Hastings & St. Leonards Angling Association

MICK GILCHRIST

We regret to announce the sudden death of our

Ex-President , and Life Member, Mick.

He was a big part of this Club for many years and will be greatly missed.

He was involved in the local angling community, along with amateur dramatic groups and the Calvert Road Methodist Church, and supported many local people, taking them to hospital and generally running around.

Our thoughts are with his wife, Lesley, and his family.

His funeral was held on Friday 22nd December at the Calvert Road Methodist Church followed by a wake here at the Club

Trophies presented by President, Bob Bumstead

The 113th three day international Hastings Sea Angling Boat Festival sponsored by Hastings Angling Centre ltd was fished on the 10th, 11th and 12th of July. The friday was a beautiful summers day with bright warm sunshine and light winds, saturday started fine but rapidly deteriorated as the wind strenghed considerably with most boats returning by lunchtime. Sunday boat fishing was cancelled due to high winds and was fished on the beach for the day prizes.

Entry was up last year with 85 anglers in over 30 boats competing. The festival is based on points for the best five specimen fish weighed in by each angler each day, with each day being seperate match with prizes and the overall festival being rewarded with cash and trophies.

Despite the tricky conditions on the saturday some good fish were boated with some very fine plaice caught, the best a magnificent 5lb 2ozs plaice for Heidi Claridge, which proved the best specimen of the festival by a very narrow margin from an excellent thornback ray of 13lb by Mick Chapman on the friday and won her several trophies and £500. Other excellent plaice of 4lb+ were weighed in. With neither big conger eels (the best a decent 46lbs for Geb Locke), or smoothounds featuring much this year plaice dabs wrasse and rays were the main target species. Paul Murray won festival for the second year on the trot lifting the south of England trophy and £500 first prize with 366 points on the saturday with a fine mized bag of plaice (4lb 12oz), wrasse (4lbs 14ozs) and dogfish.

The junior prizes were all taken by Charlie Wells. Top lady was Heidi Claridge and top veteran Alan Smith. The team prizes went to Ralph and Colin Crosby, Dave Checksfield and Tim Relf. The club team prize went to Ralph and Colin Crosby, Bill Ellis and Paul Murray.

Sunday's beach match was emphatically won by Ralph Crosby with 9lb 14oz which included a fine bass of 6lbs 1ozs. Brother Colin was second with 6lb 7oz and Mark Hinxman third with 3lb 9ozs.

The Prize giving and excellent buffet was held at the East Hastings Club with Mayor Bruce Dowling presenting the prizes. The excellent prize table a tribute to the presenting skills of Barry Coleman. A hearty thanks from the organising committee and all the anglers goes to all the sponsors of the festival, Hastings Angling Centre ltd, Fusion Interiors, Paul's Tackle, Steve Erends, Coleman Construction and Utilities Ltd,

Allscaff Scaffolding Ltd, News approach Contractors Ltd, Woods Concrete Pumps Southern Ltd, Berfords Ltd, CB Electrical Ltd, Carey & Edwards Ltd, Mermaid Hotel Rye, Porters Wine bar, MDJ Services Ltd, DMK Precision Engineering UK Ltd, Jamison Plumbing & Heating Ltd, Paul Tiltman Refreshments and Shimano and Tronix for donating prizes. Thanks also to the host clubs East Hastings Sea Angling Association and Hastings & St Leonards Angling Association.

