Holt SAC North Norfolk National Sea League Round 3 and J Long Shield (Report)
Sunday 8th December 2019 - Cley
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Holt SAC’s Round 3 of the North Norfolk National Sea League & Club J Long Cup match was held at CLEY on SUNDAY 8TH DECEMBER fishing 10:00-3:00 LW 1:36 4.5m. With the encroaching storm Atiyah everyone was apprehensive of what this weather system would bring. As it happened the dampness passed over night resulting in a clear blue sky almost throughout and the wind although very strong was over your left shoulder and easily coped with.
A good turn out considering with just one team a man short and captains were soon drawing their cards at the Cley beach “bus shelter”. Being winter there were no sign of any swimmers so it was decided to peg from just west of the wreck right through in front of the car park and past the boats towards Blakeney Point our usual match stretch. Many thanks to Henry Randell for his excellent and timely pegging and of course congratulations to Henry and Kimberley on their engagement, a perfect match. No wonder the pegs were all in line with purposeful strides after their hike with mutt Samphire to Spalla Gap a few days earlier to do his duty, that place will never be the same again.
For our NSL league matches the 2nd Sunday in the month determines when these occur . This means we take whatever the tide state is on that day and for this one we were fishing from just before bottom up on a very small tide and in complete contrast to the usual tides for these matches. This meant plenty of sand and shingle to move back on as the tide flooded as well as an easy walk for those out in Zone A although not as far as usual. The strong wind certainly helped to keep the tide at bay as its progress up the beach was far slower than normal.
Finding your peg was easy in this one and the first task was to set up base camp on the shingle just above the high water mark. Ensuring buddies were well bedded down in the strong wind was important and for once none disappeared on their way to Sheringham Shoal. For some a shelter was important in this one to give the occasional respite from the stiff cool west south westerly although for various reasons the majority preferred to stay at their tripods further down the beach. All were soon in the water at the whistle and for some a tad before this, they are a keen lot.
Seeing bites in the blustery wind was difficult in this one so it was down to 6 to 10 minute casts and a matter of retrieving, baiting up and casting out continuously. It was soon apparent that the fish were there as singles, doubles and the trebles were seem coming up the beach and buckets were soon in use. These were mainly made up of Dabs and Whiting with a surprising number of mainly Whiting undersize. Finding the larger Whiting was the challenge for the bigger points and early on young Jack Topping (Peg 34) in Zone D took the lead in the zone by doing just that after finding two 35cm Whiting putting big points on his card.
When there are just these species on our shingle venues it is always handy to catch a bonus fish and Paul Harvey on end peg 3 did just this with his fourth fish being a 37cm Flounder worth a whopping 60 points. Then there was that 36cm Haddock worth 34 points to Kevin Green as his first fish at the other end of Zone A on peg 9. Unfortunately, it was slow in this Zone A for the others with lots of undersize fish which was repeated across most zones. The early flurry of fish started to peter out as slack water arrived and many empty traces were retrieved. Empty of fish as bait was coming in almost untouched as the vermin appeared to have pushed out to sea with the cooling water.
The return of the tide brought back the fish albeit small along with a few other problems. Weed is not normally an issue on this beach but the tide brought with it this fine stuff particularly at any distance, not really a problem just a nuisance. Then there was the real problem particularly in Zone A where the Bull Seals were having a break from the ladies on Blakeney Point to have an easy meal. They are clever sods, big monster bulls, sitting just 40-50 yards off looking at you and when they see you winding in dive to take action. Poor old (not quite that old) Mike Topping (Peg 7) was caught out on 3 occasions by them with the fish being taken on two of them and getting one hooked on the third. Must have been an interesting experience trying to land something that was tearing your reel apart, probably the reason he stood by his rod for the whole match, at least he didn’t lose it.
The final throws of the match saw the fish come through in flurries, doubles and trebles one minute followed by nothing for a few casts. Such situations helped to tightened up the field to make it far closer than was expected. In the end it was previous round Individual winner, ADRIAN BORDIANU (Angling Direct Norwich) (Peg 49) who took victory again taking full advantage of his wreck end peg to register 10lb 2oz from 32 fish which included 26 Whiting and 6 Dabs. Runner up who was closing in fast at the end from 4 pegs away was MIKE WATTS (North Norfolk Lads) (Peg 44) recording 9lb 15z from 37 fish comprising of 22 Whiting, 14 Dabs and 1 Flounder. Final podium position went to KIMBERLEY LAWN (Angling Direct Norwich) (Peg 24)with 7lb 9oz from 32 fish comprising 21 Whiting and 11 Dabs which just about completed her perfect week, well done Kim!
