Latest News

 

January 2012

 

 

 

First day out for 2012 and for the anglers not bothering with January which i can fully understand after last year but every years different and this year you are missing out on some great cod fishing and guess what no sprats, Louise Maccrel and family booked a trip out but because of strong wind could not get out with us over the Christmas holidays however the 6th January looked good and they were rewarded for there patients with around thirty cod caught. Photos below of just a few with Charlies biggest cod below left and his sister Abigail below left with a few of her catch and on a beautiful sunny winters day and calm seas what could be nicer. And two members of Steve Stones party right with some of there catch had an equally good day on the 8th Jan with over thirty codling and a last minuet skate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 2011

 

 

 

We said the big cod would arrive and they have the cod below left caught by Chris Notley was just over 17pounds and the fish below right Charley Potters fish of eight pounds this was just two fish of a nine fish catch plus several skate hopefully with these results so early in December better things are still to come. Plenty of codling inshore up to five pounds and most days an average party taking home around twenty or so codling and most trips a bonus skate or two, even the river Blackwater is fishing well so windy days can still go ahead in comfort. Below right is Joe Wigford fishing with his mates today 18th December with a ten pound skate the lads also caught plenty of plump codlings and whitings and we had a similar day yesterday also catching skate. Caught 30th December 2nd below left is James Flood with a thirteen pound skate James and mates also caught plenty of plump codling this trip was squeezed between some very windy weather and its nice to see fish are still there in good numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 2011

 

Mike Varlys cod below right caught 10 th Nov along with fourteen codling and several skate Mikes cod was the biggest cod of the day weighing in at just under 15 pounds. Most days are similar but the codling are getting bigger and more numerous even the girls can catch them and below left Rogers gang 13th November with an average days catch of the Essex coast a great day out was had by all.

 

 

 

October 2011

 

 

We are catching every thing at the moment a few cod showing up still several skate and plenty of Bass whiting and dogfish so expect any thing this month with more cod moving in every day and with this last set of spring tides some larger cod should start showing up. October 30th now plenty of codling showing with ten to fifteen fish a trip biggest so far was Tino top right with his seven pound cod this was the best fish of several caught along with some nice skate and whiting its getting better every day now and after the biggest spring tides of the month we expect to be putting some big cod pictures on this page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2011

Good fishing still obviously some parties have unlucky days but on the whole September has been good with some Autumn fish showing up like whiting and the occasional cod but still some great catches of skate and plenty of bass still coming to the net. Below just the last two days 9th and 10th September bottom John Godards party ended the day with seventeen skate and two bass and today 10th September eleven skate hounds and a nice bass looks like strong winds for tomorrow and Monday but we keep dodging the weather to get our customers out for some great sport. Four photos below taken 28th September still catching and having some top bass sport worth while fish not little six inch fish some boats brag about fourteen fish today and many released to fight another day.

 

 

 

 

August 2011

We have been so busy that i have just been to tired to up date our news page after a day at sea so i am playing catch up, this month it has been very good compared with last year skate are making a come back with days of ten to twenty fish not very big fish but plenty up to ten pounds, it has been an excellent season for bass and my anglers have been unlucky if they have not seen one or two fish per trip and if you have booked a bass trip we have had plenty mostly schoolies and catches up to twenty fish or more no photos with these as they go straight back we have caught them on worm baits and if conditions have been rite which they were a couple of weeks back i was catching them on a single sinking spinner great fun on light gear any way we have added a selection of some happy anglers photos and hope this will give you a taste of what has been happening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2011

We are still catching plenty of bass and several tope Chris Notley below had a great day out with us catching plenty of skate a ten pound bass which was released but unfortunately did not survive so we had to up anchor and retrieve the fish still floundering on the surface Chris also caught a thirty pound tope plus loads of mackerel putting the rest of the party to shame, many of our anglers have been returning to port with bass it really has been a great season for them. And below left Dave Geary with his double figured hound and below right and bottom left Daves party all catching bass and hounds the lads released over fifteen bass keeping only one each for the barbi it has been a phenomenal season for bass. Bottom right John Lightfoot with his beautiful hound of 21 pounds one of the biggest this year on our boat his party had several big hounds as well but only the day before with Simon Boden on board we had a very disappointing day what a difference a day makes this is the time of the year when we start getting the big hounds. First below left one of our bigger hounds of 21 pounds caught by David Leicester from Harwich Essex Dave was using hermit crab and it gave him quite a scrap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2011

