Secretary Weysom crowned club champ

CLUB secretary Mike Weysom was crowned club champion at the annual meeting and presentation evening of the Guernsey Mullet Club, held at La Villette Hotel. His success brought to an end the reign of the previous champion Mark Gillson, who had held the title for the past four years.

The secretary produced a very positive report to the meeting. Membership was up, the club was financially sound and catches were on a par with previous seasons.

During 2003 the members had entered 267 mullet, 262 grey and five golden-grey, for a total weight of 1024-1-4. This compared with 283 for 1069-8-15 in 2002.

Nearly all the mullet were caught in Guernsey; only 11 came from Alderney and just two from Herm.

The average weight per fish was 3-13-5, which was very much on a par with the average of 3-12-7 in the previous year.

The top fish of the year was Mark Gillson's 7-13-14 specimen, which was caught in December.

No fewer than 123 specimen certificates were awarded: 14 gold for fish over 6-0-0, 42 silver for fish over 5-0-0, and 67 for those over 4-0-0.

The new club champion topped the awards with two gold, four silver and 12 bronze.

The catch list for Guernsey mullet was led by Weysom with 69 for 234-14-0, well clear of second-placed Mark Dyke who had 37 for 138-7-7.

However, both the individual and pairs championships are decided not on total catches but the top-10 fish of the angler's best fish of each month.

This produced an exciting contest, with Weysom's top 10 weighing 49-4-0, just holding at bay Dyke, who finished with 10 for 47-11-2.

The pairs was even more dramatic. Weysom and Gary Le Poidevin led nearly the whole year only to be passed by the ultimate winners Tony Ozard and Mark Gillson and by Mark Dyke and Steven Torode to be pushed back into third place.

The whole committee were re-elected for a further term. President Joe Gomez; vice-president Peter Frise; secretary/treasurer Mike Weysom; committee members Geoff de Carteret, John Vaudin, Tony Ozard, Trevor Ferbrache and Gary Le Page. Delegates to the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Rod-Caught) Fish committee: Gomez, Weysom.

The members agreed to hold four fish-ins, on 1 and 15 February and 14 and 28 March. All will have flexible start times with a weigh-in at 5pm. The overall winner will win a Ron Harris rod and the winner of each event will take home a tackle voucher.

Possibly the most important news to come out of the meeting was that the Mick's Fishing Supplies Mullet Open, which failed to produce a single fish, will be held again.

It will take place on Sunday 15 February, starting and finishing at the Castle Emplacement, and will run from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Due to the sound financial position of the club, it was agreed that the prize list for the 2005 event will be increased.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which finished the club's 20th year, the prizes and trophies were presented to the winners by Ron Harris.