Pollock, mirror and pike all biting in this week's angling report

IT was a case of third time lucky when a trip out from Newhaven rewarded south Essex anglers Phil Browning, Rory Coase and Mick Toomer with some cracking pollock to just over 16lb.

The trio had originally planned to go out on Dave Elliott’s Newhaven Ocean Warrior III on Friday, only to have the trip cancelled due to high winds.

They had booked Elliott for the following Tuesday, with Wednesday pencilled in as a further fall-back option.

Tuesday was again written off by gales, but a short window in the weather saw the trip eventually take place the following day.

Skipper Elliott took the group to a number of mid-channel wrecks. Cod proved to be elusive, but sidewinder lures produced enough pollock to keep things interesting.

Browning set an early benchmark landing a cracking 16-pounder, which proved to be his biggest fish of the day.

Southend Angling Centre proprietor Coase included a fish of 12lb in his catch, with Toomer leaving it too late in the day before boating his biggest fish of the trip, a pollock of 16lb.

FISH BITING AT DOGGETTS WITH RIGHT BAIT

DESPITE the cold and frosty conditions a few nice fish are now showing since the water has coloured at Rochford’s Doggetts lake.

Local angler and tackle consultant Ian Simmons has landed a couple of them.

Nice catch – Ian Simmons with his 20lb mirror

Last week saw Simmons land a fine 20lb mirror from the short arm on Eclipse cream ball boilies while this week’s visit produced a stunning 23lb fully scaled mirror from the back pool, again cream ball produced the fish.

The pike anglers are still having fun while finding good sport on lures from most parts of the lakes.

Quality roach are being caught but maggots are a must and anglers are having to work hard to find what depth the fish are feeding at.

PIKE ANGLING EXPERT OFFERS TIPS

TOP Essex pike angler Terry Wheatley will be sharing the secrets of his success for the first time tomorrow.

Wheatley’s success capturing the predators has seen him move into the top 10 on Neville Fickling’s Notable Big Pike List.

His total of 15 30lb-plus pike landed over the past 15 years, along with 43 topping 25lb and 135 of more than 20lb means he is number nine in the list.

Wheatley will talk about his years spent mastering the sport and learning where the big fish will be.

And he will also explain how his drive and determination to catch pike has cost him his personal life.

The talk has been organised by the Essex Pike Angling Club and will take place at 7.30pm at the Noak Bridge pub, in Wash Road, Noak Bridge, SS15 4BS, tomorrow.

Entry is £4 for PAC members and £5 for non members.

SEA REPORT

By GRAHAM BARRETT

FRINTON and Holland-on-Sea are the hot spots on the east coast this week for anglers heading up to north Essex.

Codling to 2lb have been landed at Frinton’s town beach but the better sport is to be had at Holland, where sea defence work has recently been completed.

Richard Holgate went down over the weekend and landed six codling.

He returned on Monday for a two-hour session and had three more codling all around the 3lb mark.

Weed is hampering sport on the Kent side of the River Thames, with Eddie Sharp reporting anglers at Thamesmead and Belvedere blanking.

Those fishing at Erith’s Morrison’s Jetty have caught just a few smelt.

Sharp and some friends spent a day fishing near the fishermen’s huts at Hastings last week. They had codling to 2.5lb, whiting and “hundreds” of rockling, all caught on lug worm bait.

Gravesend: Graham, from Dolphin Angling, reports codling to 2.5lb, whiting, flounders and rockling.

Greenhithe: Flounders and the occasional rockling have been landed.

Southend Pier: Whiting, a few codling and the occasional bass have provided sport from the pier head, with flounders being caught from the inside marks.

Southend beaches: Sport is improving with the chance of flounders, whiting and school bass.

Shoebury Garrison: Sizeable whiting are being caught after dark from the concrete shelter.

Shoebury East Beach: A few just-sizeable flounders are being taken from the bus stop end. Digging has encouraged the flounders, while there are flounders and the chance of a bass at the boom end.

Walton Pier: Richard Holgate reports that Colin Porvins had six codling on Monday which were all around the 3lb mark.

Boats: Anglers on Westcliff-based private boat Costalot had eight codling, five whiting, three flounders and an eel while fishing near the end of Shoebury Boom. Anglers on Misty Lady out of Walton had lots of codling, whiting and pouting.