Shore anglers are enjoying some decent sport at present with plenty of mackerel about from the piers and some nice bags of cod reported from the rock edge marks, beaches and various piers after dark. Cod have moved in very early this year with some anglers reporting excellent bags of up to twenty sizeable fish in bags weights over thirty pounds from the Durham beaches. Similar catches have been reported from Roker and South Shields piers when there was some movement on the sea. Sean Hildrew reports a bag of seventeen cod up to 3¾lb during a recent midweek session from a Durham beach mark. The rock venues around Northumberland have also been on top form with several double figure bags of cod, wrasse, coalfish and pollack reported. The lower Tyne estuary and South Shields pier also have numbers of decent coalies showing and there are still some in size plaice being landed. Night time sessions have also produced some nice, fat early whiting with some specimens topping the 2lb mark. The river Wear seems to be the only under performing venue with just the odd eel or flounder winning recent matches. Phil Wright won a recent Eastenders match with the heaviest eel of 14oz and Willy Rowntree another with an eel of 1lb 2oz.
Ryhope fished the Business Park in the Tyne on Sunday and all twenty-two anglers weighed in. Joe Wilton won zone A with twenty-one fish for 512cm ahead of Alan Marsh with twelve for 347cm. Third placed Stu Bland measured ten at for 327cm including the longest fish with a flounder of 37cm and Bob Bland had twelve for 267cm. In Zone B Bill Bell took top spot with twelve fish measuring 310cm while runner-up Barrie Stowells had eight for 208cm. Third and fourth places went to Alan Burton with eight for 182cm and Mason Burton who landed six for 174cm. John Surtees had the longest fish with a flounder of 37cm.
Dave Hayley won a Tynemouth match at Seahouses with three wrasse for 11lb 1oz; including the second biggest wrasse recorded from the region at an impressive 5lb 6oz. Runner up Steve Harper also reached double figures with two cod and a wrasse weighing 10lb 1oz. The Whitley Bay Summer League match fished at Newton also saw a good weigh in with winner Steve Williams landing four cod for 16lb 14oz; including the heaviest fish at 7lb 6oz. Andy Grief had six weighing 14lb 10oz to finish second ahead of and Adam Johnson who weighed in four fish for 10lb 6oz including a 4½lb pollack.
A recent Seaton Sluice A.C. match fished in the same area also had a good weigh in with winner Micky Bell landing four cod and a wrasse for 16lb 6oz with Mal McKintyre having the best at 6lb 9oz.
Richard Roll managed a short trip out on his boat Stingray during the recent heavy seas taking cod to 5lb, but he was upstaged by his mum Lynda with one of 12lb 5oz.
A charity open match for “Help the Heroes” is being held on Sunday September 19th fishing from 11am till 4 pm between Hendon Promenade and Horden. Basic entry is £10, register from 8am till 10am at Seaham A.C. clubhouse. Top three prizes are £500, £300, and £200.
The 39th Newbiggin open is on Sunday September 26th fishing from 10am till 2pm between Seahouses Breakwater and Tynemouth Pier. Basic entry is £10, juniors £3, register at the Bankhouse Club from 8am till 10am. First prize is £500 plus a prize table of £2000.