Our first big tope of the season goes to Barry Gilders catching two great tope one of thirty eight pounds below left and the one below right the largest fish caught in the area so far a forty six pound male fish. Still plenty of skate being caught as you can see below Adms party from Southend with several skate kept from a twenty five fish catch all the rest were released. We have also caught some great bass whilst tope fishing Charley Potter from Suffolk below left caught this bass of 11pound 6oz we photographed the fish then Charley released it unharmed. And on the same day Tony Packer from Lamarsh below right caught a 7pound 5oz bass its fate was not quite so sportively dealt with. John Godard with a good catch of bass thirty bass caught altogether but most released and lads from Southend with a catch of bass and skate below left .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAY 2011

 

 

 

Lots of bass now being caught with catches of twenty and thirty fish not unusual most of them are around the two to three pound mark no pictures because most of the fish are being returned alive hounds are showing up now not the big ones yet but it will not be long before they follow. Still catching lots of skate twenty fish Saturday 14th May plus sixteen bass. Sid Price from Colchester below left with a skate of fourteen pounds 7oz it was the biggest fish of a forty fish haul and most were returned to fight another day. Skate and bass fishing has been the best for years and as we near the end of May i recon we have caught over a thousand skate this month most returned in fact we have probably kept 1% of fish for the pot bass have been prevalent with lots around the 2 to three pound mark great fun to catch but all released other than a few bigger fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APRIL 2011

 

 

 

I am starting my news a bit early as the fish below were caught the last few days of March and i thought it would be a waist of time putting them on March as this will be the theme of things to come in April with as you can see plenty of skate coming to the net the codling are fast disappearing for there offshore feeding grounds some of our charter fleet are chasing them but we are now concentrating on the fish arriving now. Still several big whiting still being caught and we are now expecting a run of bass as the month of April moves on.Top right is Gerald Foster with a nice 13 plus pound skate 18 skate were caught on the day and most returned to fight another day and second from top right is Jerald Web with his first ever skate another nice double which was released. A large competition organized by the police including four local charter boats and i am pleased to say the Sophie lea and Eastern Promise shared top position with well over twenty fish with Gloria B third and Enterprise following on in last position but a great day was had by all. Plenty of Bass coming to the boat now Mick Frost below left 22nd April and Danny Page from Norfolk with Bass to eight pounds along with lots of skate and fantastic weather. Roger Chase with his best ever bass of just under 12 pounds caught on the 5th May 2011 not only the bass but over forty thornback skate that's when we lost count a great day out had by all and most of the skate were released.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH 2011

 

 

Great fishing to be had now with lots of prime codling whiting and a few skate but its the codling we are concentrating on at the moment as you can see below these photos were from the last three days fishing 2nd March onwards from top left Mike Varley from Colchester Steve Barker and mates from Southend and Chris Bendal all had a great day out with us with some great sport.10th March More skate turning up with most trips now producing a few along with some very nice codling whiting and a few pouting as the month goes on we should see even more skate with bigger fish moving in to spawn. Loads of spring codling now being caught Glen from Bury St.Edmunds top left with close to thirty prime codling caught 20th March and top right John Lightfoots party from Suffolk with similar quantities of beautiful condition codling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 2011

Out today 10th Feb and the first fish aboard was a skate of twelve pounds followed by several whiting in fact it was quite busy moved to our second mark of the day and managed five plump cod and ten good sized whiting not bad not good but i can see some light at the end of the tunnel out for the next three days fingers crossed for the weather and the fishing. The following day 11th Feb several codling again all coming in the second half of the tide the lads had been going out from Newhaven not any more as this was one of there best and most enjoyable days afloat. Below Lee Croft and mates out on the 12th Feb plenty of codling being caught now that the sprats are moving away and i can see we will have a bumper few weeks untill the end of March making up for the poor January sport so if you fancy a few cod don't leave it to late.

