12 June 2001
REPORT FOR THE HUMBER TO THE THAMES
In the last few weeks the Thames has been plagued with jellyfish,but over the weekend even more turned up causing problems fortrawlers and anglers alike. The bad weather also put paid to most ofthe boat trips with few good fish found. However when the weathersettles the fishing will still be good. The Southend boats struggledup river for some good sized whiting, but almost everywhere you fishthere are loads of small bass between 6-12″.
The beaches are also fishing very poorly for flounders and eelsbut there seems to be lots of the same sized bass. The pier has alsoslowed down but this could also be attributed to the jellyfish.
The fishing gets better towards the Dartford bridge with a 8lb 8ozbass from the cow patch, a 6lb 8oz bass from Grays Wharf, with eelsand flounders from most marks up this end of the river. Let Barryknow the latest on 01375 676739.
The river Crouch is fishing from the shore for bass and in calmerweather the marina area must be worth a try for some mullet, as isany marina marks through out my region. From the boats roker to 11lb8oz, bass to 4lb 8oz and smoothounds to 7lb can be found within halfan hours sailing time from the Essex Marina. Again the riverBlackwater suffered with the weather and boats stayed close to homeand found heaps of small just undersized bass with about 1 in 15sizeable plus some eels, flounders and pouting. To spin and to fishlight for these sporting fish phone John Rawle on 01621 776445.
Dave Weaving’s Jenna-d was into the fish again with one trip of 6anglers form St Neots landing a 12lb stingray and 15-year-old AaronHurwood taking the best fish at 24lb. Another trip took even betterresults with the party taking 30 bass to the best by Liam Edwards at9lb and 6 cod to 8lb plus smoothounds, small tope and doggies. Formore news email Dave on dave@dweaving.freeserve.co.uk
Richard has more news with a report of a 100lb plus stingraytrawled up from out of Walton, a 40-50lb fish lost from Walton pier,Steve Markham Lee’ s catch of bass as above in your catch, a 7lb 8ozfish from Wrabness and Craig Ineson also taking a 5lb 8oz fish on aRapala from the Clacton area.
There were two doggies landed from Frinton beach, which I am toldis unusual plus some eels, pouting and small bass. Ring him on 01255675680 if you can better that.
Lawrence at Castaways on 01394 278316 reports one angler takingbass of 9lb 8oz, 4lb, 3lb 8oz and 3lb of the Felixstowe Bar on squidbait, with a few bass generally to 4lb being caught.
Dave from Breakaway Tackle tells me that the boats are takingspurdog and roker. Eels to 2lb from the rivers Stour and Orwell farmore than last year, eels, bass and doggies from Felixstowe andIpswich docks.
Upwards we go to Gorleston Tackle to Jason on 01493 662448 whotells me of lots of small fish with good prospects for the comingseason, with dabs, flounders, eels and bass.
Dougy at Tackle and Tide on 01493 852221 tells me of 2 wrasseabout 8oz each, landed from the river Yare, very unheard of. Talkingof rare fish here it seems that some garfish are also making a smallappearance, strange at Southend and Walton we gets loads. Caister isstill producing good dabs, very late now though for them. Thereshould also be some smoothounds when it is calm with Doug himselftaking two small ones the other day.
Very little to report from the top part of Norfolk, but Tony Hirstat Mablethorpe on 01507 478444 recommends an early tide at the Seaview car park for flounders, bass, eels and whiting.
Bob at Cleethorpes Angling just tells me of some flounders andeels from most beaches, for more detailed info ring him on 01472602002.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Grays Wharf
Current Form
Bass to 6lb can be caught but do not expect them every time,flounders, eels and soon some soles will also be caught.
Bait
Rag and lug fish better here than crab does at times, but for theeels crab does fish better.
Tackle and Tactics
Standard beach casting tackle, with 15-18lb line and a 50lb shockleader. For the distance fishing for the eels, use a 2 or 3 hookclipped down paternoster or flapping if fishing close for theflounders which can be caught right in front of you as can the solesin the evening. Size 2, 3261 hooks will do the job well but scaledown a size if you are targeting the soles. You can fish all throughthe tide here but it will be on mud around 3 hours either side of lowwater.
Location
Follow the A13 towards or from London, take the Grays turnoff about3-4 miles east, from the Dartford tunnel turnoff. Head towards thetown and follow the one way system, past Aldi’s, turn left into WharfRoad, which is opposite the Gas Cylinder park in where you can park,walk right along the sea wall onto the promenade. Local Tackle ShopStanford Tackle 01375 676739
The LWAAS club had an open pier match on Sunday 3rd June. 95anglers fished including 28 juniors on a very cold and windy day.Catches were well down on the expected hopes with Mark Allingtonwinning with 3 garfish , 1 flounder for a weight of 1.07kg. In secondplace was Eddie Fulford with 1.05kg(2 gar, 1 flounder) and followingup in third was Graham Boulton with .96kg. The juniors was topped byJake Lloyd, only 5 years old in his first match he won with .38kgfollowed by well known local junior Lewis Clark with .33kg. The toplady was Jacky Wilson with .38kg. In section A , the top three wereMark Allington, Eddie Fulford and Kevin Mulgrew and in section B thetop three were Graham Boulton, Gary Lloyd and Chris Maynard.
The SAAS club held a club match on the beach at the Gasworks onFriday 1st June with very poor results. 9 anglers fished with RolloRollings winning with a 7oz flounder and in second place was AlanBarker. · 5 members of the Royal Terrace club and a guest fishedaboard Roy Smiths boat the Trio 2. They caught 21 bream with best at4lb which fell to Bill Wakeford, 15 wrasse, 15 smoothound best at12lb 4oz which fell to Derek Cross plus some pouting, doggies andcodling. Also Rollo Rollings landed a 1lb 8oz lobster, which hepresented to the skipper.
YOUR CATCH
Steve Markham Lee fished my highly recommended spot at the Nazelast week with very good results. Fishing close in on the flood tideto high water, using a 2/0 pennel rig with crab and rag as bait,Steve reminded his boss Richard Holgate at Metcalf’s, that he cancatch fish as well. He landed a 7lb 8oz, 4lb 8oz bass as well as 3smaller ones and a flounder.
