Orange Shad
Well-known member
Out down Hartlepool with Dave on "Famous" again arriving in brilliant sunshine but with a very cold breeze if you got out the sun.
I had a little wonder around the Marina as I was on the early side so I took a few snaps of the following, some windmill support vessels,
Some fishing boats, and some cracking yacht's on the backdrop of a nice morning.
My thoughts on arrival were that the sun lotion might have to make an appearance, even this early in the year for the North East came true as the day
progressed, in fact it got "HOT"
So off we went and tried a wreck, and no sooner had I touched the seabed, I was straight into a fish.
A great start which continued throughout the day, again nothing special weight wise, but clean hard fighting fish, averaging 3-4lb.
3 drifts over this wreck using my favourite Sidewinder Eel gave me 8 fish and many others on the boat took similar fish.
We moved onto the ground after the last drift and fish came over the rails steadily during the day.
Gary from Gateshead broke the cod fishing with a nice Pollock (sorry about the photo Gary)
We stayed on the ground for the rest of the day and there was someone on the boat who would have a fish on at anyone time.
Many sized fish (codling) were returned to grow bigger and on a patch of ground we had a plague of Whiting to contend with, some were a decent size
for this early, a solitary Ling (baby strap) came up and was quickly sent back to the depths successfully.
A number of Red Gurnard also came up with some nice sized fish among them, and If the same person had caught them he would have had a decent bag,
but with individuals catching them, each fish got returned.
The weather began to improve, and waterproofs began coming off all over the boat
So off to another piece of ground for another drift, and yet again, just about a fish per drop, yours truly taking another 6 on the 3 drifts we had,
with plenty of other similar sized fish coming over.
The shads and soft lures certainly edged the bait today.
And once more we did move, a little further south, with Whitby Point just in the distance, Dave set us up for our final drifts on a very calm North sea.
And the fish kept coming in, I had a good bag of 14 fish, so everything I caught on those last few drifts went back with a blessing for the sport they
gave me during the day, the initial take by every fish felt like a specimen, excellent fun.
Lots of fish on board again today and with anticipation high for this season, we could see some special individual catches up and down our coast line.
So I left sunny Hartlepool with a good bag of fish, a burnt face and nose, but with a smile on my face.
Until the next time
I had a little wonder around the Marina as I was on the early side so I took a few snaps of the following, some windmill support vessels,
Some fishing boats, and some cracking yacht's on the backdrop of a nice morning.
My thoughts on arrival were that the sun lotion might have to make an appearance, even this early in the year for the North East came true as the day
progressed, in fact it got "HOT"
So off we went and tried a wreck, and no sooner had I touched the seabed, I was straight into a fish.
A great start which continued throughout the day, again nothing special weight wise, but clean hard fighting fish, averaging 3-4lb.
3 drifts over this wreck using my favourite Sidewinder Eel gave me 8 fish and many others on the boat took similar fish.
We moved onto the ground after the last drift and fish came over the rails steadily during the day.
Gary from Gateshead broke the cod fishing with a nice Pollock (sorry about the photo Gary)
We stayed on the ground for the rest of the day and there was someone on the boat who would have a fish on at anyone time.
Many sized fish (codling) were returned to grow bigger and on a patch of ground we had a plague of Whiting to contend with, some were a decent size
for this early, a solitary Ling (baby strap) came up and was quickly sent back to the depths successfully.
A number of Red Gurnard also came up with some nice sized fish among them, and If the same person had caught them he would have had a decent bag,
but with individuals catching them, each fish got returned.
The weather began to improve, and waterproofs began coming off all over the boat
So off to another piece of ground for another drift, and yet again, just about a fish per drop, yours truly taking another 6 on the 3 drifts we had,
with plenty of other similar sized fish coming over.
The shads and soft lures certainly edged the bait today.
And once more we did move, a little further south, with Whitby Point just in the distance, Dave set us up for our final drifts on a very calm North sea.
And the fish kept coming in, I had a good bag of 14 fish, so everything I caught on those last few drifts went back with a blessing for the sport they
gave me during the day, the initial take by every fish felt like a specimen, excellent fun.
Lots of fish on board again today and with anticipation high for this season, we could see some special individual catches up and down our coast line.
So I left sunny Hartlepool with a good bag of fish, a burnt face and nose, but with a smile on my face.
Until the next time
..........Dave.
