30 May 2001
REPORT FOR THE HUMBER TO THE THAMES
As he was in the skipper’s spotlight last week, it follows thatthe first mention this week is for Terry Batt, skipper of the VickyEmma. Over the weekend the Croyden Sea Anglers took aboard his vessel62 smoothounds to 12lb, 21 bass between 5 to 8lb 8oz, plus two 5lbcod and some small fish.
On Sunday the Hemel Hempstead Sea Pirates landed 81 smoothounds to13lb 2oz, two bass and two roker. Most of the catches were on squidand crab. Terry said that the weekend was one of the best for a longtime, for trips aboard the Vichy Emma phone him on 01621 786170.
Colin Draper fished on a private boat the Knight Trotter andlanded a 20lb stingray plus 15 bass to 2lb.
The river Crouch on the smaller tides appears to be slower thanthe bigger tides. The best smoothounds falling to an angler on theLady Lucy with a fish of 16lb 8oz. Again squid and crab is the betterbait for roker, smoothounds and bass.
The Thames is reported to be fishing well according to Colin Bondskipper of the Skerry Belle who reports of some good catches of bass,including a 6lb 8oz bass himself, roker and smoothounds although thegut ways of the Maplins are slow at the moment. There are also plentyof small fish out there but very few eels. Phone Colin on 01702390842 for a day out.
Southend pier is fishing well for good-sized garfish to 1lb 8ozand more mackerel showing with up to 5 fish per rod. The best fallingto Bill Wakeford, a catch of 30 mackerel and 7 garfish. The floundershowever are still slow.
The Cow Patch at Tilbury produced a 5lb bass for one angler butagain no eels. Who has all the eels this year, let me know on 01702617764. Barry at Stanford Tackle would also like to know on 01375676739. Richard Holgate suggests that the fishing has been slowerover the last week with the best fish he knows about, a 11lb 8oz bassfrom the Halfpenny pier at Harwich on ragworm. Andy Murray had threebass for 10lb from the Naze at Walton. Otherwise it is eels, poutingand also plenty of garfish from Walton pier on mackerel strip. PhoneRichard on 01255 765680 for the latest news.
Castaways boss Lawrence reports that the boats had an excellentweekend with bass to 12lb. From very close to the shore the boatsalso had roker to 15lb 8oz and smoothounds to 10lb as well as a fewcod, whiting and lots of dogfish. Dave Brown from Breakaways reportssome garfish in the estuaries and some mullet in the docks atIpswich. He may have some more news now so ring him on 01473741393.
There are lots of dabs and the odd codling at Yarmouth north beachand at the wreck at Gorleston. A 7lb bass was landed from behind thebird’s eye factory at Lowestoft. Ring Jason on 01493 662448 for morenews.
Hazeburgh and Eccles is fishing for bass to 6lb and mullet in theharbour. The rivers are producing flounders and eels to 2lb. Martinat Cromer Sports on 01263 513676 has news of up to 6 bass per sessionto 5lb at Bacton and Walcott. An 8lb bass from Cromer pier, herecommends Trimmingham for the start of the smoothounds and the bass.
Tony Hirst reports the best fishing of the year from the north endof Mablethorpe to Huttoff. Roker, bass, whiting, the odd cod,flounders and soles on mainly squid baits Ring Tony for all thelatest on 01507 478444.
Bob at Cleethorpes Angling tells me of flounders and whiting inHumberstone creek, some small bass and flounders at Cleethorpes.Easington for roker and bass, Chapel point for rays and bass.
So all in all a good report, fishing seems good in most places,but spare a moment for poor old Stuart at Aldeburgh Tackle who haswho has seen almost no anglers in the last week or so. So go on makehis day and have a coffee with him, or ring him on 01728 454030 andcheer him up.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Southend Pier
Current Form
Depending on where you fish along the stem, you will fish forgarfish, flounders, plaice, eels, bass and shad. Over the next coupleof months there should be some bigger bass, with mullet, horsemackerel, mackerel and more eels. Bait This will range form mackerelstrip for the garfish, mackerel, shad, horse mackerel. Crab for theflounders, bass, eels and rag for the plaice and maddies for themullet is especially a killer bait after July.
