SWAYTHLING'S ten-year-old Ben Oliver had a trip to remember when his stepfather, Tim Smith, took him on his first serious fishing sortie to the Hamble where he landed an excellent flattie.

The youngster, who attends St Denys School, used ragworm to tempt his first flounder which tipped the scales down to 2lb 4oz while his stepdad, who drew a complete blank, could only look on in envy.

Yet another cracking flounder has been caught from the confines of Poole Harbour where Peter Harvey - a member of Poole Dolphins SAC - struck while fishing from his own small boat. Harvey used ragworm to tempt the specimen which tipped the scales down to 4lb 5oz.

The oversize flattie, which was weighed and verified at Wessex Angling Centre, set a new club record for the Dolphins.

Anglers heading afloat from Keyhaven on Dulice T skippered by Ron Bundy have again been finding some cracking fish with Mick Wyper apprehending a very tasty turbot which tipped the scales down to 14lb whole Josh Webb heaved a hefty cod over the gunnels, squid was the telling bait.

The Neptune bonus competition held inside and out at Sandbanks produced an unusual number of species for the time of year, including flounders, sole, bass, whiting, dogfish and shore rockling.

Paul Johnson, representing Wessex, won the event with five fish weighing 2lb 8oz to nudge out John Dunster from Christchurch Shore FC, who recorded the night's heaviest fish in the shape of a 2lb 5.5oz flounder.

In third position, representing Boscombe & Southbourne SFC, was John Moseley with a 2lb 3oz bass followed by Lee Coleman from Hamworthy RBL with a 1lb 10.5oz flounder, Brian Fisk 1lb 2oz, Ally Smith 14.5oz, Simon Barber 13.25oz and Craig Prewer and Glenn Short both with 12oz.

The £400 top prize during the Bournemouth & District SAA Pegged Open at Baiter, Rockley and Hamworthy was collected by Dave Lane after landing four flounders weighing 5lb 10.50oz.

He caught the flatties on ragworm at close range in A section. The runner-up in A section was L Davies, 3lb 4oz ahead of Richard Clean. Chris Howell was the top performer in B section with 2lb 15.5oz to nudge out N Jackson 2lb 13.5oz and A Pycroft with 1lb 7oz.

The final section was won by John Van Crugten with a solitary flounder weighing 2lb 9oz - it was the day's heaviest fish. Runner-up in the section was Roy Lockyer with 1lb 15.5oz followed by Dave Lovelock and Bob Miness who both had 1lb 13.5oz. The event which attracted 74 competitors was sponsored by Wessex Angling Centre.

Hampshire-based anglers shone in the selection of this years NFSA England sea angling teams with three slots of both the World Shore and World Boat five-strong teams being filled by local rods.

Ray Barron from Southampton, Colin Searles from Hamble and Locks Heath's Glen Milligan won through while Richard Russell from the Isle of Wight has been selected as the reserve. The World Boat Championship, which this year is being held out from Weymouth during the second week in October with up to 18 countries, expect to enter a team into the event.

The World Shore Championship is set for Italy during October. The team includes Ian Golds from Portsmouth, Darren Phillips from Andover and Chris Clark, the Daily Echo's sea angling correspondent.

Malcolm Stote from Lymington has been selected as a member of the senior side for the Home International Shore Champion-ships being staged at Holyhead while Lee Cullen from Netley will compete in the youth team at the same venue.

Three local anglers have also been selected in the Sea Anglers' Match Federation team for the World Clubs Championships being staged in Portugal during the end of April. They are Malcolm Stote from Lymington, Tony O'Grady from Fareham and Walkford's Brian Dawkins.

The New Milton SFC Annual Open shore competition at Avon Beach is on February 12 with fishing from 7pm to midnight.

Tickets, which also double up as a Penn Point fixture, are £7 plus pools.

Full details from Ian Day on 01202 731255.