Sammy nets Ulster Gold Medal at last!

PORTRUSH sea angler, Sammy Sterling, defeated 39 other senior master fishermen to win the prestigious Ulster Closed Gold Medal competition.

In doing so Sammy has qualified to captain the Ulster team in the forthcoming Interprovincials and will also make his international debut for the Irish Sea Angling team in the Home Internationals.

The Gold Medal competition is fished over two days at three different venues. Each venue is marked into zones and every competitor is faced with unique challenges.

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The first venue was at Benone Beach, which fished brilliantly with over 200 fish being caught. All fish are measured and safely returned to the sea. Sam knew this beach had loads of mullet in the surf, but this species is virtually uncatchable fishing with bait.

Sam had prepared his own special bait and he won the competition with ten fish, comprised of eight flounder, a turbot and a mullet.

The next stage was fished at Waterfoot Beach, which yielded 121 fish including dogfish, flounder, whiting, cod and plaice. Sammy came third in this zone with five fish, two flounder, a plaice, a whiting and a dogfish.

The final leg was fished at Ballykelly Wall and Sammy again won the zone with six flounders. Sammy knew his performance would leave him very close to winning, but he has finished runner-up in this competition on no less than three occasions before.

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Sam seemed to have an exact tie with Jonny Snoddy of Glengormley & District SAC. Both had exactly the same number of points and the same number of fish.

The final tie breaker would be who had caught the largest fish, and at this juncture Sammy’s mullet at 47cms beat Jonny’s plaice of 42cm.

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