Kentish Express Ashford & District
ANGLING: FISHING WILL CONTINUE WHILE SHINGLE IS REMOVED FROM DUNGENESS, WRITES ALAN YATES
Dungeness Angling Association have been notified by Kent County Council that shingle is to be removed by EDF Energy and the EA from Dungeness.
But they have requested that angling access is maintained in the region and on the shingle haul road and this co-operation was confirmed by Tony Hills who attended the meeting concerned.
The subject of shingle movement has been added to the agenda for the Dungeness AA’s AGM, which will take place on Friday, March 21 at Heysham Hall, Taylor Road, Lydd from 7.30pm.
Best fish this week was caught by Folkestone chef James Pearce, who celebrated his birthday with a 16lb cod while fishing aboard Folkestone charter boat Portia. It is the biggest cod reported from boat or shore for several weeks and took a small whiting.
This weekend the popular Fountain Open competition takes place at Seabrook and Hythe and although the weather looks favourable for numbers of fish, it could be tough finding them big enough to weigh in. Small whiting are a pest and they need to be 27cm to count, whereas most seem to be 26cm!
The long casters should also find some dabs, bigger whiting and dogfish, while a short lob in the edge of the surf could make a few flounders or rockling valuable because the top prize is £1,000 and with pools, the winner could take home considerably more.
Fishing is from 10.30am until 3.30pm. Register at the Fountain Inn at the bottom of Horn Street from 7am. Entry fee is £15. Ring 01303 260875.
Club shore angling results include Seabrook Angling Association’s Fagg Cup event at Seabrook, which was won by Paul Gunner with six fish for 5.40lb including dogfish and dabs.
Second was Ronnie Warne on 5lb and third Dorian Partridge with 4.75lb which included the event’s biggest fish, a dogfish of 2.25lbs.
Gunner was also in form in the latest Dungeness Angling event where he won with a dogfish and a dab for 3lb 2oz.
Second was Steve Harvey with 2lb 1oz and third Martin Swinyard with 1lb 11oz. The fish are not giving themselves up and it’s tough going with small lugworm baits and small hooks the best tactic.
Freshwater competitions coming up include a Help for Heroes charity event at Eureka Fisheries, Ashford on Sunday, February 23.
Both lakes are being used. It’s pre-book so check out the Eureka Facebook page.
The next major sea angling competition is on February 9 when the Dungeness Sea Anglers host their World Dab Championships which usually proves a popular event with more than 200 entries.
No pre-booking required and it’s a rover between the Pilot Inn and Galloways. Registration is at The Pilot Inn, Dungeness from 7.30am on the day. Ring 01797 320017.