Charity begins at Llantwit in annual Seamaster contest

BEACH anglers will be tuning up the fishing tackle ready for Sunday, August 12 when there are Garry Evans Seamaster points to be won at the Llantwit Major Charity Open Competition which takes place from 11.30am to 4.30pm.

The competition has been run for the past seven years by Mark Cowell and Sally Owen thanks to the continued support of local businesses, tackle shops, other anglers and friends and Ty Hafan, Marie Curie and the Stroke Association are just three of the charities that have benefitted.

Money raised this year will go to Parkinsons UK and The Jacob Abraham Foundation.

The competition is also a Penn qualifier and there will be around 30 prizes starting with £250 donated by Ben Price of BDP Heating and Plumbing. Chris Read, Gareth Davies and Sally Owen have put up the £150 second prize and then comes £100 from Maria Hughes of Llantwit Beach Cafe; £50 from Chris Davies Estate and Letting Agents; £50 from Chris Garner and £30 given by Ben Davies of Ben’s Barbers.

Garry Evans Seamaster points go to the top 20 anglers.

The entry is £10, but under 16s fish for free, and entry for Pairs Championship is £5.

Booking in will start at 9am at Beach Cafe and it is possible to book in advance at most tackle shops. Anyone needing more information should ring Mark Cowell on 07721 791210.

The South Wales Match Team won the fourth round of the WFSA East Region Shore League at Llantwit Major and Aberthaw in fine style with three members in the top five giving them a total of 459 fish points.

Second placed Gwent Beer Bellies had a total of 325; Team Sakuma totalled 284 and Holton Road Match Team finished fourth with 255.

The South Wales Match Team tops the overall table with 35 team points followed by Sakuma Match Team with 32, Gwent Beer Bellies with 31 and the Garry Evans Match Team with 29.

The best individual effort in this round came from Shaun Tucker of the Channel Anglers 2 team.

He fished at East Aberthaw and caught seven smooth hounds weighing 22.48kg to take first prize and push his winnings up to £140 by adding the pool money for the most fish.

Roy Tapper led the South Wales Match Team charge with a second best 15.27kg made up with five smooth hounds from Boverton and worth £54 from the pool.

Rory Jenkins, fishing for Team Sakuma, got in at third with three smooth hounds weighing 12.04kg and then the South Wales Match Team were back as Joe Arch added a 4.86kg conger to a smooth hound and a dogfish for a 9.01kg total and Chris Equall recorded 8.76kg from his smooth hound trio.

Rory Jenkins, who is well ahead in the Seamaster points table, also leads the Shore League individual points table with 282 and after him comes Daniel Crump with 274 and Dean Downe with 273.

Masses of floating weed handicapped competitors in the Penarth SAC competition and at the end there were just three conger to weigh. Fred Chick had two them to win with 4lb while Ray Starling fishing nearby at Ranny Pool caught one of 1lb 2oz.

One smooth hound weighing 3.56kg and safely returned to the sea was Mike Perrett’s winning catch when Gwent and District SAC held a competition at Llantwit Major.

Craig Maddox was second with a 1.10kg bull huss and Neil Evans third with a bull huss and a rockling for 0.97kg.

The Wales team of Rob Bending (capt), Terry Bromwell, Shaun Watkins, Andrew Banner and Lee Hoard had to settle for fourth place when the Home International River Fly Fishing Championship took place on the upper reaches of the River Ure in Yorkshire. Scotland won ahead of England and Ireland; but there was consolation for Wales when Terry Bromwell was the top angler over the two days and was presented with the coveted Brown Bowl.