Mini marvel Dixon is the king of the Castle

DUNSTANBURGH Castle marks produced all the top weights in the Bedlington Station Mini Open.

Steven Dixon picked up the £250 first prize with his bag of 22 coalfish and a dogfish for 35.9lb.

A. Stead was second with his 10 coalfish and a codling for 17.8lb, Ritchy Dodsworth taking third place with a bag of five codling for 17.1lb.

His bag included the heaviest fish a cod of 7.3lb which won him £100.

The whole area produced decent catches of mainly codling - a lot in the 3-5lb range with 34 of the 72 who fished weighing in 126 fish for 232lb.

Abbs continues to fish well for cod and wrasse to 4lb with a few decent pollock taken along with mackerel and coalfish.

Marks around Whitburn and Marsden are giving a few codling to 3lb with the odd pollock, the piers at South Shields, Tynemouth and Seaham the best best for action with mixed bags.

The open beaches at Druridge, Cambois, Warkworth and Embleton are giving decent catches of flatfish with a few bonus bass and turbot.

Unfortunately, Cumbrian beaches are still underperforming for most species.

The region’s rivers are giving decent catches of flounder with a few going to almost 2lb.

Anglers fishing along Balcary marks after rays and hounds have been disappointed but a few nice bull huss have been taken - Mike Darling taking one of 12lb 7oz.

Shore marks around Whitby and Redcar have been very disappointing with only a few cod to 4lb taken from the weed beds.

In general from Whitby to the Tyne Steven Dixon with his winning bag in the Bedlington Station mini open. Inset, Derek Sergbine with his 18lb ling charter boats fishing the wrecks have taken up to 50 fish with ling and cod into double figures.

Derek Sergbine took a nice ling of 18lb aboard Northeastern Charters, aboard Predator 13-year-old Jonney Saxby captured ling to 9lb and cod to 6lb, Keith Ryder on JFK TWO catching ling to 14lb and cod to 12lb in a 15-fish haul, Carl Walker landing cod to 9.5lb and Chris Holmes cod to 10lb aboard Blueye 2.

Decent pollock - with the odd one nudging double figures - have also been recorded.

Anglers fishing further afield have found good fishing from Luce Bay round to Port Patrick with spurdog to 17lb and tope to 18lb, along with good-sized gurnards, haddock, pollock and coalfish.

Shore sport has also improved with wrasse and pollock with the chance of a bass or mullet.