THE new year started off with a bang for West Bay Sea Angling Club member Ian Draper, who managed to land not one but two new club records in as many weeks.

The first, a pouting, broke one of the club’s longest-standing records held by the late Charlie Waterfall from 1959 at 2lb 10oz – the new record fish came in at 2lb 12oz.

Only a couple of weeks later while fishing on Chesil Beach, a far more substantial specimen was eventually landed by Draper in the form of a massive conger eel weighing 56lbs 7oz.

This broke the existing record of 51lb achieved by Nigel Hill back in 1992.

The conger, released alive after being weighed and photographed, represents the heaviest shore-caught fish ever landed by a member in the club’s 64-year history.

The record breaking spree was continued by Hugh Rathbone, who landed a 13lb undulate ray during a club match. Abbotsbury WEST Bay anglers got the new season under way in poor conditions at Abbotsbury.

It was blowing hard throughout but there was plenty of cod to be had with 14 coming to the scales.

Ollie Mears started the new year the same way as he finished the last by winning yet again.