21st Wales Air Ambulance Open beach fishing competition on Amroth raises over £1,000

Last Sunday, the 21st Wales Air Ambulance Open beach fishing competition – organised by members from Pembroke & District Angling Club and Osprey Sea Angling Club – was held on Amroth beach, raising over £1,000 for the charity.

It also pushes total raised for Wales Air Ambulance over the years this competition has been running to well in excess of £25,000.

The turnout 20 more than the charity event in aid of Blood Bikes Wales event last November with 62 anglers entering, including four Ladies and one Junior, a boy.

Cheque presentation (L to R) Peter Kraus, Mike May, John O’Connor (Picture by Mike May)

On what was a cold but dry day, a slight southerly wind meant the conditions were very fishable with what looked like a good surf running.

Fifteen anglers brought 28 flounder to the scales. There were other fish caught but they were either, undersize and returned, or considered too light to threaten the weighers.

Tenby club angler Stuart Allen managed to land five flounder for a winning bag of 1kg 830g, netting him the first prize of £200.

Second was Daniel Tucker, from Milford Haven and the EFSA Wales section, with a cracking flounder of 915g, just over two pounds (907g) in old money, bagging himself the £100 second prize for the heaviest single fish.

Third prize of £50 went to another local, regular and supporter, Haydn Cole from Lamphey, with three flounder for 1kg 135g.

In the Pairs competition, in which both anglers had to weigh in, first were Daniel and his father, Shane, with three flounder for a bag of 1kg 740g.

Second were two local stalwarts of these events, also from Milford Haven, Leigh Rogers and Keith Williams, who had two flounder for their bag of 1kg 465s. Third were more locals, 2024 World Boat Champion Gareth Protheroe and Ray Eyers with three flounder for 905g.

The Ladies’ prize was won by that great collector of prizes for the grand raffle, Kirsty Culley, who also won the Stewards draw, with a flounder of 635g. The only junior, Douglas Michael, also caught a flounder of 380g so took the Junior prize.

Pictured are some of the winners. Picture by Mike May

However the most important result on the day was that the event raised £1101.10 (a great number for binary geeks!) for the Wales Air Ambulance.

Thanks go to the anglers from the organising clubs, together with Mr Ian Wilkinson of the Temple Bar Inn who put his premises and valued support at this event’s disposal, as well as providing the prize for the Stewards draw.

Thanks are also due to the event sponsors: Big Brums, Milforge, Osprey SAC, Darren Jones, Shane Tucker, EFSA Wales, Andrew Skeels, John O’Connor, J&M Tackle and Bait, Pembroke Dock, Leigh Rogers, Peter Kraus, Haydn Cole, Kirsty Culley, Alison George, Jeff Pratt, John Davies, Cliff James, Dave and June Howell, Andrew Jamieson, Mark Bennett, Ed Pritchard and Moira Barnes, Roundabout Garage Neyland, Hean Castle and Stone Crab Saundersfoot, Stackpole Inn, Highgate Hundleton, Paddock Inn Penally, Lamphey Court Hotel, Shipwright Inn Pembroke Dock, Templeton Beer Wine & Spirits Company.

Conditions on the day (Picture by John O’Connor)

Next up is the 16th RNLI Annual Fishing Open, in aid of the local lifeboat stations at Angle and Tenby, on Sunday, 16 February.