Uk Small boat Fishing - Solent BoatLife chrishmas special - Cod fishing - Christmas party 🎉

🎉 What an extraordinary weekend filled with surprises and festive delights! The impromptu Indian Elvis performance on Friday at the Curry house set the tone for a weekend of wonder. Our journey continued with a traditional Christmas dinner in the enchanting setting of the Sir Max Aiken Museum in Cowes on Saturday night—an experience truly breathtaking in its festive splendour and one that will go down in history.

The weekend’s pinnacle was the Christmas cod fishing competition at Cowes Yacht Haven on Saturday. The harbour transformed into a dazzling spectacle with boats adorned in Christmas lights, creating a magical atmosphere. Participants, some staying on boats and others in Cowes High Street hotels, immersed themselves in the holiday spirit.

Competition day commenced with delectable bacon rolls from The Fountain Inn, setting the perfect tone for the day’s excitement. The Solent’s shotgun start outside Cowes Harbour marked the beginning of a thrilling fishing experience, with “Ex Squid Sit” leading the charge under the guidance of fishing master Mick Teague. Fishing around the captains’ WhatsApp group buzzed with activity throughout the day, and Jon Challinor on board “Tequila” gave Mick Teague tough competition by also registering the target species—adding an extra layer of excitement to the friendly rivalry.

Safety remained paramount, and I’m pleased to report that all vessels returned safely to Cowes Yacht Haven. After a quick scrub up, it was time to savour the Christmas dinner and prize-giving—a perfect way to cap off an unforgettable day.

But before we move on, a heartfelt thank-you to all who contributed. Mike Cave of Quality Time Fishing orchestrated a raffle that, alongside generous donations, raised over £1000 for the charity Wet Wheels. Special recognition goes to headline sponsor BoatLife for orchestrating an unforgettable Christmas party prize-giving. Kudos to All About Catering for delivering exceptional food and service.

Now, let’s celebrate the top 10 placed boats in the competition:

1. Tequila: Cod 66cm
2. EX-Squid-Sit: Cod 62cm
3. Squidward 3: Whiting 42cm
4. Messy: Whiting 37cm
5. Well Plumbed: 36cm
6. Quality Time Fishing: Whiting 34cm
7. Luna C: Whiting 32cm
8. Bad Boys: Whiting 31cm
9. Smartfish: Whiting 29cm
10. Blueshift: Whiting 26cm

Thanks to Harry from Bodle Angling for supplying the top 3 prizes 🏆 and Mark Hamlet of Cox and Rawle for all the fish surprises found inside the Christmas crackers.

A massive thank-you to the companies and friends who generously donated prizes for the raffle, making this event even more special:

• SMG
hooked & Messey
• RAILBLAZA
• Shaky Angler
• Martin Fisher
• Pantaenius UK
• Quality Time Fishing
• Shorecast
• Bodle Angling
• Raymarine UK
• Crewsaver
• Lowrance
• Blueshift Fishing
• SF Marine - Custom Boatworks
• Cox & Rawle Sea Fishing Forum

There’s a lot of work happens behind-the-scenes to make this event run to plan, and none of this would’ve been possible without the incredible support from my good friend, Will Parkinson, of Smart Fishing UK

Your next adventure awaits at the NEC in Birmingham from February 15 to 18. Show your gratitude to BoatLife by joining the event, and stay tuned for more fishing-themed social events in the coming year. Wishing everyone a joyful Christmas with friends and family, eagerly anticipating our reunion in the new year. 🎣🌟

‪@SuzukiMarineUK‬
‪@BoatLifeEvents‬
‪@qualitytimefishing‬
‪@shakyangler‬
‪@ManicFishing‬

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