Just like the previous year, the weather was good, with a variable westerly wind that prevailed all day. These mild conditions, together with the weather forecasts, were almost certainly the reason entries were very good at 100 anglers exactly, which included four juniors, four ladies and one junior lady. They are thanked very much indeed for their support.
Together with the fine weather, the sea conditions looked nigh on perfect, with a nice low, though quite long rolling surf caressing the sandy beach, there having been a bit of a blow the previous day.
A total of 27 anglers, including three ladies, two juniors and the junior lady, weighed in 85 flounders. Many more sizeable and undersized fish were also caught, but quite a few anglers did not bother to weigh in as they had, despite what could in the past have been thought of as decent catches, no chance of making the prize table.
It was good to see Amroth once again, like last year, back to its best and fishing like it used to fish around 20 years ago.
Various theories have been put forward, but certainly one thing that has helped and that is the absence of beach netters.
It made for a brilliant competition, with just about every angler catching something, even if it was one of the numerous dabs that also turned up in numbers only seen some 20 years ago, which although they did not count, made for pleasant fishing and of course good eating.
The winning angler, who managed to land 12 decent sized flounders for 5kg 805gms, was not local, but from Axbridge in Somerset - John Lintern. This netted him the first prize of £200.
Second was Milford Haven angler Bernie Davies, with seven flounders for 3kg 315gms, allowing him to pick up the runners-up prize of £100. In third place was another Milford lad, Tim Ramsey, who had four flounders for 2kg 775gms, to get him the third prize of £25.
The pool for the heaviest fish, netting him £100, went to Andy Bunston from Bridgend. The pairs competition, in which both anglers had to weigh in, was won by Saundersfoot duo, Dan Eddison and Rob Collins, with 12 flounders for 4kg 850gms, from Milford boys in second and third. Bernie and Steve Forest with 11 for 4kg 330gms, from Leigh and Andrew Rogers with seven for 3kg 215gms.
Unfortunately, John Lintern's partner, Julian Shambrook, also from Somerset, failed to land a sizeable fish.
The ladies' section was won by junior lady Evie Williams from, Tenby, with two flounders for 1kg 80gms and once again the junior section was won by Milford Haven boy, Daniel Tucker, with five flounders for 2kg 695gms.
This followed on from his win the previous year.
Second junior was Stackpole lad, Ieuan Nicholas, with two flounders for 770gms.
The organisers thank Daniel's father Shane and Pembroke and District Angling Club member Alex Nicholas for sponsoring the ladies' and the junior prizes.
Thanks must also go to Leigh Rogers's wife, Angela, and her employers, HSBC banking corporation, as she helped run the magnificent raffle following the competition and her bosses agreed to match-fund it with a donation equivalent to the raffle takings - excellent indeed.
However, the most important result on the day was that the event, by the time all the money is in, will have raised over £1,560 for the Wales Air Ambulance, pushing the total raised over the eight years this competition has been running, to approximately £13,000.
To thank for this sterling effort, the anglers from the organising clubs must be congratulated - you know who you are - together with Roger Harries, of the Amroth Arms, who always puts his premises and valued support at this event's disposal; also, local air ambulance contact Peter Kraus, who always turns up on the day and cajoles along other air ambulance aficionados.
Lastly, thanks go to all the kind and generous sponsors of the event, including those already mentioned, who donated cash, made collections and donated prizes for the mega raffle which ensured continuation of the event's great success.
These were, in no particular order, HSBC Bank, West Wales Match Anglers, Roger Harries (Amroth Arms), Haven Angling Group, EFSA Wales, James Skeels, Simon Nicholas, Pembrokeshire Tackle Terminal, of London Road Mall, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke and District Angling Club, Pembroke Haven Motor Boat Angling Club, Osprey Sea Angling Club, Denis Nicholas, John O'Connor, Haydn Cole, Dilwyn Mason, Robbie Scale, Gerald Wickland, Ken Gainfort, Martin and Sandra Thompson, of Anglers Corner, Milford Haven, Chris Wynn, Andrew Jamieson, Leigh and Angela Rogers.
If anyone feels aggrieved that they have been missed off this list and the organisers hope there isn't, they are truly sorry, but thank you, most warmly, for your continued support.
One final thing is that the whole shebang repeats itself a fortnight later on January 23 with the fourth Felinfoel Brewery Double Dragon RNLI annual fishing open, in aid of the local lifeboat stations at Angle and Tenby, for which the organisers now pray for both the equivalent weather and just as good a turnout.
Fishing is at Amroth from 1 - 5 pm. First prize is £250, plus other prizes. All prizes are for the heaviest bag (flounder only). Book-in from 11 am at the Amroth Arms. Entry is £5, plus £1 pool for heaviest flounder. Scales close at 5.30 pm prompt. There will also be lots of great raffle prizes to be won.