By: SOPHIE MCCARRICK | [email protected]
With years of organising successful tournaments under their belt, Clube Vela de Lagos hosted their first Bottom Fishing Tournament on April 28.
The competition saw a total of nine fishing boats and 39 fishermen participating in teams, who competed to catch the best collection of varied specimen fish.
In first place with the biggest fish, a red snapper weighing in at 4.5 kilograms, and second place for the individual highest catch, the Lecas team that consisted of two Portuguese men and three British won the competition, despite being up against professionals that came in eighth, ninth and tenth.
The Lecas team, composed of Brett Ashmore (the skipper), Marco Sequeira, Luis Duarte, Ray Kirby and Paul Line, were presented with a trophy for the best specimen fish, a trophy for the second largest combined individual catch and fourth overall placement, plus a meal for two at O Holandês dos Caracois in Portimão.
To celebrate, an evening meal and presentation was held at the Adega da Marina restaurant in Lagos and was attended by all who took part.
With hopes of encouraging more expats to participant in the tournaments, British fisherman Brett Ashmore told the Algarve Resident: “There are a lot of people who love fishing but don’t have a boat. They live here and would love to go fishing regularly.
“I would love to see the day when we could have enough members to support the ‘upkeep’ of a boat and then, by simply paying a little bit more than just fuel, the boat would be open for all members to use, providing that they have the relevant license.
“It may take some organising but it may be possible to start it off, even if it is in the ‘out of season’ periods. I am going to try anyway – It shouldn’t cost any more money than playing golf, plus you get to enjoy some delicious fresh fish!” he concluded.
The next tournament is planned for June (with dates to be released shortly) and will be a jigging competition, which is an alternative form of rod fishing.
For more information about future tournaments or plans for the club, please call Brett on 919 461 837 or visit www.cvlagos.org (only available in Portuguese).
