Vectis Boating and Fishing club

The 26th junior fishing frenzy couldnt have gone any better . Thirty juniors fished over the four Sundays, with the fish numbers progressing upward on each day
Today saw the best weather possible for 19 juniors to fish. As it turned out the top 3 of today ended up the top 3 overall too . Piper owen caught the heaviest fish of the day a 500gm bass.
So overall Antony mann won with a grand total of 1588pts , second Jacob stathers on 854pts and third Teyha lawson on 763pts . The drama didn't end there, as a pigeon was rescued from the sea and thankfully returned to the pier unharmed albeit very wet ! We must thank Wightlink in the Community for thier continued support in these events, as without the pier the smaller children would struggle to cast off the beach . Also a big thank you to Drew at Ryde Bait and tackle shop who has also supported us for quite a few years now. And finally a big thank you to the families that help when needed Liam , Steve and Mark measuring all of the fish .
So thats it for this year , or is it ........? 🤔 Look out for the October half term aI reckon we should have one final round before the years out .
Feel free to post any pictures below of the fun today.
Thank you all , Colin

The prize table is all set on the final junior fishing frenzy . Wightlink and Drew at ryde bait and tackle have kindly stepped up and helped once again . See you all soon 😊

In perfect weather conditions the fish numbers were most certainly up on previous weeks .There were some exceptionally small bass caught , some even had spots on as camouflage which ive never seen before .
First on the day was Antony mann with 490pts , second was Jax Howarth on 276pts and third mr smiler Jacob stathers with 261pts . Heaviest fish went to Parker lawson a 750gm bream a very good size for the pier .
That currently leaves Antony mann in top spot with 1023pts second Jacob smiler stathers with 392pts and Teyha lawson third on 337pts . The final round is on the 16th of August 1pm till 4pm with prize giving afterwards .

The second round of the fishing frenzy took place in blustery and even wet briefly conditions. First on the day was Antony mann with 249pts , second Teyha lawson with 130pts and third Jacob stathers with 59pts . With no heaviest fish recorded the prize for that will drawn out of a hat on the last day for the 17 juniors that signed on today . It leaves Antony mann in current first spot with 533pts second Teyha lawson with 239pts and third Parker lawson with 189pts .
With fish being pretty scarce compared with previous years it leaves the event very open. Piper owen managed to hold her first ever fish in 3 years of competing, another box ticked .
Fish tattoos were requested by several of the juniors, as an addition to making fun memories up Ryde pier . 😂

The first round of the 2026 fishing frenzy took place in perfect conditions not too hot thanks to a sea breeze . It saw 24 juniors fish with nearly all catching fish . First spot went to Antony mann with 284 pts , second place was Parker lawson with 175pts , closely followed by Harry wittman in third with 143pts . Heaviest fish went to Parker lawson with a 400gm bream .
What was really nice to see is the determination of all the children that fished, they all wanted to be there and loved it, they weren't distracted by phones etc awesome job 👏 A big thank you to Liam , Mark and Steve for helping steward . As is tradition the Lawson family brought along a recent addition and she measured 40cm with snuggles for everyone 😄. Also in the pics are Jacob and Jax with thier fish and smiley faces . Thank you also to Wightlink in the Community allowing us to use the pier . Next round is sunday 26th an early one 9am till 12 , see you then 😊

The 26th junior fishing frenzy starts on the 19th of July 😊

6 weeks to go 😊

The 26th junior fishing frenzy dates are as follows providing Wightlink are happy to allow us to use the pier .

Round 1 19th of July 2pm till 5pm

Round 2 26th if July 9am till 12 noon

Round 3 2nd of August 1pm till 4pm

Round 4 16th of August 1pm to 4pm

🌊 Colour Theory Underwater – Does Colour Really Matter in Sea Fishing?
Written by Mackie – Weymouth Angling Centre

It’s one of those subjects every angler has an opinion on.

What colour lure?
What colour beads?
What colour line?

And somewhere along the line…

We’ve all wondered the same thing:

👉 Do fish actually care about colour underwater?

For me…

Yes and no.

🌅 Water Changes Everything

The biggest thing people forget is that colour on land…

isn’t the same colour underwater.

Once light enters the sea, colours start to disappear at different depths.

Generally:

• Red fades first
• Then orange
• Then yellow
• Blues and greens hold visibility longer

So that bright red lure in your hand…

Might look far darker or almost black deeper down.

🌊 Depth, Clarity & Light

Colour isn’t just about the lure itself.

It depends on:

• Water clarity
• Depth
• Sunlight
• Cloud cover
• Time of day
• Bottom colour

Clear shallow water in sunshine is completely different to coloured water on an overcast day.

That’s why one colour can smash it one session…

and do nothing the next.

🎣 Contrast Can Matter More Than Colour

Something I’ve found over time…

Fish often react more to contrast than actual colour.

A dark lure against a bright sky.
A white lure in murky water.
A shiny jig flashing on the drop.

Sometimes it’s less about “green vs pink”…

and more about what stands out naturally.

🐟 Species Matter Too

Different fish feed differently.

• Bass often react to movement and profile first
• Wrasse can be curious and aggressive
• Mackerel love flash
• Gilthead & bream often care more about bait presentation than colour

So again…

There’s no one answer.

⚡ Confidence Catches Fish Too

This is the bit people ignore.

If you believe in a colour…

You fish it better.

You’ll keep it in the water longer.
Work it properly.
Stay focused.

And that alone catches fish.

Confidence is a massive part of fishing.

🎯 My View

I think colour matters…

But not as much as:

• Location
• Presentation
• Tide
• Timing
• Movement
• Bait quality

Get those wrong…

and colour won’t save you.

Get those right…

and loads of colours will work.

🌙 Keep It Simple

If I was choosing:

• Clear water / bright day – natural colours
• Low light / coloured water – brighter or darker contrast colours
• Unsure – silver, white, or baitfish patterns rarely let you down

Then adjust from there.

💬 So what do you reckon?

Do fish really key in on colour…

or are anglers more obsessed with it than fish are?

And what colour has caught you the most over the years?

Let’s hear it 👇

— Mackie
Weymouth Angling Centre

🎣 Know Your Catch 🎣

First up in the new series… the mighty Bass 👑🌊

Fast, powerful, and one of the UK’s most prized coastal predators, seabass are built for ambushing prey in surf, estuaries, reefs and rough ground.

Recognised by their silver flanks, dark back, sharp spiny dorsal fin and that bucket mouth built for feeding.

Loved by lure anglers, bait anglers, and anyone who enjoys a proper scrap on light gear.

Have you caught your first bass yet this year? Drop your photos below 👇🐟

New buoyancy aids all hung up nicely in the club house thank you to the Wightaid Foundation for their generous grant to help buy these! Also pictured are some of our older buoyancy aids which will be up for grabs for a small donation to the club funds! If any body knows of a community group that could use these well worn older buoyancy aids please get in touch.