The Bait & Tackle Centre Report

14th March 2001

REPORT FOR THE HUMBER TO THE THAMES

Whilst having respect for the farmers in their present situation,I have little respect for the total disorganisation of the governmentrunning round like headless chickens. They have closed lots of marksfor both sea and freshwater anglers, causing possible disaster forthe retail tackle trade and beyond. While the suedo town/country folktake their dogs for a walk (sorry, for an indiscriminate runeverywhere) where the angler cannot fish. Who is supposed to bebringing out these rules and backing them up?

Colin Bond informs me that the roker have all but gone over thelast week, but several codling have replaced them, although onlysmaller fish with some dabs and whiting. The beaches are also quiethere at Southend. Back creeks at Canvey and more standard marks atStanford and Grays Wharf are producing flounders. Dave Godwin tellsme that some codling, dabs and whiting are in the river crouch.

Bradwell boats are finding plenty of codling up to 40 fish per dayup to 5lb. The fish are along the Clacton coast, where the shore atHolland on sea is also producing up to 5 fish per man. With RayEverit, Lawrence Martin and David Buckly the lucky anglers with 5fish. The pier at Walton is also fishing well for codling. Lawerenceat Castaways tips the Dip near the golf course at Felixstowe for thebest action, for codling. The flounders appear to have gone to spawnat sea. He also tells me that Dunwich, Orford, Minsmere and Languardpoint are all shut at the moment.

Jason at Gorleston Tackle recommends Hopton and Pakefield, withMark Saunders tasking 5 cod. Martin fropm Marine Sports recommendsTrimmingham and Walcott for codling and flounders as the best bet asmost other beaches are very quiet. With Doverstrand and Imminghamshut, there are flounders at Bacton and Humberstone, Hornsea isfishing for some codling to 7lb, the rivers are producing floundersand codling but Dave Dobbs tells me that everywhere is a bit patchyat the moment.

DID YOU KNOW

The cod stocks in the North Sea have been talked about a lot overrecent times. The southern sector is okay, the middle sector has beendecimated while the northern area has good stocks. Also ,as you maywell know, the tonnage to be landed has been reduced by 50% to 25,000tones, however last year they only landed 34,000 tones. Did you knowthough that the English Channel only has control over 16% of thecatches whereas the southern north sea sector has 84% control. Whichis why the English Channel often has cod bans.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

HOPTON

Current Form
At the moment you can expect to get up to 5 cod per session.

Bait
As with most cod marks at this time of the year lug and squidbaits will get those lucky cod to the table.

Tackle and Tactics
To pick up those cod you will stand your best chance with a 2hook flapper with size 2/0 hooks. This is best fished at distance onthe flood tide.

Location
Follow the A12 from Yarmouth to Lowestoft, pick up the beach roadto at Hopton and there you are.

Local Tackle Shop
Gorleston Tackle, 01493 662448

From the north Kent side of the river comes news from the shore ofnot a lot. A few flounders but do not get to excited. One of thesmall trawlers near Sheppy went looking for the first of the soles.Instead he found 1 sole, 1 brill at 1lb 8oz, lots and lots ofundersized dabs and of more interest to anglers lots of 8oz roker,more than he has ever seen. Lets hope some survive the battering oftrawlers to give the rod and lone anglers some decent summer fishing.

The first match of the 2001 NFSA Essex div boat league took placeon the 3rd March from Brighton. With 10 teams of anglers taking part.The weather was very bad with 9-12′ swells and strong east north eastwinds, but fish were caught.

The Winning Teams were:

The best Pollack of the day fell to Geoff Rutherford at 14lb2oz.

Newsflash
An article has appeared on the professional boatmansassociation.

All militarly maritime wrecks are to be made war graves if twomembers of parlimant get there way, with a list of 179 other memberssupporting it.

What this means is that all activities on or within 100metres ofthe wreck will be banned, yes that will include fishing. There doesnot even need to have been anyone killed on it. All views will benoted by May 2001.

I do not need to tell you what effect this will have on you theangler, the charter boats and the tackle trade, all of which is goingthrough major hardship at the moment.

For the full information and what is being done please log on towww.pba.org.uk/Issues/wargraves.html and the full document can be downloaded on www.wreckrespect.org.uk