10th July 2001
REPORT FOR THE HUMBER TO THE THAMES
The river Thames is still full of weed, but also full of smallbass, there have also been reports of some good catches ofsmoothounds when the weed allows from some boats. I am also told thatthere are some bass from the towers and more bass showing in shoals,so get out those hokais and red gills.
My local trawler contact tells me that there are lots of floundersin the river which we now believe are moving further up the river dueto the cleaner water and more food, again there were a lot of redmullet also but they have moved out and finally the river also hasgood stocks of small lobsters.
The beaches at Southend continue to fish slowly with just a feweels at night and lots of small bass which are a nuisance, butkeeping the rod active. Give Rory a ring at Southend Angling Centrefor news of the pier fishing on 01702 603303.
Canvey, Tilbury, Stanford and Grays are all fishing a bi patchyfor soles, flounders, eels and bass. Ring George on 01268 691542 andBarry on 01375 676739.
Some of the best fishing is to be had from the outer ThamesEstuary from the ports of Wallasea and Bradwell; First from Wallasea,the Lady Lucy had 31 bass, on one day, over 70 smoothounds anotherday. From more inside the river, in between the weed, there are bassto 8lb, one boat had 20 smoothounds that were tagged and returned, afew more roker to 10lb and up to 40 mackerel per boat further out.Ring Dave on 01702 308043 for more info.
The smoothounds from the Bradwell area have lowered their weightbut not their numbers with still over 40-50 per day but only a fewinto double figures, generally crab has proved the better bait in thelast week with bass to 8lb, lots of dogfish with doubles on pennelrigs, squid is the best bait for these fish, cod to 8lb, tope to45lb, hounds to 15lb.
Of more interest is that two thresher sharks were caught in twotrawlers nets at about 18 and 22lb out near the wallet out fromMersey, possible after the shoals of mackerel in the area. Fancy asharking trip on the Essex coast, they do live here!
Dave Weaving from West Mersey took anglers out one day for somesmoothounds and small tope, on another he had 1 ling at 8lb, cod to8lb,maki and a few Pollack on a wreck 46 miles out and also spotted a60′ trawler from Ostend netting the wrecks, of course he was not tohappy. Ray Everett fishing from the Naze at Walton found a good bassof 6lb 3oz, while regular private boat angler taking his boat outfrom Holland haven has been reported to find 2-3 bass and some rokeron most days out fairly close to the shore. Richard Holgate alsotells me that most beaches are producing bass and soles at themoment, with some bass, soles, eels, pouting and dabs. To see if hecan add to that list ring him on 01255 675680.
Dave Brown from Breakaways in Ipswich recommended Shingle Streetand Southwold for bass, eels, sole and mullet when I spoke to him.Stuart Smalley from Aldeburgh is very busy catching plenty of fish atthe moment along with other boats from his area; they are findingsome bass, roker and cod. The beaches in Suffolk are producing bassand soles while the rivers are fishing for bass and eels, with theriver Alde topping them with bass to 7lb 8oz. Top spots to head forare Southwold town beach and harbour, Thorpeness Point, Aldeburgh andSizewell. Jason recommends Hopton and Corton for bass to 9lb andsmoothounds. Doug at Tackle and Tide on 01493 852221 tells me thatYarmouth north beach is fishing well, Dave Docwra landed a 6lb basswhile Doug himself had 20 dabs including a sole of 1lb 8oz and asmoothounds of 6lb 8oz, generally soles, smoothounds, bass and dabsare to be had. Tony at Mablethorpe Angling on 01507 478444, willpoint you towards Trusthorpe and Huttoff for bass and flounders.While Cleethorpes Angling boss Bob Tarvet on 01472 602002, says thatHillston has produced 16 roker with other beaches producing bass andsole. The Humber is fishing for eels, whiting and codling, while hesays that the Lincs coast is fishing for bass and dogfish.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
CORTON
Current Form
Fishing well for bass, a few smoothounds, plus some smaller fishlike dabs and eels.
