Prize guys David Cooper (left) and Mike Kyle collect vouchers after their success in the inaugural Edinburgh Winter Shore League sponsored by Edinburgh Angling Centre and the Fishing Megastore.
It was a close finish with Cooper, a self-employed painter and decorator, taking the title by only two points from Gordon Lyall to earn the £100 prize voucher from sponsors. Stevie Souter was third with 36 points but he wins the second place voucher of £60 as Lyall is a member of staff at the Edinburgh Angling Centre.
Midlothian-based Kyle was third and won a £40 voucher and Ian Campbell, the organiser, said that the event proved a great success. The only woman competing, Edinburgh-based Buffy McAvoy, a member of the Scotland women’s sea fishing squad, was 15th.
A total of 23 anglers fished the eighth and final leg at Newhaven and there were no blanks. Midlothian-based Kyle topped the podium with 23 fish with Lyall second on 20 fish and Campbell third on 13 fish. The longest fish was recorded by Kevin McNeish, a 28cm codling.
Overall, the top 20 were: 1, David Cooper 39 points; 2, Gordon Lyall 37; 3, Stevie Souter 36; 4, Mike Kyle 35; 5, Chris Cooper 34; 6, Stevie Burns 28; 7, Steven Barrett 27; 8, Stewart Falconer 19; 9, Ian Campbell 18; 10, Chris Barrett 16; 11, Ryan Venters 16; 12, Gus Brindle 13; 13, Dave McKervail 11; 14, Chris Anderson 9; 15, Buffy McAvoy 8; 16, Lindsay Bell 8; 17, Barry McEwan 7; 18, Cameron Cunningham 6; 19, Kevin McNish 6; 20, Alan Haggon 5.
Only the top five scores of the eight legs counted for final placings and Campbell thanked Arbroath-based Stewart Falconer, David Cooper and Kyle who helped organise the matches.
He said that 40 different anglers took part in the league, some only attending a match or two, and others grinding their way through most legs and he added: “It has been great to see so many new faces and hopefully some have caught the match bug and we will see them again.”
Campbell added: “A wee special mention to guys like Chris Cooper, Chris Anderson, Steven Barrett and Ryan Venters who are either relatively new to competition fishing, or had never fished a match in their lives, but fished most legs and picked up some fantastic results along the way. Hopefully, they are the future of match angling in Scotland.
“And a special mention to the only lady to enter, Buffy McAvoy, who turned up and competed with the men, ending with a very respectable top half finish.”
He added: “There were a couple of hard matches in there but, generally, the fishing was pretty good and over the eight legs there were 1,062 counting fish caught, an incredible number.”
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