Holt SAC 2nd Leg Summer Accumulator (Report)

Sunday 14th April 2019 - Kelling

Holt SAC’s 2nd Leg Summer Accumulator was held at KELLING on SUNDAY 14TH APRIL fishing 11:00-4:00 with HW 2:46 on a small 3.9m tide. Early forecasts for the weekend gave strong north easterlies with a low turnout anticipated and a high possibility of cancellation. As it happened the weather re-jigged itself and gave us fresh to strong east north easterly albeit rather chilly and the chance of some early summer sport gave us a good turn out for a pure Club match. Final forecast for the day was a 2-3ft swell with the wind easing slightly and switching more south easterly with the odd squall. We got the dampness but the wind went more north of east and up a notch giving good 4-6ft swells pounding in particularly as the squalls went through.

Pegging for this one was supposed to be a leisurely walk to just west of the wreck but with the Norfolk Angling Festival competitors mustered around the wreck it was plan B. A slightly more of a hike to just east of the block house on Kelling Hard which had produced a number of Dogs in recent matches in contrast to the wreck.

Fishing over the top on a small tide meant none of this following the tide, so it was set up and batten down behind the bank and wait for the water to come and go. Mind you it was a bit more of come, as the tide peaked the swells picked up and thundered up and over the bank, it was precarious for all but everyone held firm and didn’t budge. Very small tides tend to have less flow here bringing in less fish but the wind certainly compensated for this giving plenty of movement and plenty of colour. Ideal Bass conditions although not quite what we get on a good north westerly but even so everyone was optimistic and was also the chance of the odd Dog.

From the off the possibility of something serious was on everyone’s mind so first few casts had a bit of distance although for some the wind was making this difficult. For many the first hour was quiet but a couple of 28cm Flounders to Neil Smart (Peg 8) and Tony Thomas (Peg 1) early on helped to kick start their cards with a healthy 24 points. However, biggest winner early on was John Carter (Peg 5) whose first fish was a 36cm Bass worth 47 points and he thought he was in for one of those days. This was the sum of the bonus fish at the start with everyone else picking up a small Dab or two.

Young Jack Topping (peg 10) picked up a nice 26cm Dab at the start but then struggled to hold bottom as his line was repeatedly swept round by the wind and tide. He will overcome this in future as his casting improves but that Dab beat the best of his dad’s (Mike Topping) on next door Peg 9 and that was one of 23cm. Paul Tovell (Peg 12) did manage to find a small 28cm Bass early on and then locked into a big Dog only to see it give him a “wave” as it went back to the briny deep. End peg (13) Ivan Allison was in his big fish mode with a nice 30cm Dab and a 29cm Flounder as the tide picked up, good to see you back Ivan.

Struggling a bit were Albert Randlesome (Peg 6) and Charlie Frary (Peg 11) who had to be content with small Dabs at the start but Albert managed a few better Dabs towards the end and Charlie got into some small Whiting and a Flounder. The vermin were seriously active at the start and over slack water but as soon as the tide picked up they gave way to the Dabs and small Whiting. Bev Self (Peg 4) benefitted from this change as he started to find some decent double point Dabs at range although he did suffer from line malfunction as he left a few leads in the mud.

Richard Ling (Peg 3) at his favourite venue could only find single figure point fish although he did manage a 10 pointer Whiting at the end. Not throwing his rods on the shingle this time in frustration but somehow on one cast the fish or vermin had unhooked his trace leaving his line streaming westward in the wind, he’ll take a close peg next time. Another frustrated angler was Joe Bettinson (Peg 2) who after barren Ray-less sessions at Dunwich, Orford and Shingle Street found himself still waiting for a fish. Then, after a small Whiting up comes a nice 37cm Bass worth 51 points along with a small Whiting followed by some good Whiting and a Flounder to give him an acceptable score.

In the end it was TONY THOMAS (Peg 1) who took victory by finding fish of all sizes throughout the match ending with 4lb 6oz from 18 fish. One of them was a stonking 35cm Flounder worth 52 points caught on second to last cast and effectively giving him the match. Runner-up was NEIL SMART (Peg 8) with 3lb 11oz from 16 fish which included a series of double figure point Dabs to add to his early Flounder. Final podium place went to MIKE WATTS (Peg 7) who couldn’t get his rhythm going and for once top spot eluded him, recording 3lb 3oz from 13 fish which included a nice 32cm Whiting and a few good Flatties.

Heaviest flat fish was a 35cm (1lb 1 1/3oz) Flounder taken by TONY THOMAS (Peg 1) and heaviest round a 37cm (1lb 1oz) Bass taken by JOE BETTINSON (Peg 2). Altogether 128 fish (58 Dabs, 56 Whiting, 9 Flounders, 3 Bass and 2 Rockling) were recorded weighing 28lb 4oz.

A good strong Club match where the weather tried to intervene but all stuck it out and all seemed to be happy with the result. The appearance of the odd reasonable Bass now could be good news for our Bass Festival in 5 weeks time as their numbers should improve once the crab peel gets underway.

With Easter and the SAMF Masters intervening the next Club match will be the 3rd Leg Summer Accumulator at SALTHOUSE on SUNDAY 5TH MAY fishing 9-2 with HW 7:41 4.7m. which is just 2 weeks before the Bass Festival on a similar tide … Tony T

Top 10 Individuals (on the day) …

1...Tony Thomas….4lb.6oz........(18 Fish) (Peg 1)

2...Neil Smart……...3lb.10 2/3oz..(16 Fish) (Peg 8)

3...Mike Watts…..…3lb.3oz………...(13 Fish) (Peg 7)

4...John Carter…….2lb.8 1/3oz…..(11 Fish) (Peg 5)

5...Joe Bettinson...2lb.6 2/3oz....( 8 Fish) (Peg 2)

6...Ivan Allison…….2lb.4 2/3oz…..( 7 Fish) (Peg 13)

7...Mike Topping...2lb.2/3oz……...(14 Fish) (Peg 9)

8...Paul Tovell......1lb.10 2/3oz….( 8 Fish) (Peg 12)

9...Bev Self….......1lb.10 2/3oz….( 8 Fish) (Peg 4)

10.Richard Ling…..1lb.7 2/3oz…...(10 Fish) (Peg 3)

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