Some nice summer cod have started to show recently with Roker pier, South Shields pier, the lower Tyne and the Tynemouth and Northumberland rock edges all producing fish to 5lb on early morning tides, fresh crab is the all important bait for these summer fish. Flat calm conditions and clean water have seen the plaice show in numbers again, there are the odd smaller fish from the Hartlepool piers and local beaches where small flounders and dabs dominate, but further north Roker and South Shields piers are again the top venues with specimens to 2lb taking ragworm and crab baits. Mackerel have also started to show from all of the regions piers between Hartlepool and the Tyne, a lot of these early fish are big specimens around the 2lb mark and most will be taking lures with float tackle picking up the occasional fish. With mackerel showing an early morning or late evening start is essential for those wanting to bait fish from what will soon be crowded piers.
A lot of anglers continue to travel over to the Cumbrian Solway shoreline for the huge numbers of summer flounders that are present, some anglers report up to 40 fish per session with the odd dogfish and bass amongst them. Thornback rays seem to have thinned out a little but specimens up to 10lb are still being landed from Silloth promenade and from many of the more obscure marks all along the shoreline Westwards to the Mull of Galloway.
A recent Tynemouth match saw some codling weighed in with nine out of the 11 members landing cod. Callan Stevens fished the Warriors to land five cod for a weight of 11lb 7oz, Paul Forster had four cod, including the heaviest of 3lb 14oz, a wrasse and a pouting totalling 8lb 15oz from Hartley, and Chris Robson had three cod and a pouting for 6lb 15oz at Collywell Bay. Dave Hayley had the second heaviest fish of 3lb 11oz. A Blyth match also produced good numbers of cod. Lee Rutherford had one of 5½lb plus a dogfish for an 8lb 1oz total taken at Beadnell to win ahead of Peter Smith with three weighing 6lb 6oz from Newton. Third placed Keith Smith had four totalling 6lb 6oz also from Newton.
A recent S.B.R.A.A.C. match in the Tyne saw plenty of flounders showing, Iain Galbraith had 12 for a total length of 339cm, Gary Wilson had 11 for 297cm, and Kev Moffat had 10 measuring 249cm. Sport in the Wear has dropped off a little, and lots of small under sized cod have invaded the river. Those anglers fishing catch and release have found that worm baits are taking most fish, with the rare bigger ones looking for fresh crab bait.
The Bedlington Station Summer Open is on June 29th with fishing from 10am until 2pm between Tynemouth pier to Seahouses South pier. The river Wansbeck, the Coquet, and Seaton Sluice harbour are excluded. Entry is £10 all inclusive, first prize for the heaviest bag is £250 with £100 for the heaviest roundfish, and £50 for the heaviest flatfish, plus a supporting prize table and raffle prizes. Register at the General Havelock, East Sleekburn from 8am until 9am. Note that as per legislation edible crab and cart bait is banned. Contact Steve 07888674873 for details.
