Best Mark?

[Stores]

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"There are some of Terry's marks I haven't heard of either John but that's not too surprising as I do most of my fishing north of the Tyne mate"

Add me to that list Jim. Can't imagine the Eaters would be on many people's list either. Where did that come from Terry?

Jim, is that the N v S comp that the North haven't lost, at home, for 2 years?

[willywetegg]

Aye that's the comp David, and the only reason you didn't lose it on your home ground last year is you were away You had to win it once or the north lads would have took their ball home

Jim.

[g-force]

Looking forward to the comp this year - has a date been chosen yet? On the subject of marks, it's a bit of a head-scratcher for me. Some of the most consistent aren't always the first choice when it comes to a bit of pleasure fishing but can usually be relied upon to throw up a few fish when fishing matches. Some of the marks that have thrown up my better fish aren't necessarily the most consistent........

So I guess my choices (with regard to consistency) would be something like:

1 - Whitley Pipe
2 - North Wilkies
3 - North Skeer
4 - West Bay
5 - Haven Rocks
6 - North Crab Hill
7 - Boat Station / Prom (north Whitley)
8 - Beacons
9 - Blyth Pier
10 - Hartley Skeer / Island

Mind you with a bit more thought some of those places might change......

Cheers, Gary

[willywetegg]

It's looking like 13th February Gary, I will confirm later this week and set it all in motion, and no crying when Sless collects the trophy as winning captain

Your number 7 was almost in my list too.

Jim.

[codonly]

1,black path
2,boaties bay
3,camels island
4 new boiler
5,steehl
6,north row ends
7,any of the bays south of the grotto
8,walkway
9,johnsons
10,tummultys

[YoursTruly]

David, when i am over Whitley side i fish the half moons while i am waiting to get onto the eaters, love the fact its a place which can throw up a big one as well as plenty also not many folk venture out there.

[Stores]

Terry you're right about not many getting over onto the Eaters - proper old mans shot lol. Now we all know where you'll be in the N v S comp.
Couple of other thoughts:

Why are the beach marks more productive than the rock marks (or more consistent if you like)? Is it just that we're blessed with such beaches north of the Tyne or is there more to it than that?

Is there a greater "tolerance" to the beach marks holding fish compared to the rock ends. In other words do the rocks lose their attraction more quickly to the fish so conditions have to be more spot on?

[Cod,cod,cod!]

Food! Worm on the beaches no crabs peeling on the rock ends the later into winter. Thats the way i see it.

[YoursTruly]

Your not wrong there cod, cod i know many will have different views but for me i believe it food, sandeel, razors, worms etc which are in abundance on the beaches.

The big beach in Shields hasnt got a worm bed on it as such but the fish do cough up a fair amount of lugworm when caught, i have dived on some of the inshore wreckage off the beach and there are lugworm casts showing in many places.

Be interesting to see what others think David

[Ian Alexander]

Hello,
This is only my opinion fellas.....but I have to agree with the last couple of posts.

Early on in the season when you,re out on the rock ends it's noticeable that the rock pools are quite active with little crabs, prawns, and little bits and pieces but as the season progresses and the frosts come you'll notice less activity in the pools.

We often talk about the fishing dropping off over the Christmas period with regards to numbers of fish, (although the bigger fish start to show), I think that the drop off in food plays a big part, there is often more food on the beach marks. Fishing over ground that was frozen at low water is often very poor for the same reason....all the small food items are down deep or long gone.

I was talking to a guy from down holderness and he was talking about the fish moving onto "the soft" after the christmas, that is the beach marks at holderness come into their own.

Please remember ladfs that this is only my opinion....I have loads of opinions....and I'm often way off the mark!!!

Regards and all the best Ian.

[codseeker]

now all that meks sense to me ian i will keep that info in mind

[Topfly]

1 marsden beach
2 the beacons
3 boathouse
4 camels island
5 hall beach
6 the boiler hole N/biggin
7 peeping toms
8 king eddies
9 knuckle of the groin
10 shields pier

+
Like you say David, all fished for various reasons, and very seldom blanked apart from camels.
Ian your right about the feed keeping out of the icy chill,the worm goes deeper (you have to double dig when it's freezing ) but it works in our favour IF there are a few fish about because there is competition for the bait.

[Stores]

I'd go along with the feed theory but all rock marks have areas where worms and small crustacians live - try looking in the Slatey Gut on a big spring tide - it's full of worm casts. Perhaps it takes longer for the feed to get washed out on the beach as the sand is (probably) deeper and therefore the fish are around longer.

What about the idea that beach marks fish equally well in a northerly, southerly, north westerly or plain easterly sea whereas rock marks tend to be better known as fishing well in a specific sea?

What about the idea that beaches are highways for fish to get around and therefore you might catch a fish heading somewhere else whereas rock marks are off the beaten track and therefore specifically targeted by fish when conditions are right?

I'm not convinced that the codling has the highest IQ in the sea but it's been around a long time so must know a bit of what's going on.

[Jimbob]

Interesting questions.

I think there is more than a grain of truth in some of this. I think rocky pools are fish road 'dead ends' - you will catch when they are there but they soon do three point turns! In your book, you talk about fishing alongside rocks if you can and this is what I do regularly exactly for this reason - I reckon the fishing 'window' is longer and you are broadly targeting the same fish.

I don't go along with the one about beaches fishing equally Dave unless I have misunderstood the question? My local beaches only show codling when there is or has been a stir up and it is very directional - some when it is Northerly, others Southerly.

[willywetegg]

I used to fish Blyth beach a lot, after a storm you would find all sorts of odds and ends on the beach. Razorfish shells could be found all over the place and I think this is definately one of the reasons that the fish move into that area.

During the summer months I would never think of looking for Cod on Blyth beach as it is too shallow. I used to fish the alcan quite a bit as it is a lot deeper and codling were still caught there during the summer quite a bit. I think the deeper beaches will be more consistant over the year but the shallow beaches in our area always seem to die off after the winter. More daylight hours? who knows. I only fished the Blast beach at Seaham a few times, did it fish at all during the warmer months or was it quiet too?

I am not the greatest expert on rock marks as I always prefered my beach fishing. Walking the area before I fished it and finding the holes gulley's and sandbars, then turning up when the tide was right and catching fish was hugely satisfying to me. It didn't work every time but which marks ever do, when it did though it usually payed good dividends to me and my friends.

Jim.