Rays of hope amid the changeable conditions

WITH the weather changeable and cold northerly winds blowing, it is the sheltered marks along the Solway Coast from Dumfries to Kircudbright which have proved the best venues with anglers to get out of the elements behind rolling hills.

Lenny Davies, Mark Batey and Steven Simonsen had another trip to Balcary and found the rays feeding, Davies taking five to 8lb 8oz, Batey four to 7lb and Simonsen two, the best of them 6lb.

On the more open shorelines, small codling, whiting and the odd cod to 6lb have been taken along the Cumbria coast, along with dogfish, flounder and dab - although the rougher conditions have reduced catches.

Lynemouth Beach has proved the best venue along the North East coast with a few codling around 3lb taken, along with a nice one of 7lb taken by Anthony Towers.

South Shields pier has given a few codling.

Lenny Davies, back from catching rays, took codling to 2.5lb, while his friend Darren Browne took one of 5lb.

Many rock marks along the North East coast have produced a few codling, the best around 3lb, along with decent coalfish.

The flounder fishing from open beaches all along the coast from Whitby to Berwick, which have been affected by the rougher conditions, giving only a few fish from sheltered areas, have also been hit by a lot of loose weed.

The best river for sport has been the Wear with decent-sized flounder taken, along with coalfish and whiting from the estuary marks, whereas the Tyne has been full of small fish and it has been hard to get through them to get a sizeable fish of any kind. Mark Batey and Lenny Davies with their best rays and, inset below, Steven Simonsen with his best ray caught on their trip to Balcary. Below left, Paul Charlton with a giant trevally caught in Abu Dhabi

Boat fishing, which had started to take off, has been hit the hardest by the weather.

If you can get out the fish are there - but it is not nice being bounced around when fishing.

JFK TWO managed to get out for almost a full day before the weather turned for the worse but anglers still took 25 fish with cod to 7lb, ling to 8.5lb and two wolf fish - most of the fish with the water still being cloudy falling to squid.

Private boats fishing close inshore on the hard ground have managed a handful of codling, the best around 4lb and the best baits worm and crab.

Looking at the forecast it looks as if boat anglers will have more time to prepare their gear.

As I am sitting writing this column watching the trees sway in the wind and watching the rain outside, my son Paul, who lives in Abu Dhabi where the fishing is amazing, keeps sending me photos of the giant trevally to well over 20lb he and his friend are catching and returning.

Tony Avis, skipper of Mistress ,has been in hospital for an operation but is now well on the mend and hopes to be back in action by the middle or end of May when evening trips will start. Until then Avis has someone to take Mistress out and bookings can be made via him on 07743 062 163.