23rd October 2001
REPORT FOR THE HUMBER TO THE THAMES
Unless the weather changes dramatically we are on course for thewarmest October on record, mark my words though, we will pay for it;nature always pays back.
Colin Bond on the Skerry Belle from Southend is finding somewhiting, dabs and a few of the roker that I mentioned. Best baits forthese fish are squid, add that to lug and mackerel for the other fishand you are ready to go. The anglers fishing the beaches at nightfrom Southend are finding good bags of whiting from the eastern endof the town, best time last hour and the first two hours down usinglug and mackerel cocktail. However, further up the river the whitingare not so prolific, again nights are best from almost any mark onCanvey, using the same baits. Stanford for a few flounders, best forwhiting fish Curry Point.
Dave Godwin reports from the river Crouch that excellent sportprevails here. Lots of rampant whiting just waiting to be caught,along with the last of the eels, soles, bass. Off shore intrepidangler Tim Mears (who fishes places no man has fished before) on hisprivate boat the Enterprise, landed the first cod of 8lb on Saturdayfrom here. The Jessie May found some roker at the weekend, while theSea Breeze also found some Codling on Sunday try Steve on 01375843134.
Penn sponsored John Rawle has lots of news this week, of coursethe Blackwater is full of whiting plus some dabs, a few eels and upto 25 roker to 12lb from offshore marks. Some good results for a fewanglers with Graham Bennett taking a 12lb bass on squid, Steve Moffattaking two cod of 7lb and three roker to 10lb on squid and DennisFloyd taking a 9lb bass on squid. A private boat fishing out a longway, with four anglers took a confirmed 40 cod between 7-10lb usingbottom fishing methods, so they are out there, perhaps Tim shouldventure out there, no good though someone been there already.
Settling into his new shop now John Easie boss of Brian Deans inClacton on 01255 425992 has great news for bass anglers with six fishto 6lb very close to the shore from the Kings Cliff area of Clactonand the fish do not seem fussy on what bait to eat. More whitingmoved into the Jaywick area as well. Richard Holgate now back fromhis holiday reports good numbers of whiting from most marks, with afew pouting, boats reporting roker and some codling. Dagenham anglerRay Wiggs fished Holland Haven with good results, a 3lb 8oz, 1lb 8ozbass, 2lb codling and 4 eels best of which was just under 2lb andsome whiting, but he is one of the top distance casters, so noteveryone will catch fish there.
Southend based angler John Couldridge fished Fox’s Marina on theriver Orwell with his son, he had a good eel of 2lb 4oz on rag only20 yards out, in the first two minutes of fishing, plus someflounders. Very poor results from daytime marks from the Felixstowearea according to Vic at Viscount Tackle in Ipswich, night time isdifferent of course. Orford Island for some dogfish, whiting, poutand even a few eels on lug and squid baits, no codling as yet. StuartSmalley tells me of whiting, dabs and some sole for his own patch atAldeburgh. A 4lb codling from the north beach at Lowestoft and plentyof whiting to around a pound or so. Four cod over 15lb from a dinghymatch from Corton, so Jason Amis tells me, plenty of whiting and dabsfrom most beaches. Tackle and Tide boss Doug reports that there areloads of whiting, good-sized dabs and still the odd sole with threeweighed in a local match. The Happisburgh match was won with over 20dabs at the weekend, one point of interest is the north beach atYarmouth is tending to fish better on the flood now for some reasonnot the ebb, which it used to be known for. Other news from here isthat two codling to 2lb 8oz were landed from Mundesley, an 8lb codfrom Caister and the rivers are producing whiting and dabs.
Martin Stewart at marine Sports is on his hols but his colleaguetells me that Cromer Pier is still fishing for some bass to 6lb onsand eels and squid, most beaches in the northern area here arefishing for flounders and dabs on lug tipped with fresh herring. TonyHirst from Mablethorpe Angling on 01507 478444 hints that Sandylandsis the place to fish with whiting and a few bass to aim for on lugbaits.
RESULTS
The Thorpe Bay Beach match on the 16th Sept was won by local matchangler Gary Lloyd with 6lb 5oz, beating Barry Tilson with anothergood weight of 6lb 1/2oz, Barry also had the heaviest fish a 4lb 6ozbass, third place was taken by the owner of Alexander Angling TerryKnott with a weight of 4lb 14oz. For a turn out of 37 anglers, themost common complaint was of what appeared to be a very low payout.The SAAS club held a pier match on Sunday 11th September. The winnerwas Gus Summers with 4lb 1 1/2oz, beating Dave Fuller into secondplace with 3lb 5 1/2oz. Third place was taken by Rollo Rollings witha haul of 2lb 5oz.
The 160-peg Hopton open on the 7th October, produced a winningweight of 4lb 14 1/2oz for Mick Ellis, in second place was TerryDonaldson with 3lb 6 1/2oz, Gary England came third with 3lb 4oz.Most of the fish that were caught were whiting and dabs.
