SCOTTISH OPEN BOAT & ORKNEY OPEN BOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS 2006
ORKNEY ISLANDS SEA ANGLING ASSOCIATION
48 anglers fished the championships over Thursday 14th, Friday 15th & Saturday 16th September 2006. A points system was again used to allow 'catch and release'. Five boats were involved: 'Charles Ann' owned and skippered by Harvey Groat; 'Girl Kilda' owned and skippered by Neil Matheson; 'Girl Mina' owned and skippered by Terry Todd & crewed by Graeme Adamson; 'Crombie' owned and skippered by Jim Donald & crewed by John Davidson; 'Welcome Home' owned by OISAA and skippered by Alistair Wallbank & Ronnie Tait, & crewed by Conran Flett.
Thursday, 14th September: Wet and foggy all day, with a light south easterly breeze. All boats steamed south to The Face, then Rora and one as far as The Berry, and the fishing was good with ling, lythe, cod, cuckoo wrasse, dabs, and L.S. dogfish. Top Points: 1 Howard Foster (215) 2 (draw) Gus Mackenzie & Stevie Souter (191) Heaviest Fish: 1 Roy Anderson (Cod 5.27kg) 2 Eoin Rendall (Cod 4.5kg) Best Junior: Mark Laurenson Total Number Fish = 759 Friday, 15th September: Fished as �Ling & Cod Only� day with tokens for these fish only. Foggy morning brightening later with a medium north west wind. Crombie tried north to the Hampshire and The Brough, Charles Ann went deep off Rora with others south to Rora and The Berry. Good catches again included ling, cod, with lythe, wrasse, grey gurnard , whiting and spurdogs also caught. Top Points: 1 Clive Scott (256) 2 Howard Foster (226) 3 Carl Ferrier (161) Heaviest Fish: 1 Jimmy Smith (Ling 5.3kg) 2 Hamish Holmes (Ling 4.75kg ) Best Junior: Mark Laurenson Total Number Fish = 666 Saturday, 16th September: The mist cleared early but the very strong south south east winds gusting to 35-40kt making drifts too fast at times. All the boats went south to St. Johns Head and Rora, with Girl Kilda as far as The Snook. Catches were very good with big scores recorded. Top Points: 1 Gus Mackenzie (331) 2 Jimmy Smith (177) 3 Kenny Laurenson (159) Heaviest Fish: 1 Stuart Clee (Pollack 4.8kg) 2 Alan Davis (Ling 4.65kg) Best Junior: Mark Laurenson Total Number Fish = 851 OVERALL RESULTS Top Points : Overall Champion - Kenny Laurenson ; 2nd Howard Foster ; 3rd John Scott Overall Heaviest Fish: 1 Jimmy Smith (Ling 11lb 11oz); 2nd Roy Anderson (Cod 11lb 10oz) 3rd Stuart Clee (Pollack 10lb 9oz) Best Lady Angler : Nikki Thompson Best Junior: 1 Mark Laurenson 2 Paul Firth Best Specimen Fish : Glynn Wright cuckoo wrasse ( 1lb 14oz - 62.5% of Scottish record) Best Senior Angler : R. Graeme Forbes Best Local Angler : Ali Clouston Best Individual Basket : Gus Mackenzie (331 points) - Johnny Duncan Trophy Best Skipper (over three days) : Harvey Groat (Charles Ann) - Dan Mackay Trophy First 2-man team : John Scott & Clive Scott First 4-man team : Jim Smith, Howard Foster, Joe Connolly & Robbie Robertson Total Number of Qualifying Fish caught = 2276 ORKNEY PRIZES 2005 - 2006 Best Local Angler (6 days) : Ali Clouston - Scottish & Newcastle Brewers Cup Best Local Angler (3 days) : Ali Clouston - W.E. Knight Cup Best Individual Basket : Ali Clouston - David Goldsmith Quaich Heaviest Fish : Gerry Wilson (12lb 5oz ling) - Whales Tooth trophy Best Junior : Paul Firth - OISAA trophy The boat skippers will receive a bottle of whisky as a thank you. Colin Paterson representing C. J. Paterson Tackle Shop presented the prizes on Saturday evening. The Stromness Hotel followed this with a great carvery/buffet dinner and thanks must go to both for all their help again this year. Photos on display have been donated by Billy Blance, Joe Connolly, Nikki Thomson & thank you all for posing!! 
