7.86kg secured top spot for Rory Jenkins, of Tonyrefail, who fished at Boverton.

Second was Andrew Withy, of Bridgend, who also fished at Boverton and caught dogfish, congers and poor cod for 7.82kg. Phil George, of Cardiff, had dogfish, pouting and congers for 5.12kg.

This year’s league features 11 teams of five in the six-match event.

■ Result: 1 Rory Jenkins, Tonyrefail, 7.860kg; 2 Andrew Withey, Bridgend, 7.82kg; 3 Phil George, Cardiff, 5.12kg.