Strange time of year...

[The Great Wallsendo]

Not hard to see that the fishing has died a death as the Cod have started to move offshore

I wasn't even fishing this time last year LOL...but now I'm itching to get back out there...

Been dusting off the Boat gear, but I've also bought a Shakespeare Salt Flattie rod which I'm eager to start using for light beach work...

Setting myself a few targets this year:

• 1.5lb+ Flattie
• Garfish (!?)
• Bass - going to Wales again...so may get lucky
• 2lb+ Wrasse
• 2lb+ Pollock

and a doubler from the boat LOL

Anyone else got any personal targets they're setting themselves?

[mark]

the pollock should be easily do-able, there's plenty around these parts, I used to get quite a few off sunderland to about 5lb

there's big flatties not very far away as well, you just need to make the effort to target them

my personal target is not to declare myself bankrupt by being bled dry by a big old wooden boat

Also want to have a weekend mission at some point, get ourselves 60 or 70 miles off and see what we can find, turbot & halibut maybe

[mick dunn]

I caught my one and only Garfish down at Waymouth in a boat compo last year. Hell of a fighting fish. caught it on a float with piece of mackeral strip.Nearly pulled the rod out of my hands.
Had Bass off Hartlepool at North Gare.On the bottom used ragworm.
Caught small Wrasse at Seahouses off the pier float fishing-used ragworm.
Never had a flattie over 1-1/2 pound.
And for some bizzare reason i have YET to catch a Pollock.
And i have never caught a doubler from a boat but i will keep trying-even if one day i go to Norway.

There is loads of species further down South around Waymouth which we up here never think about. Black Bream is a good example. Red Gurnads,
Poor Cod (google that one). Loads of different Wrasse.
Fishing is light tackle and i would love to go again. (felt guilty leaving the missus for about a minute).

Mick.

[mick dunn]

Meant to say thats it in my avator.
Tried to blow up in size but unable to do.

[Sheepy]

Have only been at it for a few months so aiming to get my confidence levels up over the spring/summer. Have only been fishing off the pier but next step is improving my casting technique and hitting the beach.

[northeast1]

Black Bream any size

Skate any size

My targets for this year....Also be nice to get a scad and a catfish again this year

[Sigsy]

For now my only real aims are to become competent in multiplier casting and to fish as many different local marks as possible....


...and maybe catch a fish or 2

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

" This year I will mostly be trying to get better and get some chuffing fishing done "

[RONVIK]

Thinking back to the mid/late 80´s in the early summer we use to catch lots of coalies and mackrel on roker pier. some of the coalies were pretty big (or was i just little).I really miss those days. i`ll have to give it a try again when i visit muther!

a nice big sea-trout is gonna be my goal this year. my P.B. so far is 4lb and i would like to double it this year.

[Mogthemackem]

Has to be a bass for me Tony. I got my first wrasse (4 1/2lb) off the boat and my first double 10lb + ling off the boat last year and my pb 5lb 13oz shore cod. I will be getting a bass this year. Doesn't seem too much to ask compared to what I got last year - does it???

[The Great Wallsendo]

Not at all Darren ...mebbes give Alcan/Newbiggin another shot when the sea is right?

Just bought myself a fly rod combo this lunchtime...watch this space LOL

Moving the goal posts now...gonna catch EVERYTHING on the fly rod

[Mogthemackem]

Lol. Good luck bud

[5150]

Something I've mentioned doing year after year but never seemed to actually do - take a light rod around a load of local rock marks and float fish for mini-species - blennies, butterfish, pipefish etc..

[Sheepy]

I've always fancied using light float fishing/spinning tactics off the rocks myself. Looking into getting a suitable rod and reel in the next fortnight and getting out there at the end of April.