Tackle and Tactics
You must cast underarm according to the pier bylaws for safety.You can use light gear or standard beach casting tackle. Distancesranges from 10 yards to as far as you can cast. For the mackerel andgarfish short casts are all you need and light tackle like carp rods,normally they are fished for towards the south station.. Using threehooks up the line form about 3′ of the bottom, then 3′ higher andagain 3′ higher, this due the fish swimming in the higher parts ofthe water. For the flounders, plaice, eels and bass, you will neednormal bottom rigs, nothing special but do not forget there are alarge number of crabs under the pier.
Location
Take the A13or A127 into Southend and follow the signs to theseafront to the pier. There are plenty of parking bays to park inunless you arrive on busy weekend in the day. On Sundays the parkingis free in the town and only short walk down.
Local Tackle Shop
Southend Angling
Pier Arches
Southend
01702 603303
CLUB CALL
The Colchester SAC was formed in 1972 and with 58 membersis a strong active club. They have a strong beach section and membersfish to a higher size limit than the NFSA in aid of conservation. Thekeen boat anglers have had success to a 65lb conger. They meet every1st Tuesday in the month at the Huntsman pub in Colchester and everyFebruary is their prize night at Stanway Rovers football club, withsome 22 trophies to complete for. They also sponsor the All EnglandSting ray match at St Oyths on the 16th June. For more informationphone Don Probyn on 01206 330117.
Thirty anglers fished the Bait and Tackle match on Southend pieron Sunday 20th May. The heaviest bag was won by Nod Farrell with 4lb2 1/2oz catch of garfish and flounders, followed up by Craig Gorewith 3lb 6oz. The heaviest fish was won by Terry Knott with a 1lb 5ozgarfish and again followed by Barry Cowell with a 1lb 3 1/2ozgarfish. Section A was won by Nod, in second was Craig Gore and thirdwas Alan Gaskin. Section B was won by Rollo Rollings with 3lb 2oz,followed by Dave Clark with 2lb 11oz and in third place was IanReynolds with 2lb 7oz. The continuing Golden Peg now stands at£ 214.
The SAAS club also held their club match at the same time with 16members fishing. Rollo Rollings got shown the way by the women, withthe winner Nicola Saunders landing 3lb 3oz, in second place was SueBowman with 3lb 2 1/2oz. Top Junior was Bailey Hudson with 2lb 41/2oz.
The Deal beaches are fishing well for plenty of small bass as wellas other fish. In a small match between 7 anglers weighed in 63 lb in3 hours. Folkestone pier produced a treble shot of plaice, thebeaches at Folkestone and the surrounding areas for plaice, whiting,dads, pouting and dogfish.
Close to the shore at Sheerness one angler is reported to have hadaround 20 bass to 6lb, whilst another seems to have had up to 4 fishto 6lb on several occasions. The Garrison is also fishing for bassand try between Minster to the boom for good size eels and the oddroker using rag and crab.
The Kings Ferry bridge mark is worth a try for some bass. Fish twohours either side of high water with rag and sand eels. The Wardenpoint to Minster marks are fishing for roker and eels.
A new report for this week and hopefully regular visits to thecoast around Worthing. One would normally expect lots of eels, butover the last few years there are less and less of an early run. Atthe moment there are only a few eels to catch, however the rocklingare taking advantage with now an average of four fish to a pound. Thepair trawlers are now hard at work only 200-300yards out and nowtowing over clean chalk ridges instead of the old weedy bottom, whichhas obviously changed things. Now in rough weather you can expectmore dogfish. Only a few flounders, but with lots of garfish fromWorthing pier with one angler taking 180 fish in four days. This areaalso had the best ever whiting run in March, with these fish neverfeaturing here before.
