SCOTTISH OPEN BOAT & ORKNEY OPEN BOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS
ORKNEY ISLANDS SEA ANGLING ASSOCIATION 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Forty seven anglers fished the championships over three days last week. A catch and release points system was adopted this year. Five boats were used: 'Charlie Says' owned and skippered by Alistair Wallbank; 'Girl Kilda' owned and skippered by Neil Matheson; 'Flamborough Light' skippered by Gareth Pratt & owned by D & R Launch Services; 'Bounteous Sea' owned and skippered by Mervyn Pirie; 'Welcome Home' owned by OISAA and skippered by Terry Todd & Ronnie Tait, & crewed by Arthur Cook. Thursday, 1st September: Started wet and with a swell running off the north westerly wind, drying and lightening later. All boats steamed south of Rackwick and the fishing was good with ling, lythe, cod, wrasse, dabs, lesser spined sea scorpions and dogfish. All onboard the Welcome Home had a good view as a porbeagle shark swam by on the surface. Top Points: 1 David Proudfoot 2 Gus Mackenzie Heaviest Fish: 1 Kenny Laurenson (Ling 4.85kg) = John Robert Umphrey (Pollack 4.85kg) 2 Nikki Thompson (Ling 4.2kg) Best Junior: Mark Laurenson Friday, 2nd September: Fished as �Ling & Cod Only� day with tokens for these fish only. Bright skies and a light south west wind meant Girl Kilda and Flamborough Light tried north to the Hampshire and Yesnaby with others south to Rackwick. Catches again included ling, cod, lythe, wrasse, red gurnard and one haddock. One angler spotted a sea-eagle flying by, with white tail and wing tips like fingers? Top Points: 1 Joe Connolly 2 Derek Yuille Heaviest Fish: 1 Kenny Laurenson (Ling 4.7kg) 2 Alistair Fullerton (Ling 4.05kg ) Best Junior: Mark Laurenson Saturday, 3rd September: Another bright day with brisk south wind and the boats went south except Welcome Home which tried Scapa Flow wrecks. Catches were very good with big scores recorded. Top Points: 1 Joe Connolly 2 Alistair Forsyth Heaviest Fish: 1 Glynn Wright (Cod 4.1kg) 2 Geoff Carlin (Ling 4.05kg) Best Junior: Mark Laurenson
OVERALL RESULTS
Top Points : Overall Champion - Alistair Forsyth 2 Gus Mackenzie 3 John Scott
Overall Heaviest Fish: 1 (draw) Kenny Laurenson (Ling 4.85kg); John Robert Umphrey (Pollack 4.85kg) 2 Kenny Laurenson (Ling 4.7kg) 3 Nikki Thompson (Ling 4.2kg)
Best Lady Angler : Nikki Thompson
Best Junior: 1 Mark Laurenson 2 Andrew Spence
Best Specimen Fish : Kenny Laurenson (Ling 4.85kg - 59.4% of Scottish record)
Best Senior Angler : George Brown Best Local Angler : Roy Anderson
Best Individual Basket : Joe Connolly (235 points) - Johnny Duncan Trophy
Best Skipper (over three days) : Alistair Wallbank (Charlie Says) - Dan Mackay Trophy
First 2-man team : Alistair Forsyth & Gus Mackenzie
First 4-man team : Alistair Forsyth, Gus Mackenzie, Dan Mackay & Dougie McKendrick
ORKNEY PRIZES - 2004-5
Best Local Angler(6 days) : Ali Clouston - Scottish & Newcastle Brewers Cup
Best Local Angler(3 days) : Roy Anderson - W.E. Knight Cup
Best Individual Basket : Eoin Rendall - David Goldsmith Quaich
Heaviest Fish : Ken O�Connor (14.5lb pollack) - Whales Tooth trophy
Best Junior : Kevin Ryrie - OISAA trophy
The boat skippers were all given a bottle of whisky as a thank you.
Colin Keldie representing VisitOrkney presented the prizes at The Stromness Hotel on Saturday evening.
Listed below are a selection of photos taken in September. Thanks must go to Joe Connolly who donated some to be used.
All Rods Catching
Kenny's Pollack
