Sunday 2nd October 2016, , saw the weather gods in benevolent mood, for this was the day that the Osprey Sea Angling Club, based in Pembroke Dock, held its annual open beach fishing competition or flatfish festival to give it its other more descriptive name. Again, this year, the fish turned up, not many Golden Greys and Flounders but plenty of dogfish for once. Conditions did look good from the off with a gentle breeze and a small surf running just enough to give coloured water on a sunny autumn day.
 

Lots of fish caught before
Cole collected top prize

 
84 anglers, including three ladies and 4 juniors (3 boys and a girl) turned out to support the club whilst 24 anglers, including 1 junior boy and 1 junior girl, weighed in 11 Flounder, 2 Mullet and 18 Lesser Spotted Dogfish. Other fish were caught, both undersize and smaller but not weighed in, as the anglers either realised they were on the small side or, if their pair’s partner had not caught, then they were out in that category, as both anglers had to weigh in for their score to count.
 
The winner, once again, was a local angler and Osprey member, from Lamphey, Haydn Cole (pictured), with three Flounder for 1 Kg 105gms. Second, from Laugharne, was Travis Webling, with a Thick Lipped Mullet weighing 1 Kg 595gms, the heaviest fish of the day for which second prize was up for grabs. Third place was Andy Luxford, a Newport Gwent angler and regular at competitions in Pembrokeshire with two Flounder for 825gms.
 

Other results – and thanks

 
Top Lady was the lone female junior angler Sophie Barnett with a dogfish of 730gms and top Junior, as last year, was Seth Rowlands with a Flounder for 330gms. The pair’s competition was won by Haydn Cole and Mark Bennett with a bag of 2Kg 570gms. In second, were Mike Mather and Neil Evans with 1Kg 830gms and third were Kevin Shortman and John Whatley with 1Kg 730gms.
 
The Stewards draw was won by Ben McDonald and we thank all the stewards for their help in signing in fish on the beach. Provisional dates for anglers’ diaries are 15th January for the Air Ambulance open and 12th February for an open match to support the local RNLI
 
Finally, thanks must go to Roger Harries of the Amroth Arms for, once again, accommodating the Osprey Club, providing the bottle for the stewards draw, to club members and others that helped on the day and also to our sponsors who donated cash and raffle prizes to further help support the club. These included Shane Tucker, Andy Luxford, Martin and Sandra Thompson of Anglers Corner in Milford Haven, Leigh and Andrew Rogers.