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The Committee of this year’s 37th official Alderney Angling Festival were unanimous in declaring this year’s event a resounding success.
Saturday 14th – Saturday 21st October 2023
The week-long event saw 19 anglers from the UK, 9 from Guernsey and 16 from Jersey join local participants, including 8 young people, to make a total of 80 anglers.
The committed anglers endured the wild autumnal weather, and despite what at times were gruelling fishing conditions and fish that were (understandably!) not keen to be caught, a good week’s angling was had by all with the leaderboard almost full and many specimen fish landed including Tope to 40lb, Ballan Wrasse to just under 6lb and Mackerel to 1lb 9oz, as well as Bass, Pollock, Couch’s Bream, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Garfish, Conger Eels and Squid. One angler who was fishing on Bibette Head saw a Tuna fish about 30 yards off the rock he was fishing from, whilst a Tuna also knocked an angler’s float out of the water in the inner harbour.
The Angling Festival Committee Festival Fish Recorder, Dicky Smith, said:
“The vast majority of fish were returned to the sea alive and any that were not were cleaned, prepared and delivered to the Connaught Care Home and directly to Pensioners’ homes for them to enjoy.
The Committee would like to thank the States of Alderney for their support and especially the Harbour Authority for allowing access to the Commercial Quay, which was extremely welcome in the adverse weather”.
Prizes were awarded in a special evening at the Campania on Saturday, where the Best Channel Island Angler cup was won by Steve Mullins from Jersey. Andy Hedger, who now travels from his home in Dubai every year to take part in the Festival, was the proud recipient of the Best UK Angler Shield, whilst local fisherman, Darren Braby, won the best fish of the festival for his Lesser Spotted Dogfish.
Charlie and Dan from Alderney Ferry Services ran the successful Junior Section of the competition which included a squidding competition from the Commercial Quay. This aspect of the Festival was much enjoyed by the island’s young anglers who take their sport very seriously and relished in the competitive aspect of the event.
Angling Festival Committee member Tracey Clarke said:
“It was great to see everyone coming in from off island, and fishing together like one big happy family, having fun and getting on so well. Whilst taking their fishing and the competition so seriously, they managed to have such a good time together at the social events too, and were often laughing and joking together as they fished.”
States Member for Tourism and Marketing Mr Boyd Kelly said:
“The holding of events during the shoulder months is of great benefit to the Island’s tourism and hospitality industry and I am very grateful to the organisers of the fishing festival for their hard work in again making the event as successful as is it. I never cease to be surprised by the volume of work undertaken by volunteers in Alderney, the fishing festival being a classic example.” The 2024 Angling Festival will be held Saturday October 26th - Saturday November 2nd. We look forward to seeing you!
