Fishing with SFCC

A warm welcome to all fishermen, and women out there. SFCC fishing section caters for members, chiefly in boats, wishing to fish our local waters of Lyme Bay and South Devon areas.
We look to provide a safe, supportive environment for our members to enjoy their chosen pastime, in the company of friends with a similar interest. All individuals are encouraged to improve their skills, both in respect of fishing, as well as perhaps more importantly, seamanship too. As a club, a number of forums and classes are arranged, usually during the quieter winter months, aimed at raising our members skill base in as many related topics as possible. The opportunity to also learn from fellow members is considered probably the club’s best asset.
A full calendar of keenly contested boat competitions run through the fishing season of April to November inclusive. Single specimen fish are the quarry in all cases. You need only bring your biggest fish to the weigh-in. We encourage returning any fish not required for the eating.
Members are asked however, to appreciate that postponement, or cancellation of events, due to unsuitable weather, will occasionally be necessary. Please always try to confirm details with me, Steve Cowell, on 07545 883402, if you think there may be any doubt.
Whilst our club is mainly orientated towards boat angling from our own port, we do also recognise good shore caught fish. Several of our members are keen shore fishermen and it seems appropriate to respect this. No awards are offered to shore caught fish.
SFCC’s fishing calendar traditionally ends on Presentation Night, usually in January, with fishermen and cruisers all getting together to enjoy a social evening. Everyone is always eager for the new season to arrive, of course.
Wishing you light winds and enjoyable fishing

Please send all photos of significant fish caught to me at fishing.sfcc@gmail.com

Fishing Secretary Presentation – 18 January 2025

Before I start I’d like to say to those of you who attended last year’s spectacular Presentation Night may be slightly disappointed to learn that I’ve been unable to match it this year. However, that doesn’t mean that you’ll go away tonight disappointed.

In these days of wokeness and inclusiveness we must all do our best to consider each other’s capabilities ( or in your case- the lack of them!)

To that end I’ve tried to take into account the blind, partially-sighted, deaf and hard of hearing amongst you and appoint a British Sign Language interpreter.

Unfortunately, because of the short notice, I was only able to find someone who can only do Welsh signing – but, anything is better than nothing!

Please be aware that she is a little shy as this is her first time in front of a big crowd of ruffians and scoundrels such as yourselves.

Please could you give a big SFCC welcome to my colleague – Antoinette.

( tony enters wearing a bright blue wig)

Good evening Antoinette. Or should I say ‘yakkeee dah’? ( some signing goes on).

Antoinette, I believe that this is your first time interpreting. Is that right?

She replies. ( All through the presentation Antoinette hams up the signing making it as rude or as funny as possible.)

My notes tell me that you’re only eighteen- is that true? A replies.

Is it true that you’ve never kissed a man before?

She replies’ Yes. Never before he has bought me a few pints of Brain’s Skull Attack and a Clark’s pie!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Welsh cuisine – let me explain that a Clark’s pie is a rare delicacy from the Cardiff area; and Brain’s Skull Attack is a type of beer often responsible for a loss of balance and many a hangover.

Are you ready Antoinette? She hands out the cups and signs throughout the whole presentation.

Greetings fellow fishing fanatics and sole mates.

Most of you are aware that 2024 season was pretty dire with very few of us getting out, and when we did, there weren’t that many great catches.

It’s a shame- but that’s fishing for you!

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve haddock very little time to do something special this year, but  who’s to say that inspiration won’t come call- ling.

Cod knows, I’ve been floundering around for ideas to entertain you and rays your spirits, but I just haven’t been able to put my ideas in plaice.

How many of you have been paying attention to what I’ve been saying so far?

Have I been talking pollacks? Ask the person next to you – Eel tell you.

How many of you have been drifting off and are bream-ing of what you’ll catch next year?

Maybe you’re jus shark of herring, or maybe just a bunch of miserable bass-tards. But anyone who can answer the next question will have a gilt-edged opportunity to win a fantastic prize! – No pout about it!

How many fish have I mentioned? The answer is 15.

Winner is given a tin of Lidl sardines in spicy tomato sauce.
Now, before the Club awards I’d like to remind you of SFCC’s dominance in the Exe Regatta by awarding Ke3v Rouse  the Regatta Prize. – Well done Kev!

OK, let’s get on with the presentation so that we can get back to the more serious business of drinking and talking about the coming season.|

As is traditional, I’ll start off by talking pollacks; and the man with the biggest pollack and winning the Perpetual Challenge Trophy as well as the Tribe pollack cup for best wreck pollack with a fish of 8lb 8oz w.o.b. is Mike Whiting.

Antoinette signs furiously in the background.

What a load of pollacks! But you should be aware that catching this fish was quite an achievement as Mike was asleep at the time!