Bait
Peeler crab is the best bait for the bass and smoothounds.
Tackle and Tactics
Using a standard beach caster with 15lb line and 50lb shockleader. You will need to cast about 60 yards out on a low water to 2hours flood tide. Use a three hook paternoster with 1/0-2/0 3261hooks.
Location
Take the A12 to Lowestoft; take the sign to Corton and head tothe village to Tramps Alley or Bakers Close. Local Tackle ShopGorleston Tackle 01493 662448
YOUR CATCH
Alexander Angling Centre boss Terry Knott from Southend foundsome time out to try his luck fishing over in the river Crouch nearWallasea. He tried close in the rocks without success, cast furtherout and was immediately rewarded with a 4lb 8oz bass on peeler crabthen another of 2lb 8oz. Later he managed some eels and to round ofthe day a small lobster for the pot. The successful bait was peelercrab fishing close in on a one-hook paternoster with a size 2/0 hook,and casting out with a two-hook size 1/0 paternoster.
Fifteen people fished the Bait and Tackles match at Grays onSunday 1st July. The winner was Ian Reynolds with 1 eel and 3flounders for 3lb 9oz beating easily Alan Gaskin into second placewith 1lb 12 3/4oz. In third place was Kent’s Ray Jeffries with 1lb 121/2oz, this was an eel which also got him the heaviest fish. I wouldalso like to add that this will possible be the last little match fora while due to the stupidity and whinging attitude of match anglers.15 grown adults moaning and groaning over everything to do with thematch and Kevin who was running the match for me. They shouted athim, and told him how to run a well established set up. Why is itthat match anglers always think they know best and always moan ateverything until they get there own way. No wonder fishing is a dyingsport, if any member of the public was there is would have beenembarrassing for the sport.
The SAAS club fished Westcliff beach on the 29th June. 12 anglersbraved lots of weed and multitudes of little bass. The only sizeablefish caught was by Alan Barker with a 12oz flounder.
Local bait digger Gary Pearman took a trip to Dungeness with hisfriend the other night and was rewarded with 8 soles, 14 good-sizedwhiting and some pouting. There was 3 hour beach here the otherevening, it was won with 23 fish mostly whiting; these fish areproving a pain if sole is your target. Some of the beaches arestarting to fish more for bass, falling to spinners one chap had 5 to2lb 8oz.
There was a species match for pairs last weekend based on thesouth east of Kent. To catch the biggest numbers of species fromfresh and seawater. The winners had 53 different fish between 7pmFriday and 1pm Sunday.
Fishing of the front of Sheppy is slow at the moment, with theGarrison at Sheerness and the jetty by the Catholic church the bestbets with bass and flounders on crab, rag and sand eels. The river isfishing for eels, flounders and bass plus some mullet. Try the chalkwharf at Russenden bay for mullet and the all tide landing atQueenborough for a mixed bag, using bread and maddies for the mulletand rag and crab for the rest of the fish.
To the left of Dover harbour in Fan Bay plenty of plaice are stillbeing caught with ragworm, from the breakwater smoothound, mackerel,pollack and a few bass can be caught.
The Dymchurch boats are finding some cod to 10lb using worm andfish baits on the Bullock bank.
Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne pier are much the same as lastweek.
From Peace haven to Brighton, the beaches are providing somereasonable catches of bass on crab and mackerel. · The Worthingarea is still being hit every day by pair trawlers, add that to clearwater and sunshine you soon see that day fishing is not that good,but when the weather changes the fishing will improve.
The Climping and East Preston beaches are worth a try for stingrayand bass, best time will in the evening and early night.
One of the top places on the south coast is starting to get a bitpatchy. The Selsey and Pagham beaches are slowing down, you need tocast further and be prepared for a few more blowouts on thesmoothound front. However there is more than a good chance of bass,stingray and pout. Hayling Island is likely to produce mackerel,garfish, black bream and some bass in the day and at night some eels,soles, and smoothound.