Main Trophy winners

South of England Trophy - Most points on one day - Paul Murray (366) Friendship Trophy - Best specimen in the Festival - Heidi Claidge 5lb 2ozs Plaice (114.93) ICSA Gold Cup - Most points in the festival - Paul Murray (662) Cinema Deluxe Cup - Greatest weight of fish on one day - Geb Locke 52lb 5oz - Dreadnought Cup - Most points from whiting on one day - John Thompson (126) - Lewis Abbott Cup - Most points from flatfish in one day - Dave Checksfield (323) - Amsterdam Trophy - Biggest conger in the festival - Geb Locke 46lb 8oz Southend Cup - Most points from congers in one day - Geb Locke (86) - Borough of Hastings Cup - Biggest fish in the festival - Geb Locke 46lbs 8 ozs - Hastilow Cup - Heaviest cod in the festival - Geb Locke 10lb 9ozs - Herne Bay Cup - Best specimen bullhuss - Richard Dickinson 5lb 6ozs - Palmer Cup - Most points from cod in one day - Geb Locke (163) - Richardson Trophy - Heaviest ray - Mick Chapman 13lb Thornback - Farnham Trophy - team of four - C Crosby Dave Checksfield, Tim Relf (1232) - Veteran's Trophy - Alan Smith (285) - Ladies Rose Bowl - Heidi Claridge (250) - Bon Ami Cup - Most junior points in one day - Charlie Wells (171) - Skinners Trophy - Best junior precentage on one day - Charlie Wells 66% - RNLI Trophy - most junior points in Festival - Charlie Wells (336) - TSB Sheild - Most points from flatfish - Pete Galloway (575) - Saffir Vissers trophy - Most different species - Steve Clarke (5) - Observer Boat Trophy - top local angler - Pete Galloway (575) - Coxswain Cup - most specimens - Paul Murray (2) 0 Whitbead Trophy - longest fish - Geb Locke (2.1m) - Coronation Cup - best team of four on one day - Bill Ellis, Paul Murray, Colin and Ralph Crosby (1252) - Nelson Cup - top score in Coronation Cup - Paul Murray (366) - Family Cup - Ralph and Colin Crosby (656) - Pollock Cup - Chris Payne 7lb 10oz - Frank James Cup - Bob Elliot (80) - Les Watson Kayak Cup - Michael Maher 67%

Sunday Beach Match

1st Ralph Crosby 9lb 14ozs

 2nd Colin Crosby 6lb 7oz

 3rd Mark Hinxman 3lb 9ozs

Hastings & St Leonards 111th International Sea Angling Boat Festival.

This year’s three day boat festival was fished last Friday Saturday and Sunday. After a stiffish breeze from the northeast on the Friday the weather for the rest of the weekend was exceptional with hot sun and cloudless skies and very light winds.

This match is determined on the five best specimens weighed in with points being given according to the percentage of the specimen weight.

Fishing was generally good with some fine specimens being weighed in, dabs and smoothounds were very good along with some good rays, wrasse and dogfish.

This year’s winner came on the Friday with Bill Ellis scoring an exceptional 452 points to win the South of England Trophy and the first prize of £500. Bill also took The ICSA Gold Cup for most Festival points (1071) and the Herne Bay Cup for the best dogfish, a smoothound of 15lb 3oz.

Lucy Cramp aged just 12 had the best specimen o the Festival a very fine dab of 1lb 2¾oz for 125 points for the Friendship Trophy and £500 best specimen prize.

Lucy’s mum Sunisa Cramp also had a very good match winning the Ladies Rosebowl with 236 points

Top Junior was George Dadswell who took all three junior trophies.

Rodney Shoesmith took the Veterans Trophy and was top scorer on the Saturday with a very good bag of dabs for 378 points.

Colin Crosby won on Sunday and took the Lewis Abbott Cup for most flatfish points with 5 excellent dabs for 403 points (usually enough for a clear festival win!).

Best Skate was a cracking thornback ray of 12lb 2oz caught by Gavin Bourne. Another notable ray was a rare Painted ray of 9lb caught by Pete Wiseman and taken alive to the Sea Life centre where hopefully it will go on display soon.

The Prizes were presented by East Hastings AA Hon Sec John Thompson in the absence of Vice Chairman Jack Reece QPM. Great thanks is given by everyone involved for the generous support of the main sponsors Alex and Ellie of White’s Seafood & Steak Bar in the Old Town, Charlie Ball of C&G Commercial Services Ltd, Hastings Windows, Hastings Hire Centre and Berforts Ltd. Many thanks also to tackle suppliers Akios, Sonik and Svendsen Sports for donating fine tackle prizes.

Main Trophy winners

South of England Trophy - Most points on one day –Bill Ellis (452)

Friendship Trophy – Best specimen in the Festival – Lucy Cramp Dab (125%)

ICSA Gold Cup – Most points in the Festival – Bill Ellis (1071)

Cinema Deluxe Cup – Greatest weight of fish on one day –Paul Murray 47.5lb

Lewis Abbott Cup- Most points from flatfish in one day – Colin Crosby (403)

Amsterdam Trophy – Biggest conger in the Festival – Mick Chapman 46lb 13oz.

