Anglers are reporting taking some reasonable catches of premature autumn cod, which seem to arrive earlier every year, with reports of nice fresh run specimens to 8lb taken from Roker pier and from rock edge marks. James Sanderson had cod to 8lb from Roker, Sean Hildrew had four smaller cod from Seaham Hall beach, Lee Burton had cod at the Targets. Jim Dobie had several smaller cod from the lower river Wear, and the lower Tyne and South Shields pier has produced cod to 4lb on early morning and late evening tides.
Mackerel have moved back inshore recently now the water has cleared up, and all of the region’s piers have produced plenty of fish taking lures and float fished baits. Middleton pier and the Pilot pier at Hartlepool have produced fish on early morning tides. The piers at Seaham pier and South Shields have also been productive with lots of coalfish and the odd pollack taking lures.
Most anglers fishing the rivers are happy enough to get among the numerous flounders, coalfish, eels and whiting together with bonus cod or plaice. Fresh and frozen crab or ragworm tipped with mackerel strip have all produced plenty of fish.
The Eastenders longest fish evening sweepstake on Wednesday saw all 19 anglers catch fish, landing a total of 80 coalies, 19 flounders and a solitary eel. The longest fish went to John Lovett whose best coalfish measured in at 40cm while Jim Dobie had a flounder of 35cm, and George Davison had one of 31cm. Jim Dobie had the longest total bag with his 13 fish measuring 399cm. The Eastenders Saturday Open, fished at the Timber Beach, saw just eight out of 20 entrants weigh in. Jim Dobie again took top spot with an eel of 1lb 6oz ahead of Barrie Wright with a 14oz. Jim also took third and fourth place with an eel of 13oz and a flounder of 12oz respectively. Yet another Eastenders match on Sunday at the Golden Lion saw Chris Hossack win with two flounders weighing 3lb 3oz preventing Jim Dobie’s hat-trick. Jim finished runner-up on this occasion bringing 11 eels to the scales for 1lb 10oz ahead of Joe Greaves with two flounders for 1lb 6oz.
Ryhope A.C. Organised a trip to the Wear with members of the local Blue Watch Youth Club and found the upper Wear full of small flounders taking ragworm and mackerel baits, 15 year old Declan Burns was the top angler with a total of 19 flounders.
Tynemouth retired members fished Tynemouth pier with 10 out of 18 weighing in and John Pearson won with five mackerel and a coalfish for a total of 6lb 2oz. Ken Robinson in second place had five flounders, one plaice and one coalfish weighing 5½lb ahead of Tony Taylor who weighed in two cod, the best of which made 1lb 10oz, two coalies and a dab for 5lb 6oz.
Hartlepool Pirates A.C. travelled to Kirkudbright last week and found a few fish feeding. Aaron Dixon won with a mixed bag of dogfish, mackerel, gurnard, bullhuss, whiting, pollack, and smoothound for a bag total of 17lb 2oz, all fish were returned alive. Bill Bradley had a similar mixed bag weighing 15lb 1oz, which included the heaviest fish, a smoothound of 7lb 6oz. Darren Dixon finished third with 7lb 9oz ahead of Adam Dendrickson who weighed in 4½lb. The Club’s next match is at Eyemouth on Saturday August 13th and the next meeting is at the Stranton Social Club on Thursday August 25th at 7.30pm. New members are always welcome
Roker pier suffered some damage to its surface and railings during the recent heavy seas and will now be closed until repairs have been carried out.
