complete pile of poo!

[mark]

Is it just me or is the overall impression of the shore fishing this year pants.

millions of scabby whiting or nowt at all

Ok not had a good easterly for a wee while but still usually see a few codling winkled out here and there. reading the catch reports, I get the impression its been a pretty bad year

Is that a bad sign or a good sign for the boats season?? Either there\'s just nee fish (bad) or are can they not be bothered this year and have decided to stay off shore, get fat and not get caught (good)

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

My problem this year Mark has been the lack of chances to fish ,I\'ve not made enough time and so the result thus far is only one codling of four pounds and a few whiting ,hope it all changes today though.

[Davyred]

A good few years back Mark (85-86 I think it was.) I\'d say it was even worse. Although every codling coming out was a good average size, there were no numbers of fish and a distinct lack of one/two year old fish. I\'m not saying that theres loads now, but I think its a better season than then.

The same things being said now about overfishing etc were being said then, but the following season(86-87) produced a record weigh in for Whitley Bay club, and literally hundreds of one/two year old fish caught throughout the region.

Although there are \'millions of scabby whiting\', I\'m sure that theres lots of anglers who\'d rather have whiting than a motionless rod tip - me included.

One more thing. After reading reports of a few big fish up to 20lb being lost over the last week, is it a co-incidence that these fish primarily feed on small fish (Whiting) and theres millions of whiting inshore?

[tala]

Must admit that the # of cod-codling are down on last year, but saying that when the weather has been right, some decent fish have been caught from the N/Yorks coast.
I have witnessed bags of upto 6 fish to 8lb, Me myself have lost two monsters within the last month, the first was the biggest fish I have seen for a long long time comming from the shore (over 25lb) and last Friday morning I lost another of over 10lb.
The # may not be there but the quality has been very good when you locate them.
Plenty of time yet, but you have to out there to get into them

In the last two weeks there have been reports of a good few fish over 10lb getting caught locally, the biggest I\'ve seen reported in the Evening Gazette was over 18lb.
Get your gear out of the shed and get to the waters edge

[Edited on 16/1/2005 by tala]

[jonny_mc]

well said tala.....but it is getting worse every year.

[tala]

Maybe so Jonny, I cannot argue with u on that 1, but last year for me was one of the best for a long time.
Had a couple of sessions when I had over 10 cod, all sizable. Two double figure cod within 20 mins of each other.
And top cap it all I got my PB of 16lb 8oz.
Dont get too many years like that tho, mores the pity

[LING_BASHER]

Most seasons i wpuld go winter fishing from the shore at least 15 times, thats from november - end of Feb, this year i have been 6 times with a grand total of 6 codling best being 3lb 4oz, 57 whiting, 2 dab, 1 flounder, 1 bass and 11 colie.

Looks good on paper but take away the undersize fish and yuor left with at the most 30 fish.Not worth the bait or cold finger sin my opinion, thats why i started fly fishing, at least you know there is somethign in the lake your fishing.

[sless]

richy
do you fly fish in the winter

[MikeR]

Countryfile weather has just forecast a galeforce northwesterly on Friday - should liven things up!

[LING_BASHER]

Yes sless i do, its more of lure stripping and bottom fishing flies such as fritz etc but had some good results from winter fishing, best being 7 trout at sharply and 5 trout from black moor lake.Flished 3 weeks abck at black moor and ended up with 4.

Only down side is the water is so cold when stripping the line throught your hands.

[gogs]

Mike is that northwesterly right down the coast or just the ne?

[kensr27sz]

hope its not getting worse didnt catch a cod last year , none this year yet .