The second Blood Bikes Wales Open Beach Fishing Competition, organised by members from Pembroke & District Angling Club and Osprey Sea Angling Club was held on November 7, 2021 on Amroth beach.

The weather on the day was again balmy, warm and dry, dissimilar to that which had been experienced locally in the run up to and following the competition, with only a gentle North Easterly breeze. In fact, conditions were near perfect, with a gentle surf building as the tide flooded in with just a few rollers as can be seen in the picture. This should have augured well for a good catch and indeed it was.

The turnout and support was not as good as for the inaugural one in 2019 with 48 anglers including four ladies. 13 anglers, including one lady, managed to weigh in sizeable fish. There were 13 Flounders along with five Dabs and eight Lesser Spotted Dogfish, which apparently should now be referred to as Cat Sharks;. an undersized Dover Sole, along with other Cat Sharks, Dabs, Bass and Flounders being caught but not weighed in.

The winning angler, who managed to land three decent sized flounder, for 1kg 435g was Andy Young (Llanelli), netting him £200 first prize. The winner of the second prize for the heaviest any fish was Peter Taylor with a Cat Shark of 860g netting him the £100 prize. Third prize of £50 with the second heaviest bag of flatfish was the only Lady to weigh in, Kirsty Culley (Llanycefn) with 2 Flounder for 900g.

The pairs competition, in which both anglers had to weigh in, was won by Andy and his partner Franco Attanasio with four Dabs, three Flounder and a Cat Shark for 2kg 810g. Second with 2 Cat Sharks and 1 Dab for 1kg 715g were Peter Evans and Kevin Hughes.

However, the most important result on the day was that the event, by the time all the money is in, will have raised £652.93 for the Blood Bikes Wales. This included the collection made during the day by Blood Bike Wales members who leant their support to the competition on the day.

Thanks and congratulations are due to the anglers from the organising clubs to Mr. Ian Wilkinson, of the Temple Bar Inn, who put his premises and valued support at this event’s disposal, and the multitude of kind and generous sponsors of the event, who donated cash, together with those donating prizes for the raffle which will help ensure the continuation of the event.

Sponsors were, in no particular order, Andy Young, Ian Wilkinson of the Temple Bar Inn, Shane Tucker, Chris Wynn, John O’Connor, Leigh Rogers, Malcolm Greenish, North Road Garage, Milford Haven. Peter Kraus also came armed with a myriad of prizes.

The ‘whole shebang’ repeats itself in the New Year on Sunday, January 16 with the 19th Annual Wales Air Ambulance Open, for which prayers are now being offered for at least the equivalent or better weather, and as good or better turnout and catch of fish.