 

 

 

 

JANUARY 2011

Our first day out after the holidays and although up to the Christmas holidays it has been tough going for cod fishing today 2nd January with Niel Goss below and mates aboard we managed to find a few codling for our anglers its early days to put some news down but some of our anglers will feel encouraged by this we also missed some good bites. Roger chase below middle with a fine cod of ten pounds caught 6th January 11 along with six smaller cod below up to five pounds a great day marred only by the pouring rain did some one say there was no cod about !!! All the commercial netting boats are now catching lots of cod locally one boat last week 25th January caught 100 stone of cod many of these fish were fairly high in the nets but several fish are now being caught on the bottom this is very good news also the fish being caught are in fantastic condition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DECEMBER 2010

The last month of the year has without doubt been trying for our anglers so far, the weather has not helped with freezing conditions, however for the anglers that have persevered the rewards have been quite good with some good fish on the boat ok not as good as last year with some days being better than others but you gota be in it to win it as these anglers below have proved with first left Danny Pages 13 pound cod and a day off school he looks very pleased & Simmon Mcaber from Coggeshall below right a cod of 11 pounds and Paul Howered below a nice cod of just under 12 pounds and when the tides are good we know there are some great fish around to be caught the last day out was Sunday 5th with Glen and mates from Burry ended up with ten codling the biggest five pounds we will see how the rest of the month goes. The latest good cod caught 7th December goes to Bob Turner a fish of just under 14 pounds Bob and mates from Stansted airport also caught plenty of smaller cod to five pounds who said there's no big cod this year don't listen to them if your on the right boat and fishing correctly you will catch them. Bottom right Sid Price with his eight pound cod caught 9th Dec Sid and mates caught another twelve nice codling but this was the biggest fish of the day. Top right Dave Leister with his cod of just over 10 pounds caught 11 Dec 10 the biggest fish of the day which was flat calm and sunny a great day. 30th December just a few days before the new year and the fishing has taken a turn for the worst inshore i think it is the temperature combined with a few sprats, well offshore the fishing is still acceptable with several skate and a few big cod this deep water does not have the same temperature variation that shallower water has so pick the calm days and expect a long steam offshore.

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 2010

We are catching most species of fish from skate big whiting to cod & dabs so there is some great fishing at the moment cod stocks are building nicely now and you can confidently book a charter with every chance of catching one or two. Cod have been a bit slow this year but to make up for it we have a great variety of fish to catch. Ian Corr right looks happy with his seven pound cod caught 1st November his party also caught five skate and Chris Hibes below left with a nice cod of six pounds. This week 4th November on it has really started to happen with regards cod and codling with plenty of good fish coming to the net they seem to have appeared almost over night great news. Burnard Shirly right second from the top with his skate and codling caught 13th November just a few of the total catch for the day. Bottom right Rob Hill from London with his fine 12pound cod and Foster left middle caught his cod of 12 pounds on the 15th November .

 

 

 

 

 

 

OCTOBER 2010

Big catches of whiting up to fifty fish a trip and they are hungry buggers grabbing baits before much else can get to it a spattering of cod now starting to show up but not the same quantities that we were catching this time last year but lets face it cod were early last year and they would not normally turn up until mid to late October and this will be the case this year. Plenty of skate still showing in some marks and lots of doggies to along with a bass or two these are chasing small whiting and commercial netters are telling me that the bass they are catching are stuffed with small whiting. Oct 10th Plenty of skate turning up again lots of good whiting and we are now seeing a spattering of codling Richard Smith below right with a few of his codling caught 14th October & Roger Chase below with a couple of there kept catch. 17th October more and more cod showing up as you can see right is Marina Stleger from Colchester with her eight pound cod and below right husband Gavin could not match Marinas fish with a four pound cod several more cod were caught together with lots of large whiting and this was on some small tides so with bigger tides this week it should get even better. October 22nd and below Simon Boden with skate to nine pounds we are still catching plenty of skate and whiting and a few codling the tides are building this week so fingers crossed for a few more cod.

