LOCAL ANGLERS fared well during the annual New Milton SFC Open shore competition held at Highcliffe, Steamer Point and Avon Beach.

More than half the 105-strong field returned a smattering of bass, rockling, flounder, pouting and silver eels to the scales.

Two competitors actually tied for the £200 top prize after both weighing 2lb 3oz. The winner was the angler who landed the most number of sizable fish with host club member Richard Vine getting the nod over Bill Baynes, a member of Southampton SAC.

Vine, a 52-year-old forestery manager used a combination of white rag and slipper limpet to land ten fish from the western end of Avon Beach to beat Baynes who landed nine fish from the little fancied Highcliffe section.

In third position was Dominic Kelley with a solitary bass weighing 2lb 1.5oz caught on a combination of white rag and maddies. He also collected £105 in pools for the heaviest fish.

Wayne Thompson from Southbourne came fourth with 1lb 12.5oz followed by John Brown from Southampton 1lb 12oz, John Sloper and Ken Mason both with 1lb 10oz and Don Perrett with 1lb 8oz. The pair's section was won by Richard Vine and John Sloper.

The expected flood of flounders turned into just a trickle during the second leg of the Isac Open Pegged League which was staged at West Worthing where 63 of the 87 competitors returned 40 rockling, 89 flounders and a solitary bass to the scales.

The overall winner, pegged in D section, was Chris Clark from Lymington. He landed four flounders weighing 2lb 14oz and the pools for the heaviest fish in his section with a 15.5oz flattie.

Runner-up in the section was Mark Dibbens (Portsmouth) with 1lb 1.25oz followed by Paul Curtice (Hythe)15oz and Ian Golds (Bedhampton) 14.5oz.

Ant Buik from Dorchester recorded the second heaviest weight of the match from A section with 2lb 0.25oz ahead of Uwe Brown (Kingsclere) 1lb 13.25oz, Ben Stockley (Weymouth) 1lb 12.5oz and Adrian Ryder (Southampton) 1lb 11.5oz.

In the B section Southampton's Mike Taylor came out on top with 1lb 14.25oz to nudge out Paul Titt (Cardiff) 1lb 12.25oz, Joe Thomson (Alton) 1lb 3oz and Tony Burton (East Preston) 1lb 1.25oz.

The C section as won by Neil Smith from Havant with just 15.5oz followed by Mark Plowman (Southampton)14.5oz, Dave Lane (Weymouth) 14oz and Alan Gilbert (Worthing) 13.75oz.

Ben Stockley has taken an early lead in the overall leader table with just four penalty points ahead of Mike Taylor from Southampton with five points.

The next match is at West Bexington on March 26 with fishing from 6pm to 11pm.

Tickets are £15 inclusive of pools. Details from Trevor Sutch on 023 9220 1696.

Pouting dominated the second round of the Allan's Marne Super League at Eastney, although local angler Dave Ware included a 1lb 14oz bass in his 2lb 2oz-winning catch.

Alan Slater came second with four pouting weighing just 14oz to nudge out Dave Edwards from Fareham with 12oz. Dave Ware heads the overall leader table with 57 points ahead of Duncan Beck and Dave Edwards with 54 points and Graham Lewis with 52 points.

The next round is at Stokes Bay on March 1. Details on 023 9267 1833.

On the Isle of Wight 62 shore anglers braved the elements during charity open competition in aid of the Macmillan cancer relief fund which was hosted by the Prince of Wales public house in Newport.

George Berowicz landed a brace of bass together weighing 7lb 1.5oz to carry off the £250 top prize along with a £50 voucher donated by Scotties Tackle shop for the day's heaviest bass.

Kevin Basham who targeted flounder within Yarmouth Harbour came second with a brace of flatties weighing 2lb 15.5oz to collect £150 followed by Ian Russell with 2lb 12.5oz which was worth £100. The £100 prize for the day's best specimen was collected by Mick Young after landing a 1lb 12oz flounder.

AROUND THE CLUBS

ASHLETT SAC. A 5lb 6oz thorneback ray was the highlight during an evening league fixture staged at Lepe. It was beached, along with five pouting, by Ralph Pitman to win the event by a canter with 6lb 1oz. Runner-up was Ernie Cuthbertson followed by S Pitman.

LYMINGTON & DISTRICT SFC. The third round of the club's Catch and Release Winter League was held at Steamer Point. Malcolm Stote ran out a clear winner with 411 points. Colin Pankhurst was the runner-up with 224 points ahead of Chris Ellis 196, Mike Dibden 187 and Keith Panks 177 points. The pool for the longest round-fish was collected by Roland Blomfield with a 32cm bass.

ELMORE SAC. The third roving shore competition of the year produced a win for the club's assistant secretary, Penny Bennett, with a brace of flounders weighing 2lb 7.5oz. Just half of an ounce further adrift was Martyn Thorne who also landed the day's heaviest fish, a flounder weighing 1lb 15oz followed by Simon Ayres with 2lb 1oz.

SHIRLEY SAC. Lepe Beach was the setting for the club's latest shore competition where 15 of the 45 competitors returned 19 flounders and a solitary bass to the scales.

Bob Patterson won the competition with a trio of flounders weighing 3lb 7oz followed by Jeffery Fenna with a 2llb 3oz.

Others: Third John Carstairs 2lb 2.75oz, 4 John Richards 2lb 1oz, 5 Dave Dorey 2lb 0.5oz. The top junior was James Cole with a single flounder weighing 14.5oz.

MACHINE SHOP BEACH FC. A 3lb 14oz small-eyed-ray was enough to secure a victory for Mark Marriott during a roving shore competition as well as collecting the prize for the best specimen and the heaviest fish.

Mel Squibb and Alan Payne came equal second, both with a ray weighing 3lb 9oz, while the prize for the second best specimen was collected by Mark Knight with a 1lb 13.5oz dogfish.