THEATRE OF DREAMS
All eyes will be on the Holderness Coast for Britain’s biggest and richest shore competition
Start of seven-page Euro open special.
More than 1,000 anglers will soon descend on the beaches of the Holderness Coast to compete in Britain’s biggest shore fishing match, with its prize fund of £35,000. Yes, it’s time for the annual European Open Beach Championship, which takes place on coast of East Yorkshire and attracts anglers from across the UK and Europe to compete, dream of a top prize and socialise in this friendly fishing festival.
This match is a three-day event that starts with a Flattie Bash and is followed by the two days of the main competition, where the target fish are cod, thornback rays, bass and whiting.
Set up by the late Paul Roggeman in 1994, it was initially the Bridlington Open Beach Championship, becoming the British OBC, and over the years the event has gone from strength to strength, mainly because it attracts anglers of all skill levels, but being a heaviest fish event, it offers everyone the chance of victory or a share in the massive prize list. There is also a pairs match and a team event.
After Paul passed away in 2015, the event was renamed in his honour as the Paul Roggeman European Open Beach Championship.
Fished between Bridlington North Beach and Spurn Point Pilot Jetty, last year’s event included a £2,000 first prize for the winner of each of the two days, with £4,000 for the overall winner.
After controversy in 2019 when the original winner was later disqualified, the organisers will hope everything runs smoothly from the headquarters at Sand le Mere Holiday Village, in Tunstall.
All competitors are responsible for being able to prove legitimacy of their catch, which must be witnessed by another competitor at the time of capture. Additional guidelines state that a mobile phone video should be taken of your catch alive, showing your surroundings, location and witnesses. It is suggested anglers take a photo of their catches and location, and use a smart phone with Google Maps or similar to ensure location history settings are switched on.
Fished over 40 miles of the Holderness Coast, between Bridlington North Beach and Spurn Point pilot jetty, there are numerous marks to fish in this roving competition.
The organisers do not advise fishing at Ulrome, Aldbrough and Dimlington because they are deemed highly unsafe. Competitors choosing to access these areas do so at their own risk.
The coastline can be fished on any tide, although the size of tides varies either side of Hilston. The bigger tides are to the north of Hilston than those to the south, while the beaches get deeper as you go further south, from Hornsea to Spurn.
Bigger tides provide more movement in the water, but if they are too big you can get pushed back on to the cliffs. Normally, the beaches fish right up to high water.
Weed and strong tide can be issues on the marks further south.
Cod fishing on this crumbling coastline can be good when there is a good north-easterly sea running. Many anglers fish a Pennell rig with size 1/0-3/0 hooks loaded with lug, squid or crab. There may be an occasional bass caught too.
Distance is not always required, so it’s sometimes worth dropping short. There will be times when you have to cast as far as you can. Holderness cod average from 2-4lb, but as past results in the big match testify, doubles are caught during calm spells and big tides.
Expect thornback rays to appear too. Some years it is the rays that dominate the EOBC, and they take squid and peeler crab cocktails. Some double-figure rays are possible, particularly around Tunstall, Withernsea and Aldbrough. It is always worth taking a look at low tide to locate any gullies at all these marks, but these features can change after rough seas.
All marks on the Holderness Coast from Kilnsea up to Bridlington can be reached from minor roads off either the A165 or A1033 from Hull. Here are the main marks along the match area, listed from north to south:
BRIDLINGTON NORTH BEACH
North Marine Promenade and North Beach up to Sewerby Steps appear flat and featureless, but there are weed beds and fish-holding areas further out.
Being sheltered from northerly winds, these sandy beaches offer rays, cod, flounders and whiting. There is good access at the slipway or slope and steps.
BRIDLINGTON SOUTH BEACH/WILSTHORPE
This is an area of wide, flat sandy beaches producing mainly flatfish and whiting, and is fishable at high tide. There is good access at various points.
FRAISTHORPE
Suffers heavy coastal erosion and has large concrete boulders on the beach. Produces flatfish. Tackle losses are likely. You can get pushed off the flat beach on big tides.
BARMSTON
You’ll struggle to stay on the beach on bigger tides unless you walk towards Bridlington.
ULROME
The match organisers do not advise anglers to fish this sandy beach. It can produce some cod, along with large flounders and dabs. Fishes best in a northwesterly or south-westerly wind. Long casting pays off. Try lug and rag baits, with a squid tip.
SKIPSEA
Offers some good fishing and is popular when the local caravan sites are busy.
