ANGLER Matt Kingdon picked up £2,000 when he won South West Lakes Trust’s Best of the Best final at Wimbleball Lake on Sunday.

He was the only competitor to catch a limit of ten fish in the competition, now in its third year and sponsored by Snowbee.

Matt, from Barnstaple, bagged his limit with more than an hour to go from the Bessoms Bridge area of the lake.

His win followed on from his third place in last year’s final and completed a great week for him which also saw him qualify for next year’s loch style home international.

In all, 57 anglers fished after qualifying at events throughout the season at the trust’s lakes, and most opted for the Bessoms and Ruggs end of the lake.

Rob Gale, from Ashburton, finished second, catching eight fish from the Narrows to claim the £1,250 prize, with Alec Hoare, from Newton Abbot, taking the £750 third prize with seven fish.

The largest fish in the final (not finishing in the top three) was won jointly by Mike Stone and Roger Truscott who shared the £500 prize with rainbows of 2lb 2oz.

There were 127 rainbows caught, giving a 2.3 rod average per person, with a further 30 browns caught and released.