Stalwart Brian Harland the first to the Whitby Sea Anglers Association League 100lb Club
This week’s fishing went from one extreme to the other, dying sea on Wednesday and Storm Darragh on Sunday for the Whitby Sea Anglers Association League members.
Neither match was easy, strong winds hampering casting and bite detection, writes Peter Horbury.
On Wednesday’s three-hour evening match the Southerly winds, gusting 40mph, another scratching match for the 13 members.
With reports of big catches the evening before on social media pleasure anglers were out and about but the evening’s rain sorted the men from the boys, and the piers soon emptied as the conditions deteriorated. Bites were few and far between despite fresh quality baits. But persistence paid off, aided by a move, two codlings in the bag in the last hour.
Man of the Match was Dave Perrett, Whitby, with five codlings and a billet - 9lb 15oz - included Heaviest Fish of the night 3lb 13oz.
Next best fish was 3lb 11oz from Jason Ebison. The total was 35lb 9oz (22 fish Av 1lb 10oz).
On Sunday it was an 8-12ft NEasterly sea state curtesy of Storm Darragh, and less so the 31mph NEasterly winds.
Fishable marks for the last three hours of flood, and turn of tide, were limited and the 10 members found themselves with each others company. A 30ft wave was recorded at 06.00hrs on Sunday by the Whitby wave buoy.
Fish bites were few and far between with members expecting more fish to have been caught.
There were just a few pleasure anglers out but they soon retired to Sofa Hole, likewise some members called ‘time’ early.
At the scales, of the 10 fishing only six had a weigh-in.
Man of the Match was Davey 'Turnbullator' Turnbull, Darlington, with both Heaviest Bag of Fish and Heaviest Fish of the night 5lb 7oz - which now leads in the Monthly Sweep.
Rob Tink Taylor, Whitby, was pipped by an ounce to Heaviest Bag of Fish having dropped one fish on the retrieve mid-match. The total was 22lb 1oz (11 fish Average of 2lb)
In the Sunday League, Brian Harland has recorded 50lb 13oz (34 fish) leading Rob Taylor by 7lb 1oz.
Top Five Leaderboard: 1st - Brian Harland - 67 fish 105lb 14oz, 2nd - Dave Perrett - 55 fish 80lb 12oz, 3rd - Col Stainthorpe - 55 fish 74lb 2oz, 4th - Rob Taylor - 35 fish 68lb 10oz, 5th - Jason Ebison - 34 fish 67lb 8oz.