TWO monster cod have been taken – the biggest by Ed Harvey after an epic battle on Tynemouth pier in Tynemouth’s Christmas competition.

After anxious moments which saw Arthur Smeaton going down the pier steps and grabbing the fish, he landed a grateful Harvey’s personal-best cod – the third biggest in club pier matches and the season’s best so far at 19lb 1oz.

The next big catch was taken by Andrew Harding.

He met friend Paul Turnbull on his doorstep after a session at St Mary’s, when Turnbull returned from work, and held a monster cod which easily beat the 8lb cod his mate hoped would win him their friendly annual competition.

Turnbull weighed the fish for an excited Harding, whoseprevious best was 12lb.

This fish crashed the scales at 18lb.

Mitchell Dow, float fishing with a spinning rod and with glow sticks attached to his float and his bait lipped on a 2/o hook on a five-foot trace, took five cod, the best of 3lb 3oz, and a coalfish from Whitley Pipe.

Al Thain, fishing at Newton, took a personal best of cod of 12lb 4oz.

He then bettered it with one of 13lb 2oz, with another three codling a personal-best bag of 36lb.

Chris Kell took the biggest cod in Blyth AC for nine years in their Christmas competition, a fine cod of 12lb 4oz 8drams in a bag of 13-5-8 taken from Sugar Sands.

Darren Shields took ten fish for 23lb 8oz in Bedlington Station’s Xmas Fayre, Mark Bailey taking the best at 7lb 13½ oz. Bboth fished Amble.

Phil Skinner took a cod of 9lb 6oz from Bog Hall in a four-fish winning bag of 14lb 3oz in The Whitley Bay Evening Open.

Pleasure anglers have had good catches.

Sean Hilldrew had two sessions on Seaham pier, taking four cod – the best 8lb 3oz on the first visit.

The next produced cod of 5lb 11oz, 5lb 7oz and 5lb 2oz in five casts.

Paul Stephenson landed a personal best of 8lb 10oz from Blyth, 15-year-old Arran Stead a cod of 7lb 8oz from Roker pier and Chris Scott a cod of 8lb 2oz from Brigade Hut, South Shields pier.

Whiting have shown in some matches.

Colin Dawson won Amble’s match with 20 for 13lb 8½ oz from Druridge, while Tony Anderson had 17 and a codling for 14-14-0 in Tynemouth’s retired match.

Chris Stobbart took a cod of 8lb 6.6oz from the Beacons.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

New Year’s Eve: Measure and release sweepstake, Claxheugh (2pm-6pm). Entry is £10. Details from Ken McCoy on 07989 811941.