ATWICK
Whiting and cod are the main quarry and fall to lug, rag and peeler crabs. A track leads down to the beach.
HORNSEA NORTH BEACH
This is a wide, fairly steep open sandy beach, which is good on the flood and larger tides. There is easy access to the beach via steps, but it gets busy. Fishes best during or just after a blow on bigger tides, but you may need distance casting on occasions.
HORNSEA MIDDLE AND SOUTH BEACH
Sandy and fairly steep, this area is good on the flood or larger tides. There is good access to beach from the prom or steps.
MAPPLETON
Fishes well throughout the flood to high water. Good access to beach is via a slipway. Toilets are available. Produces codling in a settled sea after a good blow.
COWDEN
At low water the beach is shallow, and here distance casting pays off.
ALDBROUGH
The organisers of the match advise that anglers do not fish at these high cliffs. Some experienced anglers got cut off here in the 2018 European Open.
There are a couple of well-known marks here – Aldbrough Dip and Road End – at either side of the static caravan park.
Sport is best during the last three hours of the flood and a couple of hours down. With tides under six metres, you can usually stay on the beach, but always check the high-water mark and plan your escape.
Cod are caught at all ranges in a rough sea or after a big blow.
EAST NEWTON
A steeper beach than Aldbrough, but access is difficult, so be prepared to walk. Cod fishing is most productive in a swell around high water.
RINGBOROUGH
Wet weather and erosion make the cliff descent tricky here. Usually provides fish right throughout the tide. Parking is at the discretion of a local farmer, so look for any notices.
TUNSTALL
With low cliffs (pictured above), it offers easy access, with a simple walk to the beach from the match HQ. Distance casting can be an advantage. If you go to the left, make sure you don’t get cut off by the tide.
GRIMSTON/HILSTON
This beach can only be reached on foot.
It is a popular area, with the water often coloured. Access from the steep cliffs is an issue. Usually fishes on flood, goes quiet at high water and improves at start of ebb. The rising tide can cut you off. Cod are caught in a lively sea during a medium tide. There are flounders all year.
WITHERNSEA
Fishes well after a good north-easterly blow. Access is at steps to the beach from the prom (as you leave the town towards Waxholme). Good on a medium tide, when you can stay on the beach. Get your bait past the breakwaters to find some tide pull to locate the better fish.
Alternatives are the lifeboat station slipway and brick pond to the south of the town. Further south towards Holmpton is the sewer pipe. The cliffs are mostly under 20ft and many anglers like fishing off the cliff tops here, but on the smaller tides you should stay on the beach. Three hours either side of high water is best, but if you want to stay on the cliff tops, make it two hours either side of high water.
A light westerly wind and a flat calm sea provide the best fishing conditions. If the pipe mark is busy, try the Runnels, a few hundred yards further south.
HOLMPTON AND OUT NEWTON
Access from the steep cliffs is often dangerous at Holmpton due to mud, while Out Newton is steeper to the north, but flatter when going south. Best when the weather is calm after a good blow. Distance casting is worthwhile, but go short too.
DIMLINGTON
Another area not recommended by the match organisers, it fishes best over the first of the flood and towards the top of the tide. Fish at distance to reach the clay gullies, but expect tackle losses. Cod possible on lower to medium tides all the way to Easington in the south and north to Out Newton. Look for the gully, which is a good target when the water rises, but it is a test of casting skill. Good casters can get over the sandbank to seek cod.
EASINGTON
This shingle beach, backed by muddy cliffs, produces cod, whiting and rays. It can be quite snaggy at low water because there is clay just beyond the low-water mark. Fishes well over the top of small to medium tides.
KILNSEA
A heavily eroded venue that needs a good swell to produce its best fishing. Access is to the right of road end. Beware of erosion and unstable structures on the beach. Expect some tackle losses. Going north through the caravan park, the low-water area is snaggy.
SPURN
This long finger of sand and shingle at the mouth of the Humber is affected by tidal erosion and can be dangerous. Long casting is good here. Do not attempt to cross the sand until the water has gone. Don’t cross when the high tide comes in and ebbs. Match stewards will be present to advise of any closure.
There is no vehicular access to the point, it is solely on foot, bike (not quad or motorbikes) or aboard the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust shuttle vehicle. The shuttle is limited to 16 anglers and equipment per journey. Booking opened on November 25 (01904 659570). A limited number of places are reserved for competitors to turn up on the day, but strictly on a first come first served basis. Cost is £5 each way.