5th Leg Summer Accumulator and Sabre Tackle Summer League Match 3 (Report)
Sunday 17th May 2015 - Bacton
After the outstanding success of the Bass Festival the first club match ‘back’ was always going to a bit of an anti-climax, for some it was very much so but for others a chance to claw back some creditability. With the “Raymond Sacks” being hauled in at Skeggie some had decided to try their luck up there so a slightly diminished number was in prospect. However, the situation was helped with yet another new member in Mark “kipper” Coleman having another taste of the match scene, welcome aboard “kipper”. A pleasant match was in prospect as blue skies and a stiff westerly greeted “Mr Organiser” at Castaways with the new shop and reception now well under construction, well done Anna & Richard! Many thanks again for allowing the club to continuing to use your facilities. Pity that the Gas Site Shell could not be so friendly by blocking off the access slope so that the trolley gang cannot use it. “Health & Safety” load of rubbish, they’ve created a dangerous situation by the trolley gang having to negotiate the rough cliff edge or carry trolleys down the steep narrow Castaways steps, not good! Enough of this moan, the sea with a nice colour and slight swell was ebbing nicely and pegging was in the first bay before the first pipe and two bays west of the pipe.
As predicted, the slightly diminished turnout was starting to make an appearance with the Dereham, Holt and Gorleston/Oulton crowd always first to show. These were followed by the odd Norwich and Cromer-ites and finally the long distance traveller from Ely and of course “young” Henry. All were soon in Bass Festival analysis mode although some preferred to forget those experiences and got on to more topical banter mode chat. Pegs were soon drawn and for once there was no moaning as they all took their various routes to their allotted slots. With tide well into the ebb everyone was able to set up in front of the revetments and continue that pre-match banter right up to the call for action at the whistle. This beach at the moment is rather flat so a healthy lob seemed to be the plan from most with the usual distance men doing what comes natural. With the tide ebbing fast everyone was soon on the move with rod bags and other regalia parked on the revetments.
It was soon apparent that it was not going to be a barren day as a couple of sizeable bass came ashore in the east bay resulting in good points on their respective cards. Some good quality dabs and flounders were soon seen making their way through the small surf to keep everyone’s anticipation high that there just might be something bigger out there. This of course then created its own personal dilemmas on whether to target those stonking and serious points earning flounders or go for thr even bigger stuff. In the end it was both tactics that were winners with the big baits brigade taking first blood as a nice 73cm smooth hound came rolling up the beach again in that first bay worth 184 points (3lb 13oz). This was then joined by a couple more slightly small versions in the first bay west of the pipe. Not to be out done some good flounders were popping up particularly in this first westward bay where two 34cm (1lb) were carded but the eastward bay came up trumps with a 35cm (1lb 1oz) specimen.
In contrast, the second bay west was struggling to find numbers of fish although the westward end did find a number of dabs and a couple of decent flounders. A good sizeable bass in this bay along with a further decent flounder helped to build confidence in this bay but as the tide bottomed this expectation soon evaporated. With further bass in the eastward bay it was soon apparent that this bay was at last performing. As the tide started to flood there was signs that the flounders were beginning to be switched on in numbers but for some time had run out. In the end it was the bag of bass that was the winning weight of 8lb 9oz from 19 fish which included 3 bass. In total 107 fish (55 flounders, 42 dabs, 1 whiting, 3 smooth hound and 6 bass) were recorded weighing just over 53lb. Good sport for most in this match and It is good to see the smooth hounds back at this venue. In theory they should now get bigger with good prospects for our return to this venue for an evening session on Saturday 6th June.
On the individual performances, in the 2nd bay west it was “earl” Spencer (peg 1) who was the star, taking advantage of end peg with a couple of good flounders up to 32cm and 6 reasonable dabs to end up with 137 points. A day to forget for “off duty” Gibbs who really struggled to find any decent fish ending up with just 3 small flounders for 21 points. Next peg 4 “steady” Carter faired a little better with a couple of good flounders up to 32cm accompanied by 3 good dabs giving him a final total of 101 points. Poor old (he really is not that old!) “silver fox” Neave peg 6 was having one of his down days but a nice 49cm (2lb 7oz) bass soon woke him up but unfortunately that was his only fish for 116 points.