Southend Cup – Most points from congers in one day – Mick Chapman

Borough of Hastings Cup – Biggest fish in the Festival- Mick Chapman

Hastilow Cup - Heaviest cod in the Festival –Colin Sivers 12lb

Herne Bay Cup - Best specimen dogfish –Bill Ellis Smoothound 15lb 3oz

Palmer Cup - Most points from cod in one day –Colin Sivers

Richardson Trophy heaviest ray – Gavin Bourne thornback ray 12lb 12oz

Farnham Trophy – team of four – Alan Kent, Paul Murray, Bill Ellis and Pete Wiseman

Veteran’s trophy – Rodney Shoesmith (378)

Ladies Rose bowl – Sunisa Cramp (236)

Bon Ami Cup - Most junior points in one day – George Dadswell (261)

Skinners Trophy – Best junior percentage on one day- George Dadswell (261)

RNLI trophy – Most Junior points in Festival – George Dadswell (474)

TSB Shield – Most points from flatfish – Rodney Shoesmith (869)

Saffir Vissers trophy – Most different species – Yogi Poland (5)

Observer Boat Trophy – top local angler- Bill Ellis (386)

Coxswain Cup – most specimens – Bill Ellis (2)

Whitbread trophy – longest fish –Mick Chapman 79 inches

Coronation Cup – best club team of four on one day – Steve Shoesmith, Steve Carley, Pete Wiseman, John Thompson (EHSAA)

Nelson Cup – top score in Coronation Cup – Steve Shoesmith (322)

Family Cup – Colin and Ralph Crosby (757)

Pollack Cup – Mick Chapman

Frank James Cup Best Veteran Flatfish – Pete Lucas 4lb 4oz Plaice

Club Boat Mick Gilchrist 11⅜oz Dab

Friday Prizes on Points

1st Pete Galloway 382

2nd Paul Murray 367

3rd Charlie Ball 300

4th Keith Sturmer 295

5th Colin Crosby 289

6th Paul Parsons 278

7th John Billings 266

Friday Prizes on Percentage

1st Pete Wiseman 100.4%

2nd Barry Coleman 89%

3rd Ralph Crosby 85%

4th Mick Gilchrist 73%

5th Kay Goodwin 72%

6th Colin Sivers 70.75%

7th Kevin Galloway 70.5%

Saturday Prizes on Points

1st Rodney Shoesmith 378

2nd Keith Sturmer 326

3rd Glen Shoesmith 323

4th Paul Murray 314

5th Colin Crosby 302

6th Bill Ellis 289

7th John Billings 288

Saturday Prizes on Percentage

1st Barry Coleman 106%

2nd Jamie Copeland 88%

3rd Mick Chapman 83%

4th B Smith 81%

5th Graham Ingermells 75.10%

6th Ted Eldridge 75.00%

7th Pete Wiseman 71%

Sunday Prizes on Points

1st Colin Crosby 403

2nd Paul Murray 366

3rd Ralph Crosby 354

4th Rex Palmer 350

5th Bill Ellis 350

6th Steve Shoesmith 326

7th Rodney Shoesmith 322

Sunday Prizes on Percentage

1st Pete Galloway 110%

2nd G Bisson 107%

3rd D Oliver 104%

4th Gavin Bourne 98%

5th P Lucas 95%

6th Dave Kite 85%

7th Simon Young 84%

On Saturday 16th February the Hastings & St Leonards angling club fished another new competition.

Thornback specimen hunt. If no thornbacks were caught then prizes would be awarded for the best specimen as % of club specimens of the shark family.

Fishing in light winds and a flat sea 5 boats got afloat with most bags made up of LSD's and small plaice.

Results were as follows.

1st Dave Cramp with a Thornback of 6lb 1.4oz

He was the only person to catch any thornbacks so 2nd was G. Bisson with an LSD of 1lb 9.9oz.

3rd was P Galloway with an LSD of 1lb 6.2oz.

Only specimen caught was a Whiting of 2lb 4.3oz caught by B. Coleman.

South Coast Beach Championships

This season’s South Coast Beach Championship sponsored by Coleman Construction and Utilities Ltd was fished last Sunday for the first time on a new later date than usual. The decision to move it later in the season was taken to avoid clashing with other large matches in November. This premier event attracted a high quality field of over 100 anglers, which included several top international anglers. Fishing in good albeit quite cold conditions, they caught very well with an abundance of fish coming to the scales. Most numerous were whiting and dabs with a few bass, flounders and rockling and a solitary lesser spotted dogfish. The expected good flounders didn’t read the script and didn’t put in much of a show which somewhat disappointed the anglers fishing zones D and E along Bexhill to Norman’s Bay where flounders usually can be relied on.

