Over the past few weeks the fish have decided to vanish, but all this has coincided with the arrival of the red weed which may go some way to explaining their absense. In the forty plus years I have been sea angling I have never come across so much red weed. When you are fishing and this weed comes along you finish up getting pounds of the stuff all the way up your line which makes fishing almost impossible.
Unlike the red algae which can bloom in the summer months this weed is not toxic.
The HCA boat match last week against the Boston Pirates turned out to be a real struggle, last year the match raised over £1000 for a local charity with the sale of the cod. This year only twelve cod were caught by all the anglers. Many of the entrants finished fishless despite desperate measures including inshore fishing for flatfish. The competition was a cod only event and the Boston pirates ran out winners with Gordon Jackson managing to find a few cod and finish top individual.
On the shore Humber SAC were in action on the Saturday on the Humber Bank Wall, and like their boat colleagues the anglers struggled to find fish. Top man was Adie Cooper with 13oz followed by George Smith on 7oz and John Gore with 3oz.
The club’s next match is this Sunday and it is a rover match and anglers should meet at the Middle Drain from 07.00hrs with the match starting at 08.00hrs and the scales are closed at 13:00hrs. The match is for the heaviest single fish. It will be interesting to see what is weighed in after the recent disappointing catches.
In mid-week Cleethorpes Angling Centre organised a well attended outing. Dave Burr finished first with eight fish for 162 cms. Runner-up Paul May measured seven fish for 160cm; including the biggest flatfish of the night, a 36cm flounder. Third place went to the ever present and supreme coarse angler Brain Tuck with six fish for 139cm. The biggest round fish was a 22cm coalie caught by Steve McGregor. The next match is on February 2nd fishing times from 18.15 to 21.45hrs.
The first Skegness Pier Angling Club (S.P.A.C) match of the New Year was held from Trunch Lane, Chapel where Club members fished for the Rowley Cup. Unfortunately the cod were again conspicuous by their absence, with top Grimsby match angler Karl Nangle needing just five dabs to top the field with 2lb 9oz. Long distance casting was the key to success for the top men and Friskney’s Mark Holmes ability to cast a 3 hook baited trace over 150 yards gave him second place with three quality dabs weighing 2lb 4oz. Last year’s runaway match points winner Dave Shorthouse made his journey from Kettering worthwhile, taking third place with four dabs for 1lb 12oz. With no round fish caught, Mark Holmes and Dave Shorthouse shared the heaviest round and flatfish prizes, both with cracking dabs weighing 15oz apiece.
The next S.P.A.C match will be held on Saturday 30th January from 4 till 8pm at Sandilands, Sutton-on-Sea, when Club Members will be fishing for the C Smith Cup. There is also an open section, which non-members are welcome to participate in. For further information contact SPAC Secretary Chas Tibble on 07984 967988 or chastibble@hotmail.com
