ELEVEN juniors from West Bay SAC travelled to Plymouth for the much-anticipated Junior Shore Angling Festival event.

This year’s competition was the club’s 20th attendance which was held until recently at Teignmouth.

After leaving a sunny Bridport, cloud and fine drizzle greeted the competitors at the Mountbatten Breakwater but conditions were perfect for the most popular method, float fishing, with clear visibility and a slightly choppy sea.

After some light rain spirits were finally lifted when blue skies and sunshine arrived during the latter half of the match.

Forty-nine competitors in all cast their first lines at 11am for the match lasting four hours, with lines up at 3pm.

This being a catch and release specimen competition (unless kept for eating or bait), mackerel and garfish were the main quarry and it wasn’t long before a few fish were showing at the weighing-in station.

At first, West Bay lagged behind but eventually Ewan Chambers managed to find the all-important garfish only for his brother, Aaron, to follow it up with a bigger specimen shortly afterwards.

A few mini species were landed which did not count in this match but one or two wrasse showed that were sizeable.

Unfortunately they did not attain a very high specimen percentage.

Eventually three West Bay members, Nathan McMaster, Ollie Butler and Jack Parkman did catch a few mackerel which would put them in the running and it was these three that would make it to the prize-winning table.

Ultimately some good-sized garfish topped West Bay’s catches and took the three trophy-winning positions but congratulations go to McMaster who came joint fourth overall with his 11oz, 45.83 per cent mackerel with Ollie Butler winning the best over-12s’ position (9oz, 4 dram, 38.54 per cent mackerel) and Jack Parkman runner-up for the over-12s (8oz, 33.33 per cent mackerel).

The boys went away happy with prizes of rods and reels and every competitor received a goody bag.

A club spokesman said: “In previous years the club hired a minibus which meant that only a limited number of parents could accompany their children but thanks to the continued and generous support of Adam Keen at Morebus/Damory, there was plenty of room on board.

“The club would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the coach company as this event has become one of the highlights of the junior year and enables the whole family to take part.

“The club would also like to thank the organisers, Angling Trust Wyvern Division and the Plymouth Federation of Sea Angling Clubs and individuals along with all the local tackle shops who donated prizes for the festival.”