Sizeable fish are few and far between from all areas but there are plenty of smaller specimens to keep light tackle anglers happy. Small flatties, coalfish, whiting, and the odd bass are showing from most of the local Durham and Teesbay beaches with some bigger flounders and the odd plaice amongst them. Ragworm has picked up most fish, distance casting has produced the better plaice, and the scarce turbot has been reported on mackerel baits.
The first of the summer mackerel moved inshore over the weekend, slightly late this year but welcome nonetheless. A few were taken on South Shields pier over the weekend, Seaham pier has reportedly produced the odd fish, and boats just off Roker pier have taken up to 20 mackerel each on lures.
The river Wear has flounders present upriver of the Queen Alexandra Bridge but few fish of any size in the lower river. The reputation of the Wear as a flounder mecca has probably now been destroyed, as the Tyne once again is the place to be, with good numbers showing from the upriver marks, and small cod and coalfish from the lower river. Crab has taken most fish but some flounders will still take ragworm and mackerel baits.
North of the Tyne, the river Aln also has flounders showing where a recent Seaton Sluice match saw Barry Tweddle win with 8 flounders for 256cm, Nigel Gemmel had 9 for 217cm, and both tied for the longest fish with a flounder of 38cm.
Summer cod and wrasse are starting to show in the kelp beds around the Beadnell and Seahouses area. The last Tynemouth travel match saw 3 out of 17 weigh in at Seahouses. Steve Harper had 2 cod for 3lb 6oz. Marty Elliott had a nice wrasse of 3lb 1oz, and Paul Wright had a cod of 2lb 6lb.
Last week’s Ryhope sweepstake fished at Panns Bank in the Wear only saw 2 rockling weighed in, Dave Mould had one of 9oz, and Walter Yardley had the other at 5oz. Tuesdays Ryhope sweepstake saw a few better flounders weighed in at the Business Park in the Wear. Paul Richardson had one of 1lb 6oz, John Lovett had one of 1lb 3oz, and Barry Stowells had one of 1lb 2lb.
The Eastenders sweepstake the following evening, also at the Wear Business Park, had much better results with 14 out of 20 weighing in flounders. Kris Kerrs won zone A with 4 for 104cm, and Alan Burton had 3 for 84cm, best 42cm at 2lb. Jim Dobie won zone B with 2 for 61cm, followed by Mick Sopp with one for 31cm.
Thursday saw 8 out of 10 weigh in at the Timber Beach in the East End and Hendon sweepstake. Steve Rackstraw won with 2 flounders for 72cm, best 39cm, Jim Dobie had 2 for 66cm, and Jimmy Gardner had 1 for 36cm.
The Eastenders Saturday open fished at the Glass Centre in the Wear saw all 20 anglers blank.
Seaham juniors fished Saturday when only Harry Richardson weighed in with a single flounder of 0.25lb.
Seaham seniors fished Sunday with only 1 out of 38 weighing in, A. Morrow having a plaice of 0.97lb.
Ryhope A.C. fished the Tyne on Sunday and had more fish than all of the previous weeks matches put together with all 29 members weighing in. Zone A saw Joe Wilton win with 11 flounders for 343cm, Paul Richardson had 10 for 274cm, Gary Warwick jnr. had 129cm ahead of dad Gary with 4 for 118cm. Ken Haley and Jordan Lowes tied for the longest fish, each with a flounder of 36cm. In zone B John Wilson had 7 flounders for 240cm, Lee Brown had 6 for 170cm, Keith Carter had 6 for 150cm, and John Lovett had 5 for 146cm. The longest fish in this zone was a fine specimen flounder of 43cm taken by Billy Bell. Top juniors were Jordan Lowes with
68cm, Michael Allison had 39cm, and Lauren Haley had 21cm.
South of the Tees a recent St. Mary’s match saw 3 out of 14 weigh in at Sandsend beach with lots of small flounders reported. Dale Miller managed an in size one of 10oz, Alec Gates had one of 9oz, and Phil Smith had one of 5oz. The last rover match saw Dale Miller win with 2 flounders and 1 rockling for 1lb 13oz, Andy Burton had 5 dabs and 1 rockling for 1lb 12oz, and Russ Miller had 2 flounders for
1lb 11oz, best 15oz.
Boat anglers are struggling to find any numbers of cod with ling generally the main species. The Mistress and Sarah JFK out of the Tyne have had up to 30 fish per trip including a few pollack to 8lb. Boats out of the Wear and Seaham have struggled. Paul Whitton and Fred Latham fished out of Hartlepool and had 10 cod to 7lb, whilst Trevor Green and Sean Smith fishing on About Time 2, also out of Hartlepool, had 12 cod between 3lb and 6lb on baited lures.
Sunday June 7th sees a junior, (under 16 years),open match organised by the Marine Angling Trust (N.E. division). Fishing is from both banks of the Tyne from 10am till 2pm. Basic entry is £3, register at the Ouseburn Regeneration Centre, Newcastle Quayside from 8.30am. Further details from Sam Harris 0191-5184561
Sunday June 14th sees the first match in the Whitley Bay Summer League fishing form 12 noon till 4pm. Meet at Pattersons Garage Beadnell. Entry is £10 for all 7 matches. Contact Mick 07739-585464
Hartlepool O.M.A.C. have a meeting in the Pink Domino at 7pm on Saturday June 6th to pick a venue for their travel match.
