Shore sport has settled down given relatively calm conditions. Predictably the is pattern small whiting and flatties during daylight hours, then a few bigger specimens and more fish after dark. Steetly Pier at Hartlepool continues to produce a few better mixed bags to worm baits. The Durham beaches have been poor in daylight, with whiting showing after dark. Roker Pier and Hendon Wall proving consistent venues for whiting, cod, and flounders. Rock edges between Roker and South Shields have produced odd bigger cod to 6lb on crab baits, and South Shields Pier has seen whiting, coalfish, flounders, dabs, and odd smaller cod. The Wear giving size flounders, with odd better whiting, coalfish, and cod coming from the lower river at the Fish Quay, and Rathouse Corner where Steve Maw bagged a fine cod of 8 – 06lb during a recent mid week session. The Tyne is consistent for good mixed bags of smaller cod, whiting, coalfish, and flounders, with fish taking both crab and worm baits.
Shore: Autumn cod fishing is improving all the time to the north of the Tyne. Andrew Stanton won the first Alnwick A.C. winter match with 2 cod for 14lb taken from the Chair at Amble. A recent Newbiggin match produced good numbers of cod with Colin Errington taking the best bag with 3 cod for 12 – 11lb, best of 4 – 10lb from Bog hall Rocks.
Decent bass are now appearing on the clean ground beaches, Colin Dawson taking a bass, 2 flounders, and 2 whiting to win an Amble match for 5 – 05lb. Pleasure anglers also finding good fish: Gordon Grear had a productive session at Sandy Bay taking 9 cod and 2 coalfish, with the biggest coalfish going 46cm. Barry Tweddle fishing Whitley Bay Beach took four cod for 6 – 07lb. Lyne Burn has also seen good numbers of small codling along with a few bigger fish to 5lb.
Last Tuesdays Ryhope Sweepstake saw all 48 anglers weigh in with cod showing from all areas. First place went to Andy Little with a fine cod of 9 – 04lb taken from Marsden; John Portios had a cod of 3 – 02lb from the Targets; Mick Davison had a cod of 2 – 08lb from Ryhope Dene; and Darren Welsh had a bass of 2 – 06lb.
The Eastenders h.s.f. sweepstake on Wednesday saw 9 out of 15 weighing in 11 fish. Chris Hossack had 2 cod of 4 – 11lb and 2 – 06lb from Roker to take first and third place. Second place went to Ross Carr with a cod of 3 – 15lb. The East End and Hendon sweepstake the following night again saw some good cod landed. Andy Rutherford fished Seaburn promenade to land a cod of 5 – 00lb; Tommy Tate had a cod of 3 – 02lb; and Barrie Robson had one of 2 – 08lb.
The Eastenders Saturday Open at the Glass Centre in the Wear saw all 25 fishing weigh in excess of 150 fish… mainly whiting. Paul Lobley won with 11 fish for 338cm; Steve Williams had 10 for 330cm; Dave Allinson had 10 for 329cm; and Colin Bell had 10 for 328cm.
The East End and Hendon club match on Sunday saw most fish coming from Roker Pier. Gareth Gardner had a mixed bag for 6 – 02lb, which included the h.s.flatfish of 1 – 12lb. Jim Brydon was second with 4lb including the h.s.roundfish with a cod of 1lb, while Geoff Moon had 2 whiting for 1 – 08lb.
Cleadon A.C. had another good weigh in last week with the lower Tyne producing most of the fish at night. 15 out of 34 weighed in cod, whiting, flounders, and eels. John Taylor had 6 cod from the Tyne for 8 – 07lb; Terry Wood had 6 flounders from the Tyne for 6 – 03lb; Billy Lea had a single cod and h.s.f. for 5 – 07lb from Jackies Beach; and Steve Bruce had a single cod of 4 – 12lb from Frenchman’s Bay.
Boats: The recent high winds saw most of the Whitby Charter skippers autumn festival cancelled. On one of the days when fishing was possible Johnathan Powell took a ling of 23lb 6oz from “Trot on” to take the £1,000 first prize.
Coming up: The 5th Northumbrian Bedlington Station Open is on Sunday October 19th fishing from 10.30am till 2.30pm between Tynemouth Pier and Pattersons Garage, Beadnell. All rivers and piers are out of bounds except Blyth Pier which can be fished both sides. Basic entry is £12 seniors and £5 juniors plus various pools and team events. Register from 8.30am till 9.30am at the Bank House Club Newbiggin. The top prizes are £1000 and £350 for the heaviest bags, £500 for the h.s.f., and special prizes for 10th and 20th places, plus the usual full supporting prize table. Contact Steven Surtees 07868660710 or Brian Hurrell 0753569951.
Sign up: There is a petition on the Downing Street website trying to get the UKHO to release their tidal data for free… which it used to be. If you want next year’s tide tables now they will cost you £100, please sign the petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Tidal-Data/
