Two Borders brothers lead the race for the inaugural Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers (SFSA) under-16’s National Championship with two rounds to go.
Carson Anderson is currently in pole position with eight points with his brother, Caelan, only five points behind with Niko Millar from North Berwick in East Lothian third one point adrift of second spot.
Nuno Santos, the Scotland team manager, said that with four of the six qualifying matches now completed, the competition is beginning to take shape.
Young anglers from the Western Isles, Angus, Dumfries and Galloway, The Borders and East Lothian took part in the latest two rounds, but Santos stressed: “There is still everything to play for.
“Under the championship format, only an angler’s best four results from the six matches will count towards their final position, meaning the remaining two rounds could dramatically alter the current standings.”
Match 3 took place at Belhaven Bay near Dunbar where the young anglers faced challenging conditions but produced an excellent display of skill and determination.
Caelan produced the standout performance of the day, catching an impressive 26 sized fish for 714 points to take a convincing match victory.
Carson finished runner-up with 274 points, while Lewis Goetz secured third place with 265 points.
The match provided another valuable opportunity for the anglers to adapt their tactics to a new venue and demonstrated the developing skills across the field.
The championship then moved to Newhaven for Match 4, with the anglers facing another challenging four-hour session.
Despite the conditions, every angler managed to put fish on the score sheet, with a variety of species contributing to the catches.
Arran Goetz produced an excellent performance to take the match victory with 103 points, including a particularly impressive 39cm ballan wrasse.
Carson finished second with 86 points, while Aeron Baxter took third place with 77 points.
The result also provided a reminder of just how unpredictable the championship can be, with anglers continuing to make their mark as they gain experience across different venues and conditions.
Championship standings: 1, Carson Anderson (Scottish Borders) 8 points; 2, Caelan Anderson (Scottish Borders) 13; 3, Niko Millar (North Berwick) 14; 4, Nathan Lockwood (Dumfries and Galloway) 20; 5, Aeron Baxter (Dumfries and Galloway) 22; 6, Franky Hamilton (Angus) 25; 7, Freddie Langan (Dumfries and Galloway) 27; 8, Lewis Goetz (Western Isles) 28; 9, Arran Goetz (Western Isles) 30.
The final two matches will take place in the Angus & Dundee area on November 28 and 29, with the championship title, and the six places available on the 2027 Scotland under-16 international team, ultimately decided there.
Santos said: “The SFSA would also like to thank everyone who has contributed to the championship so far, from those involved in venue preparation, pegging and stewarding, to those providing rig-making assistance, tactics and support to the young anglers.”
SUCCESS: Caelan Anderson with a flounder on Belhaven Beach. Picture courtesy of Nuno Santos
PROUD: Lewis Goetz with a superb ballan wrasse at Newhaven. Picture courtesy of Nuno Santos
