Hastings beach match proves tough for anglers

A two-day beach angling festival was held at Hastings.
Steve Arthur casts during the beach matchSteve Arthur casts during the beach match
Steve Arthur casts during the beach match

Fishing was hard on both days with bright calm conditions with a very gentle offshore breeze.

Combine that with some of the biggest high tides of the year and the sea cleared out and most of the fish went out to sea.

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Covid rules meant the match was strictly limited to a small field and drawing of pegs and weighing in was done socially distanced outdoors, with no prize presentation this year. It was the best which could be done under the circumstances.

Winner on the Saturday was Billy Johnson fishing on peg seven with si fish for 2lb 9oz. Runner-up fishing at Stamco was Paul Parsons with four fish for 2lb 3oz.

Heaviest fish was caught by Nathan Elliott with a plaice of 1lb 8oz.

Sunday was even harder with only 10 anglers weighing in out of 40. Sunday winner on peg three was Jacob Gainey with four fish for 2lb 8oz and the runner-up was Billy Johnson with an eel first cast weighing 1lb 9oz.

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Overall winner over the two days with maximum points was Johnson. With two section wins, picking up the heaviest fish pool with his eel of 1lb 9oz, with section wins, heaviest fish and overall winner he picked up more than £600.

Results: 1 Billy Johnson 2 pts; 2Sam Collier 3 pts; 3 Saul Page 4pts; 4 Mick Snelling 5 pts; 5 Jacob Gainey 6 pts; 6 Ralph Crosby 6 pts; 7 Colin Crosby 6 pts; 8 Paul Tiltman 8pts.

Thanks go to Mark Rogers for organising, Paul Parsons for pegging, Hastings Angling Centre for prizes, Julian Shambrook for hoodies and Hastings and St Leonard’s AA use of facilities.

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