BRIXHAM Sea Anglers Club's reputation as one of the most successful clubs in the country has been cemented with a sixth consecutive Sea Angling News Trophy win.

More than 300 recreational sea angling clubs across the UK affiliated to the Angling Trust — or formerly the NFSA — are eligible to compete for the award.

It is awarded each year to the club which submits the most fish of, or exceeding, 100 per cent of specimen size to the trust.

The trust's Eric Gerrey maintains records and sorts out the certificates and medals, and he confirmed this week that Brixham SAC members submitted 102 successfully-ratified entries during the past year — the most for any sea angling club.

I am delighted that one of Torbay's superb clubs have won this valued trophy for a sixth consecutive year.

No other club has won this award for so many consecutive years.

Sea Angling News editor Norman Berry, who donated the trophy several years ago, has confirmed that he will once again attend the club's annual presentation evening at Brixham SAC on April 17 to present the trophy.

TORBAY & Babbacombe ASA's Exmouth seafront catch-and-release competition was a great success on Sunday despite the strong easterly winds.

The members did well with a number of flounders, the biggest just under 2lb, and the fish occupied all the top five positions.

All fish were returned alive after weighing.

Dave Sandford won with a flounder of 1lb 14oz, while Kevin Rouse (1lb 13oz 8dr) and Dave Wood (1lb 12oz 12dr) completed the top three.

New member Micky Davis (1lb 9oz 12dr) was fourth, while runner-up Rouse's second catch of 1lb 6oz 12dr earned him fifth spot too.

PETER Gage from Kingskerswell and his son Richard enjoyed a recent charter trip with a friend Mike Cogswell to a wreck aboard the vessel Outlaw out of Dartmouth, skippered by Mike Mallia.

In a rare lull in the weather, the trip produced a number of reasonable pollack to artificial lures topped by a fine 16lb catch for Richard, fishing an orange sidewinder lure.

TEIGNMOUTH Sea Angling Society have two Tackle Trader-sponsored competitions, the first leg on Sunday at Hopes Nose, fishing from 10am to 4pm. High water is 6pm, and the tide is a 4.2m high. The second leg will be in October.

PAIGNTON Sea Anglers Association's next competition is on Sunday for the best specimen, starting at midnight and finishing at 7.30pm. The weigh-in follows at the clubhouse from 7.30pm to 8pm.

BAYWATER Anglers meet at Brixham Breakwater from 2pm to 6.30pm tomorrow for their latest social fish and teach-in.

Baywater's Martyn Green said: "There should be whiting and dogfish around but we might also connect with a surprise or two – you never know!

"Personally I will be sticking out a beachcaster with a couple of squid on, just in case, and another with a double paternoster rig mounted with ragworms or mackerel strip. I might even have a go on a pole."

Next week, the group will meet at Babbacombe Pier – probably their last visit there for a while – on Friday, March 19, from 6pm to 9.30pm.

AT LAST, the Michael Fish replacement says it is going to get warmer, but omitted to specify which month…

So, following on from my question last week, why don't mussels on the rocks on the beaches freeze?

They contain a natural antifreeze, as do all creatures that live in the intertidal zone, some with more than others, depending on their mobility.

Mussels contain probably the highest concentration.