The 13th Wales Air Ambulance Open Beach Fishing Competition, organised by members of Pembroke and District Angling Club and Osprey Sea Angling Club, was held on Amroth beach earlier this month.

The weather was not great, as it was very cold, with a fresh south-easterly causing more than a good ripple and good colour in the water, auguring well for a good catch.

The turnout and support was even better than in 2014, with 110 (cf102) anglers, including three junior boys and four ladies, taking part. We thank them all very much indeed for their support and must, once again, mention Saundersfoot Angling Club, as they held a match within this match, which helped swell the numbers. However, this was still down on the record 120 in 2013, though not by much.

Anyway, the fishing was very good indeed with 38 anglers, including two ladies and one junior, weighing in 64 flounders, with other sizeable and undersized being caught. Thus, a few anglers did not bother to weigh-in as they had no chance of making the prize table.

It was great to see Amroth, despite nature doing its worst in 2014, continuing at its best and fishing like it used to fish years ago.

The winning angler, who managed to land three decent sized flounder, for 1kg 440gms, was local Milford Haven rod Lee James, netting him the first prize of £200. Second was Desley Jones from Gorseinon, who also managed to bag three sizeable flounder, but for 35 grams less at 1kg 405gms, netting him £75, and in third place was a Milford Haven regular and staunch supporter of these events, obtaining and donating prizes every year, Leigh Rogers, who also weighed in three flounder, but for 1kg 395gms, just a further 10 grams less, netting him £25. All very close indeed.

The pool for the heaviest fish and walking away with a cool £110 was yet another Milford Haven regular, Daniel Tucker, whose heaviest weighed 730gms.

The pair's competition, in which both anglers had to weigh-in, was won by Lee and his partner, again a local, Rhys Holmes, with six flounder, for 2kg 505gms. Second with five flounder for 2kg 290gms were Daniel and his father Shane, who is also a staunch supporter, especially of the junior section every year, and third again with five, but for 1kg 990gms, were more regulars and another father and son, Jeff and Chris Stephens from Bridgend.

The ladies' section was won by a Welsh international lady, Sally Owen from Cardiff, with two flounder for 920gms, and the junior section was won by the only junior to weigh-in, Ashley Blunsden from Pembroke, who also had two for 900gms.

We, once again, have to thank James Lemon, of Awesome Fishing, for adding to the prizes for the junior section winners, with a free guided trip out on his boat or onshore bass fishing later this year.

However, the most important result on the day was that the event, by the time all the money promised is in, will have raised close to £1,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance, pushing the total raised over the 13 years this competition has been running, to approximately £18,000.

To thank for this sterling effort, we must first congratulate the anglers from the organising clubs, you know who you are, together with Roger Harris, of the Amroth Arms, who always puts his premises and valued support at this event's disposal.

Lastly, we must again thank 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, EFSA Wales, James, Andrew and Mrs. J. Skeels, Sian Tremarco, Pembroke and District Angling Club, Andy Luxford, Osprey Sea Angling Club, John O'Connor, John Henton, of Raven Trading, Simon, Denis and Alexander Nicholas, Grainger Tubolt, David Brayford, Martin and Sandra Thompson, of Anglers Corner, Milford Haven, Steve Davies, of Davies decorators, Shane Tucker, Dale Sailing Company, Leigh and Andrew Rogers and Dai Etherington.

If anybody feels aggrieved that they have been missed off this list and we hope there isn't anyone, we are truly sorry, but thank you, most warmly, for your continued support.

One final thing is that the whole shebang repeats itself on Sunday, February 8, with the eighth Felinfoel Brewery Double Dragon RNLI Annual Fishing Open, in aid of the local lifeboat stations at Angle and Tenby, for which we now pray for at least the equivalent or better weather and a good turnout.