Anglers have had to put up with windy conditions over the last few days but those fishing early morning sessions and from the more sheltered piers have reported lots of mackerel showing with some anglers taking bags of over fifty fish on various lures. All of the Hartlepool piers together with the piers at Seaham, Roker and South Shields have seen some productive sessions. The later two piers have also produced some in size coalfish in addition to pollack and small cod on lures. North of the Tyne, Dunstanburgh is a popular mark for lure fishing but can be crowded at times, however there is always the chance of a double figure pollack from this area. Those anglers bait fishing have taken mainly small undersize fish with lots of small coalfish around at the moment, but the odd bigger dab, flounder and plaice are all taking ragworm baits.
Jason Tinham on the Evelyn Jane out of Hartlepool reports a great session fishing a local wreck where Phil Daye landed a cod of 28½lb, the biggest fish so far in the Hartlepool C.S.A. Festival, and Paul Johnson landed a rare but regular catch; a halibut of 19lb 1oz.
The Fraser’s Open Boat match on the Tyne saw forty-three entries in the various classes with thirty-five weighing in. Best fish in the over 20ft class was a cod of 14¼lb taken by Terry Senior on the White Diamond, second place went to Joe Winthorpe with a cod of 11¾lb taken on the Sarah and third was a fine pollack of 10lb 15oz taken by Stan Fee on the White Diamond. The White Diamond had a good day overall taking fifty-eight cod, three ling and one pollack. Fourth place went to Tim Swaddle-Scott with a cod of 10lb 14oz. The under 20ft class was won by Jason Watkin with a cod of 10lb 3oz taken from the Stingray. Second placed Graham Napier weighed in a ling of 7¾lb ahead of Richard Roll with a pollack of 7lb 7oz and Phil Rippon who had a ling of 7lb. Best fish landed from a kayak was a cod of 3¾lb caught by Tim Anslow.
The Sarah JFK fishing out of the Tyne had ling to 17½lb, cod to 15½lb and pollack to 9lb during a recent trip.
The Amble summer shore open is on Sunday July 18th fishing from 12.30pm to 4.30pm between Seahouses South Pier to Lynemouth pipe, all piers and rivers are excluded but disabled anglers may fish from Amble pier. Basic entry is £10; juniors under 16 are free if accompanied by a paying adult. Register at the Amble Angling Centre from 10am to 12.30pm, and weigh in at the Radcliffe club from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. There are prizes for the top two heaviest bags, heaviest fish, and heaviest flatfish, plus a prize table worth £600.
