Holt SAC 1st Leg Summer Accumulator (Report)

Sunday 9th April 2017 - Kelling

As tradition always seem to dictate, the first match of the new season is played out at Kelling in early April and this was the case on Sunday 9th April. An early 9:00 start to capture as much of the ebb as possible which didn’t seem to deter anyone with everyone there nice and early even the Oulton, Diss, Loddon and Ely mobs. A good turnout given the other events going on including the final round of the East Anglian League. AGM pessimism about match numbers this season started to be dispelled as a couple of new members joined us in Charlie Frary and “Piffy” Randlesome, welcome aboard.

A cracking “June” day was forecast and although there was a cool southerly to start, the sun soon took care of that. A flat, very flat blue sea greeted us with it going shear in places, yes shear in April! Fishing the ebb is always the best here at this time of year although there is then always the chasing the tide on shingle but this was a neap, so no problem! We had been warned by a few fishing other events that there would be no fish around so to make it more interesting pegging was from the end of the small cliff towards Kelling block house, the mythical barren stretch in front of the aerials.

With everyone, well nearly everyone parked high on the shingle bank the eager ones were blasting it out well before the whistle, we’ll need to manage their enthusiasm in future matches. Being a regular venue everyone knew where they were going to put their baits with the majority opting for the Kelling chuck. Surprisingly there was none of this hitting it towards “Sheringham Shoal” but there the casters have learnt from experience about this. With everyone locked into their rhythm it was those with a bit of a distance who started to haul in the fish. Not big ones but singles, doubles and trebles and at least putting points on the card. Small Whiting in the early stages when the water was fairly high with the odd decent one amongst them along with a few small Dabs.

As the tide dropped and went through slack the fish eased off a bit although they were still coming ashore with the Dabs then becoming the dominant species through to the end of the match. As the tide picked up towards bottom the fish moved in inshore with those with a bit of distance losing them whilst the majority at the usual Kelling chuck started to pick them up in numbers. In addition to all this activity it was surprising how many “edibles” were coming ashore, not small and plenty of sizeable ones for the pot. The Dabs now took charge until the end of the match as the tide started to flood with a few decent ones amongst them along with the odd Flounder.

With rods rattling throughout most of the match and plenty of fish on the cards this certainly dispels this barren “aerials” myth. Of course a lot were small but that’s match fishing these days and a full match card is more satisfying than one with the odd fish. It was that person who was one short of a full card on both sides who took the day in MIKE WATTS with 8lb 12oz from 44 fish. Runner up and some distance away was the surprise package of the day in PETER LOKE with 6lb 1oz from 28 fish. Final podium slot went to the Loddon ranger in MIKE TOPPING who managed to find 5lb 10oz from 27 fish. Heaviest Flat was a 28cm (8oz) Dab & Flounder shared by PAUL KENDRICK, TONY THOMAS and MIKE WATTS who had two, a Dab & Flounder. Heaviest Round was a 29cm (6oz) whiting which went to CHARLIE FRARY. Altogether 302 fish (178 Dabs, 116 Whiting, 4 Flounders, 2 Rockling, 1 Bass and 1 Pout) were recorded weighing 57lb 4oz.

On the pegs, it was Mike Topping on end peg 1 who was determine that his youngster was not going to show him up this time. He at least achieved this and a raft of good Dabs and a Flounder at the start helped him to 5lb 10 1/3oz from 27 fish and 3rd place. Next Peg was that youngster Jack Topping who would have loved to have put one over on his Dad yet again but not to be ending up with 3lb 10 from 18 fish and joint 9th place. Next Peg 3 was Charlie Frary on his first Club match and found a mixture of Dabs and Whiting for 4lb 3 1/3oz from 22 fish and 7th place. John Neave on Peg 4 was picking up his usual raft of Dabs & Whiting but a decision to sit out the last 15 minutes after cracking off could have cost a few places ending up with 3lb 7 2/3oz from 19 fish and 12th place.

Paul Harvey on Peg 6 thought he was on a Whiting bash as his first 8 fish were these but when they slowed the Dabs were a bit more reluctant finishing with 18 fish for 3lb 10oz and joint 9th place. Like everyone else John Carter on Peg 7 was getting the usual Dabs & Whiting but nothing really serious ending with 3lb 15oz from 22 fish and 8th place. Fellow Oulton man “Piffy” Randlesome on Peg 8 who steadfastly stuck to the top of the shingle bank all match also had his mixture of Dabs & Whiting with a few nice Dabs of 24/25cm for 3lb 10oz from 18 fish and joint 9th place. Tony Thomas on Peg 10 had a torrid start trying to tempt summer species with long snoods but a change to short snoods and green pop ups switched his fortune but all a bit too late ending up with 26 fish for 4lb 10 2/3oz and 5th place.

Undoubtedly the star of the day was yet again Mike Watts on peg 11 back on form he was finding fish from the off with a little bit of distance. Whiting at the start then followed by a period of Dabs and then a mixture of everything including that 28cm Dab & Flounder and with just a lull at slack his metronome 10 mins casts he managed to amass 44 fish for 8lb 11 2/3oz and top spot. Back in form surprise package Peter Loke on Peg 13 was doing the business and you knew this as he was charging about as fast as his little legs could take him and a slow start full of edibles soon accelerated as the fish came to him finding a lot of good Dabs for 6lb 2/3oz from 28 fish for 2nd place. Building on last season’s success Paul Kendrick on Peg 14 was finding the fish and a good mixture of Dabs and Whiting gave him 5lb 6oz from 31 fish and 4th place.   End Peg 15 saw a rejuvenated Peter Morse finding fish throughout but most were small apart from the odd reasonable Dab giving him 4lb 5 1/3oz from 25 fish and 6th place.

A good competitive match where on the main the higher Pegs gave the better weights. Surprising there are still a lot of small whiting around but they could hang about for another few weeks.   Would have expected a few more Bass or a Doggie and even a few more decent Flounders but another couple of weeks could see this all change and there could also be a few Hounds by then.

Next Club match is at Bacton via Castaways on Sunday 23rd April fishing 9:00-2:00 LW 11:33 4.2m. Another early start but should enable us to get a little more of the last of the ebb … Tony T

Top 5 Individuals (on the day) …

1…Mike Watts.……...8lb..11 2/3oz…..(44 fish)

2…Peter Loke..………6lb..2/3oz……....(28 fish)

3…Mike Topping…….5lb 10 1/3oz,.…(27 fish)

4…Paul Kendrick…….5lb..6oz………….(31 fish)

5…Tony Thomas…….4lb..10 2/3oz...(26 fish)

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