TWO local anglers will jet off to Portugal on Thursday as members of the five strong Sea Anglers Match Federation team for the week-long World Clubs Shore Angling Championships.

Tony O'Grady from Fareham will link up with Malcolm Stote from Lymington to do battle in the region of Leira to the north of Lisbon with 20 other teams from as far afield at Brazil.

Small turbot, black bream and bass are expected to dominate the event, fished from steep shelving beaches which should prove ideal for the local duo who regularly tackle similar venues.

The Hengistbury Head section was the setting for the four-a-side Neptune inter-club fiirst round where a surprising range of species were recorded for the time of year.

Principal ones were pouting, flounders, silver eels, corkwing and ballan wrasse, five bearded rockling, pollack, dogfish and an unusual number of very large shore rockling, which nearly all fell to peeler crab.

Winning team was Bournemouth & District A, who finished with a combined weight of 6lb 14oz. But their club secretary, Paul Blehs, really did the business, recording more than 4lb of fish by himself.

International caster Gary Dickerson was also in fine form to take a 4lb 12.5oz catch of big rockling and pouting and secure second spot for Wessex Hawks.

Christchurch & District were third with 3lb 1oz.

Others: Boscombe & Southbourne A (2lb 14oz), Wessex Angling (2lb 11.5oz), Christchurch Shore (1lb 12oz), Lymington & District SFC (1lb 1.5oz), Hamworthy RBL (1lb 1oz), Bournemouth & District B (6.5oz), Pro Angling (5.5oz), Boscombe & Southbourne B (3oz) and Poole Dolphins (2.5oz).

The second round will again be held along the Double Dykes section on May 9 (fishing 7.30-10.30pm). Apart from the wrasse, rockling and silver eels there is a good chance of a small-eyed ray putting in an appearance, along with a early smoothhound.

The Allan's Marine pegged open super league first round at Lee-on-the-Solent saw pout, plaice and rockling supply limited action. Kevin Painter won with eight pouting (1lb 10oz), followed by Brain Woodhall with 1lb 6oz, including a 1lb 3oz plaice - the night's heaviest fish.

Third was Dave Edwards, with 15oz, ahead of Dave Ware (12oz). After four matches, Ware heads the leader table with 115 points. Graham Lewis and Mick Goodger have 101 and 95 respectively.

Next match in the pegged open series, again at Lee-on-the-Solent on May 24 (fishing 8pm-midnight), is open to all anglers although tickets are pre-book (full details from the crew at Allan's Marine - 023 9267 1833).

The flatfish-only competition along Chesil Beach, organised by the crew of Weymouth Angling Centre, attracted well over 100 competitors, although only 23 managed to land a flatfish over the minimum size of 20cm. The event was fished to the catch-and-release system.

Flatties recorded included plaice, flounders and dabs.

Brain Fook collected the £500 top prize with three plaice measuring 84cm while Richard Clean picked up the £250 runners-up prize, awarded to the single longest flattie - a plaice measuring 46cm.

Third prize went to Hugh Rathbone with a plaice and flounder for 61 cm, followed by A Cox (55cm), Geoff Gay (54cm) and Mark Cowell (52cm).

The team event was won by Julian Shambrook and Hugh Rathbone with a combined total of 112 points, ahead of Brian Fook and Richard Lane (105) and Pete Hegg and Geoff Gay (52).

There are two open competitions on Saturday, and both should produce fair action. They double up as Penn Point fixtures.

The Swanage club stage a 50-peg catch-and-release open along their local beach with a £200 top prize. Fishing will be from 6.30-10.30pm, booking-in getting under way from 5.30pm.

Competitors can expect flounders, pouting, plaice, pollack and a few bass, with ragworm being the key. Tickets (pre-book only) are £10 - full details from Ray Jarvis (07763 235508). Some tackle shops also have entry forms.

The Individual Sea Angling Club stage their pegged open league at Lee-on-the-Solent (fishing 8pm-1am, the £15 tickets again are strictly pre-book only).

Good thorneback rays, which could even nudge double figures, can be expected, along with pout, doggies, flounder, silver eels and a few nice plaice.

For full details contact Trevor Sutch on 023 9220 1696.

The Lee-on-the-Solent section is the setting for a Rovers mini pegged catch-and-release open on Thursday evening (fishing 8pm-11.30), with tickets set at £5 inclusive of all pools.

Rays, pout and doggies are expected to supply most action. For full details contact the crew at Rovers Tackle Shop (01329 220354).