 

SEPTEMBER 2010

As usual its the end of the summer dip in fishing were our summer species start moving away and our Autumn fish are just starting to arrive but not in great numbers yet, this will change every day though especially after the very big spring tides we are now experiencing which after these big tides will normally increase the amount of Autumn fish for us to catch. Dog fish have arrived in numbers as have a few whiting & we are still catching several bass and skate fingers crossed the cod are just around the corner. 24th Sep Lots of whiting now being caught along with a few skate and lots of dog fish had our first cod yesterday and think we lost a couple during the trip so Autumn fishing is well under way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 2010

Still some great fishing available with great bass catches and smooth hounds of near record size below left is Martin Lough from Tolesbury with his 26 pound 7oz smooth hound and all the way from Belgium for a hound trip on the Sophie Lea was Paskel Romezz bottom right and he did not go home disappointed with fish to 19 pounds and as you can see the bass keep coming with catches of six and more fish just about every day. The weather has been fantastic and cancellations have been few and far between with flat calm seas and sunny skys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JULY 2010

 

We have had some fantastic hound fishing just lately with fish to 18 pounds, hounds and bass are our main target this month with a smattering of thornback skate below was a bass trip booked by Neil Goss left catching in excess of thirty fish most were returned and just the bigger fish kept for the pot several skate were also caught. Below a double catch of hounds both released as we always do with smooth hounds. Richard Smith bottom right with his best ever skate of twelve pounds 7oz several fish were caught on Richards trip and most were double figured fish and most including Richards fish were released however the big news of the day was Foster second row far right and the last fish of the day floored every one with his thirteen pound skate and bottom right for a group photo another great day afloat was had by all...

 

 

 

JUNE 2010

Fishing has been brilliant for the end May early June so far with virtually every day we are out returning to port with big catches of skate many trips with thirty plus fish and obviously we would not keep this amount of fish and our anglers are being sensible and conservation minded releasing many if not all they catch. Bass have also been plentiful with many trips producing up to six or seven fish, smooth hounds are starting to show but still mostly smaller fish this will improve as the month moves on. Mackerel are now in good quantities but we have to search for them and anglers should always have a set of good holographic type shiny mackerel lures in there tackle box. Below left is Phil Rayment from Colchester with his personal best skate of just over eighteen pounds the fish was weighed and released well done Phill & bottom right is Steve Restall from Burry with his first ever skate a fish of just under sixteen pounds Steve was out with some mates who caught plenty of double figured skate and left top is Nick Gorre a member of the Daggers a/c with a six pound bass which was released to fight another day and below him Dave Parka from the same club with a seven pound starry Hound the club members also caught in excess of thirty skate most were returned with just a hand full kept for the pot. Far right is Charlie Potter from Burres with a 53 pound tope Charlie also caught on the same day a 43 pound tope right bottom all specimen fish as they were both males both were returned unharmed. We have for the third year running been the top charter boat for big tope and we did it again today 30th june with a great tope of 52 pounds caught by Gavin Lee from Chingford second down on the left.

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May 2010

 

 

Although the cod have now all but disappeared the skate fishing has been excellent with twenty to thirty fish a trip we are ever mindful of the need to be selective with regards to the fish we keep at this time of year most female skate are full of eggs and generally we like to see them returned with the odd male or two kept for the angler who enjoys a few for the pot. We have also been catching several bass every ones favorite catch .Phil Bingham below middle looks pleased with his Bass and skate and with his party on 1st May caught in excess of 27 skate releasing most of the fish to fight another day. Steve Smith below left with his eight pound bass caught just last week along with lots of nice skate once again all the females were released as they were full of spawn but we could not prize the bass from Steves steely grip. And right is Richard Smith with his bass one of four bass caught including fourteen big skate and all but three were released .Bernie Shirley below left with one of many bass we have been catching throughout the last two weeks in fact we had four bass on this trip and with blue skies and calm seas what could be better, mackerel have started to show now a great bait and nice fresh on the bar bee. Out today 27th May with Brian Latcham and friends catching in excess of thirty five skate plus several hounds and tope we also had a angler smashed up by a big bass or tope that's fishing for you we will try again tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2010

 

Still a improving picture with plenty of thornback skate showing up with up to twenty five fish at a time if you drop on to them. The picture on the right was taken Sunday 4th April with Barry Gilders and mates catching over twenty skate to twelve pounds the lads released all the female fish keeping only one each for the pot. There are still a few cod around up to two to three pounds inshore with some bigger fish off shore but these are now moving away whiting have made a return and a few dog fish are now showing up. Right above is Mike frost out with us today 16th April with a nine pound bass and a fifteen pound skate and below left caught on the same day is Chris Ives with his nineteen pound thornback specimen the lads also had twelve cod to seven pounds and over fifteen skate most of which were released. Middle below Leam Feris and friends had a great day out on the 17th April bagging eleven skate most were females and released and some very nice cod to seven pounds so as you can see in two days we have caught most species so its a great time to go fishing for a brilliant variety of fish. And the next day 18th April below right is Roger Jones with a cod of fourteen pounds several cod were caught including a twelve pound cod and plenty of skate.

