Roker surprise

[Bolta]

So me and me owld mate Hooker and his better half Jude had a look along Roker Pier this afternoon.

It was a pleasant day, light winds and quite warm. We set up on the end, about 12.30, fishing at the northeast side of the roundhead.

Jude started first cast with an undersize Coley. The tide was pulling us around but it was manageable. I pitched in with a medium sized Flounder. Hooker came over for a bit of craic with his back to his rods and I saw a good knock on his 1970's Hardy Tourney. Gave him a shout and he struck into a fish, It wasn't much of a fight, but what came over the side was this:

I thought at first that it was a Megrim, but the consensus on the roundhead was that it was a Turbot. Still not sure, It was covered in sharp denticles.

Nice fish and Hooker put it back to grow a bit more. We then proceeded to catch a few Coley, Dabs and a tommy codling.

One of the lads on the pier had a cast resulting in a birds nest, took him a while to pick it out, and when he reeled in he had a nice Bass that had hooked itself on the end of his line. I didn't get a pic but it was a nice size.

We packed up about 8ish. It was a great way to spend the afternoon with good craic and great company.

Bait used was Rag, Runnydown, Bluey, Mackeral, Razor Clams and Prawns.

 

[big phil 123]

Nice turbot mate

 

[lambtonworm]

Turbot , Megrim look nothing like that m8,they look more like a dab with a pointed snout.nice turbot though have to be 36cm to keep .

 

[lumpsucker]

http://www.mjseafood.com/fishipedia-seafood-guide/species-information/flat-fish/
Nice clear pics on here. Megrim are much longer and pointier like lambtonworm said
Fish look like theyve been dead a while in the pics like, but the shape diff is obvious

 

[codseeker]

nice turbot shame it wasnt big enough to hoy in the pan

 

[toonboymc]

a great session m8

 

[jlhooker]

i canny day out bolta great company canny weather,apart from me wheel fallin off me bogie on the way off .....lol.jude didnt catch her dragonette tho.

 

[david.northeast]

Nice turbot mate well done

 

[eddie t]

Nice afternoon fishing fellas and a nice turbot as well.

 

[Darnc]

Nice surprise for you mate

 

[kayos]

Lovely fish.

 

[CODMAN]

Nice Turbot, a lot bigger than the ones I got at Embleton, mine were same size as beermats!

 

[finseeker]

....

 

[nrgjim]

well done m8 nice fish

 

[mad rob aka crabstick]

clad 2 see u had a goodn m8 i was the good looking fella who showed jude the casting with reel at the bottom ov the rod well done on the catch m8

 

[FISHERMAN]

Nice fish pal

 

[jlhooker]

cheers mad rob and thanks for the casting tips for wor lass,she'll be trying it out soon.

 

[Geordie-UK]

Another turbot was caught today on Roker pier, 32cm

 

[Stewart 1971]

Lovely fish, that's Turbot and Smoothhound caught off the "Durham" coast in the last few days

according to the angling trust there is no legal minimum retention size for turbot though the RRSL is 35cm (recommended retention size limit)

Recommended Retention Size Limits (RRSLs) & DEFRA Minimum Landing Sizes (MLSs)

Spot on. There is no legal MLS for Turbot, either in EU fisheries regs or in the local IFCA byelaws: http://www.ne-ifca.gov.uk/minimum-landing-sizes/

 

[Kev1n]

What a cracking, unusual fish and well done to the lad for returning it.