Members of Brentford's unofficial supporters website the Griffin Park Grapevine made the most of a blank Saturday devoid of a Bees fixture, by taking time out in the Surrey hills last month.

They responded to an appeal from lifelong Bees fan, and ardent angler, Brian Green, to take part in a fun and relaxed fishing competition on the lakes at Willinghurst Fisheries near the villages of Wonersh and Shamley Green deep in the heart of the beautiful Surrey countryside.

Nine people in total took part, just a fraction of those who may be tempted to take part next  time round, in what turned out to be a wonderful way to spend a lovely autumnal day on Saturday September 28, the day before Brentford played Coventry City in a Sky Bet League One game.

The competition started at 11am and ran for six hours during which time the competitors  fished at pegs, their static positions for the day.

Come 5pm and the winner was decided, not by the number of fish caught but by the total weight of their catch (which I should add to the uninitiated are returned to the lake unharmed).

A total weight of 110 kilos of fish were caught, mainly carp and roach, with the winner "Sheerwater Bee" amassing 23.8 kilos towards that total.

He narrowly beat Brian Green the organiser by just 0.6 kilos, with Hugh Edwards 4.6 kilos adrift.

All in all, from a non-fisherman's perspective, it was great fun.

From the perspective of those who took part, I'm sure, they like me can't wait for the next opportunity to go fishing.

Peter Gilham