Sea matches

[magpies]

Thinking of entering some of the big opens round our coast this year. But still puzzled as to how you get your mark. When I used to fish freshwater matches they were pegged down, so you drew a peg at the meet and then off you went. These sea matches seem to advertise registration at a certain time then I guess off you go to find a spot.

Do you have to turn up at the registration and wait to go ? Or can you just tip up at your chosen mark and wait for the start time ?

Sorry if its a daft question, and I think I have asked it before even, but I still don't understand how it can work. I can imagine it's like the wacky races driving off to get to the favored marks if everyone has to wait at the registration beforehand.

[NICKY]

Some matches are pegged on the wear and tyne tht you just turn up register pick your peg ect

For opens you can buy your ticket the week or day before or on the day and just head to your mark in the boundaries and start fishing at the start time ect

[Pighunter]

Any open is exactly that, an open you can fish anywhere you like with in the boundaries, unless the comp states there is places out of bounds, if there is a private pier such as seaham included in there boundaries you can try and draw a pier peg, you then get a number which is your peg, you can draw a pier peg but you do not have to fish it.

[magpies]

Thanks lads, so when they specify a registration time on the morning at the headquarters you don't have to turn up there first if you have already bought your ticket? Its like a kind of pre-registration. Did I get that right ?

I think I might have met you Nicky up near the middens a couple of weeks ago, I was fishing the Plaice mark on the wrong tide and you were crabbing with a mate. Thanks again for the advice and I hope you got some crabs.

[CODMAN]

If you buy your ticket in advance you don't need to turn up at the registration. Just head to your mark and wait for the start time.

[magpies]

Thanks lads, the penny has eventually dropped ;-) I imagine lads get there pretty early to secure their marks and just hang about until the off.

[magpies]

See on the freshwater match side an open means something else, it typically means the match is open to all, not just club members. Anyway gonna have a go this year, sure I will learn a lot from just taking part.

[Stewart 1971]

Join a club and start fishing club matches would be my advice (as well as the opens).

After a long time away from match fishing I've been fishing the Seaham club matches this year and I've been really enjoying them; it's good craic and it gets you thinking about your fishing in different ways