The 2017 Black Bream Open Boat Festival took place on Sunday 24 September departing from the Cobb at Lyme Regis. Sadly no small boats took place this year so 27 competitors departed at 09.00 aboard charter boats; Alice Rose, Amaretto IV and Pegasus.

All three boats set off to their preferred spots which were due west of Lyme Regis. Of the twenty seven competitors, twenty two were LRSAC members and I am pleased to say that all the members achieved a minimum of 2 points for catching a pair of qualifying Black Bream. This was a first I believe.

Plenty of Bream were caught with eight over 2lbs and three well over 3lbs. As well as Black Bream  Steve Sweet (Amaretto IV) caught a new club record Couches Bream, this being the first caught by a member but the fifth that had been caught on the charter boats in the last 4 weeks! Large Mackerel were caught constantly throughout the day as well as the following species: Poor Cod, Pouting, Dogfish, Bull Huss, Cuckoo Wrasse, Garfish, Conger Eel, Thornback Ray, Undulate Rays and Scad.

Third in the competition winning £40.50p was LRSAC Junior Keir Tweedale (Boat Pegasus – skipper Lewis Hodder) who broke the Bream Junior record with a superb fish of 3lbs 7ozs but unfortunately his second fish was 1lbs 5ozs. Keir also found time to break Junior Boat Garfish record.

In second place winning £94.50 was LRSAC Senior Tony Bessford (Boat Alice Rose – skipper Phil Hodder) who had a well matched pair giving him an aggregate score of 5lbs 6ozs. Well done Tony!

In first place winning £135 was Darren Herbert (Boat Alice Rose – skipper Phil Hodder) who just edged out Tony by 1oz with a winning score of 5lbs 7ozs.

Congratulations to the winners and we look forward to seeing you  in September 2018 for the next Black Bream Festival.