Spratt bags a a roach catch

Apr 25 2008 The Journal

ANGLING has continued to be productive throughout the region’s stillwaters now that the weather has stabilised.

Whittle Dene continues in grand form, with the aptly named G Spratt taking a great catch of roach weighing 16lb, and the first skimmers of the season were reported this week from the Lower Reservoir.

On The Angel complex, catches of note this week have included an 8lb male tench, some extremely good rudd and roach to 2lb, and bream up to 7lb.

Steve Shilling had a good three-hour session on the island peg, taking 25 carp and two tench on pole and pellet, while Paul and Eddie Burton from Peterlee had a good but very wet session on Wednesday, catching carp, tench, ide, roach and rudd plus an excellent golden orfe of 2lb-plus, all to maggot.

On Bowes Lake, Dave Hodgson had 10 common carp for 44lb, while Jimmy Hagan had a good day on Sunday with 21 carp to 5lb using worm tails as the hook bait. Paul O’Donnell won Sunday’s Big Waters AC match on Whittle Dene with 16lb from peg seven, ahead of Malcolm Gardener with 14lb 14oz in second and Nigel Ripely with 12lb 4oz in third.

Had Steve Woods, who started an hour later, been allowed to fish it, however, he would have won as he recorded 140 roach from peg five for 17lb on a day when 100lb of roach was caught between the contestants, and even last placed Alan Stevens weighed in with 1lb 9oz.

Sunday’s Open on Bowes was fished after heavy rain throughout the night and was won by Dave Hodgson with 17lb 13oz. The match on Lookout Lake fared better and junior Liam Shilling won with a creditable 30lb 7oz from peg 26.

More of the River Tyne is to be available to everyday anglers now that the Tyne Rivers Trust have announced the birth of the Tyne Angling Passport System.

A brochure is now available describing the fishing on offer over 14 beats, covering 40km of water, and this can be viewed from www.tyneriverstrust.org

The scheme works by allowing anglers to buy tickets either online or by calling on (01434) 611817. They then select where they want to fish from the guide and put the correct number of tickets into the beat box.

The Tyne Anglers Alliance, who donated £2,000 to the scheme, welcomed the move but expressed great disappointment no coarse fishing was on offer, barring grayling fishing on the Derwent.

DIARY DATES

SATURDAY: Wansbeck and Cramlington AC host a King Carp match on the QE2. There is also an Open on The Angel, as well as a junior ‘teach-in’.

SUNDAY: An Open match is on Whittle Dene, organised by Scott Lister and Peter Hamilton (0191 268 7458 or (07817 630869 to book), while Middlesbrough AC fish a club match on Tollerton Ponds. Wansbeck and Cramlington AC hold a club trip to Poppleton near Boroughbridge. Washington and Harraton Angling Club contest their Hunt Cup on Meadow Lake at Eden Meadows, while there are also stillwater Opens on The Oaks, Woodlands, The Angel, Carp Vale and Raker Lakes. Aycliffe AC kick off their match calendar with an Open on Aycliffe Pond.

TUESDAY: SENPAC hold a monthly meeting in the Holystone pub, as does Blyth Freshwater AC at Blyth Rugby Club, Plessey Road, and a King of Whins match is on Whins Pond.

WEDNESDAY: There’s midweek Open matches on Woodlands and The Angel, while Big Waters AC hold a club meeting in Newcastle CIU Companions Club

THURSDAY: An Open match on The Oaks at Sessay and Lakeside AC hold a club match on Lake No 1.

FRIDAY: Aycliffe AC host their first club match in their Friday Evening Series on Aycliffe Pond.