SEA ANGLING
VERY few, if any, boats have ventured out over the last few days due to weather conditions.
Putting this column together, I contact local tackle shops, angling clubs and charter boat skippers.
This week I telephoned a local charter boat skipper who sounded rather annoyed with me. He had a good right to be – it was 3am where he was in Thailand. I didn’t know that he was on holiday!
There were two open shore competitions last Sunday. In the Bedlington SAC competition, 142 adults and four juniors took part, with 53 weighing in a total of 205lb. The winner was Rob Allison with five fish for 16lb 8oz, including the heaviest and second heaviest codling of 6lb 11oz and 5lb 9oz.
Second was Paul Med with six fish for 10lb 8oz, third Brian Larkin with five for 7lb 11oz. The junior winner was Lee Nyberg, four for 4lb 8oz.
In the Seaham Open, 318 anglers took part. Sadly fish did not play ball and Chris Robson took the heaviest single fish of 2.95, which was worth £1,000 to him.
Second was Andy Dunn with a fish of 2.64 and third was John Nixon with a fish of 2.61. The Target at Ryhope was the “hot spot”.
There were also lots of codling off Seaham Pier but unfortunately very few were of keepable size.
South Shields SAC’s Annual Open Shore Competition is on Sunday, November 19, while the very popular Sunderland Open will be held on Sunday, December 3.
There have been plenty of codling coming from rock edges to the north, averaging 1½lb to 2lb, but there have been fish to 6lb-plus. Top baits have been lug, crab and cart.
Blyth and Whitley Bay beaches have produced codling at night. Mick Small fished opposite the bandstand on Blyth beach and had 11 codling – his best 7½lb.
Ronnie Forrest had six fish for a total of 30lb from Foxton, while Sunderland tackle dealer Andy Rutherford landed four fish – his best 6½lb – from Roker rocks.
Gavin Head fished the same area and took five fish for 11lb.
The beaches north of Amble are giving some decent flounders, but there have also been some good turbot – the best 3½lb.
The River Tyne continues to give plenty of codling with better numbers in the 1½lb-2lb range. It seems that in most areas lugworm is now taking over as top bait.
I am hearing rumours that there could be a possible ban on anglers taking any bass at all in 2018. At the moment we can take one.
Incidentally, anglers catching lobsters are also only allowed to take one. They must not be berried and must be over the legal size. It is an offence to take more than one of each of these species.
Cleadon SAC’s club competition saw 22 take part and 11 weigh in. The winner was Mark Daglish with four fish for 2230g. Second was Gary McHugh with four fish for 2225g. Third was Darren Browne with three fish for 1875g – including the heaviest fish of 868g.
My guest this week on the CVFM “Gone Fishing” Radio Programme, live each Saturday from 8am-10am on www.cvfm.org.uk – is fisheries biologist Bill Brazier from County Kerry in southern Ireland.
The radio programme is also put on to Mix Cloud from the following Monday, and heard at any time.
With the Chronicle and Journal angling columns coming to an end soon, “Gone Fishing” is offering clubs, charter boat skippers etc the chance to publicise your freshwater and sea events with a dedicated report every Saturday presented by Rob Thirlwell. Contact me with your details on 0191 518 4561 or email samharris01@aol.com