PSUK Championships - Newcastle

[maghouse]

Well chaps, I have returned, a weeks fishing near Newcastle ..... talk about hard work - for what was meant to be a feast of fish ... all 3 days ended up as a flattie bash ... really disappointing - few fish caught by anyone.

The locals were really surprised how calm the conditions were for November ... they expected winds/swell & surf for BIG cod - but not to be ...

Day 1 was a practice day on Warkworth beach about 30 miles north of Newcastle, fished the same conditions we would on the match day.
Weather was beautiful - if you were sunbathing ! Really warm and sunny and dead flat calm sea - the beach was flat sand so walked miles to the water (fishing at LW ebb). I reckon the sea was inches deep for 2-300 yards - comp rules were you were not allowed into the sea to wade out so we fished in really shallow water.

Nothing at all at distance - there was a small sand bar so you were casting into slightly deeper water but not by much ...... very very slow going, about 3 hours in - I had my first fish and the first between 8 of us - a nice size Turbot which I was really pleased with as it was my first one ever



Lovely looking fish and so well camouflaged on the sand bottom - stonking bite and hard work bringing him in as he was hugging the bottom ....
I ended up with 4 flounders and a small Dab. All the other guys caught a few flounders as well so we had to change tactics for the comp if the weather was the same ....

Day 1 comp - an evening match at Blyth Beach just north of Newcastle (although 2 hours in daylight) still cant work that one out ..... drew a great end peg - this time fishing the LW flood - the sea went out miles with dead flat sand so wondered how the cod were meant to be there ? Anyway, chatting to the locals the night before they said look for the gullies where the fish will come to feed - what gullies ? had nothing - completely flat featureless bit of beach

Anyway, first cast - a Turbot ! but undersize, the rules were NSFA minimum sizes only which was to prove to be a mistake IMHO as nearly all fish caught by every one was to be undersize .... anyway, threw the Turbot back and fished & fished - tried everything bait wise - zilch, varying distances - zilch ... the tide rushed in and within 2 hours we were at the top of the beach watching breakers about 200 yards out where a similar sand bar was so unless you could cast 300 yards, you were in very shallow water .....

Game over, end of the Day 1 - blanked to score - but had 4 Dab, 3 pin Whiting, a small flounder and a small Coalie (my first ever !) - all undersize, some agonisingly 1cm short of the minimum length to count
So results posted - 97 of 160 blanked .... nearly all those who caught had single fish - nearly all flounders in daylight from what I heard .... a few 'in size Whiting were caught - one at 39cm which was to win biggest fish in the whole comp ...

Sorrows drowned the night before - Day 2 - Warkworth day match HW down - even calmer than the night before with the locals all shaking their heads at the poor conditions .... dead calm, really warm but overcast with very light rain.

Off we go then - nothing for hours, guy next to me had 2 flounders early on but could see little else being caught - same problem with breakers at 200 yrds but at least fishing towards them this time - hopefully to reach the sand bar ... had a small Turbot but nothing else to count - finally reached casting distance of the sand bar and managed to get over it into the deeper water ..... small Turbot again and then the penultimate cast - a sizeable flounder - that was it game over ...

Back for more sorrow drowning - talking to people most had a single fish, very few had more than one fish but my team mate had 3 sizeable flounders so a chance for the team !

All over. scores & results - I came twelvetyfourth (mid table) loads of complete blanks, team was 13th out of about 40 so have to be pleased with that result. Winner overall had 6 fish over 2 days ......

Still - always next year, highlights - beautiful coastline, huge food portions served everywhere, Angel of the North (well - never seen it !) and my first ever Turbot & Coalie .... roll on next year - Kent this time - they promise BIG cod & lots of fish .... where have I heard that before !

Blyth Beach - stolen photo - camera didn't work



Warkworth Beach ...

[Norfolkboy]

Cracking report Rob, well done on your first Turbot & Coalie

[maghouse]

Forgot to mention - the winner had trophies & a wad of cash and a brand new Greys flash rod (only 20 in the UK) around £350 value, he also had a wad of cash for a zone first place, then a team prize and not content with that - the jammy b*****d wins first prize in the raffle and gets another £350 Greys rod - talk about stepping in horse s**t - he must have been sleeping in it !

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Brill report mate and loads of info + pics - cheers

[pingu]

tough few days there rob but well done on the turbot, great photo of it as well


dave

[upnorth1]

...I take it my info to you was no good then mate....conditions have been crap here for weeks now!

Glad you enjoyed it though...

[maghouse]

Originally Posted by upnorth1

...I take it my info to you was no good then mate....conditions have been crap here for weeks now!

Glad you enjoyed it though...

... no - far from it Paul - caught my big Turbot on the practice day with your tip ! unfortunately - they weren't playing when it counted .....

Would love to fish there again when the conditions are right .....

[cuckoo]

Great report rob , looks like you had a cracking week , despite the lack of fish ,well done on coming 24th mate , and well done on your first turbot and coalie ,

lee.