Shore sport has been a bit slow for those brave enough to venture out in the recent gales with just the odd flatfish, whiting and a few cod reported from the open beaches. The hordes of whiting that invaded the Hartlepool piers last week seem to have disappeared again. There is always the chance of a big spawning cod at this time of the year and the best fish reported of late was a nice specimen of 10lb 1oz taken by Neil Muir from the lower Tyne estuary. Roker Pier has also been producing a few better fish where Tommy Tate had three to 6lb in a recent session while Phil Wright had five to 4½lb and Brian Clark had one of 5½lb.
The rivers Tyne and Wear have a good population of over wintering flounders in them and most anglers headed for the Wear in the two day Sunderland Open shore event. Saturday saw 60 out of 152 weigh in, mainly flounders, but the top three weights were all cod taken from Roker Pier. Grahame Lund took the £500 top prize with one of 1.25kg followed in second by Gareth Gardner who weighed in one of 0.85kg. Third spot went to Chris Coxon with a cod of 0.84kg. Sunday saw 50 out of 154 entrants weigh in and Jason Brown took the £500 first prize with a cod of 1.22kg from Roker Pier. Day two runner-up Steve Maw had a nice flounder of 0.72kg from the river, and Gareth Gardner was in the prizes again taking another cod of 0.69kg from Roker Pier.
The Seaham Golden Rollover match on Sunday saw nine weigh in 23 fish, all dabs or flounders, for 14.57lb. Ken McCoy had the heaviest fish; a flounder of 1.58lb in a bag total of four weighing 3.07lb.
Cleadon A.C. Fished on Sunday with just two out of 24 finding fish. David Carrick had three flounders for 2lb 7oz from the Long Beach and John Newcombe had a single cod of 1lb 3oz from the Tyne.
The recent Ryhope match saw 30 out of 87 weigh in two cod and 30 flounders, with most fish coming from the Wear or Tyne estuaries. Wayne Harriman fished the Tyne to land a cod and a flounder weighing 1.30kg, including the heaviest fish 0.80kg, to win the event. John Robson fished the Wear to finish second with two flounders for 1.18kg, best 0.77kg while third placed Colin Copeland had two flounders for 1.11kg. Top junior was Mason Burton with two flounders for 0.90kg.
The Eastenders Wednesday evening sweepstake saw three out of 21 weigh in three cod and one bass. Darren Welsh took the best cod at 2lb 7oz to finish on top followed by Steve Rackstraw who weighed in a cod of 1lb 11oz. Darren also took third place with the bass which weighed in at 1½lb, and Davie McReady finished fourth with the only other counting fish, a cod of 1lb 5oz. All fish were taken from the Wear.
The last Eastenders club match fished in the Wear saw three out of 26 weigh in five flounders. Well known rod Jim Dobie won with two weighing 1lb 14oz ahead of Barrie Wright who had two for 1lb 13oz. Phil Wright had the heaviest fish at 1½lb which also secured him third place.
The second photo in the gallery below is the 14lb 9oz landed by Steve Coates as reported last week.
