If the sea stays calm the big fish are out

THEY are there for the catching, the big fish that have alluded anglers all summer, but only if the sea stays calm enough for a few days to let charter boats have a fair crack at the wrecks,.

We have only seen a couple of ling in the high 20 this summer when they should now be turning up quite regular at this time of year.

A few decent ling have been taken on the odd foray out to the wrecks to show what is there.

Ian Collinson took a ling of 17.5lb fishing off North Eastern Charters, however the best cod was one of only 8.5lb – another species which should be giving up a few twenty pound plus fish this month and next.

Tony Grey took a personal best ling of 15lb fishing aboard JFK TWO – the best of a 50-fish haul.

Most boats when out have also taken pollock and cod to 9lb and surprisingly reasonable numbers of mackerel for bait.

Fresh mackerel have taken the better fish offshore when fishing inshore on the rough ground, where there have been plenty of codling in the 1-3lb range.

Baited hokkais have done the business with worm and crab also taking quite a few fish.

Very few private boats and kayaks have ventured off in the poor conditions, the few that have been able to get off during a calm spell have taken reasonable catches of codling in the 1-3lb range with the odd better fish to 6lb.

Shore sport from Whitby to Berwick has been pretty good with beaches after dark, piers, and the rivers Tyne and Wear giving good numbers of codling in the 1-2lb range.

Anglers are taking up to a dozen at a time on worm and crab baits, with Rocky Island and the Beacons also giving decent catches.

There are signs bigger fish are starting to move in with quite a few around 3-6lb taken from the rough ground at Craster, Seahouses, Amble, Newbiggin, Collywell, Whitburn, Ryhope and Marsden.

The best I know of is one of 10lb 5oz taken by Brian Scott fishing the deep water at St Abbs.

The region’s piers have given up mixed bags of codling, coalfish, whiting, flounder, dab with Seaham pier also giving dogfish and the odd tadpole fish.

Seaham pier seems to be producing this species quite often these days.

The best flounder action has come from the rivers with the upriver marks the best, whiting and small codling will also keep you busy.

Dennis Trinh on a recent trip fishing off Whitby boat Shy Torque 111 landed a ling of 28lb 9oz. Inset, Ian Collinson with his ling of 17.5lb taken aboard North Eastern Charters