Results and News,
Points so far ...
Next fishing meeting - Aberdeen Open - Sun 12th February
Aberdeen - Stonehaven 9am - 3pm.
This is a single rod event.
Club members fishing the Open will score points towards the Winter Championship. Those who pay the £10 entry fee will also take part in the Open prize pool, where cash goes to the captor of the biggest fish and three heaviest bags.
New and renewing members please note your membership fees - now £20 per season - have to be with the Treasurer at least 7 days before the first fishing meeting you attend. Contact Ian Sammons, 34 Upper Mastrick Way, Aberdeen AB16 5QE Tel:01224 695004.
If you are joining part-way through the season a reduced fee applies e.g. if joining after the end of the Spring Championship group of meetings the fee is £15. After the Summer Championship the fee is £10, after the Autumn Championship it is £5. Membership for Juniors is free if fishing with a full member.
Optional sweepers are available at fishing meetings, with members paying £5 which covers entry into the sweeper for the biggest fish of the event. Guests are welcome.
Winter Championship
Law Trophy
Seven members braved cold deteriorating conditions at this year's Law Trophy event, with alternating rain, hail and sleet following clear bright spells. Weeks of sustained westerlies changed on the day to gentle SE winds, which gathered in force and became blustery as the tide rose. Sea conditions became progressively more rough, and if the forecast easterlies continue could produce excellent codding conditions in the days ahead. However, at the start of the build-up there was a lack of fresh fish; once again, only three were weighed-in. Bob Blocksidge's cod of 0.9kg was the biggest and took first place with 34 points. Gary Rezin was second with 29 points. Cod, dab and rockling were landed.
Winter Cup
Eight anglers - six members and two guests - struggled in cold, clear, bright conditions to find size-able fish. Westerly winds of various strengths for the previous weeks produced nicely coloured water, but with small waves and very little swell it appeared that very few fresh fish had been tempted within casting range.
Only three anglers weighed-in. Gary Rezin had a cod of 0.9kg for the sweeper, 34 points and first place, with Andy Forman second on 29 points. One each cod, flounder and dab were big enough to weigh.
We're now desparate for some strong sustained easterlies to stir things up and bring fish inshore. Here's hoping we get changed weather for the next meeting in two weeks time.
Autumn Championship ...
Festive Escape
Record-breaking westerly winds the previous week produced lively seas which soon settled a few days later, leaving the sea coloured but did little to enhance the fishing. Seven members took part, six landed plenty of undersized saithe and cod and only Darren Thistleton weighed-in. His pair of cod weighed 1.9kg, for 44 points and a sweeper win. Everyone else came joint second.
There is now a break in the schedule of meetings until the Winter Cup kicks off the Winter Championship on Jan 15th. Members who want to escape the season's excesses will no doubt try their luck with the odd practice session, especially if we get some easterly winds over the holidays.
Vance Trophy
Mike Sunley continued his 100% Autumn Championship record with a 77 points win and the biggest cod at 1.18kg. Ian Sammons was second with 37 points. This was a day of coloured water but bright conditions in biting cold westerly winds, following a week of westerlies which flattened the sea. Small fish, crabs, and a lobster were landed, with only 4 of the 9 participants finding keep-able fish. Cod and dabs were weighed-in. The next meeting in two weeks will fish a similar incoming tide; here's hoping for a change of wind direction to bring in more cod.
Somers Trophy
Mild drizzling conditions continued when 12 members plus a guest tried their luck at the Somers Trophy meeting. South-easterly winds the previous week had left the water nicely coloured, but without the rough conditions which might have meant better catches. Plenty of small fish were caught, but only 4 members weighed-in. Mike Sunley snatched first place with a two-species bag (cod and rockling) for 70 points, ahead of a heavier catch for 67 points for Ian Sammons. Gary Rezin's 1.62kg cod was the biggest landed.
Autumn Cup
Another good turnout -15 members - got the Autumn championship started on a bright sunny day. Moderate southerly - south-westerly winds kept sea conditions lively, and there was some welcome colour to the water. The fish were patchy in their distribution; only six members weighed-in. The day belonged to Mike Sunley who won with a bag bigger than any seen for some time - over 14kg and worth 167 points. He also took the sweeper with the biggest cod of the season (so far) at 2.86kg. Andy Kemp was runner-up with 76 points. Cod and wrasse were landed.
Summer Championship ....
Bon Accord Trophy
The Sumer Championship concluded with a day of miserable drizzle and very calm sea conditions, but a surprising number of fish. Eight out of 13 participants weighed-in, some had good bags of mixed species. We had cod, flounder, saithe, pollack, wrasse and a mackerel. Mike Sunley won with 111 points, Ian Sammons was second with 99. The sweeper winner was Gary Rezin with a 1.98kg cod.
The new Summer Champion is Dean Tate, with Ian Sammons runner-up. Taking the best 3 results from 4 meetings, Dean finshed on 179 points, Ian on 172.
