The latest Skegness league match was fished at North shore road on Saturday 9th of December with ten anglers competing for the Bev Faithfull Memorial Shield. The small tide on Saturday afternoon kept fish numbers down on the shallow beach in the day, but the strong offshore breeze, light swell and minimal weed made for comfortable fishing conditions. The main species caught where whiting with a smattering of dabs and rockling.
Comfortable fishing conditions today with a small swell and little tide
The flood fished slowly during daylight but as soon as it got dark the fish moved closer in and began feeding. However the southern half of the match stretch did seem to hold more fish with the first, second and third places coming from this area even if it was barely ten yards difference between the bays.
Kev Martin with part of his 25 fish catch for 637cm and third place
In third place was Kev Martin who had adapted his rigs and approach to target smaller fish than he did in his previous two matches with the club. He used a neat, clipped up rig with small size 2 Kamasan hooks on light snoods and small lug/fish baits fished at around 120yards. Initially he had set up with a fixed grip lead expecting tide and weed to pull his gear round but a switch to a breakaway lead during the match as he felt this was losing him fish. He increased his catch rate, landing double and triple shots of whiting and dabs rather than single fish, the fixed grips had been digging in and bouncing along the bottom bumping off lightly hooked fish earlier in the match. Kev finished with twenty five whiting and dabs for 637cm.
Ian Nelson was second with 29 fish at 798cm in another close fought match
First and second places were decided between Ian Nelson and Adie Cooper, fishing in neighbouring pegs they were matching each other fish for fish most of the match with just 10cm separating them. Both fishing standard three hook clipped down loop rigs cast as far as possible and left to fish for ten minutes between casts. Tactical bait choices were made throughout the match with both anglers trying baits to encourage the whiting and discourage the dabs which are shorter total length. In the last half hour, Adie started picking up more whiting on mackerel, which had not really worked in the match and up to that point he’d been using sandeels.
Some decent sized whiting were caught today to 37cm
Ian went the other way and had stopped tipping off with mackerel but used straight frozen lug and squid which he felt seemed to be attract the bigger whiting. This bait switch in the last few casts gave Adie treble shots compared to Ian’s double shots and gave him the win with 31 fish 871cm, pushing Ian with 29 fish and 798cm into second place. Adie also picked up the longest flat with a 28cm dab and Ian the longest round with a 37cm whiting.
Tracey fished well finishing in sixth place today with 13 fish
The rest of the anglers all caught fish with Paul Denholm in fourth place, Russ Parsons in fifth, Tracey Cooper- Adams in sixth and Tony Dunk in Seventh who was catching either side of a bank fairly close in on black lug and ragworm. We would like to welcome Paul Dixon who fished his first match with the club and finished in 8th place, great talking with you and hopefully we will see you at more matches.
Tony Dunk caught very well from a sand bar on the ebb after a slow start to the match
Many thanks to Adie for pegging out, to Russ for running the match and to Chas for the great pictures and all the work running the club which goes on behind the scenes.
Adie Cooper receiving the Bev Faithfull memorial Shield presented by Steve Herrick from Big Catch Tackle
Our next match is the Christmas Fayre fishing at Jackson’s Corner on the 23rd of December where Sue and Chas Tibble provide a delicious buffet for the club and a raffle after the match in the Lookout Pub, everyone is welcome to join us, and we are all looking forward to seeing you there.
