PHOTO: 
Some of the winners (left to right): Andrew Wilson, Hughie Sweeney, Dai Loder, Jaden Brinn, Chris Isaac, June Howell, Neil Evans, Gareth Protheroe.

The 11th RNLI Annual Fishing Open, organised by members from Pembroke & District Angling Club, Osprey Sea Angling Club and Saundersfoot Sea Angling Club, was held on Sunday 18^th February 2018 on Amroth beach in South Pembrokeshire – and won by Tenby’s Gareth Protheroe.
 
This year, despite the weather producing a drizzly day, attendance was quite good at 73 which included three ladies and four juniors (2 boys and 2 girls). However, despite what looked like excellent sea conditions, catches were fairly poor, but in fact better than 2017, with 11 flounder and six five-beard rockling weighed in by 15 anglers.
 

Some local winners of main prizes

 
The winning angler, who managed to land two flounder for 675gms, was a local rod from Tenby, this time Gareth Protheroe, netting him the first prize of £200. Second, who had the biggest fish, also a flounder of 590gms, allowing him to pick up the runner’s up prize of £100, was Andrew Wilson from Pontardulais but a Saundersfoot Club angler. In third place was another local angler, Hughie Sweeney, a veteran from the Pembroke Club with a flounder of 530gms, winning him £50.
 

Ladies, juniors and pairs winners – and a great sum raised for vital local charity

 
 
This year both a lady and a junior managed to weigh in, a flounder of 335gms for Jaden Brinn, netting him the junior prize and a rockling of 65gms netting June Howell the ladies’ prize.
 
The pair’s competition was won by one of only two pairs both to weigh in, both visiting rods, Chris Isaac and Barry Beatrup, with a flounder and a rockling for 405gms, with 2 other visitors, Dai Loder and Neil Evans in second with two rockling for 110gms.
 
However, the most important result on the day was that the event raised £615, for the local lifeboats.
 

Grateful thanks and congratulations

 
In gratitude for this sterling effort we must thank our sponsors Ian Wilkinson (Temple Bar Inn), Shane Tucker, Wheeler’s Embroidery), Andrew Skeels, Glamal Engineering of Cardiff, Grainger Tubolt of Pembroke Dock, Howells Engineering of Pendine, Phoenix Saxton of Cardiff, John O’Connor, Denis Nicholas, Jewson’s of Pembroke, Andrew and Leigh Rogers, Haydn Cole, Pembrokeshire Building Supplies of Milford Haven, Lawson HIS of Southampton, Sticks and Stones of Milford Haven, Simon Safety of Neyland, Davies Decorators of Pembroke Dock, PMS Autos of Haverfordwest, St Brides Hotel of Saundersfoot, the Buccaneer and the Hope and Anchor of Tenby and Rhyal Engineering of Milford Haven.
 
We would also congratulate the anglers from the organising clubs, together with Ian Wilkinson of the Temple Bar Inn, who put his premises and valued support at this event’s disposal, together with a team of ladies from the Saundersfoot branch of the RNLI, among them Liz Tallboys, Gerry Brutnell, Helen Baggott, Sylvia Smalling and the two Pams who ran the raffle.