19th November 2001
REPORT FOR THE HUMBER TO THE THAMES
Well, the water temperature is now down 2 degrees, with morenormal conditions. However rumours persist that the summer fish onlygo once the water has well and truly coloured, and for us in theThames Estuary region that transaction has occurred. Still thoughgood-sized bass still feature in the report far later than you wouldnormally expect.
Some cod turning up in the nets outside the Blackwater estuary,with a couple of big hits, so hopefully by the time you read this,some boats will be into some cod. However I must say if we get somecod it will be a short run of fish between 6-9lb and in only a fewmarks. The roker season appears to be extended every year now andunless we get some really cold weather we can be confident of thesefish through to December. These fish are up to 12lb and there evensome anglers getting bored of these fish, are people ever happy.
Several good sized roker left in the Thames with Colin Bonds boatthe Skerry Belle taking roker on Sunday with 3 fish over 12lb, aswell as whiting, dabs and a few codling. Southend pier has some scad,mackerel, and garfish left, not for much longer and of course whitingform the end. The beaches have the odd flounder in the day, asurprise bass of about 2lb from East Beach, always good here forsomething different and good numbers of whiting at night.
George at Canvey Angling has more bass reports; a 7lb bass waslanded from Southfalls on Canvey Island and a 3lb fish from CanveyPoint. Grays is now fishing for whiting and still some eels, Tilburyfor flounders and whiting, Stanford for whiting and flounders. MickGridley’s top fish from the beach this week is a 3lb 8oz bass landedby Mr Earland on squid from Tilbury, otherwise most for whiting of abetter size than before.
The river Crouch shoreline is fishing well for whiting, lug andmackerel strip or squid is the best baits for here, fish the floodtide. Boats inshore are finding a few roker, whiting, dogfish and afew dark codling, which means they are fresh in the river. Offshoreroker to 12lb, the odd cod to 9lb, dogfish and more. Bradwell boatsreport excellent whiting fishing, pouting to 2lb 8oz, but lessdogfish and roker, two bass over 7lb were caught in the river.
The trawlers outside are still sole fishing but have noticed morecod showing; by the way they have trawled a good 3 weeks longer thannormal for the soles. Dave weavings new boat returned to slow fishingfor big fish with only 2 roker and 2 cod, plenty of small fishthough. To get a trip out with Dave’s new boat and a chance to win150 pounds ring Dave on 01206 735699.
Clacton pier of full of whiting, but not much else, Brighton Roadis the top spot for a good chance of a codling to 3lb, whiting bagsare in excess of 7lb, the boats for bass and codling to 5lb, therealso seems to be good numbers of dabs. John also tells me of two 10lbplus bass caught form St Osthys. A 5lb codling was the top fish ofthe week on Walton pier plus lots of whiting from the beaches andpier along with dabs and the odd flounder on lug and squid. The RiverOrwell and Stour are producing whiting and dabs, so is Felixstowe butin front of the snooker centre a bonus codling is also expected.
01728 454030 is Stuart Smalley’s number for a boat trip or news,he recommends Orford for a codling or two over and above the whitingand dogfish, the dirty wall appears to be fishing for whiting only,unless anyone else knows different! Pakefield for whiting and the oddcodling, reports of a 5lb cod from the north beach at Lowestoft, atHopton, lug and squid for yet more whiting so Gill tells me at SamHooks. Jason Amies from Gorleston Tackle tells me of a 5lb cod fromthe river at Gorleston. A 6lb cod from the pier there, of courseplenty of whiting and dabs.
Doug at Tackle and Tide goes one better with an 8lb cod from thecentral beach at Yarmouth. Caister and Huston Road for dabs or headto Walcott and Mundesley for a codling chance, find out where on01493 852221. Trimmingham for some flounders, dabs and the odd smallbass on lug baits on the ebb. Tony Hirst recommends anywhere fromHuttoft to Mablethorpe for whiting, codling, smoothounds andflounders. Lugs the bait for whiting and the odd codling at EastHalton, Killingholme and Tonsell, try Cleethorpes prom for some bassstill. Easington is fishing for codling, Mapleton is fishing forwhiting and small bass.
RESULTS
My man Kev Mulgrew run a small match over at Bradwell Powerstation on the evening of the 10th. Kev managed third place with 5lb1/2oz of whiting, beaten by Lewis Clark who just beat him with 5lb1oz. The overall winner was John Couldridge with 5lb 8oz of whiting,he also had the heaviest fish a whiting of 13 1/2oz and won 120pounds. Forth place went to Rae Wiggs with 3lb 7oz.
The SAAS club went back there on Sunday 11th Nov for their clubmatch and found more fish on a bigger tide. Winner Paul Fuller whomade it two out of two wins. 9lb 8 1/2oz made him the clear winnerwith 19 fish. Lewis Clark made it two seconds in two nights with 7lb15oz and 15 fish. Good old Rollo some say, well anyway he came thirdwith 6lb 1/4oz and 12 fish.
