ALL anglers like to try out a new rod and hopefully catch something their first time. Andy Grief of South Shields hadn’t bought a new rod but decided to try out a new pair of chesties.

Instead of going to a local mark, Grief headed to Craster where, after admiring the view and his new chesties for quite a while, he eventually got a bite. And after getting his fish through the thick weed and rocks, he landed a fine cod of 13lb.

There have only been a handful of decent catches – George Brown, who landed a personal best cod of 10lb 12oz from Newton, made one of those.

Newbiggin have had two matches. Gary Baber won one with a nice cod of 9lb 3oz taken from Coffin rocks, Dennis Wade winning the next with two cod 5lb 14oz taken from Dulce Carrs.

Steve Scott, fishing at Boulmer, had the week’s best bag of cod, taking four for 15lb 5oz from Boulmer.

For most anglers fishing the Northumbria Sea League it was a disastrous night with little caught, except for Simon Parks who took two cod of 6lb 4oz 8drams and 6lb 4oz, first and second heaviest fish and a smaller fish for 13lb 11oz.

In the NESA north versus the south of the Tyne, the north side, fishing their home ground, had a resounding win taking 67lb 2oz to 6lb 130z. Nicky Robson took the heaviest bag of two cod for 8lb 5oz from North Crab Hill, Dave Hayley the heaviest fish at 7lb 11oz from the Lobster Pots, also winning Whitley Bay’s match from there with a cod of 4lb. In Seaham’s John Wylie Open, Paul Hossack landed a cod of 4.99lb to win the event.

Lee Douglas took the two top places in Ryhope’s match, a pollock of 915g and a codling of 630g from Roker pier.

There’s plenty of whiting and flounder down at Hartlepool.

Paul Hornsey won Hartlepool WMCSAC’s match with a bag of 16lb 4oz, Paul Blair taking a bag of 13lb 9oz. Gary Pye landed a mixed bag of 9.754kg (21.46lb) in Easington Welfare’s match, John Golightly taking the heaviest at 1.66kg (3.652lb).

However, most match results have been poor. Gary Appleton managed two codling and a coalfish for 6lb 1oz to win Seaton Sluice’s match. Gary Parker took the heaviest fish, a cod of 4lb 12oz from Marsden Beach in Cleadon’s match, won by Billy Lea with eight fish for 6lb 3oz.