Scotland has a new junior sea fishing boss

Basically, he wants to see a raft of clubs North of the Border promoting sea fishing among youngsters. From that, he would build a strong national team.

The prototype for that vision was shaped during his childhood in Portugal and he is currently walking in his father, Vitor’s, footsteps. Vitor represented his native country on nearly 20 occasions in world events, winning a number of titles.

Santos has already represented Scotland in the Home Internationals at Chesil Beach in Dorset, England, and made his world championship debut for the Tartan Team in Sicily last year.

Nuno Santos, Scotland's new junior sea fishing team manager

He is determined to earn more caps and looming in 2025 is world championship in Portugal, on beaches near Faro where he fished as a schoolboy with his dad.

Santos, a father of two, said: “I was born in Faro and my dad fished local beaches. He also fished for Portugal in big events on many occasions and I want to do that. However, I also want to see more youngsters get the chance that children in Portugal got when I was growing up.

“There, national bosses wanted to develop sea fishing as a sport and they involved local clubs. The clubs recruited the youngsters and organised competitions for them. The young anglers then moved from club competition to regional ones and then national events and, from them, the team was picked.”

Edinburgh schoolboy, Eryk Janik, is already making his mark. He has one junior cap for Scotland and regularly fishes in senior competitions. Indeed, he sits seventh in the Edinburgh Winter Shore League.

The Stoker family from Dumfries are also regular competitors in events in Scotland and they could also feature in future plans.

Santos, who works for NorthLink Ferries on the busy Aberdeen to Shetland route, has just taken over from Lindsay Wilson.

The 33-year-old, who arrived in Scotland in 2014 with a backpack and 200 euros, said: “My long-term vision is to have a strong network of clubs promoting fishing among local youngsters.

“I saw how that worked in Portugal when I was growing up and I believe it can work here but there has to be commitment from clubs to help develop young talent.”

Meanwhile, junior angler Robbie Slow won Match 5 in the Edinburgh Winter Shore League fished in flat calm conditions on Portobello Beach.

It was his first ever match and the Edinburgh-based youngster fought off tough competition from 19 other anglers, including his dad, Thomas, to land nine fish for 253 points.

Robbie also landed the longest fish, a coalfish, measuring 35cm and he was fishing a family peg with his father who is a regular competition angler. Thomas finished in 11th position with four fish and 110 points. His biggest was 31cm.

Second was Scottish international, Ian Campbell (Falkirk) with 11 fish for 249 points and third Kevin McNeish (Edinburgh) with ten fish for 238 points.

Fourth was Tyneside-based Neil Cutler with eight fish for 178 points. Neil is a well-known competition angler in England and Scotland and a total of 114 fish were landed including whiting, dab, codling, coalfish and rockling and Match Six is tonight (Friday, December 6) at Newhaven.

Event organiser, Campbell, currently leads the chase for the title, sponsored by Cox and Rawle, Edinburgh Angling Centre and The Fishing Megastore, with 24 points, one ahead of Cutler and six in front of Dunbar angler, Chris Empson.

Edinburgh fisherman, Gordon Lyall, is fourth on 17 points and, reflecting on Robbie’s win, Campbell said: “A massive well done to junior angler Robbie Slow, fishing in his first ever match and showing the rest of us how it’s done.

“It is really good to have a junior new to match fishing doing so well.”

Elsewhere, Craig Ogilvie won the heaviest bag and biggest fish awards in round three of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League which was a North Berwick Rover.

He had one fish of 1lb 3oz caught in a northerly swell and he was the only angler to weigh in. The next round is on Wednesday. Venue to be decided.