More cod are starting to show now from some local low water marks. As always at this time Hartlepool promenade at high water has turned out odd better fish on fresh crab baits. Some late evening tides provided bags of four or five cod from the bandstand and twin steps – one angler reported loosing a double figure specimen. But only the odd coalfish and loose weed on other tides at times.
All of the regions piers and Durham beaches overwhelmed with whiting on most tides. Many fish are undersize but there are the odd 1lb fish among them, with some decent dabs and the odd better bass and flounder. Steetley Pier has fished well at times with worm baits tipped with squid or mackerel taking taking most fish. Hartlepool Pilot Pier at fished well on Saturday with a good South Easterly producing the whiting.
There are still a few mackerel showing South of the Tees. The second Redcar and Navy Club h.s.f. winter match saw 4 out of 16 weighing in. Dave Allinson had a mackerel for 1 – 05lb, Steve McLoughlin had a whiting of 0 – 11lb, and Andy Bunn had a whiting of 0 – 10lb.
Hartlepool O.M.A.C. fished their first winter match on Saturday night with 8 out of 16 weighing in 44 fish, mainly whiting and dabs. Billy Hall Jnr. won with 9 fish for 5 – 04lb, and Mick Robinson was runner up with 8 fish for 5 – 03lb. The club have a meeting in the Pink Domino on Saturday September 27th at 7pm.
The rivers are still a good bet with the Wear producing flounders, eels, whiting, coalfish, and cod. The Tyne has good numbers of flounders and eels from the up-river marks with coalfish and cod in the lower river.
Eastenders fished a match last Wednesday at Panns Bank with 16 out of 18 landing 34 fish. Top rod was Steve Rackstraw with 4 for 92cm, Ernie Hunter had 2 for 58cm, Leo Fenech had 2 for 57cm, and Chris Hossack had 2 for 51cm.
The Eastenders Open at the Glass Centre on Saturday saw all 20 anglers take fish despite the flood water in the river. There was a tie for first place with Ernie Hunter having 3 flounders, 1 codling, and 1 whiting for 133cm, and Steve Rackstraw having 4 fish for 133cm. Dave McReady was third with 3 for 85cm, and Leo Fenech had 3 for 78cm. The longest fish was a flounder of 38cm taken by Steve Rackstraw.
Sunderland S.A.A. had a match on Sunday with 11 out of 20 anglers landing 6 codling, 3 flounders, and 2 eels. Marsden produced a few early cod again, where Steve Elliott took one of 3 – 15lb to win ahead of Joe Archer with a single codling of 1 – 09lb. Ritchie Carr fished S.Shields pier to land a codling of 1 – 07lb for third place.
The East End and Hendon h.s.f. sweepstake saw most of the fish come from the Tyne Walkway. Barrie Robson had the top two fish with codling of 1 – 08lb and 1 – 04lb, and Andy Rutherford had the next two with codling of 1 – 02lb and 1 – 01lb.
The Ryhope club match on Sunday saw 34 fishing at the Copthorne Hotel. Zone A was won by John Lovett with 8 fish for 232cm, Paul Richardson had 6 fish for 226cm, John Bryan had 6 fish for 197cm, and John Topliffe had 6 fish for 192cm. Joe Lemon had the longest fish with a flounder of 41cm. In zone B, John Surtees had 9 fish for 271cm, Bob Surtess had 6 fish for 198cm, and there was a tie for third place with Paul Craig and Joe Wilton each with 5 fish for 156cm. Kevin Waters had the longest fish with a flounder of 41cm, and top junior was Adam Harriman with 5 fish for 138cm.
The next Ryhope Tuesday evening sweepstake will be the first in the winter series fished on Tuesday September 23rd. Register at the Village Tavern from 6pm till 6.30pm. Tel: Bob on 0191-5237272 for details.
Cod are starting to show in slightly better numbers North of the Tyne but most anglers have struggled to find any numbers. The last Northumbria Police match fished at Craster saw only Peter Morgan weigh in with 2 cod worth 40 points.
Tynemouth A.C. had an excellent weigh in on Sunday with 17 out of 28 weighing in. Marty Elloitt had 4 cod and 2 eels for 10 – 11lb from Crawleys, Dave Hayley had 8 whiting, 2 cod, 2 dabs, 1 eel, and 1 coalfish for 8 – 14lb, Richy Muir had 14 whiting and 2 dabs for 8 – 08lb, and the h.s.f. went to Brad Hill with a nice cod of 5 – 10lb. This result gives Marty Elliott the Summer League trophy with 52 – 09lb, Dave Hayley was runner up with 40 – 12lb, Steve Harper had 32- 12lb, and Doug Spivey had 31 – 08lb.
