Holt SAC North Norfolk National Sea League 2020 Round 1 and Sid Ernie Cup (Report)
Saturday 10th October 2020 - Bacton
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Holt SAC’s Round 1 of the North Norfolk National Sea League was held at BACTON on SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER fishing 10:30-3:30 HW 12:41 3.8m. Draw for this match was in the Castaways Cliff Top Inn under Holt SAC and Castaways Covid-19 rules and procedures. Team members and other individuals were able to partake in the usual breakfasts and bacon rolls along with the tea, coffee and other beverages under Castaways seated arrangements. Many thanks once again to Anna and Richard for allowing us the use of their premises for parking, the draw and presentation at the end. Also many thanks again to all team members for now taking this Covid-19 stuff seriously and wearing masks whenever they could at the draw.
A good turn out again this year with 5 teams and two individuals participating and it was good to get the league under way in such trying circumstances. North Norfolk Lads had one team member missing due to Covid-19 self-isolation requirements. Many thanks Willy Groombridge for being very responsible. With team members coming from the counties around Norfolk and some travelling a number of miles, members need to be extremely diligent in deciding whether or not to participate. This means any slightest sign of symptoms, do not attend! If required to self-isolate, do not attend like Willy! We all individually are having to do our bit to stop the spread, we will halt the league if this does not happen.
The new Bacton beach has certainly changed since our last visit in June and as we had predicted the sand is receding pretty quickly. Especially after those really serious northerlies which must have dumped a lot of sand on the Sea Pauling reefs and blown significant amounts into Castaways requiring a road sweeper (non-human) to clear it up. The cliffs are still there with very few access points now to the lower beach. Pegging for this one was two sections east of the first old pipe and 3 sections west. With this being a small tide everyone was able to park safely in front of the new cliff. However, for most of the stretch there was small gully close in and as the tide pushed it was deep in places and produced a few problems for some.
The forecast for the day was a stiff chilly westerly for most of the match switching north north west towards the end with the odd bit of dampness all of which duly happened. A good 2 to 4 foot swell with plenty of colour making it an enticing Bass sea. Unfortunately, this churned up some annoying weed which with wind and tide together swept lines eastwards unless you could get on the other side of the gully and hold rod high.
After their much needed sustenance from Castaways everybody was soon on their pegs and eager to go. At the whistle all were trying to get it over the white water which on this relatively shallow beach can be rather broad but it soon became apparent that this was going to be a tough one as wind, weed and tide was pushing lines round into the neighbour’s patch and line. Not a problem for the maestro on end peg 30 in Henry Randell found a nice 38cm Bass and 33cm Flounder double shot within 10 minutes of the 10:30 start putting 99 points on his card.
The young International has a habit of doing this these days and added a Dab and small Schoolie to his score by 11:18. Next to record was Dave Wright on next Peg 29 with a 27cm Founder at 10:45 followed by a slightly bigger 28cm version at 11:00. Shortly afterwards at 10:52 Alan Doy (Peg 26) had a flounder double shot of 22 and 25cm and all around thought that this was going to be a busy day, wrong! At the same time (11:00) Luke Pearson had a 20cm Dab followed by an even smaller (18cm) one at 11:20 and Tom Gibbs (Peg 10) a 22cm Dab at 11:00 and a double shot of whiting (23 & 31cm) at 11:20. Next to score was Dave Burr (Peg 22) with a 25cm Flounder at 11:06 followed by end Peg 1 Adrian Bordinanu with a 22cm Whiting at 11:13 and then a nice 34cm Whiting at 11:20. Back out with his match rods again was Peter Fairclough (Peg 28) who managed a small Whiting at 11:15 and then just to be different was Kevin Green (Peg 4) with a 20cm Rockling at 11:18.
In that first hour just 19 fish were recorded which was helped by the rapidly flooding tide. A tide that did bring some fish inshore as well as deepening some very close in gullies which required to be gingerly cross to cast on the sand bank and to remain there with rod held high to prevent line being swept around. Unfortunately, this situation led to a bit of drama for Mr Organiser on his first cast and concern for others. Unfortunately, not knowing the situation about lines being swept round found his line stuck on the old pipe groyne. As there appeared to be some give in it decided to use his chest waders to full advantage and walk out to recover it but did not realise the height of the swell on the back of the gully and they promptly filled up with water. Probably a foolish move but those who were brought up and work on the sea tend to push things to the limit whilst still having respect for the sea. Anyway, lesson was learnt with rig lost and 5 hours or more in a wet suit waiting for the water to heat up. Many apologies Kim for creating the concern.
The top of the tide did not help as just 15 fish were recorded in that second hour around the top. However, things did start to improve slightly as the water started to ebb with 23 fish recorded between 12:30 and 1:30. It was in this hour that the specimen fish of the match was taken at 1:04, a 37cm Sole to Paul Marshall on Peg 5, well done Paul! So where did that come from, that’s the beauty of this sport you never know what surprises this sport can throw up. The penultimate hour brought slack water and as usual the fish started to become elusive with just 13 recorded, not good! The final hour brought back a bit of tide and also a few more fish with 19 being recorded.
