Kelling Saturday 24th November 2012 – Woodward Cup
With John Lacey’s charity match at Gorleston on the Sunday the committee decided to bring the Woodward Cup match forward to the Saturday so that club members could attend. As it happened a healthy contingent from the club participated in what was an excellent match with plenty of fish for most, well done John! Although switched to the Saturday an equally healthy turn out gathered at our Muckleburgh meeting place probably tempted into getting some last minute practice in before the National Sea League Final the following weekend at this venue. A cool dry morning with a light south easterly over our backs along with just a slight swell in a nicely coloured sea gave us excellent conditions for the shingle.
With the Final in mind it was decided to peg the block house end at Kelling as this would be the start of Zone D in the Final and would give us some idea of how it would perform. Also with the Final in mind it was decided to decamp and park below the bunkers to the west of the radar as this would be Zone D parking for that weekend. Rain was forecast for 3:00 p.m. that day which would make it difficult for some to escape the grassy hollow but we decided to give it a shot. Fishing the flood on the shingle is always a pleasant experience as you don’t have to follow the tide and once set up it is very relaxing fishing. With a flooding tide and overcast this was ideal conditions for the whiting to appear in numbers and all were full of anticipation that this would at last happen. Buddies were soon set up on top of the shingle bank and all were raring to get started.
At the whistle the majority opted for the customary Kelling chuck although some were a more ambitious and launching leads to the wind farm. Rods were soon nodding and it was obvious that the good old reliable dabs were there in numbers with fish after fish being reeled in. The majority of these were of the usual stamp, small and lot of those sickly green variety. However, some were beating this trend as “class act” Thorburn (peg 4) locked into a nice 30cm specimen on his first cast and falsely thought this was to be his day. Likewise, “pylons” Harvey (peg 10) had a nice 29cm flounder to kick off his rather delayed campaign. Others had to be content with smaller versions, like “consultant” Allison (peg 1), “smooth” Conway (peg 2), “yoda” Thomas (peg 6), “chig” Mushroom (peg 7), “last cast” Watts (peg 11), “no hat” Attew (peg 12), “sandy coke” Loke (peg 16) and “better booms” Beeton (peg 18). Guest “ranger” Shorthouse (peg 14) was also into small dabs but “red stuff” Randell (peg 5) and “new gear” Vertigan (peg 15) managed to find better 23cm versions.
A slow start for “cuddly” Carter (peg 8) who eventually found a nice 24cm dab much to the disgust of the boss “steady” Carter (peg 9) who eventually saved face with a 25cm version. As seems to be the norm these days, “silver fox” Neave (peg 3) was having a torrid day but eventually found a small 21cm dab followed by a nice 27cm flounder. Unfortunately, things did not improve for him as he only carded a further 4 fish. Activity eased up as slack water arrived but picked up as the full force of the flood started to kick in. Still small dabs coming ashore but “red stuff” Randell was doing his usual bucking the trend with 28cm and 30cm flounders as did “no hat” with a 28cm flounder. With just small dabs the main quarry it was those who could stack up the numbers in particular “better booms” Beeton whose stretched booms, frozen blacks and other secret concoctions was landing the fish. Such success intrigued “ranger” Shorthouse particularly the ‘better booms’ which I understand were in full production the following week. Also finding the small fish along with some quality dabs was “smooth” Conway whose small hooks and frozen blacks was paying dividend.
In the end the whiting never arrived and Bill “better booms” Beeton took the honours with 5lb 8 1/3oz from 32 fish followed some way behind was Dene “smooth” Conway with 3lb 13oz from 20 fish. Missing out by just 1 point (1/3oz) was Tony “yoda” Thomas taking final podium slot with 3lb 12 2/3oz from 24 fish. Heaviest flat club points went to “young” Henry for his 30cm flounder and there was no round fish caught.
An interesting day’s fishing exercising a stretch that we do not use very often which produced 230 fish for club members weighing 42lb 3oz but no whiting, when will they arrive if at all. A good indication of what to expect in the up and coming Final but then we’ll be fishing the ebb and we all know what a difference this will make.
Club Result Top 5
1st Bill Beeton 5lb 8 1/3oz (32 Fish)
2nd Dene Conway 3lb 13oz (20 Fish)
3rd Tony Thomas 3lb 12 2/3oz (24 Fish)
4th Sam Attew 3lb 7 1/3oz (20 Fish)
5th Mike Watts 3lb 3oz (20 Fish)
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