Holt SAC pre-2021/22 teams match (report)

Sunday 26th September 2021 - Bacton

Results ... http://holtsac.com/match-results/Bacton-2021-09-27
Report .... http://holtsac.com/match-reports/Bacton-2021-09-30

With the North Norfolk Sea League starting up at Bacton in 2 weeks time it was decided to schedule an extra Club match at BACTON via Castaways on SUNDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER fishing 12:00 to 5:00 with HW 10:06 and a 4.7m tide.  The purpose of this match was to check out the beach for the up and coming 1st round of our sea league on an almost identical tide for both times and height.  Not a large turn out but enough for some good competition and all were there nice and early to partake in Castaways bacon and sausage butties washed down with a touch of tea and coffee.  Many thanks again to Anna & Richard for allowing us to use the Cliff Top Inn for the draw and results afterwards.

After JC’s Flounder success there a few days prior pegging was west from the old first pipe.  Pegs were placed along the bottom of the new cliff as previous tide had come up to the cliff.  This will be the same for the league match as the tide will be a lot bigger.  It was noted that as the water dropped the concrete blocks protecting the new outflow pipe were exposed so we need to avoid 30 yards to the west of the old pipe.  Also the short groyne 8 pegs from the old pipe is also exposed at the seaward end so another stretch to avoid.  With just 8 pegs there was plenty of space between them and plenty of beach to play with.

The sea was relatively flat with the occasional swell rolling in and a bit of colour.  Slightly overcast sky with a very slight south to south easterly gentle breeze.  All in all very pleasant conditions for fishing Bacton and even better there was next to no weed on the beach.  Fortunately, for the first 3 hours there was next to no weed in the water although a little appeared at distance later on but nothing serious.

Everybody was more than ready under the new cliff at the start and as usual at Bacton were prepared to follow the tide as it ebbed.  Starting two hours after high meant any serious gullies to cross would have drained but fortunately there were none of these in the pegged stretch so at the whistle it was simply focusing on finding the fish.  Most opted for a bit of distance at the start with the odd one trying to tempt one of those stonking Bacton Flounders or even a schoolie Bass close in.

Within ten minutes 2 Flounders were being recorded and all thought we were in for a cracking session.  A 28cm specimen went to Adrian Bordianu (Peg 3) and a slightly smaller one of 24cm to Tony Thomas (Peg 4).  This thought was short lived as it took until 12:40 for another fish to Bev Self (Peg 1) to be recorded, a 21cm Dab which he then followed with a smooth hound pup of 37cm a good hour plus later.  Things really didn’t improve for Bev as he only managed to find a further two small Dabs towards the end of the match for 4 fish in total.  At the same time his travelling partner, Neil Smart (Peg 4) had a small 18cm Coalfish but found a further 5 fish before the end, was he on a roll.

It wasn’t until 2:20 that John Carter (Peg 6) found his first fish a 22cm Dab and could only find 2 further similar fish before the end of the match.  A far cry from those stonking Flounders he was getting just a few days earlier from almost the exact spot on the beach.  Around the same time his travelling partner Albert “Piffy” Randlesome (Peg 7) managed to find his first fish, a 22cm Flounder.  Don’t know exact time of this one as some how between the draw and beach he lost his Covid card and had to use one without a time stamp.  Unfortunately, did not really need the card as he only managed a further half decent Flounder of 28cm before the end.

Likewise, it wasn’t until 2:50 when Charlie Frary (Peg 5) found his first and only fish of the match a 30cm Flounder.  Although he was accompanied by his fishing missus, this time June had forgone attempting a chuck to prevent her back injury seizing up.  Instead decided to promenade to Mundesley and back leaving a rather lonely Charlie on his peg.  Hope your back soon improves June for all that winter match activity.

Final person to find a fish was Peter Fairclough, a crack Flounder fisherman of the past was enticed to come to Bacton and re-join the Club by JC’s string of stonking Flounders at Bacton posted on facebook, welcome back Pete!  That fish was a good 28cm Flounder taken in the second half of the match at 2:55.

