Boat anglers continue to have a good summer season with plenty of smaller cod and ling from the various inshore ground marks, and some bigger specimens of both are now starting to show. Michael Collins was out on fishing partner Graham Bell’s boat Growler out of Amble when he landed a massive ling of 26lb 6oz, breaking his rod in the process. Ian Parkes on the Jenna Lee managed a cod of 20lb as part of a 60 fish catch made by him and two other anglers. The Sarah JFK produced a cod of 20lb for Jimmy Cassidy, a ling of 22lb for Keith Ryder, and the best cod of the day at 24lb for Paul Coverly as part of an 80 fish haul. Generally most anglers fishing any of the inshore marks have averaged a good ten bigger fish each all around the 7lb to 10lb mark with the bigger specimens coming from the inshore wrecks.
Shore sport is also improving with some nice mixed bags reported from the Northumberland rock marks. Ian Hall won a Whitley Bay match at Beadnell with five fish weighing 11lb 10oz, Ken West had the best fish of 3¼lb. South Shields pier and Roker pier continue to produce cod to 3lb during late evening and early morning sessions, and plaice are now well established all along the north east shoreline with settled conditions producing the best sport. The Tyne has fished well when the sea has been too rough to target the plaice in open water; Alan Lenny took 15 plaice to 2lb from the Walkway during a recent session. Both the Tyne and Wear are fishing well for flounders and eels, with increasing numbers of coalfish amongst them. All fish are taking fresh or frozen crab, ragworm, and mackerel baits.
The Eastenders sweepstake on Wednesday saw all 21 anglers fishing the Student Accommodation land fish. Mick Davison won with 10 measuring 294cm while runner-up Lee Burton had 11 for 281cm. Third place went to Jim Dobie with 274 cm and Phil Wright had the longest fish which measured 39cm. The Eastenders heaviest fish sweepstake at the Timber Beach on Saturday was won by Davie Mould with a flounder of 1lb 3oz. Davie McReady finished second with a fish of 1lb 2oz and Davie Williams had one for 1lb 1oz to take third.
The Rutherfords Conoflex two day match last weekend saw 45 anglers fishing. Andy Rutherford won zone A on Saturday with 329cm followed by Nick Westgarth with 327cm. In zone B Jim Dobie triumphed with 634cm, and Paul McIntyre had 459cm. Colin Duke won zone A on Sunday with 351cm ahead of Colin Bell on 227cm. Zone B had a good day with winner Tommy Tate way ahead with 714cm, followed by Robbie Cowan with 413cm. The overall winner was Jim Dobie, and the longest fish was a bass of 42cm taken by Paul McIntyre, in total £2400 was shared by all on the prize list over the two days.
