Lymington & District Sea Fishing Club members gather for the first match of this year’s Vernon Everitt Match Boats Series

Lymington & District Sea Fishing Club held the first match of the Vernon Everitt Match Boats Series out from Poole aboard three boats with 22 anglers fishing.

In flat, calm weather and ideal conditions with a big tide, the boats started in the harbour with the gulls working the water.

The boats then scattered across the bay with a variety of species coming in. The banks fished slowly to start with before dogfish, congers, bream and even a couple of fivebeard rockling.

With a move to some rocky marks, the species count grew, showing various wrasse species, gobies, blennies and some mackerel.

In total, 21 species were caught over the three boats.

The three boats were Piscary, skippered by Matt Rowe, Ocean Runner, skippered by Rayn Jones, and Silver Spray, skippered by Sam Cumming.

Results – Piscary: 1, Cliff Newbold, 395; 2, Ed Taylor, 353; 3, George Fox, 301. Silver Spray: 1, Gary Young, 367; 2, Steve Bachelor, 270; 3, Marc Duncan, 252. Ocean Runner: 1, Martin Bobbett, 304; 2, Mike Fox, 263; 3, Paul Hollyoake, 239.