Mackerel is the order of the day for daylight anglers
MACKEREL have provided good sport for anglers on South Shields Pier this week.
Daylight lures have accounted for the best bags of these fish, with anglers taking bags of up to 60 a session.
Anglers looking for sport catching mackerel one at a time, have reported that spinners have also worked well.
The pier has been busy whilst Roker Pier is out of use and has seen lots of small coalfish, which have taken lures along with large launce sandeel, taken from the small wall at the end of the pier.
Bait anglers have seen dabs and plaice taking ragworm and crab baits.
The codling seem to have disappeared with only the odd one being taken up to 2lb. Let’s hope they are back soon.
The Old North Pier has been producing bags of up to 20 mackerel, even though it’s early in the year for these fish to show in the mouth of the river.
The River Tyne has produced good bags of flounders, although a lot are on the small side.
The British Airways car park is certainly worth a look, using crab and ragworm tipped with mackerel for bait.
Further down river, Hebburn Marina has given up lots of small codling, but there have been some good sized ones in with them, with the best going to 3lb.
The Wear is still seeing flounders and small coalfish.
The flounders have come from all marks in the river using crab and mackerel tip.
Seaham North Pier hasn’t fished too well for mackerel with the northerly swell putting them off.
It has however given up flounders and codling.
During the hours of darkness there have been whiting and some good sized dogfish taken using fish baits.
Boats fishing out of the Tyne have had some great sport with good numbers of codling between 4lb to 6lb, and some going to 10lb.
Ling have also started to show with the best up to 12lb.
Private boats fishing out of Sunderland have also found good numbers of fish, with Richy Carr taking 28 codling from his boat Iris Rose.
Local charter boat The Sapphire had a four hour trip on Saturday with ten anglers who were on a stag do.
Of the ten on board – five were seasick, but they still took Pollock to 3lb, codling to 2 ½ lb as well as coalfish and whiting – all of which were returned to the water.
Some anglers chose the England game over last Tuesday night’s Ryhope Sweepstake as only 15 fished.
There were only three who weighed in four flounders. Chris Hossack took first with 1lb 2oz half and fourth with 9oz.
John Robson was runner up with 1lb ½ oz, narrowly beating Davey McCready into third place with 1lb.
Wednesday’s Fisherman’s Locker competition took place on South Shields Pier.
It was hard going trying to squeeze in amongst the mackerel anglers.
Joe Gibson triumphed taking the heaviest single fish – a 1lb 1oz coalfish.
Gibson also had the heaviest bag with the coalfish and two dabs for 1lb 14 ½ oz.
The second heaviest fish was Stu Carr’s 1lb codling, followed in third by Steve Rackstraw’s 12 ½ oz whiting.
The Blenny Hill Open fished at the White Wall in the Wear saw Paul Edwards take the first prize with eight fish for 203cm.
Second was Mick Davison with four fish for 116cm ( including the longest fish, a 32cm flounder). Third was Davie Wood with three fish for 76cm.
Little Derek’s Flattie Fanatics competition at Claxheugh saw Mark Igo take first with a 33cm flounder.
There was a tie for second place between David Frost and Chirss Hossack, both with a 32cm flounder.
The junior winner with a 30cm flounder was Leah Frost.
Sunderland SAC had 13 fishing at the weekend, with six weighing in six flounders.
Top rod was Stevie Conlin with a flounder of 1lb 3oz followed by joint runners- up, seven- year- old Kai Robinson and Paul Robinson with 15oz.
The Bedlington Station Summer Open on Sunday saw 80 anglers taking part.
The heaviest bag went to W. Foster with four fish for 10lb 15 ½ oz.
Second was C. Stevens with two fish for 8lb 7oz and third was S. Atkinson with two fish for 7lb 14oz.
The heaviest single fish was Steven’s 6lb 4oz codling and the heaviest flat fish title went to J. Dobie with 1lb 1oz.
The Rutherford’s Cono- flex twoday open was fished in the River Tyne over the weekend.
Day one winner of Zone 1, was Paul McIntyre with 14 fish for 341c. Second was Robbie Cowin with 14 fish for 305cm.
Winner of Zone 2, was Alan Burtton with 12 fish for 325cm. Second place went to Steve Potts with 13 fish for 317cm.
On day two, Zone 1 was won by Garrie Foster with 16 fish for 350cm, followed by Mike Cross with 15 fish for 326cm.
Zone 2 winner was Robbie Cowin with 24 fish for 530cm, whilst Gareth Gardiner took second place with 16 fish for 380cm.
Overall winner was Robbie Cowin who travelled back to the Isle of Man £ 450 richer and with a brand new Cono- flex rod.
Overall runner- up was Gareth Gardiner, followed by Steve Potts and then Paul McIntyre.
This Sunday, the Rutherford’s Cono- flex sweepstake takes place at the Copthorne Hotel, on the Tyne ( 7.30- 10.30pm).
Entry is £ 10 with 100 per cent payout. Registration is at the venue.
This is a measure and release competition with 18cm size limit.
Tuesday’s Ryhope SAC’s sweepstake is at Claxheugh Rock ( 7- 10pm).
Wednesday’s Fisherman’s Locker competition will take place at the Glass Centre ( 7- 10pm).
Entry is £ 10 with 100 per cent payout. Registration is at the venue.
0191 5654183 rutherangling@ btinternet. com
@ Tackledealer