Kelling Sunday 23rd December 2012 – Ken Brown Cup, Xmas Fayre Open & Town Team Challenge
The club’s Ken Brown Cup and Xmas Fayre Open was held at Kelling with our usual access via the Muckleburgh Collection. The club had also made this match a Town Team Challenge match where the club had resurrected a match between Sea Angling clubs in the area for a shield that was last contested for in 1985. Club members and participating anglers were assigned to Town teams to set up an interesting competition with no monies at stake, just bragging rights.
Overnight rain had made everywhere rather damp but the strong wind had thankfully stayed in the south west giving us a good blow over our left shoulder. This did not deter an excellent club turn out as well as a healthy participation from as far afield as Suffolk, Essex and Kent. A relatively flat sea throughout with a 2-3 foot swell from somewhere out in the North Sea. The wind increased and moved more westerly as the tide flooded which increased the swell slightly but did not deter the fish.
The match stretch was split into to two sections to try and maximise the fish numbers by avoiding the renowned “radar” area which seems not to hold fish very well. One section (A) was around the block house at Kelling and the other (B) west of the wreck at Weybourne. Parking for section (A) was in the hollow below the concrete dug outs close to the block house and parking for section (B) at our usual slot on top of the small cliff. All of this gave us just a short walk to the pegs although for some escape from the hollow at the end was a bit tricky.
All were soon on their pegs except our “consultant” who had to ‘back’ down but he will be ‘back’ to show how it’s all done. As the match kicked off it was soon apparent that we were in for a decent session as treble shots of dabs soon started to come ashore particularly in section B. At the early stages section B was certainly providing the dabs but a lot very small and undersize. Although this was not the case in the four low pegs in this section as for them all they could do was watch the action in the rest of the section particularly on end peg at the wreck end for the best part of 2 hours. For this early period fish in this section were primarily at the usual Kelling chuck distance but some were being found at distance.
In the other section A the dabs were there but not in the same numbers as the other section. Instead, even at this early stage the whiting were at last making a show particularly at distance. Whiting were being found all along this section and certainly demonstrated that we had got the pegging right around the block house. Although the tide had been flooding for a couple of hours the tide had yet to turn and fish were still on the feed. However, as soon as the tide slackened before switching the number of fish coming ashore dramatically reduced but this is the norm particularly along the gutter. At this stage the whiting were still coming in from distance and this was demonstrated by the size and quality of fish being recorded by the big casters.
Once the tide started again the fish came back on but the pattern of fish had changed in section A. The small dabs with some quality ones thrown in were still there but not in the same numbers. Instead, the odd whiting were being found but for once at distance with a specimen 40cm version coming ashore in the middle of the section. The low order pegs here also started to find these fish as they began to bring ashore those whiting from an area which is normally renowned for its number of dabs. The other section was still finding the quality whiting but those without the casting ability could only find treble shots of undersize whiting which demonstrate where the good size whiting were feeding here. It was also apparent that these whiting were fussy feeders as a fillet of freshly washed up herring was finding some stonking whiting at all distances.
At the whistle it was soon apparent that we had had an excellent match with the majority recording good numbers of fish. Top rod on the day was Kent man Kirk Watson whose 5:00 a.m. start was rewarded with 9lb 15oz from 34 fish on end peg 30 adjacent to the wreck. Second spot went to that true match man Mark Gooch from Lowestoft adding yet another podium finish to a plethora of winning finishes over the last few months with 8lb 12 2/3oz from 23 fish at the other end on peg 2. Final podium slot went to another class act in the form of Essex Craig Buy who seems to have a “soft spot” for the North Norfolk shingle with 7lb 4 2/3oz from 27 fish. Heaviest flat fish went to “young” Henry Randell with a 29 cm (9 1/3oz) flounder from peg 4 whose persistence in the gutter found this fish. Heaviest round fish went to Craig Buy with that (40 cm) 1lb whiting which seriously helped him to take that 3rd place. The Super Pools result was the same as the Overall result.
On the club scene it was Dene Conway who managed to find some whiting at a little distance in the final hours with his fresh Blackpool blacks tipped with mackerel to fend off some tight competition with 6lb 7 2/3oz from 22 fish. Next was Bill Beeton with 6lb 5 1/3oz from 23 fish whose specially prepared lug did not quite do the job on the day. Final club podium spot went to Peter Loke on end peg 1 with 6lb 2oz from 21 fish who was let down by distance finding too many undersized whiting but did make his rolling techniques score valuable points. Heaviest flat club points went to Henry for his 29cm (9 1/3oz) flounder and heaviest round club points went to Bill Beeton with his 38cm whiting.
The Town Team Challenge competition was taken by KESSINGLAND whose team of Keith Morley, Paul Tovell, Martin Waters and Mark Gooch accumulated 1424 points and were presented with the North Norfolk Challenge Shield. Next team was DEREHAM with 1324 points followed by LOWESTOFT with 1153 points.
For once the weather was kind to us, the tide was right for the whiting and we got the pegging spot on. From the comments afterwards we showed how good the shingle can be for such matches and let’s hope this is repeated in the club’s New Year Open on Tuesday 1st January at the same venue. Many thanks to all club and non-club members who supplied raffle prizes which helped to boost club funds.
The next club match is for the Janet Waller Cup and Annual Rocket House Open at SALTHOUSE on THURSDAY 27th DECEMBER fishing 9:00-2:00. It is traditional that this is a length only match where everything counts. The Open will again be a £12 fee for overall, section (if sufficient no.) and longest fish and there will also be an optional £5 Super Pools on overall position. There will be no raffle on this day but please let the committee know if you are attending. Members may also fish this match as a club match for club points where there will be no match fee. Current weather predictions will mean the match will take place on Thursday and not moved to Friday as announced at the Xmas Fayre Open.
The following SUNDAY 30TH DECEMBER will be a pure club match for the Matthews Cup at CLEY fishing 10:00-3:00. Normal club rules and fees will apply here.
The final match of this festive season will be for the Nelson Shield and New Year Open at KELLING on TUESDAY 1ST JANUARY 2013 fishing 10:00-3:00. The Open will have the usual £12 fee for overall, section (if sufficient no.) and heaviest fish (flat/round) plus £1 access and there will also be a £5 Option Pool on overall position. Please bring a raffle prize and please let the committee know if you are attending. Members may also fish this match as a club match for club points where there will be no match fee just the £1 access fee.
Open Result Top 5
1st Kirk Watson 9lb 15oz (34 fish) Kent
2nd Mark Gooch 8lb 12 2/3oz (23 fish) Lowestoft
3rd Craig Buy 7lb 4 2/3 (27 fish) Essex
4th Martin Waters 6lb 14 2/3oz (18 fish) Carlton Colville
5th Rob Dunk 6lb 10oz (18 fish) Kent
Club Result Top 5
1st Dene Conway 6lb 7 2/3oz (22 Fish)
2nd Bill Beeton 6lb 5 1/3oz (23 Fish)
3rd Peter Loke 6lb 2oz (21 Fish)
4th Peter Simmons 5lb 15 2/3oz (21 Fish)
5th Dick Ellis 5lb 13oz (20 Fish)
Team Result
1st KESSINGLAND 1424 Points
2nd DEREHAM 1324 Points
3rd LOWESTOFT 1153 Points
4th KINGS LYNN 1059 Points
5th HOLT 1025 Points
6th CLACTON 1008 Points
Please use this link for full set of club match results … Holt SAC Match Results (23Dec12)
Please use this link for current league table… Holt SAC League Table (23Dec12)
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