The match was close with many anglers getting over thirty fish. Best was Kim McKreevy with 15lb 13oz who picked up the £500 first prize from main sponsor Barry Coleman. Narrowly second was top veteran Dorset angler Ed Painter on 15lb 8oz with Ian Hopper third on 14lb 14oz. Best roundfish was the LSD 1lb 10oz for R Clark and best flatfish a flounder of 1lb 1oz for Colin Isaacs. Top junior was Martin Payne with 8lb 2oz and top lady Glynnis Jones with an impressive 32 fish for 9lb 8oz. Top pair was Ed Painter and Richard Cleal with 28lb 22oz.

The excellent prize table went down to 30th place, Jack Hayes who still weighed in 8lb 13oz such was the excellent catch. Barry Coleman of the main sponsors Coleman Construction & Utilities Ltd is to be heartily thanked for his continuing generous support of this event. Svendsen Sports are also gratefully thanked for donating prizes.

Winner Kim McKreevy 15lb 13oz

Second Ed Painter 15lb 8oz

Third Ian Hopper 14lb 14oz

Junior Martin Payne 8lb 2oz

Lady Glynnis Jones 9lb 8oz

Veteran Ed Painter 15lb 8oz

Best roundfish R Clark LSD 1lb 10oz

Best Flatfish Colin Isaacs Flounder 1lb 1oz

Pairs 1st Ed Painter & Richard Cleal 28lb 2oz

2nd Colin & Ralph Crosby 19lb 13oz

Zones

A 1st R Cleal 12lb 10oz, 2nd L Clark 11lb 10oz, 3rd M Webb 10lb 5oz

B 1st E Painter 15lb 8oz, I Hopper 14lb 14oz, 3rd A Kent 13lb 5oz

C 1st K McKreevy 15lb 13oz,C Crosby 14lb 9oz, 3rd P Metcalf 12lb 1oz

D 1st T Rooney 6lb 8oz, H Rathbone 5lb 7oz, S Hanks 5lb 3oz

E 1st K Henshaw 7lb 12oz, T Relf 6lb 5oz, K Sturmer 5lb 5oz

The full classified list for the top 40 anglers can be seen on the Hastings Angling Centre website www. hastingsangling.co.uk

The first boat fishing of 2013 took place on Sunday 6th January with the New Carlsberg Cup (best 5 different species) up for grabs.

6 boats fished with a total of 16 anglers.

First Prize went to Keith Sturmer with 5 species: Cuckoo Wrasse 1lb 3.3oz specimen, Ballan Wrasse 3lb 5.1oz specimen, Whiting 1lb 12.6oz specimen, Plaice 14oz, & LSD 1lb 6oz. giving him a total of488.71%

Second Prize was Tim Bertelsen with 5 species: Ballan Wrasse 3lb 9.4oz specimen, T/back 5lb 10.5oz, Cod 7lb 12.6oz, LSD 1lb 13.9oz, & Whiting 10.7oz. Giving him a total of 423.26%

Third prize went to Barry Coleman with 5 species: Cod 7lb 4.3oz, Ballan Wrasse 3lb 3.6oz specimen, Dab 7oz, Whiting 1lb 2.5oz, & LSD 1lb 6oz. Giving him a total of 395.22%

Junior winner was Charlie Wells with 2 species: Whiting & Pouting.

Lady winner was Sue Wells with 5 species: LSD, Whiting, Pouting, Plaice & Dab giving her a total of 211.31%.

Other Specimens were Anthony Wells with a T/back 14lb 13.2oz & a Whiting 1lb 13.4oz.

Pete Galloway with a Cuckoo Wrasse 1lb 2.8oz.

Hastings Angling Centre Open 29th December 2012

This years Hastings Angling Centre Open Beach Match was fished in very heavy conditions with huge seas and a southerly gale gusting to nearly 50mph. Fifty three hardy anglers struggled with the conditions but those who could get out and hold were rewarded with surprisingly good bags of fish. In these conditions only a few flatfish were recorded but good numbers of bass and whiting were had.

The clear winner was Darren Brooks fishing at Newchurch with 36 fish for 16lb 13oz who received the £300 first prize. The heaviest fish was a codling of 3lb 14oz for Rob Dunk. Tony Methven had the heaviest flat a flounder of 14oz. Both the winners of the heaviest fish won Akios CTM reels.

