Copthorn comp

[eno]

hi, not much happening on the site at present so I thought I might get people posting about some thing that's been bugging me.
I have just seen the result of the Tyne open at the Copthorn last Sunday, winner 19 fish, 2nd 17 fish, 3rd 17 fish, these lads are obviously very good anglers to catch 53 fish in a four hour comp but now I'm doubting my own ability and wondering where I went wrong.
I have been fishing for forty years, fished for three different clubs, entered a lot of competitions and had my name in the chronicle a few times but even in my hay day have only ever caught six or seven fish in a session using only the top baits and it leaves me bewildered (and jealous ) that I have never had bags of this size, what am I doing wrong.
Eddie

[GEORDIE H]

Hello Eddie 6 or 7 fish still would win most shore competitions mate but these measure and release comps held up the estuary's fish sizes are only 20cms.
Were most club comps are M.A.F.F. or D.E.F.R.A. legal size limits I.E. Flounder 25cms / Cod 35cms etc etc so don't put yourself down mate.

[Stewart 1971]

Hello Eddie 6 or 7 fish still would win most shore competitions mate but these measure and release comps held up the estuary's fish sizes are only 20cms.
Were most club comps are M.A.F.F. or D.E.F.R.A. legal size limits I.E. Flounder 25cms / Cod 35cms etc etc so don't put yourself down mate.

A minor point of order but there is no MLS for Flounder, or indeed for most non-commercial fish. In which case it is down to individual clubs to set limits like we do at Seaham for the likes of Flounder, Dab, etc.

On the CMR match front, I once fished an SAS match at Widewater in Shoreham, Sussex. Before I'd even put my rod in the rest from the first cast the lads on the pegs either side of me had brought Whiting over for me to measure and as the match progressed they must have had 70 odd fish each in the course of the 4 hours (and once I got into the swing of things I ended up with well over 50). A very different kind of fishing and I learned a lot that night but it wasn't really my cup of tea to be honest

[bandit]

Catch & release matches fresh crab freshwater style, light line size 2-6 hooks catching lots of small fish and as said 20cm minimum size limit