Fishing round-up

Stephen was in the doldrums after having his tackle stolen from his garden shed, when Mick offered to lend him his own prized tackle.

Stephen didn't need to be asked twice, and at the first opportunity he was on the Gloucester Park cockle bank casting Activate boilies towards the island.

His first run came as he was talking to fishery manager Mick Toomer.

Stephen was playing the fish, a mirror of around 10lbs, when another carp sped off with his other bait.

Mick took charge of this second rod, handing it over as soon as Stephen had netted his first fish. This second fish took much longer to land, and proved to be a superb mirror of 15lb 4oz!

Later in the day Stephen added two more carp to his tally, one scaling around 8lb, and the other a pound or so heavier.

Canvey angler Steve Kelly also got amongst the Gloucester Park carp when he fished from the cockle bank. His home-made boilies cast just feet from the island only produced one run, but the fish proved to be a cracking common of 17lb 9oz.

Thanks to a sharp overnight frost fish were harder to come by at Sunday's Gloucester Park Open. The glory went to Ray Lilley who weighed in 7lb 13oz 8dr from a swim in the big bay.

Ray fished a quivertip and red maggot to take two bream and two tench.

Second place went to County Groundbait proprietor Terry Lock with exactly 7lb of quality roach. Terry fished pole tactics from a swim near the Incoming Sluice.

Geoff Byatt fished the Canal Stretch to take third place with 5lb 15oz 8dr. He used a waggler and luncheon meat to net two tench and a small carp.

Junior anglers Peter Hudd and Bobby Barnes hit the jackpot when they shared a swim at Lake Meadows, both landing double figure carp. Thirteen-year-old Bobby took the biggest fish tempting a mirror of 16lb 4oz on his home-made boilies.

Peter, also 13, was close behind netting a mirror for 15lb 2oz, adding a common of 7lb for good measure.

Junior angler Rob Kipling enjoyed two successful sessions at Basildon's Northlands Park, landing pike on both days.

His first visit produced a 5lb lure-caught pike from the caf lake. He was back at the venue the following day to land a 10 pounder, also on a lure, from the road lake.

The next Northlands Park pike match will take place on Sunday. Meet at the Northlands Park Caf from 7.30am for an 8.00am walk off.

Fishing time will be 8.45am till 3.15pm. Baits will be restricted to sea dead baits and artificial lures. Anglers may use one or two rods, with the prizes awarded to the captors of the heaviest individual fish.

No competitor can take more than one prize. Entry will cost £5 with the usual day ticket payable on the bank.

There will also be an open match at Billericay's Lake Meadows on Sunday.

The book-in will take place in the car park from 7.30am for an 8.00am walkoff. Fishing time will be 9am till 3pm. Entry will cost £5.

For more information on either match ring Mick Toomer on 01268 282317.

Rochford angler Charlotte Dalton, one of Doggetts' junior lady members, put her dad in the shade when the pair fished a session at Doggetts.

While dad was enjoying a fruitless afternoon at the Rochford water, Charlotte was busy taking her first-ever jack pike - an 8.5lb specimen taken from the back pool.

Doggetts has also been the place to be for some unseasonably good tench fishing with some excellent specimens being taken.

Light line with single maggot feeder along with very little loose feed appears to be the most successful method.

Rayleigh angler James Allen landed several nice fish and lost several others while Peter Samuels took four fish to 4lb but, again, lost as many in the fight to bring them to bank.

Dean Mathews had a productive session taking two nice tench before hooking a 6lb jack pike which took a liking to a roach Dean was about to land. The Rochford angler was fishing the hospital swim on the long arm.

Steve Davis landed a hard-fighting 9lb mirror from the north bank.

New member Trevor Marshall got off to a good start by taking his first Doggetts carp in the shape of a perfect 9lb common.

Hockley anglers Charlie Lane and Dan Fuller both landed their first-ever pike this week when they fished at Hadleigh reservoir.

Charlie fished mackerel from the north bank to be rewarded with a 9lb jack while Dan used eel section to take a similar fish.

Martin Mills chose Hadleigh as the place to go hunting for the bigger predators. Using float-fished smelt in the deep water near the pump, Martin managed to bank an 18.4lb pike after a long fight.

A Westcliff-on-on-Sea beach open event takes place on Sunday week, as a qualifier for a major competition in Kent.

Bookings are being taken at the Westcliff Glass House from 1pm on January 24, before the five-hour angling session starts at 2.30pm.

A 40-peg limit has been set on the fishing.

The competition will be the first stage for leading anglers in the battle to qualify for the final at Seabrook, near Folkestone in Kent, in October.

Entry for the Westcliff event costs £6 and has to be booked beforehand.

There is an optional extra fee of £5 for pools.

To find out more about the competition - which seems certain to be one of Westcliff's main angling attractions this month - ring Dion on 01268 462539.

Eleven boats and 49 anglers competed in the Lobster Smack Angling Club's monthly competition but catches were a little disappointing as the codling continue to prove evasive.

Just the one codling was taken during the entire day - falling to eventual winner Ernie Gaylor.

"Lady Sylvia" crew member Ernie took the fish, along with 10 dabs, for a weight of 3.62kg.

Jarrod Joseph, aboard the "Ocean Warrior", claimed second spot with eight flounders for 3.28kg.

Third spot in the men's section went to Colin Bristow, aboard the "Catfish" with 11 dabs and a single flounder for 2.8kg.

In the ladies section, Joan Naylor took the soils with a brace of flounders weighing .64kg. She was closely followed by Sally Wood, aboard "Gay Dolphin" with a flounder of .34kg.

Junior section honours went to Paul Wood with two flounders for .66kg.

The club are holding a general meeting at the Lobster Smack public house on Tuesday, February 2.

Memberships will be taken on the evening and the club still have number of charter boats available for new members wishing to join.

Membership fees are £15 per year. For more details contact 01375 643376.

Southend boats have found the river full of sprats resulting in only the odd codling being taken.

Downriver, fair numbers of codling in the 3lb to 7lb range are there to be had. Thornbacks are showing downriver with herring chunks proving to be the most productive tempter.

SOUTHEND PIER

The stem continues to improve and is now fishing extremely well for flounders.

Gerry Wilson tried his luck at the weekend to be rewarded with 15 fish around the 1lb mark. Other reports have filtered back to me of another angler catching 19 fish on the same day.

The second shelter area appears to be the best bet with fish being caught on lugworn, ragworm or frozen crab baits.

The extension is still very quiet.

SOUTHEND BEACHES

Expect about half-a-dozen flounders from the shore with possibly more on the night tides.

One report has been received of two decent codling being taken at Shoebury's West Beach.

CANVEY ISLAND

Sport has been extremely quiet, with nothing more than the odd flounder being taken.

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