Mackerel shoals yet to arrive

Despite the recent calm, warm spell, the large shoals of mackerel have not appeared this summer but the Admiralty pier, Folkestone pier and Samphire Hoe remain the best venues to catch the species.

Best time to catch them is first thing in the morning or late in the evening around high tide and you can also try the smaller mackerel lures like the Sabikis which will also catch herrings, joey mackerel and sandeels.

The beaches at Seabrook, Sandgate, Hythe and Dungeness should improve in the coming weeks with the mackerel shoals most likely to appear when the high tide is around 8pm and 9pm when the light starts to fade.

Cinque Ports Angling Society’s Junior festival organiser Paul Musson thanked the local tackle shops for supporting the event fished at Lady’s Walk on the Royal Military Canal at Hythe at the weekend.

Prizes were

supplied

by Den’s Tackle and Mick’s Tackle, both from Hythe, as well as Folkestone Angling, Nick’s Tackle, Fatfish, Invicta Angling, Angling Direct and several others.

Match winner was Ryan Kennison, of Maidstone, with 990g. Second was Jamie Surridge, of Hawkinge, with 670g, and third Holly Evans, of Folkestone, with 540g.

Other freshwater competitions included the Folkestone and Shepway Anglers’ Peter Mead memorial float only event at Radnor Park.

Winner was myself with 18lb 10z of carp and skimmer bream caught on worm. Second was John Williams, of Cheriton, with 14lb 10oz and third John J Williams, also from Cheriton, who included the pool-winning best eel of 1lb 12oz in his 11lb 10oz.

Cottington Lakes at Deal produced a week’s best carp of 41lb for Deal’s Alan Webb from lake Pepper. The carp took a floating dog biscuit and is a record from the surface at the complex.

Sea angling events were limited to the Dover SAA’s Saturday series competition fished from Dover breakwater.

Winner there was Lloyd Page, of Sheerness, with 9.120kg which included a best smoothhound of 1.200kg. Second was Alan Underdown, of Tankerton, with 6kg and third Deal’s Saul Page with 5.50kg.

This weekend several Kent sea anglers have qualified to fish the Penn sponsored National League Final at Milford Shingle Bank on Hampshire.

They include Martyn Reid, of Folkestone and Dover’s Nathan Elliott. All finished in the top 30 rankings for Great Britain and Ireland.