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  • 31/05/2014 Fishing Report by Dave Builth on Upholder (Amble, Northumberland)

    31 May 2014 by Dave Builth

    Report on-board Upholder

    Catch report 2014
    March/April
    With a very mild winter we got off to an early start with the first Codling being caught by Bill Jenkinson on the 7th of March, a small fish of around 2lb which was returned for another day.
    The first day there was any quantity of fish caught, was the 11th April where 7 anglers caught 56 Codlings with 28 being returned, 28 were kept for the table, between 2lb to 3lb. Along with the Codlings, there were also Pout ,wrasse, scorpion fish. The first Pollack of around 2lb was caught and returned by Dennis Miller on a Jelly worm on the same trip. Late April averages were around a couple of Codlings per angler with a lot of small Codlings being returned. For April, the catches have been quite steady, with a lot of small fish being returned .You can only catch what’s there it’s no good complaining about the size of the fish.
    Spring fish are Spring fish, if you are not prepared to put the smaller fish back don’t go, the better fish will be here soon enough. The best baits have been without, doubt prawns fished on small (0/5) daylights and green hokkis, fresh dug worms have fished well and fine cut strips of calamari have worked well.
    May 3rd
    The Maggie May’s SAC from Carlisle, averaged around 6 Codlings per angler, and as usual returned a lot of small size fish, and only kept fish of 16 inches and above.
    May 4th
    Overnight, the fish seemed to improve, with Tom Holloway landing a 5 lb 1oz Codling (see photo) John Ord, had the best fish so far this year at 5lb 12oz, and then caught another codling of 5lb 15oz, may be on a rocking boat it, should have been 6 pounds plus. (see photos )
    May the 5th .
    The weather this year has been unsettled with the wind remaining Easterly and Northerly resulting in coloured water up to four and a half miles off , the best Codling this year so far was caught by Dave Munro which weighed 7lb 14 oz,( see photo ) there were plenty of Codling between the 2lb to 4 lb mark and still an average catch of 6 codlings per person, the fish are gradually getting a better stamp of fish .
    May 10th
    The Dalston SAC from Carlisle had a red letter day fishing off the rough ground, their first trip of the new season they ended up with 238 Codlings between 2lb to 5lb of which 122 smaller codlings were returned unharmed.

    May 21st
    The Civil Service Sports Council SAC fished their annual points competition with the winners and runners up going to National finals in Cork Southern Ireland,
    Cod Pouting Wrasse Pollack Coalfish Other Points
    I Mitchell 11 6 3 97
    M Chapman 15 2 1 1 1 88
    N Richardson * 7 4 3 87
    J Cuthbert 15 3 1 85
    C Wilkinson 13 2 2 78
    B Robinson 15 1 1 70
    J Cunningham 14 1 64


    The winner was Ian Mitchell with a mixed bag of Codlings, Coalfish, Wrasse ,Pouting. Runner up was Mark Chapman with the same mixed bag of Codling ,Coalfish ,Wrasse ,Pouting , Scorpion fish and the best fish of the Day A 6lb 14oz Pollock (see photo ). Total catch for the day was 90 Codling of which most were returned.
    Typical Bank holiday weekend weather stirred the sea up with 20 mph Northerly winds making the water coloured and fishing difficult ,as a result of the weather Friday and Saturday was Cancelled.
    Despite the conditions the Port of Leith SAC managed 6 Codlings a piece with the best fish of the trip being caught by Ben ……… an 8 lb 6oz Ling, Robert Ranick had an unusual Cuckoo Wrasse (see photo ).
    May 31st
    Best Cod caught out of Amble this year so far weighed 15lb and was caught on a long flowing trace baited with a strip of Mackerel by Chris Mullarky {see photo ).


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