Ideal conditions lead to good sport for all

WITH a sea running and the tides ideal for evening fishing, there have been plenty of fish in the 2-5lb bracket, with bags in excess of 20lb coming from all marks from Craster to Whitby both for match and pleasure anglers.

I would suspect that catches will continue over the weekend with the given forecast.

The best areas have been Amble, Newbiggin, Cresswell, Cambois rock marks, and Hadston, Whitley Bay, Lynemouth, Tynemouth, Blyth and Seaton Sluice beaches.

Anthony Eke took nine cod for just under 20lb from Cambois, Gary Hays nine fish for 14lb from Lynemouth.

South of the Tyne, along with the codling coming mainly from Whitburn, Ryhope, Hendon and Marsden big bags of up to 30 whiting a session have been taken, coming mainly from the piers and the South Gare when they are accessible, with fish baits the best bait.

Along with the whiting, Roker pier has given up flounder and dabs, with the odd plaice and bass taken.

The Tyne had fished well for the odd codling to 3lb, but most are around 1lb 8oz.

As with the shore fishing, boat fishing has been the same when the boats can get out. Damo Townsend is in the lead in the Whitby Uptide festival with a cod of 9lb 15½oz, one of the few odd decent fish taken.

Most of the cod are in the 2-3lb range, but there are plenty of them to keep anglers busy and warm. Leading the way in the heaviest bag of cod competition is Robert Gillings of Mid- Kelly Gillings of Middlesbrough, current leader in the junior section of the Whitby Uptide festival; centre, Matty Robson winner of the junior section in the Frank Oldham memorial match and right, Damo Townsend of Whitby, leader in the Whitby Uptide festival dlesbrough with 18 cod for 50lb 11oz. Other bags taken aboard Mistress were 17 for 40lb 9oz and 16 for 38lb 7oz.

In the species section, Perry Franklin of Whitby is in the lead with a pollock of 4lb 3½oz, and in the junior section Kelly Gillings is in the lead with one of the better cod at 5lb 3oz. Unfortunately with the rough seas I suspect very few of the competing boats, or in fact any boats, will be out for a while.

One of Andy Rutherford’s oldest customers Tony Grocott, who has just turned 91, should be an inspiration to all of us. Tony walks the length of Roker pier every week to go fishing. Happy birthday, Tony!