Organisers are now considering whether to host a repeat of Sunday’s popular Colin McEwan Memorial sea fishing match next year.
Nearly 50 anglers took part in the inaugural event on Ravensheugh Beach, courtesy of farmer, Robert Dale, including three juniors.
The field included top fishermen from the North of England plus Scotland internationals and members of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League took part and North Berwick angler Craig Ogilvie came second overall, a significant result.
Ogilvie, a self-employed joiner who has sidestepped competition fishing since he set up his own business, hooked into 11 fish for 285cm in a field which included top names from the North East of England and Scotland internationals.
The overall winner, Tyneside-based Neil Cutler, who had a peg nearby, won with 16 fish for 401cm. Cutler is one of the best-known anglers in the North of England and a regular competitor in events in Scotland.
Third was Isaac Muir from Ayrshire who had nine fish for 275cm with Dunbar angler, Chris Empson, a Scottish international, was fourth with seven fish for 197cm.
Eryk Janik, a 15-year-old, Edinburgh-based schoolboy, was fifth with five fish for 151cm and Cammy Cunningham from Port Seton was sixth with four fish for 115cm.
Seventh was Ian Campbell (Falkirk), retail manager of The Edinburgh Angling Centre, with five fish for 110cm and North Berwick fisherman, Neil Anderson, caught four fish for 109cm.
William Stafford, an Edinburgh chef, was ninth with four fish for 102cm, including a personal best turbot, tempted by half a crab, and another Tyneside angler, Gareth Gardner, was tenth with four fish for 95cm.
Colin’s brother, Barry, a Scotland international angler, took part and there were three juniors. William Scott (East Lothian) won the junior section with 55cm and second was Abby Empson, Chris Empson’s daughter, who had 18cm of fish to her name.
Results: Zone 1: C Ogilvie 285cm; 2, I Muir 275cm; Zone 2: 1, C Cunningham 115cm; 2, G Gardner 95cm; Zone 3: 1, C Empson 197cm; 2, I Campbell 110cm.
The longest fish winner was I Muir of 38cm and he pocketed £250, a prize sponsored by Barry McEwan, one of the co-organisers of the inaugural event, and the winner, Cutler, took home £226.
The match was fished in drizzle and many anglers found the going tough and the best area on the day was towards the Bass Rock. Mackerel bait proved the best option.
PICTURE: Barry McEwan focused on his rod tip during the Memorial match. Picture
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