50 anglers on 25 boats met at Skegness boat club on Sunday morning for the annual challenge match, between the Boston Pirates BFC and the Humber cruising association BFC. It must of been an intriguing site for the sun worshippers on the beach.


Two Grimsby based boats had also made the long trip by sea to fish


There is a friendly rivalry between the two clubs (even though they share many members) and the Pirates were keen to win back the trophy to go with the Humber cod trophy that they won in November

As you have probably read, the Smoothounds have arrived off Skeggy in their thousands, so the challenge would be to avoid them to target the roker. Or just go out and have fun with the manic speed machines, and hope for a bonus ray, (my plan for the day)

The match is won on the heaviest mean average weight for each club.

I travelled down the coast and ended up here:



300 yds from the shoreline, at a well known beach!

It was Smoothound madness, with fish on from the start, we must of had 40 fish from 5 to 10lbs, within a couple of hours, plus 3 sizeable thornbacks for the match.
Exhausting, but fun, especially on light rods



(I know its a small one, but the big boys were unhooked by the side of the boat)

If the fish travel inshore another 200 hundred yards, it will be a bonanza for the beach anglers. I couldn't see any on the beach on Sunday morning, however there were lots of holiday makers about.

At slack water, we decided that we better take the competition more seriously, and so headed out to the wind farm for a big thornie or two.
We should of stayed with the hounds, for apart from a few bits and pieces, it was quiet out there.

Some of the HCA boats had been out in the deeper water from the start and had done well with the thornies. The match had a 44cm size limit, so lots had gone back

One boat, Nemo, had lost the biggest bass any on board had ever seen, right by the net, estimated at 15lb, it thrashed in the water and snapped the hook!

All too soon, it was 4pm and time to go back in.

At the compound, after the fish had been weighed the presentation took place



The HCA had retained the trophy, easily beating the Pirates, with a mean weight of 9lb 3oz against the Pirates 5lb 3oz

The biggest fish pool was won by Phil Dawson with a gutted weight of 10lb 12oz


As for me, I couldn't celebrate because I am a Pirate, and also the secretary of the HCA, I was just pleased that it was such a fabulous day

Thanks go to the the organisers, esp Lol and Gordon, and Pete the Skegness tractor driver

Finally, two happy HCA members