Holt SAC North Norfolk National Sea League Round 5 (Report)

Sunday 19th February 2017 - Kelling

 

 

The re-scheduled 5th round of the North Norfolk National Sea League was held at Kelling via the Muckleburgh Collection on Sunday 19th February which also included the 8th Leg of the Winter Accumulator and the Roy Waller Memorial Cup.  With a 10:00 a.m. start an excellent turn out were soon tucking into Hamed’s special breakfasts at the Muckleburgh Collection Café.  Many thanks Hamed for opening nice and early for us and much appreciated by those travelling from as far afield as Dover, Dagenham, Ipswich, Corby and Grimsby.  There seems to be more from away than from home these days savouring the delights of the shingle and many thanks for their support, do they know something we don’t?

 

In complete contrast to 7 days previous it was a rather benign day with a clear blue sky and a south westerly breeze that was to turn slightly fresher to the west north west during the match which it duly did.  Fishing over the top on a small tide with an almost flat sea means no chasing the tide and with the weather, perfect fishing conditions for the shingle.  Pegging for this one was from just east of the block house at Kelling to around the wreck at Weybourne and maybe the chance of one of the reported “smooth hound” (dogfish).  With his usual 25 paces Henry did a grand job with the pegging, many thanks Henry, looks like you could have a permanent role now and well done with your England selection!  Pegging either in front and either side of the car park meant no real hikes for anyone and when you can see your motor from your peg you don’t really get any moans.

 

At the whistle all were soon into Kelling shingle mode which was generally the 40 to 60 yard chuck and the usual hammering it to the horizon from the casters to get their adrenalin running.  It was soon apparent that we were not going to have a barren day as fish started to get carded but the quality of the fish was rather disappointing.  We were expecting to be plagued by undersized pin Whiting but these were rather scarce.  There were a few and accompanied by one or two sizeable scrawny specimens but it looked as though the small Dabs had taken over and a lot of these were very very small.  As is typical of this venue finding the fish is the challenge as one peg may be hauling them in whereas next door is barren and this match was no different.  Even distance is a big variable here where just 10 to 20 yard casts were pulling in Dabs albeit small whereas a few more yards, nothing.

 

The Weybourne wreck end is always envisaged as producing fish and England International George Smith was putting this theory to test being for once in prime position in front of the wreck.  He certainly found the wreck but didn’t get too much back with his light line and even cracking bites from probably big Pouts or even Wrasse tore his line into the wreck.  No sign of that illusive “hound” so without his heavy line it was plan B for him and the smaller stuff closer in like everyone else.  Although it was Dabs and a few Whiting on menu today it was the small Scorpion fish that young Jack Topping caught that made his day.  Undersize but it was his very first Scorpion fish and yes it did make his day.  Another rare species on the day was the 22cm Coalie hooked by Tom Gibbs which gave him a handy 10 points although there was one of the more competitive element who tried to pass it off as a Whiting and thus undersize.

 

Although it was a small tide there was some tide flow however small throughout which did keep the fish around for most during the match.  Some weed appeared at the top but just a nuisance and easily coped with.  As is generally the case with our sport on the shingle any predictions of where the bulk of the fish were to come from are generally totally wrong and this match was just that, wrong!  The Kelling end near the block house far out fished the wreck end with 19 fish per angler against 11 per angler and having a healthy number of fish on one’s card along with the odd quality one is key to victory.  It was this approach along the whole stretch that gave AVENUE ANGLING NORWICH the team victory by a slender one point with 7 points from two Zone wins, a Zone 2nd and a Zone 3rd.  Continuing their excellent performance in the previous round HOLT CRACK OFFS were runners up with 8 points from a Zone win, two Zone 2nds and a Zone 3rd.  Final Team podium slot went to TEAM MAVER  with 11 points from two Zone 2nds, a Zone 3rd and a Zone 4th.

