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 Sunday on Amroth Beach in South Pembrokeshire, writes John A O'Connor.

The weather on the day was similar to that which had been experienced locally in the run up to the competition, cold and mainly dry with only a slight southerly wind.

So, once again, the weather Gods smiled on the competitors, which meant the conditions were very fishable and quite good for fishing there being what looked like a good surf running.

The turnout and support was only two short of the previous year but 20 more than the charity event in November in aid of the Blood bikes Wales, with 62 anglers including four ladies and one junior, a boy entering.

The fishing was quite good, though not for the doggie bashers, there being non weighed in. 15 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.

The winning angler who managed to land five flounder, for a winning bag of 1kg 830gms was local Tenby club angler and regular, Stuart Allen, netting him the first prize of £200.

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

Third prize went to another local, regular and supporter, who has had some not inconsiderable success over the years, Hayden Cole from Lamphey with three flounder for 1Kg 135gms.

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

Second were two local stalwarts of these events, also from Milford Haven, who had two flounder for their bag of 1Kg 465gms.

Third were more locals, World Oar Champion 2024, Gareth Protheroe and Ray Eyers with three flounder for 905gms.

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 635gms.

The only junior, Douglas Michael also caught a flounder of 380gms so took the junior prize.

However, the most important result on the day was that the event raised £1,101.10 for the Wales Air Ambulance pushing the total raised over the 21 years this competition has been running, well in excess of £25,000.

To thank for this sterling effort we must first congratulate the anglers from the organising clubs, you know who you are, 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.

Lastly, we must thank the many sponsors of the event; in no particular order: 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, Roundabout Garage, Neyland, The Hean Castle and Stone Crab of Saundersfoot, The Stackpole Inn, The Highgate in Hundleton, The Paddock Inn, Penally, Lamphey Court Hotel, The Shipwright, Pembroke Dock, Templeton Beer Wine & Spirits Company, Dave & June Howell, Andrew Jamieson, Mark Bennett, Ed Pritchard and Moira Barnes.

One final thing is that the whole shebang repeats itself in six weeks on Sunday, 16 February with the 16th RNLI Annual Fishing Open, in aid of the local lifeboat stations at Angle & Tenby, for which we now pray for good weather and at least as good a turnout and catch.