The first eels of the season showed up in East Preston Royal British Legion's five-hour beach match on the local beach.

The best was a 1lb 14 3/4oz catch by Glenn Riley, Alan Smith had one of 14oz and Dave Horne one of 13oz.

The match winner, Mike Perfect, had 24 rockling for 5lb, Chris Wren 19 for 4lb 8 3/4oz, Colin Carey 18 for 4lb 8oz and Steve Bantock included a 9oz flounder in his 4lb 3oz.

Bob Chapman's 10oz flounder was the best flat fish. Mick Webb also had one of 9oz. Twenty of the 24 who competed weighed in and the next match is on Monday April 16.

Eastbourne members got afloat for their first boat competition for the Fuller Cup and it was won by John Filsell, the competitions secretary, with 39 points. His catch included a skate of 7lb.

Phil Metcalfe was second on 34 points with his catch including a 3lb 4oz ballan wrasse, and Snowy Ruffell was third on 29 points.

Rockling dominated the Bognor Surfcasters open at Pagham beach where Tony Spencer won with 16 of the specie for 3lb 14oz. He won £130.

Second in the field of 36 who each paid £12 all-in to compete in the five-hour match, was George Arnold with 16 for 3lb 5oz and he won £75, Ian Darcey had 14 for 3lb to win £40 and Tony Maiden nine for 2lb 7oz and £25.

Top junior was John Terry who had ten for 1lb 13oz and won £15.

The flat fish pool went to Dave Padmore with a flounder of 1lb 2oz and the round pool to Steve Appleton with an 8oz rockling. Countless undersize flatties were returned. Surfcasters have their next match on April 8 at Goring starting at 8am.

It was rockling which dominated catches in the three-hour midweek match fished by 28 of Pevensey Bay Aqua club.

England man Brian Meades had 2lb 5oz, Alan Longley 1lb 6oz, Barry McWilton 1lb 3 1/2oz and Chris Sarsons 1lb 3 1/4oz including the best flounder, a fish of 15 1/4oz. The best round was Mick Cosham's 10 1/2oz whiting.

It was a case of scratching around in the Pevensey Bay Aqua mini beach open over four hours. Top of the 21 was Fred Brown with 1lb 6 1/2oz, Rose Browning had 1lb 4 1/2oz; Colin Sargeant 15 1/2oz and P. Sargeant 15 1/2oz; Paul King and Brian Meades shared the flat honours (each a dab of 2 3/4oz) and Malcolm Taylor had the best round, a rockling of 5 1/2oz.

Son and father, Jason and Gordon Welfare, took the top two places in the Queens Head club match fished by ten over six hours on the west arm at Newhaven, where pout and rockling dominated catches. Red and white ragworms were the successful baits.

Jason had 19 fish for 3lb 15 1/2oz. and his father Gordon 16 for 3lb 5 1/4oz and they were followed by Bill West with 16 for 2lb 15oz, Rob Mason 12 (including an 8 3/4oz pout) for 2lb 10 3/4oz and Paul Robinson 11 for 2lb 1/4oz. Kevin Sills had the only two small flatties, the best a dab of 4 3/4oz.

With an eel of 1lb 9oz taken on crab from the swollen river at Denton, Gary Hazelgrove boosted his winning weight in the Meridian rover at Newhaven to 4lb 3oz while Tony Royal had 2lb 15oz also taken at Denton. Dave Gravett had 2lb 4oz which was rockling and Sam Batchelor was top junior with 1lb.

The top individual catch in the Three Counties League season was of 65lb 2oz by Steve French of MBK and it boosted his team to getting the top team weight prize with a 124lb 7oz total. Paul Commett of Rudgwick won the individual championship and Ian Davidson of Rother took the cup for the most top five finishes. Chichester's team had the most points and highest aggregate weight.