That early Flounder to Tony Thomas (Peg 2) did not materialise to more serious fish with just 2 further flatties before half way and none in the second half.  Unlike ADRIAN BORDIANU (Peg 3) who found 3 Dabs and 3 Bass throughout the rest of the match.  Using some range and his sticky Blacks he was bringing in plenty of weed fish particularly towards the end of the match.  In one particular instance a nice knock on his rod resulted in one of those weed fish turning into a nice 60cm Bass as it bobbed in the slight surf on its way in.  There was no competition to this, particularly as he added a 36cm specimen shortly afterwards to add to 31cm version he had got at 1:58 taking the match with 7lb 2oz from 7 fish, well done Adrian.

Runner-up was NEIL SMART (Peg 4) with 1lb 10oz from 6 fish.  A favourite beach for Smarty and always does well here.  Things were going well for him as he found a couple of Hound pups to 41cm along with a Flounder, 2 Dabs and that Coalfish until Adrian locked into the Bass, never mind Smarty there is always next time in two weeks.  Final podium slot went to PETER FAIRCLOUGH (Peg 8) with 1lb 9oz from 3 fish comprising 2 Flounders and a Dab.  So not a bucketful of stonking Bacton Flounders as planned but his 2nd Flounder was 33cm so at least he hasn’t lost his Flounder skill.

Heaviest flat was PETER FAIRCLOUGH’s (Peg 8) Flounder of 33cm (15oz) and heaviest round that 60cm (4lb 3oz) Bass taken by ADRIAN BORDIANU (Peg 3).  Altogether 29 fish (13 Dabs, 9 Flounders, 3 Bass, 3 Hounds and 1 Coalfish) were recorded weighing 14lb 5oz.

Expectations were high for this one but the numbers of fish did not show particularly Flounders.   Good to see a good Bass and a further couple of reasonable ones but surprisingly just to one person.  A little weed at distance but nothing serious enough to spoil the match.  Maybe a slightly bigger tide would have brought more fish through but then could have brought more weed.  Anyway, shall see if this is the case in two weeks time.  I think the objective of this match was met to get a feel for venue prior to that match, first round of this year’s North Norfolk NSL in 2 weeks.

Next Club match is integrated into the Gorleston Tackle Open at GORLESTON on SUNDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER fishing 10:00 – 3:00 HW 7:08 4.3m LW 1:49.  This is pre-booked and pre-paid match with tickets available from Gorleston Tackle and currently all 40 tickets have been sold.

The next match is then Round 1 of the North Norfolk National Sea League at BACTON via Castaways on SUNDAY 10TH OCTOBER fishing 11:00 – 4:00 HW 9:31 5.2m.  Draw will be at Castaways from 9:00 and Club Covid-19 rules and procedures apply as appropriate.  This year we have 7 teams with 5 zones and we shall be pegging for 40 with zone E to the right of old pipe 1 and the other 4 left of it. Please stay safe and well away from this Covid-19 stuff; it’s still around! … Tony T

Top 10 Individuals (on the day) …

1...Adrian Bordianu…...7lb. 2oz……….(7 Fish) (Peg 3)

2…Neil Smart……………..1lb.10 1/3oz..(6 Fish) (Peg 4)

3...Peter Fairclough…….1lb 9 1/3oz….(3 Fish) (Peg 8 )

4...Tony Thomas………..1lb.2 2/3oz....(3 Fish) (Peg 2)

5...Bev Self………………...0lb 14 2/3oz…(4 Fish) (Peg 1)

6…Albert Randlesome…0lb 11 1/3oz…(2 Fish) (Peg 7)

7…Charlie Frary.………….0lb.10 2/3oz…(1 Fish) (Peg 5)

8…John Carter…..………..0lb.8 2/3oz……(3 Fish) (Peg 6)

(No other weighers)

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