Stewart 1971
Well-known member
After a bit of humming and hawing about whether to fish today given the recent dire reports I was persuaded by the sunshine so hoyed the gear in the car and headed for South Shields. Stopped off in Felling to get some worm from Moonfleet (after a couple of detours - cracking shop but a bit off the beaten track) and got to the pier just before 4pm.
Set up by the Hole in the Wall with two rods - one dropped over the side, size 4 hooks and a chunk of bluey the other I opted for a two hook cascade rig with 1/0 hooks belted out baited with rag, lug or bluey.
It wasn't long before the scratching rod was going bananas (the joys of braid, even tiddlers give good strong bites
) and up the side came a small codling and a very bonny long spined sea scorpion.
Fingers were crossed that this wasn't going to be another case of first cast-itis but I needent have worried, soon enough the distance rod was nodding and another small codling along with a coalie were soon on the pier.
And that was the pattern for the rest of the session. Bites pretty much every cast, lots of double shots of small fish and 6 species in all. Bast fish of the day was a 36cm Coalie that came obn the scratching rod maybe 10 feet from the side of the pier:
It was a lovely afternoon / evening to be out, very mild until a bit wind got up just after 7pm
Packed up just before 8pm, final tally was 14 small codling, 6 Coalies, a Dab, a Flounder, an Eelpout and a Bullhead. A really fun session, although the fish were small it beats a blank (and especially sitting in the house) anyday
Set up by the Hole in the Wall with two rods - one dropped over the side, size 4 hooks and a chunk of bluey the other I opted for a two hook cascade rig with 1/0 hooks belted out baited with rag, lug or bluey.
It wasn't long before the scratching rod was going bananas (the joys of braid, even tiddlers give good strong bites
) and up the side came a small codling and a very bonny long spined sea scorpion.
Fingers were crossed that this wasn't going to be another case of first cast-itis but I needent have worried, soon enough the distance rod was nodding and another small codling along with a coalie were soon on the pier.
And that was the pattern for the rest of the session. Bites pretty much every cast, lots of double shots of small fish and 6 species in all. Bast fish of the day was a 36cm Coalie that came obn the scratching rod maybe 10 feet from the side of the pier:
It was a lovely afternoon / evening to be out, very mild until a bit wind got up just after 7pm
Packed up just before 8pm, final tally was 14 small codling, 6 Coalies, a Dab, a Flounder, an Eelpout and a Bullhead. A really fun session, although the fish were small it beats a blank (and especially sitting in the house) anyday