Winner Darren Brooks 36 fish 16lb 13oz

Zone A

1st Mark Rodgers 14 fish 8lb 9oz

2nd Keith Sturmer 15 fish 7lb 5oz

Zone B

1st Ian Hopper 14 fish 5lb 12oz

2nd Nick May 11 fish 5lb 0oz

Zone C

1st Ralph Crosby 23 fish 11lb 15oz

2nd Lee Chapman 25 fish 11lb 0oz

Zone D

1st Colin Crosby 20 fish 10lb 3oz

2nd Rob Dunk 12 fish 8lb 8oz

Pairs

1st Colin and Ralph Crosby 22lb 2oz

2nd Lee Chapman and Mark Rodgers 19lb 9oz

Heaviest round fish Rob Dunk 3lb 14oz Cod

Heaviest flat fish Tony Methven 14oz Flounder

Junior Alex Martin 7oz

Veteran John Ryder 3lb 5oz

Hastings & St Leonards Town Beach Festival

The Hastings & St Leonards Town Two Day Beach Festival was held last weekend in testing conditions of light north easterly winds with rain and dull overcast sky. With more wind on the Sunday the sea was a little more coloured in the afternoon and more fish were caught. A good entry of 53 anglers with four sections fished each day.

The winner came on Sunday from Newchurch section with Colin Carey recording 19 fish for 7lb 4oz well clear of runner up Mick Webb with 18 fish for 6lb 4oz.. Saturday’s top weight was Nick May with 10 fish for 4lb 4oz. Best fish was a bass caught on Saturday on peg one by Malcolm Payne and weighed 1lb 11oz. In contrast to recent matches the flatfish did not turn up or numbers or quality. Most notable was a sole of 1lb 5oz for Ralph Crosby. His niece Millie Crosby took both the Ladies and Junior prizes with a dogfish of 12oz.

This event was generously supported by the principal sponsor Sussex Plumbing Supplies Ltd along with C&G Commercial Services Ltd, Whites Seafood restaurant, tackle donors Akios and Sonik and Hastings Borough Council. Their continuing support is much appreciated.

Full Results

Winner: Colin Carey, Silver Challenge Trophy and £500

Heaviest aggregate bag: Colin Carey, 9lb 0oz, Gardener Shield

Heaviest fish: Malcolm Payne Bass 1lb 11oz, Hastilow Cup, St Leonards Pier Cup and £200

Team: Colin Carey and Mick Webb, 13lb 8oz, Cornucopia Cup

Best Lady: Millie Crosby, 12oz, Stratford Challenge Cup

Most fish on one day: Colin Carey (19), Walter Ellison Trophy

Veteran: Gerald Seargeant, 4lb 15oz, Eversfield Cup

Junior: Millie Crosby, 12oz

Most species: Nick May (5) George Dawson Trophy

Saturday

1st Nick May 4lb 4oz

2nd G Clark 3lb 12oz

3rd Rex Palmer 3lb 3oz

4th Tim Relf 3lb 1oz

5th Pete Galloway 3lb 0oz

6th Mark Rogers 2lb 8oz

Sunday

Colin Carey moving up to overall winner

1st Mick Webb 6lb 4oz

2nd Keith Erridge 6lb 1oz

3rd Damian Evans 5lb 0oz

4th Gerald Seargeant 4lb 15oz

5th Colin Sivers 4lb 12oz

6th Ralph Crosby 4lb 8oz

Comp results as follows.

10 Boats fished on a pleasant Octobers day with 24 entries with plenty of fish brought back to the scales with quite a few double figure cod.

Winners of the Autumn Boat Competition

The S.O. Glenister Cup ( Heaviest 3 Cod)

1st Richard Lavender weight 35lb 4oz including the heaviest specimen cod of 16lb 14.7oz

2nd Tim Relf weight 30lb 6.2oz including a specimen cod of 15lb 4.6oz

3rd Peter Galloway weight 24lb 12.1oz

Best Junior Charlie Wells weight 10lb 4oz

Best Lady Karen Holewell weight 12lb 8.6oz

The Friendship Trophy (Heaviest 3 Whiting)

1st Karen Holewell weight 2lb 0.2oz

2nd Paul Murray weight 1lb 15.16oz

3rd Tim Relf 1lb 14.0oz

Other specimen caught,. Plaice 2lb 5.1oz by A. wells