 

All three Individual winners came from the Kelling end with England International ADELE SMITH (Individual) from Ipswich taking top honours with an impressive 4lb 15oz from 25 fish , well done Adele!  It was the Smith’s doing a clean sweep in this match with JOHN SMITH (Individual) runner up with 4lb 5oz from 24 fish.  Final Individual podium place went to JEFF STANNARD (Gorleston Tackle) with 3lb 7oz from 21 fish.  Heaviest Flat fish was a 29cm (9oz) Dab shared by JACK AKESTER (Individual) and  MARK “KIPPER” COLMAN (Individual) and heaviest Round  a 32cm (8oz) went to MARK GOOCH (Individual). Altogether 465 fish (441 Dabs, 17 Whiting, 3 Flounders, 3 Rockling and 1 Coal Fish ) were recorded weighing just under 80lb.

 

In the Zones, the overall winner ADELE SMITH took Zone A from peg 7 and third place man JEFF STANNARD on peg 5 was runner up.  In Zone B second place man JOHN SMITH on peg 17 took the honours with RICHARD JACOBS (Avenue Angling Norwich) on peg 11 runner up with 2lb 13oz from 15 fish.  Zone C was taken by England International ANDY GALLACHER (Avenue Angling Norwich) on peg 21 with 3lb 5oz from 19 fish followed by TOM GIBBS (Holt Crack Offs) on peg 24 with 2lb 14oz from 16 fish.  Winner of Zone D was MARK “KIPPER” COLMAN on peg 33 with 1lb 15oz from 8 fish followed by IVAN ALLISON (Holt Crack Offs) on peg 34 with 1lb 10oz from 8 fish.  Final Zone E was taken by GEORGE SMITH (Individual) on peg 47 with 2lb 10oz from 19 fish followed by MIKE WATTS (North Norfolk Lads) with 2lb 4oz from 14 fish.

 

In the Club match the top three winners are all Club members so the result is same as the Individual result.  This match was also for the Roy Waller Memorial Cup and ADELE SMITH takes that trophy.  The Club heaviest Flat points was taken by MARK “KIPPER” COLMAN with his 29cm (9oz) Dab and heaviest Round points to IVAN ALLISON and JEFF STANNARD for their 31cm (7oz) Whiting.

 

Another Shingle match fished in perfect conditions that defied predictions with Kelling out performing Weybourne.  Looks like the decent Whiting have gone and even the “pins” have thankfully thinned out for now.  The Flounders have gone off to spawn so all we are left with is generally small Dabs with the odd decent one amongst them.  The next couple of months could be tough on the shingle.

 

The next Club match is the 9th Leg Winter Accumulator which is at BACTON via Castaways on SUNDAY 26TH FEBRUARY fishing (9:00 – 2:00) HW 6:28 4.7m.  This will of course depend on what “DORIS” (only the British could call a storm Doris) throws at us and on having sufficient members to fish.  This match will give us some idea how the sand is fishing 2 weeks before the final North Norfolk Sea League at this venue on the same tide.

 

Finally, must apologise for missing Jeff and John out of the first cut of the Super Pools pay out, it won’t happen again!

 

Top 10 Individuals (on the day) …

 

1…Adele Smith………….4lb..15oz…...(25 fish)..(Individual)

2…John Smith…..……...4lb..4 2/3oz..(24 fish)..(Individual)

3…Jeff Stannard……….3lb..7oz……….(21 fish)..(Gorleston Tackle)

4…Kevin Warner………3lb..5 1/3oz….(15 fish)..(Holt Crack Offs)

5=.Gary Medler……….3lb..5oz………..(22 fish)..(Avenue Angling Norwich)

5=.Andy Gallacher……3lb..5oz………..(19 fish)..(Avenue Angling Norwich)

7…Nathan Elliott……...3lb..4oz..........(19 fish)..(Individual)

8…Mark Gooch………..3lb..2 2/3oz…..(16 fish)..(Individual)

9…Paul Marshall…..….2lb..14 2/3oz..(18 fish)..(Team Maver)

10.Tom Gibbs………....2lb..14oz…......(16 fish)..(Holt Crack Offs)

 

Teams (on the day) …

 

1...Avenue Angling Norwich ..7 penalty points

2...Holt Crack Offs.….…………...8 penalty points

3…Team Maver…….…………....11 penalty points

4…JC’s Boys…….………..…………16 penalty points

5…Gorleston Tackle……..………17 penalty points

6…North Norfolk Lads.…….….19 penalty points

7…Team Pete’s Baits…………………....26 penalty points

8…Holt SAC Youths……………..31 penalty points

 

 

 

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