 

 

 

 

 

March 2010

 

 

 

I have started the March report early as the last week in February and up to the last day of Feb showed a significant improvement in fishing with the spring run of codling under way. Yesterday the last day of February we were out with beginners and ended up with fifteen cod plus a few whiting, had i had some experienced anglers aboard we would easily have doubled that figure and now this run of fish have started i see no reason why it should not improve every day and with the sprats now gone its all good news, we are out every day next week and i am sure we will have some good catches of cod and maybe some skate we will keep updating through out the week .As you can see both bottom left Chris Knotly top right James Hale and bottom right Brian Jeffery all on the same trip today 1st March with some lovely spring codling and it will get even better around twenty fish were caught today including some big whiting and we had some sunshine too. Top right 2nd photo down is Andy Page from Suffolk with one of our first March skate a 12 pound fish caught 12th March along with seven cod to eight pounds & the following day Brian Brown from Colchester had two thornback skate the biggest 11 pounds and a cod of 9 pounds one of seven fish. Top left photo taken on the 21st March Ray Wilingdales party from Tiptree will prove that the forums some anglers have been logging onto are way out of date Rays party had cod to fifteen pounds and five cod of ten pounds with several more cod to five pounds and a few skate as well all on a nice calm sunny day.

February News 2010

 

 

Well i have had my annual holidays getting away whilst the fishing is normally at its worst and so is the weather but i have come back to some disappointing fishing with at the best ten fish a day and at the worst nothing. Yes i have to admit we had a day with no fish at all we tell it as it is on this web site but a no fish day is rare thank god and although numbers of fish have been low we have managed to scrape a day up on most occasions. Sprats are still a problem but these fish will move off soon and hopefully i will be able to report some increase in the amount of fish catches but you have got to be in it to win it and if you don't keep trying you wont no when it gets better and it will get better i can assure you of that. I can report a bit of an improvement as we near the end of February with cod to ten pounds and up to ten fish per boat we had eight cod on the Friday but the next day very frustrating for myself Saturday 20th Feb despite traveling out some twenty miles for our anglers & with three moves and very poor fishing the last one was much closer in and with a boat sitting right next to us had caught ten cod the biggest ten & nine pounds i can tell you i was spitting feathers.

 

 

 

 

 

January 2010 News

With the weather doing its upmost to stop all fishing with snow and strong east winds the first couple of weeks in January have been difficult to say the least however when we have been able to get out [in fact i have had a run of seven trips before the bad weather hit us] the fishing was quite good and the last day out was the 7th January catching a total of sixteen cod. However i must admit that a few sprats have turned up making some days very difficult. Matt Hodgson and his brother booked the boat to try an offshore mark with me catching only six cod good anglers good bait but difficult fishing and only two weeks before the lads had twenty five good cod between them but that's fishing. Normally the fishing improves and the sprats will move away as we move towards the end of the month and then the fishing will improve dramatically with the appearance of the spring run of fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December News 2009

So far December has carried on as November ended with great cod fishing and also with some fantastic skate catches Mal Green photo below 2nd from the top left from Little Hampton decided to take a trip to Brightlingsea Essex to see if all the cod he had read about that we were catching was true and he was not disappointed. Mal and mates ended the day with twenty plus fish the biggest ten pounds & many seven pounds etc plus a few skate.We could fill these pages with photos of cod we have been catching but this is just a sample of the fantastic fishing we are getting every day on the Sophie Lea.

