Big Whiting

[Davyred]

Taken from the Angling times December 1980

Arthur was an excellent well known angler in Sunderland.

[willywetegg]

I know we have mentioned this before Davy but Whiting over 2lb were not unusual at all around the hendon area years ago. Although I didn't weigh all of them I had quite a few around the 2 1/2 lb mark in the early eighties. A 2 lb Whiting now is a rare fish indeed. Same with Coalfish, I had some really decent ones from Hendon wall in the days it was legal to fish there, the same with Roker pier.

Jim.

[matchman]

I was fishing Hendon Prom once the day before a Ryhope SAC match to see what was about - Mr Bulmer drove up alongside and asked if I had owt....told him I had a couple of codling around 2lb and a dozen or so whiting - then what he said next stunned me....he'd been fishing in the target and had a codling around the 6lb mark, AND WOULD I LIKE TO BUY IT, AS IT MAY GET ME THE HEAVIEST FISH PRIZE IN THE NEXT DAY'S EVENT!!!!!!

Let's just say there are 3 f's in off.....absolutely stunned - and later very angry...

I told everyone I knew what had happened and nobody appeared shocked....!

Anyway, I won the match with a bag of whiting and a couple of dabs - heaviest fish was a codling of 4lb which came from the Hall beach (I think)

[Davyred]

Yeah you're right Jim. The big coalies I've had from Hendon (up to 2-12-0) have all come when theres been a good sea on as well.

Long gone are the days of the big coalie bags as well, from the Washend on the South Pier and the concrete posts on Roker...it was practically guaranteed fishing from August to December, all you needed was mussel.

[Davyred]

Originally Posted by matchman

I was fishing Hendon Prom once the day before a Ryhope SAC match to see what was about - Mr Bulmer drove up alongside and asked if I had owt....told him I had a couple of codling around 2lb and a dozen or so whiting - then what he said next stunned me....he'd been fishing in the target and had a codling around the 6lb mark, AND WOULD I LIKE TO BUY IT, AS IT MAY GET ME THE HEAVIEST FISH PRIZE IN THE NEXT DAY'S EVENT!!!!!!

Let's just say there are 3 f's in off.....absolutely stunned - and later very angry...

I told everyone I knew what had happened and nobody appeared shocked....!

Anyway, I won the match with a bag of whiting and a couple of dabs - heaviest fish was a codling of 4lb which came from the Hall beach (I think)

First time I've ever heard anything like that about him Paul.

[The Plum]

Originally Posted by Davyred

Taken from the Angling times December 1980

Arthur was an excellent well known angler in Sunderland.

hey he STILL IS a angler aint he,he hasnt died has he?i never heard nowt

[Davyred]

Originally Posted by The Plum

hey he STILL IS a angler aint he,he hasnt died has he?i never heard nowt

I didn't mean it to come across like that, it was said in the context of the article being 28 years old.

[The Plum]

Originally Posted by Davyred

I didn't mean it to come across like that, it was said in the context of the article being 28 years old.

pmsl mate lol ,heard a few stories about this guy,some good some bad

[Davyred]

Originally Posted by The Plum

pmsl mate lol ,heard a few stories about this guy,some good some bad

Aye, I've just heard a couple

[johnf]

Used to get some big coalies dropping down the side of North Shields fish Quay when I was a nipper with my Granda. Strips of herring on booms with 6" droppers. They've gone as well as the sprats.
Later on I used to fish Craster harbour in the summer, floatfishing mussel baits for big coalies. Don't know if they are still around up North