Nine anglers fished the third Skegness Pier Angling Club League match at North Shore Skegness, on Sunday 19th February with club members fishing for the Derby Miners Cup. Conditions were calm with a moderate back wind and a swell of 2-3ft spread out waves. There were plenty of fish around to make for an interesting match with six species of fish caught including dabs, dogfish, rays (two species) rockling and some large whiting.
The match was pegged around a group of pleasure anglers already fishing which effectively split the match length in two separate halves North and South. Most of the angler had set out for dabs a species which North Shore is known for in February.
The match stretch looking North
Using small hooks and frozen or fresh black lug baits sometimes tipped off with a small square of bluey or mackerel fillet. Rigs where mostly three hook clipped down or loop rigs. Back up baits where bluey, mackerel and sandeel for tipping off and targeting whiting, with slightly larger baits on size 1 or 2 match hooks to tempt a dogfish, or a ray. Finally fresh lug in case a coding were around.
The Top Two
Dan used a three hook clipped down rig with three baited rigs set up and ready to go at all times. These were streamlined to perfection with bulkier baits next to the lead leading to progressively smaller baits further up the rig body to maximise casting distance. His baits where lug and lug tipped with fish. Dan had two crack-offs at the beginning of the match possibly due to pushing the edge of his casting whilst using a different rod to his usual M4GT which made it hard work for him, and he lost fishing time.
Match winner Dan Jackson with a whiting
Meanwhile, Adie was off like a train catching whiting and dabs at the other end of the match stretch and well into the lead. Dan’s nightmare start turned around just on halfway when he landed a good sized spotted ray on sandeel, a switched to sandeel on the top hook next cast gave him another ray, this time a thornback of 77cm and then a third around 2½lb. The double shots of whiting and dabs on the lug baits also continued in the last hour of the match and this rapidly accelerated him up into a leading position.
Dan with his 77cm Thornback ray
Dan won the match with a fantastic mixed species catch of 23 fish for a total length of 747cm. Dan also took longest round fish prize for his biggest thornback.
Adie had brought a selection of perfectly prepared lug baits, blow lug and blacks along to target the dabs however he was picking up whiting in far greater numbers with only seven dabs amongst 22 fish by the last hour of the match. Using the ever reliable Kamasan size 1 hooks he was targeting whiting but with confidence that he would be able to land any bonus ray or dogfish that turned up.
Adie Cooper In second place with a treble shot
Adie was fishing quickly and methodically searching all at casting ranges for the best concentrations of fish however the fishing slowed at his end (the south end) of the match stretch during the last hour, and he was also unfortunate not to pick up dogfish or ray this meant he fell into second place even with 28 fish made up of just whiting and dabs which couldn’t compete with the rays and dogfish to the North end of the match and narrowly missing out on first place by a tiny margin of just 17cm.
The Rest of The Field
Rik fished a fantastic match fishing in an organised and slick style put together a catch of 25 dabs, dogfish and whiting for 683cm, at medium range, to come in third place. Rik really deserved to be rewarded with a prize for his performance but unfortunately third place was not paid out due to the small match turn out.
Rik Jarvis with part of his 683cm catch just missed out on the prize money
Russ Parsons had 25 fish including a small ray for fourth spot. With Mylo and him sharing longest flatfish prize for 26cm dabs. Several dogfish made up the catches along the match stretch but most of them came from the North end with John Spalton, landing four. Roy Munro added a nice 64cm dogfish as well to come in 5th with 414cm. Andrew Brown fishing his first match of the year after initially struggling was helped by John Spalton by being given a couple of rigs which is typical of the friendly attitude in the club after which Andrew caught steadily and finished with 15 fish including a dogfish for an impressive 370cm.
Andrew Brown with a dogfish
Everyone caught plenty of fish in a very enjoyable a sociable match in pleasant conditions. Many thanks to Russ for running the match, to Adie for pegging out before hand and to Chas for the great photography. A big thank you to all those travelling down to fish the match from the Grimsby area and supporting the club.
The next match at Sandilands on Saturday 4th March fishing for the Rowley Cup and the AGM is this Saturday we look forward to seeing you there.
Please note: Rays if the fish is to be considered for fish of the month it needs to either weighed or measured across the wings and measured nose to tail to be eligible. There is a small section on the match card is reserved for this purpose.