In the end it was the young International “Big Catch Tackle’s” HENRY RANDELL (Peg 30) who got off to a flyer, taking full advantage of his end peg to do the business with 7lb 2oz from14 fish comprising of 7 Whiting, 3 Flounders up to 35cm, 3 Bass up to 38cm and 1 Dab. Runner-up was on the other end Peg 1 in “Manik’s” ADRIAN BORDIANU with 4lb 11oz from 13 fish comprising 12 Whiting up to 34cm and 1 Flounder. Final podium place who now regularly appears on the rostrum in “North Norfolk Lads’s” DAVE WRIGHT (Peg 29) with 3lb 1oz from 8 fish comprising of 6 Whiting up to 33cm and 2 Flounders.
In the Teams, it was the winner’s team that took victory in BIG CATCH TACKLE with just 6 penalty points from 2 x Zone wins, 2 x Zone 2nd with a 3rd place dropped. Runners up slot went to MANIK a new team name for the league with 8 penalty points also with 2 x Zone wins, 2 x Zone 3rds and 5th place dropped. Final podium team place went to last year’s winners NORTH NORFOLK LADS with 12 penalty points from 1 x Zone win, a Zone 2nd, a Zone 4th, a Zone 5th and 5th place dropped.
The Heaviest Flat fish was that 37cm (1lb 4oz) Sole taken by PAUL MARSHALL (Peg 5) and Heaviest Round a 38cm (1lb 2 1/3oz) Bass shared by PHIL READ (Peg 9) and HENRY RANDELL {Peg 30). Altogether there were 89 fish (58 Whiting, 14 Flounders, 8 Dabs, 7 Bass, I Rockling and 1 Sole) were recorded weighing 33lb 3oz.
In the Zones, ADRIAN BORDIANU (Peg 1) of Manik took Zone A with 226 points from 13 fish followed by MIKE TOPPING (Peg 3) of Gorleston Tackle with 111 points from 9 fish. Zone B was taken by PHIL READ (Peg 9) of Big Catch Tackle with 87 points from 2 fish followed by TOM GIBBS (Peg 10) of Angling Addicts with 71 points from 5 fish.
Zone C went to two adversaries of the Blakeney Greasy Pole in the mid 60’s with TONY THOMAS (Peg 17) of North Norfolk Lads taking top spot this time with 46 points from 2 fish followed by BILLY TEMPLE (Peg 14) of Big Catch Tackle with 27 points from 2 fish. Zone D was taken by NELU SERBAN (Peg 23) of Manik with 54 points from 3 fish followed by DAVE BURR (Peg 22) of Big Catch Tackle with 44 points from 3 fish. Zone E was taken by HENRY RANDELL (Peg 30) of Big Catch Tackle with 343 points from 14 fish followed by DAVE WRIGHT (Peg 29) of North Norfolk Lads with 148 points from 8 fish.
As is generally the norm for our Round 1 of our Sea League at Bacton, this was a tough one. In the past we have always fished this venue on a big ebbing tide but this time we fished totally the opposite on a small flooding tide over the top. It was hoped that this could produce a better outcome but unfortunately this didn’t materialise. The new sandscaped environment has certainly changed this venue with the deep gulley being formed close in made it difficult to fish properly in all Zones. After the match it was noticed that there was a lack of gullies to the east which would have made a good match stretch, maybe next time!. Next Round 2 of this League is at GT YARMOUTH South Beach on SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER fishing 10:00-3:00 LW 1:39 3.9m. Draw will be from 8:30 at the Monument (NR30 3PX), Covid-19 rules and procedures will apply
The Club’s next match will be the Holt SAC Annual Open & Roy Waller Memorial at KELLING via Muckleborough Collection on SUNDAY 1ST NOVEMBER fishing 10:00 – 3:00 HW 6.33 4.9m. Draw will be on-line if more than 20 booked or at Muckleborough Collection main gate if less from 8:30, Covid-19 rules and procedures apply… Tony T
Top 10 Individuals (on the day) …
1...Henry Randell......7lb.2 1/3oz..(14 Fish) (Peg 30)
2...Adrian Bordianu..4lb.11 1/3oz.(13 Fish) (Peg 1)
3...Dave Wright.......3lb.1 1/3oz….( 8 Fish) (Peg 29)
4...Mike Topping……2lb.5oz..........( 9 Fish) (Peg 3)
5...Paul Marshall......2lb.1 1/3oz...( 3 Fish) (Peg 5)
6...Phil Read...........1lb.23oz........( 2 Fish) (Peg 9)
7...Tom Gibbs...........1lb.7 2/3oz...( 5 Fish) (Peg 10)
8...Kevin Green.........1lb.6 2/3oz...( 6 Fish) (Peg 4)
9...Marian Spirea…...1lb.2 1/3oz....( 4 Fish) (Peg 11)
10.Nelu Serban.........1lb.2oz…….....( 3 Fish) (Peg 23)
Teams on the Day …
1...BIG CATCH TACKLE………………..6 Points
2…MANIK……………………………………...8 Points
3…NORTH NORFOLK LADS.………..12 Points
4...ANGLING ADDICTS………….…….13 Points
5...GORLESTON TACKLE………………14 Points
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