Fife trio triumph in Civil Service fishing championship

One of them, Gus Brindle, was top overall rod in the event which attracted 25 anglers.

Sean Baxter from Kettlebridge was team manager and he confirmed that it is the second time in four years that the Tartan Team have emerged victorious.

The match was split into three zones and Peter Smalls won Zone A, Dave McKervail was second in Zone B by only 6cms, and Brindle won Zone C by over a meter in the catch, measure and release, six-hour match.

It was fished in blustery conditions with a small swell with light rain later in the event.

Scotland kept their casts closer to the shoreline while other anglers ventured 150 yards into the surf, over the heads of the fish.

Baxter, owner of Deals on Reels at Cowdenbeath, and a former Scotland international, said they Scots changed tactics during the match which paid off.

Conditions, he added, were different from a practice session held two weeks before the event and the strong winds on the day before the competition had left lots of stones on the beach, again different from their previous visit to the spot.

Baxter added: “A and B zones were harder to fish than C zone but anglers caught a variety of species including bass, turbot, flounders coley and even weaver fish. The guys were allowed to use three hooks and we went for 2/3oz weights and changed the shape of them during the match. Our tactics paid off.”

The next championship has yet to be arranged but it is likely in October or November 2025 when Scotland hope to defend the title.