The next competition was for flatfish and the winner of the Jeffreys Cup and Fish of the Month for May as well as the Barnett Trophy for the flattest flounder, with a mighty fish of 1lb 4.5 oz is… Mike Whiting.

Not much happened between May and August as once again the Gilt-head bream proved to be elusive.

The late summer turned out better as it was time for the Most Species competition and the winner was Mike Whiting!

(Allow Mike to get to the front,) then… Sorry Mike! I either misread that or the twenty quid fell out of the envelope you gave me.

It was actually won by Me! With a total of six species – Well done me!

Also, in the same competition is an up-and-coming fisher who has now taken over the mantle of last year’s overall champion Matt Dart by showing him how it should be done, because Matt failed to catch anything this year apart from a cold.

Arise Gemma Crosbie-Dawson and receive your crown. Gemma won the Miller Cup for ladies’ most species as well as the Fairway Cup for ladies’ mackerel with a chunky brute of 1lb 4oz. also, to mark the occasion Gemma has been promoted to be skipper of ‘Blue Mist’ and Matt sent to swab out the bilges!

Please accept this symbol of your superiority. (She is presented with a captain’s hat).

(Are you ok Antoinette? – more frantic signing.)

Next is the Carter Challenge Trophy for the winner of the black bream comp and the Anthony Cup for the best looking bream; which weighed in at 1lb 1.6 oz. These were won by Geoff Munson.

( Allow Geoff to sit down- then)

Are you comfortable there Geoff? Well don’t be, because you won the Whitbread Plaice cup with a fine specimen of 1lb 7.6oz narrowly beating my own fish of 1lb 6.4oz. – Not that I’m bitter or anything, but if he hadn’t caught me with my thumb on the scales the trophy would have been mine!

Talking of plaice, the President’s Trophy for the best plaice this year was won by Steve Lomas. Steve also goes into the club record books with a first ever Couches bream weighing 1lb 13.2 oz.

And as we are talking of record-breakers, here I must mention the achievements of top fisher lady and all-round top fisher person, Denise Stacey. Denise has well and truly put us men to shame this year. She won Fish of the Month for July with a scad of 1lb 6.8oz. Again in September for a bull huss of 12lb 11oz, the Exwell Challenge Cup for the best skate with a thornback ray of 8lb 10.8oz. And to top it all, she had a bass of 12lb 15oz which won her the Williams Cup for ladies’ best bass, FOM October, the Mortimer Challenge Cup for the best boat specimen of the year with 144%. This fish now holds the new club record for bass.

Denise can’t be with us here tonight because she has gone on a Caribbean cruise, but hse has taken her rod on the off-chance of catching a flying fish.. Anyway, I’m sure that you’ll agree with me that she had a very good year indeed. It’s something that we could all aspire to.

Standing somewhat in the shadows was Denise’s husband Dave Stacey. Dave won FOM June with a red gurnard of 1lb 5oz and the Robert Pine Memorial Trophy for men’s best mackerel with a bruiser of 1lb 14oz. which Denise then used as bait.

So. Where does that leave us?

Well, it’s Russell’s turn to grace the podium and receive a great big wet sloppy kiss from Antoinette because he won FOM November with a bass of 4lb 1oz.

That’s it, I think- Oh no, I nearly forgot…

Mike Whiting – Do you remember him? He won the Claridge Challenge Trophy for men’s best bass with a fish of 6lb 1oz.

Antoinette – drum roll please…

The Accumulator results were as follows:

In third place – a whole bunch of people with not many points at all.

In second place with Twenty points and winning a voucher of fifteen English pounds is Geoff Munson.

And in First place and with a voucher of a whole twenty pounds, with Twenty-nine points. This year’s champion and winner of the Phil and Carol Burrows Shield is Mike Whiting.

Just before you go to refill your glasses or relieve the pressure on your bladders please could you join me in thanking Kev Rouse for working his magic on the percentages and matching the winners to their awards. Not forgetting our Treasurer Geoff Munson for paying for tonight’s extravaganza. ( He hasn’t seen the invoices yet!)

Thank you to our President Becky for guiding Antoinette and presenting the cups.

And, last but not least. Please give a big hand to my able assistant and interpreter – Antoinette.

Thank you, Antoinette – You shall get what you deserve form Russell in the cupboard later.

Finally, please join me in wishing our Welsh chum Tony Lloyd a very happy birthday. And to mark the occasion I’ve got him a lucky fishing shirt – so, maybe next year his name will be on the Accumulator Shield.

Where is he?

(Antoinette/Tony whips off the wig)

Blimey!, Antoinette. I didn’t know that you had a brother!

(Tony is given a funky shirt).

Thank you all for coming- see you next year!