Carr in driving seat to win Sunderland event

OF the three opens last weekend, Sunderland Sea angling festival had by far the better turnout with 260 seniors and 12 juniors fishing and landing the bigger fish.

Stu Carr, fishing the barrier on Roker pier, took one of 9.5lb, with Trevor Green second with one of 6lb 11oz fishing the Neck End into the bay. Jonathon Dowling fished Marsden Cliffs for third place with one of 6lb 3oz.

Junior angler Christian Lee took fourth place with a cod of 5lb 2oz fishing into the bay from Roker pier.

While others struggled to find the fish on Whitley Beach, Ken West certainly found the right spot in Whitley Bay’s evening open, taking eight fish for 16lb 8oz, well ahead of Mitch Dow in second with four cod for 10lb 12oz taken at Sharpness. Dow also took the heaviest fish at 6lb 8oz and could well have won the match as he lost two bigger fish one right at his feet.

Shaun Brannon, fishing at Dulce Carrs, was third with seven fish for 10lb 7oz, Gary Thompson took the second heaviest fish of 5lb 7oz from the Pipe Skeers, with Steve Potts taking the third of 5lb 2oz from Crab Hill.

In the Cloughton Open the next day a few decent cod were taken.

Rob Quinn won the match with one of 8lb 11oz, with Steve Coverdale from Darlington taking second and third with cod of 6lb 11oz and 6lb 6oz, as well as the heaviest bag with six cod for 26lb 2oz – also taking seventh and eight places with cod of 4lb 8oz and 4lb 3oz.

Seaham’s Steve Dixon was fourth with one of 5lb 8oz and Dave Turnbull of Middlesbrough came fifth with one of 4lb 15oz.

Paul Hardy took the second heavi- est bag with nine for 19lb 8oz, Charlie Crowe taking g the junior section n with 1lb.

But the burning question is where were all the anglers? Eighty y four fished the e Cloughton match h with only 53 in the Whitley y match, with 25 having a good d time, weighing in n 72 fish for 114.6lb. .

Some decent cod are starting g to show from m more marks. Peter McFarland took two of 7lb and one of 8lb from Whitley beach, Chris Hossack one of 6lb 13oz from Marsden and Peter Appleby one of 6lb 6oz from Shields pier, with most venues giving decent bags when the sea is away.

On the odd day when boats got out Jeff Ayre and Les Fenwick took 24 keepers, while six anglers on Sapphire took 40 codling between 3lb and 5.5lb with mussel and squid top bait. Ken West with his winning bag in the Whitley Bay evening open. Inset, Rob Quinn with his winning fish in the Cloughton Open