Holt SAC 5th Leg Summer Accumulator (Report)

Sunday 22nd May 2016 - Bacton

It was back to Bacton for Holt SAC’s first taste of the sand of the new season and yet another cracking club match for most. The “hounds” were at last on the prowl and with 17 on the cards at the end and with one into double figures it was a memorable match for that particular club member. Before all this action it was a flat calm sea that greeted members, lapping over the revetments at the top so delaying start by an hour was spot on which could have been another hour later as we traditional always seem to start too early into the ebb. The wind was a gentle westerly at the start veering north north westerly at the beginning tailing off to calm at the end as forecast. Cumulus clouds inland but blue skies along the coast and no sign of that rain all day as predicted by Carvery man. All in all perfect weather for Bacton although we could have had some swell in the water but you can never please us anglers.

After experiences at this venue in the past pegging was all in the bay west of the 1st pipe in front of the Gas Site with a couple of pegs overlapping into the next bay. Amazing how this beach changes after being totally flat in March and two months later all different with sand built up around the revetments, gullies close in and a steep (if you can call it that) drop at low water. Access to the match stretch was via Castaways and the club would again like to thank Anna and Richard for the use of their facilities. With the new “Shell” ramp to the beach open it was a relatively easy walk to the pegs but noticed that a few struggled up the slope at the end.   A reasonable clutch of the usual hardened club members had made it to the draw and were soon ploughing through the sand to their allotted slots.

With the tide still well in some opted for behind the revetments but were soon on the beach as the tide dropped. A quiet first hour with no real action apart from the odd dab and plenty of time for a bit of beach banter and sauntering around. Being a pure club match all have allotted nick names some new some very old and when “retired” Green was asked if he was trying to choke his quarry he replied he was only here for the big serious stuff. How right he was to be proven! As the tide ebbed further the ever changing scenery on this beach started to appear with holes and gullies everywhere and then the action started. As he had predicted it was “retired” Green who appeared to be returning the first of the hounds followed by more. Also into the hounds was “small hooks” Stannard, “last cast” Watts and “the boss” Morley all who had multiple specimens well over 50 cm. All of this actioned seemed to coincide with the start of the tide run but this also bought that horrible smelly May weed which is nothing like any other weed to remove. It was a real pain lasting the rest of the match and was probably the cause of the hound activity to slightly reduce from that point on.

It was “small hooks” with his first hound of 98cm (10lb+) that topped the chart much to the disgust of “last cast” who had one just 1cm shorter. Hounds may have been the prized species but there was action from 5 other species throughout the match, slow at the start but certainly picked up at the end. Altogether 95 fish were recorded (17 Hounds, 56 Dabs, 3 Flounders, 15 Whiting, 3 Bass and 1 Lsd) weighing just under 89lb. 15 Whiting at this time of the year, crazy, hasn’t anyone told them it’s summer. Not surprising there were just 3 Bass which were small with all this smelly May weed in the water, they don’t like in their gills. Bacton is a favoured venue for those stonking Flounders but only made a appearance right at the end so maybe evidence again that we started just too early in the ebb.

On the pegs, “yoda” Thomas was on peg 1 with mk1 trolley (never again) and had set his flounder stall out as plan A but seeing the hounds appearing went to plan B and found one of 63cm but that was it. Also seeing the youngster next door rapidly catching his it was back to plan B for the last couple of casts, finding a dab/flounder double shot of 31/30cm in the last 5 minutes ending with 207 points from 7 fish. Young “dabber” Brierley (peg 2) with cracking Pete’s lug & crab was struggling from the off as he could not quite reach the gully holding the fish. However, as the tide receded that gully came to him and he was soon putting his new Maver rod to good use bringing in treble shots of sizeable dabs. His speedy actions gave him 105 points from 10 fish. “take easy” Tovell (peg 3) was in his element finding flounders whiting and dabs but not a hound his trade mark of previous seasons. Unperturbed, he said he just enjoyed coming here for a relaxing day ending up with 97 points from 10 fish.

“steady” Carter’s (peg 4) day had started 3 hours earlier when he left his tray of peelers cuddling in the fridge. He rued that mistake as he saw hound after hound coming in next to him. With nothing but worm bait he could only manage 4 flatties and a small bass for 62 points.   In contrast, “retired” Green (peg 50) did have his crab, plenty of it and his boast of big baits soon paid dividend finding an lsd and 5 hounds the biggest of which was 83cm and 292 points on his card. A total of 932 points from just 6 fish was certainly going to put him in the frame. Faring not so well was his old sparring partner “consultant” Allison (peg 6) who could not find any of these match winning hounds. However, he did manage 4 reasonable dabs, a whiting and a small bass for 74 points from 6 fish. “small hooks” Stannard (peg 7) certainly knows how to come back with a bang as his first fish was a 98cm hound worth a whopping 512 points. He then found two more slightly smaller hounds along with a whiting, a small bass and 5 dabs to give him a frame winning 891 points from 10 fish.

Another member without crab was “silver fox” Neave (peg 8) who had to just watch as hound after hound were being hauled in around him. In the end, he had to be content with 2 whiting and 7 dabs although one of his dabs was 28cm finishing with 97 points from these 9 fish. In yet another contrast, “last cast” Watts was in metronome mode with his first fish a 89cm hound worth 377 points followed shortly afterward by one of 97cm worth 497 points. With his dwindling stock of peelers rapidly disappearing he found another couple of small hounds on his quarter crab portions. Supplementing these with a further 5 whiting and 10 dabs his 1163 points total from 19 fish was certainly a match winning total. Trying to keep up with this tirade of fish was end peg man “the boss” Morley (peg 10) slap bang alongside the pipe. Although he too had 4 hounds they were smaller and with a further 4 whiting 5 dabs could “only” manage 652 points from his 13 fish.

In the end it was Mike “last cast” Watts colossal score of 24lb 4oz from 19 fish that easily took the honours. Kevin “retired” Green’s focus on big fish enabled him to snatch the runner-up slot with 19lb 7oz from just 6 fish. Jeff “small hooks” Stannard’s 10lb 11oz hound secured him the final podium slot with 18lb 9oz from 10 fish. Heaviest flat fish was Tony’s 31cm (12oz) dab and heaviest round Jeff’s 10lb 11oz hound.

All in all, one the best club matches for some time for weight and with 6 different species recorded not bad for variety too. The May weed was the main problem which made landing any hound difficult and less satisfying. We certainly picked the right part of the tide although an hour later would have removed the first quiet spell and maybe more flounders at the end. The match demonstrated that fishing left of the pipes seems to produce and the closer to the pipe the better.

Next club match is at Kelling via the Muckleburgh Collection on Sunday 29th May fishing 10 - 3 HW 12:12 4.3m and let’s hope that May weed has subsided.

Just a small foot note, congrates to ex-club member David Lake who a few hours later found a 19lb+ Hound just 2 miles up the coast at Mundesley. That’s what you call real pleasure fishing, well done Dave!

Club Match Result Top 5

1……Mike Watts…..…24lb..3 2/3oz..(19 Fish)

2……Kevin Green……19lb..6 2/3oz..( 6 Fish)

3……Jeff Stannard….18lb..9oz….…..(10 Fish)

4……Keith Morley……13lb..9 1/3oz..(13 Fish)

5……Tony Thomas……4lb..5oz…  …..( 7 Fish)

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