Thunderpants
Well-known member
I fancied a session last night with the small hooks to try for some species points so decided on the rathouse as I hadn't been there for ages. I thought it would be quiet with the England match being on but when I got there the place was rammed (presumably due to Roker Pier being shut) no room anywhere so I headed back along the coast road and ended up at South Shields Pier. As I went on the pier there were a couple of lads coming off and I found I had the entire pier to myself which for 8pm in the evening was quite surreal.
So with the whole of the pier to choose from I decided on a mark I haven't fished for a while as I usually can't get on it, the 44. Hopefully it would throw up a species point or two, maybe a plaice or something small down the side. I set up two rods both two hook flappers with ragworm on one hook and mackerel on the other. One rod cast out with size 2 and 1 and one straight down the wall with size 8 and 12. I was in to the fish from the first cast and over the four hours I was there (2 up 2 down) had plenty of action and landed 14 fish - dabs (up to 32cm), small coleys, sized whiting, big shore rockling and a slimy eel. The dabs and whiting were caught on the cast out rod (dabs-rag, whiting-mackie). The rest were on the rod down the side all on ragworm except for a couple of the coleys on mackerel. So five species but no new species hunt points. An enjoyable session and a nice sunset over the priory.
So with the whole of the pier to choose from I decided on a mark I haven't fished for a while as I usually can't get on it, the 44. Hopefully it would throw up a species point or two, maybe a plaice or something small down the side. I set up two rods both two hook flappers with ragworm on one hook and mackerel on the other. One rod cast out with size 2 and 1 and one straight down the wall with size 8 and 12. I was in to the fish from the first cast and over the four hours I was there (2 up 2 down) had plenty of action and landed 14 fish - dabs (up to 32cm), small coleys, sized whiting, big shore rockling and a slimy eel. The dabs and whiting were caught on the cast out rod (dabs-rag, whiting-mackie). The rest were on the rod down the side all on ragworm except for a couple of the coleys on mackerel. So five species but no new species hunt points. An enjoyable session and a nice sunset over the priory.
im down there tomorrow evening and into the night. i need some rockling for the species hunt - had plenty at the start of the year, but none since i had my species card.