The team on the day was again for the 3rd time NORTH NORFOLK LADS with a score of 7 penalty points from 1 team zone win and 3 zone 2nds.. Runners-up were ANGLING DIRECT NORWICH also for the 3rd timewith 10 penalty points from two zone wins, a zone 3rd and a zone 5th. Final team podium was tied by ANGLING ADDICTS with 11 penalty points from a zone win, a zone 2nd and 2 zone 4ths and GORLESTON TACKLE also on 11 penalty points from a zone win, a zone 2nd, a zone 3rd and zone 5th. Heaviest Flat on the day was a 37cm (1lb 4oz) Flounder taken by PAUL HARVEY (Angling Addicts) (Peg 3) and Heaviest Round a 37cm (12oz) Whiting to ALAN DOY (Gorleston Tackle) (Peg26). Altogether 609 fish (242 Dabs, 361 Whiting, 5 Floundersand 1 Haddock ) were recorded weighing 145lb 4oz.
In the Zones,Zone A was taken KEVIN GREEN (North Norfolk Lads) (Peg 9) with 223 points from19 fish followed by PAUL HARVEY (Angling Addicts) (Peg 3) with 218 points from 16 fish. Zone B went to TOM GIBBS (Angling Addicts) (peg 14) with 231 points from 19 fish followed by WILLY GROOMBRIDGE (North Norfolk Lads) (Peg 15) with 210 points from 19 fish. Zone C was taken by KIMBERLEY LAWN (Angling Direct Norwich) (Peg 24) with 363 points from 32 fish followed by ALAN DOY (Gorleston Tackle) (Peg 26) with 277 points from 21 fish.
Zone D was taken by JACK TOPPING (Gorleston Tackle) (Peg 34) with 304 points from 20 fish followed by TONY THOMAS (North Norfolk Lads) (Peg 33) with 294 points from 29 fish. ADRIAN BORDIANU (Angling Direct Norwich) (Peg 49) took Zone E with 486 points from 32 fish followed by MIKE WATTS (North Norfolk Lads) (Peg 44) with 477 points from 37 fish.
Another good competitive round of the North Norfolk NSL with plenty of fish and a lot more undersize. Zones D & E which we have not used before performed particularly well and was informed by the man of the sea young Henry that there is a gully of deeper water close in here which peters out into sand in the other 3 zones before returning further towards Blakeney Point. This means these two zones hold more fish closer in than the others and the results on the day proved this to be the case. This experience will be useful for our Summer matches there although we would not be able to use Zone D stretch then due to local bye law.
Next Round 4 is at SALTHOUSE on SUNDAY 12TH JANUARY fishing 10:00-3:00 LW 9:43 3.8m. Pegging for this one will be from just West of the Beach Road towards Cley. The next Club match and Open is for the Bumphrey Shield and is the Club’s Xmas Fayre and Town Team Challenge on SUNDAY 22ND DECEMBER at KELLING via Muckleburgh Collection fishing 10:00-3:00 LW 9:48 4.3m … Tony T
Top 10 Individuals (on the day) …
1...Adrian Bordianu.10lb.2oz………....(32 fish) (Peg 49)
2...Mike Watts….......9lb.15oz…........(37.fish).(Peg 44)
3...Kimberley Lawn...7lb. 9oz………...(32.fish).(Peg 24)
4...Paul Thorburn…….7lb.2oz….........(29.fish).(Peg 48)
5...John Carter...........6lb.9 1/3oz...(27.fish).(Peg.47)
6...Jack Topping.........6lb.5 1/3oz...(24.fish).(Peg 34)
7...Tony Thomas …....6lb.2oz…….....(29.fish).(Peg 33)
8...Bevan Self…….......5lb.13 1/3oz..(25.fish).(Peg 43)
9...Alan Doy……….......5lb.12 1/3oz..(21.fish).(Peg.26)
10.Dave Wright..........5lb.9 1/3oz….(22.fish).(Peg 21)
Teams on the Day …
1...NORTH NORFOLK LADS…………..7 Points
2...ANGLING DIRECT NORWICH…10 Points
3=.ANGLING ADDICTS………………..11 Points
3=.GORLESTON TACKLE………………11 Points
4...CCFC…………………..…………………..17 Points
6...BIG CATCH TACKLE………………..19 Points
Current Team Leader Board…
1...NORTH NORFOLK LADS…………..19 Points
2...ANGLING DIRECT NORWICH….31 Points
3=.ANGLING ADDICTS…………………38 Points
3=.GORLESTON TACKLE………………38 Points
4...CCFC…………………..…………………..44 Points
6...BIG CATCH TACKLE……………….50 Points
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