Big fish still had surprise in store
Nov 19 2010 The Journal
THERE were still some good bags of cod taken during the latter half of last week as the seas died away and better fish, including double-figure specimens, are now being reported.
Steve “Gus” Booth had cod of 11lb 12oz and 8lb during a midweek session at Horden. The bigger fish spewed out a live octopus around the 1lb mark when landed – seems like these bigger fish will eat anything they can find.
Roker Pier, the Durham beaches, and marks down to Teesbay have seen some outstanding sport with whiting showing in huge numbers on some tides, many specimens topping the 2lb mark.
Steve Sweeney won a Hartlepool OMAC match with a nice 24-fish mixed bag of cod, whiting, and dabs for 19lb, and was followed by Chris Smith with 17 fish for 14lb 14oz.
Ken Robinson won a Tynemouth AC retired members match with eight cod, best 3lb 15oz, two dabs, and a single whiting for 18lb 02oz, followed by Tony Taylor with seven cod, two whiting and one dab for 13lb 14oz and Arthur Smeaton with five cod and one dab for 8lb 15oz.
Conditions were more settled for the last Tynemouth AC Winter League match but did not produce as many fish and Marty Elliott only needed a cod of 4lb 05oz, and a coalfish for a total of 5lb 03oz taken from Castle Rocks, to win ahead of Ken Hill with two cod for 4lb 15o. Peter Smith won a Blyth AC match with two cod for 5lb 06oz, his best 3lb 01oz. Dean Buck, fishing Seaham Pier, had a surprise catch of a superb sole of 3lb 10oz which took his ragworm and mussel bait. Weighed at Rutherfords Angling, it could well be a new North East record.
Sport in the Tyne has slowed down a little with most anglers just picking up a few cod or flounders, but some anglers are still landing smaller double-figure bags, with ragworm baits now reported to be taking a lot of smaller cod.
Paul Richardson won a recent Ryhope match with six cod for 3.47kg from the Walkway. Steve Robson won a Seaton Sluice match with three cod for 4lb 04oz.
The last Tynemouth Sunday League match saw 13 out of 46 weigh in, Brad Hill only needing two cod for 2lb 15oz from the Ice House to win.
The river Wear also has smaller cod present and some nice big winter flounders. Mal Sopp had a specimen flounder of 2lb 01oz in a recent Eastenders match, while another match saw Steve Rackstraw win with six cod for 6lb 09oz from the Glass Centre.
The clean ground beaches north of the Tyne have a good population of winter flounders present in settled conditions. The last Amble AC match saw Andrew Taylor win with 17 flounders for 14lb 09oz. Martin Raine managed a nice cod of 8lb 10oz from Howick, and Norma Urwin had six flounders for 4lb 15oz. A recent Newbiggin AC match saw Bob Ferguson win with two cod for 9lb 14oz, best 8lb 04oz taken from Amble, followed by John Bell with 13 flounders for 9lb 3oz from Druridge. Top junior was Ross Landsbury with four flounders for 2lb 4oz.
SUNDAY: The Seaham Town Council Open fishes from 11am to 4pm between Hendon Groyne (excluded) and Saddleback Rocks at Hawthorne Hive. Basic entry is £8 plus the usual pools and team events. Top three prizes are £350, £250, and £150, plus £25 for disabled, junior, and ladies winners, plus a prize table of £500. Register at Seaham HQ From 9am to 10am. The North Pier will have 100 pegs available, weather permitting.
DECEMBER 4-5: The next big open match is the Sunderland Shore Angling Festival, fishing from noon to 4pm. Basic entry is £10 with top prizes of £500, £300 and £200, and a prize table worth £2000 on each day. Boundaries are from Shields Pier (excluded) to the South side of Ryhope Dene and upriver to the A19 bridge. Headquarters are at the Eastenders pub in High Street East. More details later.
