Nineteen-year-old Daniel Mogridge from Fareham is on top of the world after lifting the individual gold medal during the week-long World Youth Shore Angling Championships.
Mogridge put in a superb performance during the event, staged at Bridlington, which attracted 14 five-man teams from across the world, to lift the individual title as well as helping the England team - which also included 18-year-old Lee Cullen from Southampton - to clinch the world team gold medal.
During the four matches Mogridge had two firsts, a second and a fourth, while Cullen scored a first, two seconds and a blank to finish seventh overall.
The silver medal in the individual classification was taken by Ireland's Jonathan Costello, while the bronze went to France's Pierre Corbani.
In the team event England finished with just seven penalty points to get the better of Holland (12), Ireland (15), Portugal (17) and Spain (19).
In the 14 to 16 age group the England team, which included 16-year-old Sam Deathe from Southampton, did not fair so well, finishing in fifth position - Croatia taking the gold.
Despite the disappointing results for the young England Lions, Sam Deathe did put in a good performance during the final match, landing a nice flounder.
As nerves were twitching during the last of the four matches, MP Richard Caborn, the Minister of Sport, put in an appearance. He spoke to a number of the youngsters who were in the thick of the action.
Mr Caborn was extremely impressed with the sight of 70 young recreational sea anglers competing. He expressed his full support for recreational sea angling, and was particularly keen to see the youth of the country further encouraged to take up the sport.
CIU knockout matches are once again underway with members of the Hamble four-man team travelling to Hengistbury Head where they took on Christchurch NADSS.
Fish were conspicuous by their absence during difficult daylight conditions with the Hamble squad winning the event with a solitary pouting, weighing just 4oz, which was caught by Keith Coleman.
There was plenty of local interest during the Yeovil open shore fixtures staged along the Weymouth section of Chesil where England International Ian Golds, from Portsmouth, won the event with a 29lb 10oz haul of doggies and pouting.
Brian Dawkins, a member of the Lymington club, was the runner-up with a 26lb catch of doggies and poor cod followed by fellow club member Malcolm Stote with 23lb.
On the freelance front a number of quality fish have once again been caught with Don Harrison from Southampton sampling some excellent sport when he tackled the Pagham section where he bagged a trio of black bream with the best fish nudging the scales down to 3lb 4oz.
The 41-year-old driver used ragworm tipped off with mackerel to tempt his catch. Not to be outdone, England youth team member Lee Cullen, from Netley Abbey, also got in on the act after just returning from the World Championships, landing ten bream during a single session at Pagham up to 3lb 6oz while his fishing partner drew a complete blank! The following night he returned and had another eight bream.
Travis Webling, from Southampton, also sampled the action taking nine quality bream with three of the fish topping the 3lb mark.
The Hordle Cliff section is also worth checking out where some good spotted and small-eyed rays are showing during night flood tides. Edward Mason, from Highcliffe, sampled some typical action when be bagged a brace of small-eyed rays with the best fish weighing 8lb 4oz. Sandeel fish around the 80-yard mark did the trick.
He also caught a brace of doggies and a small turbot during the same session. The larger ray set a new personal best for the 27-year-old packer.
The Lymington club stage their annual Spring Open on May 31 with fishing from 7pm to midnight between Taddiford and Hurst Castle, including the backwaters.
A top prize of £200 is on offer for the event, which has a £7 price tag, plus pools and a two-man team event. Booking in gets underway at the Needles cafe from 5pm with all anglers having to collect their own ticket before venturing on to the beach.
Apart from the hefty top prize there will also be a good prize table and a separate prize table for the junior section.
Small-eyed rays, doggies and smoothhound are expected to supply most of the action along with smaller species such as pout, flounders and silver eels. Robin Lane will have all the details on 01590 676711.
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