In the 1st bay west was a man who must really like these club matches in “part time” Clarke (peg 7) who had recently broken his wrist and other bits of bone in his hand but was still giving it a shot, well done Wayne! Although he had to tape up his hand half way through the match he still managed to find 4 serious flounders up to 34cm and two smaller dabs for 159 points. In serious but casual match mode was “blacks” Bulch (peg 9) although you would never believe it, with his mobile left on the seat at Castaways, no scissors, his measuring stick gone walkies and match card board back at the shop. However, he didn’t forget his ‘Blacks’ which enticed really good flounders up to 34cm and some quality dabs up to 28cm resulting in 250 points from 13 fish and a good shot at a podium slot. In contrast, “yoda” Thomas on next peg 11 was having a dire day whilst all around were catching. A bass early on was not enough as it only just made 28 points and with just this and two flounders it was his last cast that gave him a more respectable score. Resulting in two good flounders, one at distance and the other on a slider giving him a total of 112 points, makes you wonder where the fish are really feeding.
Then there was “Cleethorpes Warrior” in “hokey pokey” Loke (peg 12) who was also struggling but then he could be seen feeding something slowly through the surf (this is his normal retrieving approach to savour every moment of not knowing what he was bringing in) and there it was a 60cm smooth hound. Not big but worth 84 points and with a further 4 good flatties managed 157 points. Club rookie (you really wouldn’t call him a rookie) “kipper” Coleman (peg 13) soon used his experience to also find a small smooth hound of 64cm. For most of the time he was using his range which resulted in a treble shot of good flatties giving him 206 points from 5 fish. Then there was the master “last cast” Watts (peg 15) slap bang next to the pipe and a known hot spot, does he really need such luck? Anyway from the off he was trawling for the flatties bringing them in doubles and the odd treble shots at a time and not at his usual range but placing the bait alongside or just past the end of the pipe. His lug, crab and the odd bit of ‘waitrose’ squid were working wonders and with just one quiet period managed to find dabs up to 29cm and flounders up to 31 cm for 358 points from 20 fish and a certain shot at top spot.
On the other side of the pipe was “the consultant” Allison who was also into the really good flounders finding 8 up to 34cm with a solitary dab for a total of 220 points. With a crab boat trip pending our young International “protégée” Randell (peg 17) had set his stall out early as he knew he would get that call to sea. Big crab baits on a 2/0 pennel was his weapon at range and there he was with a 42cm bass on the beach just after the start. Not being satisfied with this he soon found his line being taken towards the pipe and this time a 73cm smooth hound was on his card. A nifty walk about and back to wind in a 23cm dab on his 2/0; bait was bigger than the fish was heard but this helped him to 270 points from just 3 fish. He then got that call so he really was a part timer in this match and still in with a chance of a podium slot.
In total contrast was “short walk” Borley who was struggling to find fish although he did manage to find a small dab and 32cm flounder. However, he knew it wasn’t to be his day when he hauled in a 23cm whiting the only whiting of the match giving him 57 points from the 3 fish. Using his usual range tactics, “take it easy” Tovell (peg 19) was into a good dab early on and then struggled to find numbers of fish. However, he did find 6 good flounders and a stonking one of 35cm to give him 194 points from his 7 fish. Finally, there was “the boss” Morley on a lucrative end peg 20 and he certainly used this to his advantage. First on his card was a 40cm bass and shortly afterwards one of 32cm with another one of 45cm half way through the match. He was using his peg and lug/rag combination well to find a number of flatties up to 30cm giving him a total of 410 points from 19 fish and a certain shot at top spot.
The Winner
(At the Bass Festival)
In the end it was those 3 bass that gave Keith “the boss” Morley the top spot with 8lb 8 2/3oz from 19 fish followed by Mike “last cast” Watts with 7lb 7 1/3oz from 20 fish. Then there was the part timer in this match, Henry “protégée” Randell with 5lb 10oz from just 3 fish and we’ll never know what would have happened if he had fished the whole match. Heaviest flat fish was Paul Tovell’s 35cm (1lb 1 1/3oz) flounder and heaviest round Henry Randell’s 73cm (3lb 13 1/3oz) smooth hound.
A Smooth Hound A Flounder
(Not the biggest) (Not the biggest)
An interesting match with some decent round fish but although there were some good flounders there were none in the late 30cms which normally happens at this time of year. The beach for now has got a lot flatter and the gullies from the end of the pipe appear to have been filled in and thus nowhere to hold the fish but the gullies will be back along with the fish. Next club match is at Kelling via the Muckleburgh Collection on Sunday 24th May fishing 9:00 – 2:00.
Club Match Result Top 5
1st Keith Morley 8lb 8 2/3oz (19 Fish)
2nd Mike Watts 7lb 7 1/3oz (20 Fish)
3rd Henry Randell 5lb 10oz ( 3 Fish)
4th Christian Bulch 5lb 3 1/3oz (13 Fish)
5th Ivan Allison 4lb 9 1/3oz ( 9 Fish)
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