West Coast Trophy
For this year's trip west 12 members fished Loch Leven. Some made it a weekend camping trip, others just travelled for the day's fishing on Sun 25th Sept. Conditions were fairly mild, but with rain all day which varied in intensity. We fished catch-and-release, and all participants had fish. There were no monsters, but plenty of variety - we had dogfish, flounder, cod, whiting, dab, thornback and sea scorpion. Bob Blocksidge won with a five species bag of mostly small fish, which translated to more points than Mike Sunley's better catch but fewer species. The sweeper for the biggest fish was won by Mike Bonnage with a 66cm dogfish. Despite the weather those present voted it an enjoyable trip, and it was good to learn a few marks in case we return to the area.
Beach Trophy
Ten members travelled to Scotstown Beach, to fish an incoming tide in rainy, blustery conditions. Conditions were perhaps a little rougher than we would have liked, but the beach was fish-able, although weed was a problem for some. Fishing catch-and-release, everyone scored some points. First place went to Dean Tate, whose 3-species catch earned 58 points, ahead of Mike Bonnage on 49. Dean's 36cm flounder was the biggest fish landed.
We had flounders, a few turbot, and three weaver fish.
Netta Brooks
Stiff gusting westerlies drove cold rain against the backs of eight members, but did nothing to help the fishing at this year's Netta Brooks meeting. Size-able fish were hard to find, but six anglers managed to weigh-in.
Andy Kemp came first, with a two-species bag for 50 points. His decision to abandon bait and try for mackerel paid off, beating Ian Sammons into second place on 47 points. Ian's 1.06kg cod was the biggest fish of the day.
We weighed-in cod, wrasse, mackerel, and a plump long-spined sea scorpion.
Summer Cup
Twelve anglers, including some very welcome new members, got this year's Summer Championship under way. This was a day of mostly bright conditions with a late shower, a fairly calm sea with only minor swells, but with some colour to the water following midweek easterlies and heavy rain. With these conditions expectations were high, but unfortunately only 4 members weighed-in. Andy Kemp won with a three-species bag for 81 points, with Mike Sunley second on 39 points for his sweeper-winning cod of 1.46kg. This was the first meeting to feature 100% sweeper payout on the day, we now will not have a quarterly biggest fish prize. Cod, wrasse and saithe showed up (along with starfish, crabs and a lobster). The next meeting, in two weeks time, involves a similar tide; here's hoping there are a few more fish about.
Spring Championship .....
Findon Cup
Nine members and a guest contested the Findon Cup meeting in bright fishing conditions, with only light showers. A strong incoming tide had some swells. Only four weighed-in. Andy Kemp took first place with a 3-species bag for 79 points, with Ian Sammons second on 67 points. Biggest fish was Andy's 1.48kg ballan wrasse. Cod, pollack, wrasse and saithe were landed.
This meeting concludes the Spring Championship. Despite an impressive 3 wins and a third place, taking the best 3 results from the four meetings means Andy Kemp's total of 204 points was beaten by Ian Sammons on 205. Ian also took the sweeper for the biggest fish of the quarter, with his 1.56kg cod landed at the Spring Cup meeting.
Thistle Cup
Five species showed up at this year's Thistle Cup - cod, wrasse, flounder, mackerel and a pollack. Fished in bright warm weather and an incoming tide, seven out of ten participants (nine members and a guest) weighed-in. Andy Kemp took first place with 68 points, just ahead of Ian Sammons on 64. Biggest fish was Ian's wrasse of 1.20kg.
Ian now leads the Spring championship by just one point. The next meeting at Findon will again involve an incoming tide, and concludes the championship.
Spring Cup
A good turnout - 15 anglers - fished over low water and much of the rising tide in overcast conditions. Gentle north-easterlies meant air temperatures had dropped to normal following a few days of bright warm conditions, a combination which produced much better results than in the early meetings of previous seasons. Eight weighed-in, mostly cod plus a couple of flounders and a mackerel. Ian Sammons took first place with 74 points, Tomas Naruskevicius was second with 64. Ian also took the sweeper with a cod of 1.56kg. The next meeting, in 2wks time, features a similar tide; hopefully results will be at least as good.
Spooner Trophy
Ten members met to get the 2011/12 season underway, fishing catch-and-release from Peterhead South Breakwater. Fishing from low water up for part of the tide only we weren't going to maximise posible catches. Only a handful of size-able fish were landed, but with all fish counting several members managed to get some points to start the championship. A strong gusting wind kept the sea lumpy, drove rain and hail showers, and blew away the early season's cobwebs.
Dab, saithe and cod were landed, with the biggest cod at 51cm (1.28kg) falling to new member Andy Forman, just slightly bigger than Ian Sammons's 50cm fish. A Kemp won with a two-species bag and 41 points, ahead of A Forman on 36.
No mackerel have been reported from the Breakwater yet, but with rumours of a few caught out of Fraserburgh there is hope that some will start to show in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile the resident seals were seen honing their hunting skills by taking gulls from the surface.
How the points system works:
For each 100gms weighed-in - 1 point
10 points per species
10 points for a catch to weigh
5 points for attending the weigh-in having fished
For Measure-and-Release meetings points are awarded based on length and species - see scorecards for details. Minimum size limits do not apply.