Big Lerf Fundraiser 2025. What an amazing event!
100 adults and 15 juniors signed up for this. Plus Ben & Rich have to cap numbers from a logistics perspective. Wouldn’t be surprised if it could sell out twice over. Let that sink in. Those numbers are up there with the biggest events in any angling category, and after a couple of years away from this event myself, it appeared that this competition had lost none of the friendly, relaxed atmosphere that it’s known for. An incredible feat.
There’s so much that Dan and I enjoyed about the day that we’ll let the next DNA Fishing podcast cover the detail (Episode 32 – DNA Fishing Podcast), but how quickly nine hours of competing passed by is testament to what a good time we had.
Weymouth did itself proud once again. From the privilege of starting at Weymouth Angling Society, with all its interesting paraphernalia on the walls, to the varied habitats that Weymouth offers the species hunter, homing dozens and dozens of species, including some real specialties. Rarities even. What a place!
The Big Lerf have put a lovely post up detailing the stats and species, but a total of 26 species logged in 9 hours definitely does Weymouth the justice it deserves. Incredible.
Don’t get me wrong though, the fishing wasn’t easy. A hundred anglers puts a lot of pressure on the fishing. If our own plan had one thing right about it it was how important the first mark was. It was the only virgin territory you would fish all day. And our own stats tell that story impeccably.
I had hit 7 species by 10.30, 90 minutes after the start. It took me the remaining 7 and a half hours to tempt another 4 species!!! If ever you needed proof that angling pressure does exist in saltwater fishing, there you have it.
I had a full species meltdown in the last two hours of fishing where I just couldn’t secure a Black Bream. A proper funk. Luckily didn’t have any sharp objects to hand! But stuck with it we did, and I’m proud to say that Dan and I both hit our ‘double figures’ target, with my 11 species taking 5th in the competition.
Unlike other events where we talk about the apres-fishing-hangover. The comedown. All I was left with this time was the insatiable desire to repeat the whole day all over again. Those hundreds of little decisions you make in the match. The what-ifs. The areas that weren’t in the plan. What would have happened if I’d used unflavoured lures all day. And so on.
Amazing, amazing event. Well done to Ben and Rich. Huge amount of work no doubt. Well done to the winners. Thanks to everyone that came and said hi to us both.
We’ll be back!
24th July, 2025 @ 6:51 pm
You accounted for a good number of species in the competition. Well done! I was surprised you didn’t just use unflavoured lures as the total in that category was not high? (That is with the excellent 20/20 vision of hindsight of course!) I am on a weeks holiday in Weymouth in September and will be using CAN lures in the form of tungsten ice jigs and FFS Shirasu Shrimp 20mm lure. I also hope to lure a mullet using a Colin Macleod fly pattern during my stay. I love reading about these events, a lot of work goes into them.
24th July, 2025 @ 7:15 pm
That sounds cool Bill. Wish you calm conditions to aid your attempts.
Yeah, but you have to pick one category or the other unfortunately. Pointless trying to compete in both. And we fancied our chances in the main species comp. Maybe next time.