Due to all sorts of other commitments and boat fixing MBF.s decision to run this competition with a limited number of anglers proved to be a great triumph for the "Young Guns" on Kingfisher 11.

Boats left Douglas Harbour at 9:45 am with the sun shining and a slight whisp of windfrom the Northwith the sea beautifully calm.

First stop for "Trampie" the days competition sponsorand boat i was fishing on was at the back of Douglas Head for the normal Launce and Mackerel fresh bait. This was not a slow job and we soon left for a fishing mark in Douglas Bay.

Once here Codling and Whiting were easily caught along with a cracking Tub Gurnard.From here it was a short trip out to the "Paddle Wheel" ( a small wreck about 3 miles out of Douglas) where Poor Cod, Pouting, Red Gurnard and Pollack were caught.

From here it was a nother 3 mile hop out to the 6 mile mark and once the anchor had been deployed we were ready to fish what can either be a hot spot or a cold one. On this occasion it provd to be a fruitful one with lots of Whiting to start with, along with Codling and quickly folloew by numerous Grey Gurnards.Wile all this was going on Skipper John Madderall was busy in the Galley making bacon baps and nice hot tea.

Meanwhile Kingfisher 11 and its "Young Guns" had headed South after failing to capture Bollan Wrasse at the entrance of Douglas Harbour.The headed for the "Afton Wreck" off Port Soderick Bay and on this day proved to be a good decision and was full of fish much to our cost later. Ballan Wrasse, Cuckoo Wrasse,Pollack, Coalfish and Poor Cod were taken at this mark by them.

"Kingfisher 11" then headed to Port Grenaugh Bay and on this mark they captured a Bull Huss and Codling. Moving on they then headed out to the 6 mile mark but did not have a great fortune here although young Stan-Lee Cooper caught a Haddock and a Spurdog. During the day each of the "young Guns caught 5 species that they had never caught before.

"Trampie" having caught both Tope and Spurdogs at the 6 mile mark decided to move off South to Port Grenaugh which proved fruitless for them with only Dog Fish being caught there.With time running out a final decision was made to head back to the breakwater at Douglas in search of a Wrasse which proved to be our down-fall as we should have gone to the "Afton" as KF11 had done earlier.

However hindsight is a wonderful thing and at the end of the day the best thing was that the "Young Guns" had a days fishing that they would not forgetin a hurry. The final score at the end was that Kingfisher 11 had 15 species to Trampies 13.

There was a total of 18 different species caught on the day which with the MBF 3 Day Fishing Festival in 2 weeks time on the 5th/6th/7th July looks as if things are really getting into full swing.The full list of what was caught on the day is as follows:

LAUNCE, MACKEREL,SPUR DOG,TOPE,HADDOCK,TUB,RED AND GREY GURNARDS,POOR COD,WHITING,POUTING,CODLING,POLLACK,COALFISH,DOG FISH,BALLANWRSSE,CUCKOO WRASSE AND BULL HUSS.

I would just like to take this opportunity to Thank John Maddrell for sponsoring the event with the extra prizes, many thanks John.

Here are some pictures of the fish that we caught on Trampie.






THE WINNING CREW

THE WINNING SKIPPER



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HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE 3 DAY FISHING FESTIVAL