Even when its blowing hard we can still get into the estuary and catch some fantastic fish in calm conditions not many ports in the u.k. can boast that luxury so if you have been cancelled down south and i bet many of you have give us a ring and let us prove to you that we have some of the best cod fishing in the uk . Below left is Dell Smith from Clacton-on-sea with his biggest cod of the day of just over twenty pounds the largest cod taken on the Essex coast so far this year and this was one of over twenty fish and considering that he booked the boat for just himself and his mate it gives you some idea of the great cod fishing available at the moment. Foster Barnet bottom right with his best cod so far an 11 pound fish Foster was fishing with some friends when he hooked the fish several skate and plenty of cod were also caught all the photos were taken on the week of 7th December. And the last trip before Christmas December 23rd did not disappoint with Matt Hodgson and his brother Joe right booked the boat exclusively for themselves and had a great day on cod with fish to ten pounds and over twenty fish and as a sporting angler releasing many cod to fight another day the brothers said its the best days cod fishing they had ever had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November News 2009

The photos right & below tells its own story really lots of happy anglers and plenty of cod as Tritan angling club are proudly showing and this is a common event now with many of our anglers returning to port with some great catches of cod you have got to be pretty unlucky not to catch & with many fish into double figures who needs to go to Norway also skate yes as last year we are still catching thornback skate, but our main quarry is still cod and i am pleased to say we are catching plenty. Although we have had lots of strong winds we have been able to fish the mouth of the Blackwater and it has been fantastic with cod to thirteen pounds out today 30th November with Barry Bond and mates catching twenty cod to ten pounds and the day before with lads from Bury convinced they would not be out with strong s.e winds blowing but we fished the Blackwater catching sixteen cod to nine pounds in calm waters were else in the u.k. could you do that.

Lots of good sized whiting too many more than last year and some anglers love them, but its the cod that are impressing now and the size and condition are fantastic .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October News 2009

 

As you can see by our photos the cod are our main quary at the moment with some great double figured fish being caught far right is Terry Hamlin with a thirteen pound fish the biggest caught in the area so far, but we have also had many fish up to around eight pounds and this will certainly improve as the month moves on. We are also still catching skate on most trips this seems to be an all season fish now i am pleased to say. Plenty of whiting also being caught in fact more this year than last year also plenty of doggys well some anglers like them, so if you would like to get into a few cod get your self booked into one of our Wednesday individual days we still have several spaces. Above left is Mike Frost and mates pictured 23rd October with a catch of nearly thirty cod up to eight pounds as well as a few skate these fish were caught by only three anglers.

 

September news 2009

 

Fishing is slowly picking up again as we said it would with a few cod starting to show up and also several whiting the skate fishing has also picked up with our best day of over twenty fish so far. So with the last of the summer fish still here and the Autumn fish slowly arriving some nice mixed bags of fish can be expected we will report more as the month progresses. It is only the 12th September and already we are catching some good numbers of cod with the biggest so far of nine pounds together with plenty of whiting and several skate the one thing that is stopping us getting out at the moment is strong NE winds which are forecast to abate in a couple of days .Plenty of good fishing to be had now 20th September with codling to seven pounds and skate to 13 pounds and the last two days of nice weather proved to us that fishing is defiantly on the up now. Bottom left Mel Hopkins from Brightlingsea fishing with us Saturday 26th with a few of his September cod lovely plump fish to six pounds in sunny calm seas now is the time to break out your dusty boat rods and get afloat for your share.

 

 

August news 2009

A bit of a down turn this month as it always does but still catching some lovely hounds up to twenty pounds not as many as we were catching but that's fishing we always want more, still catching bass on most trips some of you reading this are probably saying well we didn't but don't forget i am out seven days a week and get to see what all my anglers are catching. .Mackerel have done a disappearing act i think that they are still here but because of the water colour we are not catching many at all. Still some nice skate to be caught and these fish will increase in quantity as we move through the month, as we get towards the end of the month we will hope to see some of the Autumn species start to turn up like whiting and the odd cod, its also the time of year we catch the odd lone big bass if were lucky. Out the other day on one of our long distance bass trips and the first fish aboard was yes a bass but after that it was skate and more skate you can not win em all. Lots of bass on the flats at the moment all sizes many very small but several two and three pound fish also being caught great fun on light tackle. The Daggers angling club had a great day out with us 20th August with seventeen skate many doubles and some nice hounds and talking of hounds some fantastic fish still being caught but they wont last much longer and will soon be on there way till next year.

 

JULY NEWS 2009

Catching some good Bass at the moment with fish to 13 pounds also plenty of good hounds to 20 pounds Phil Binghams party caught three hundred pounds of hounds on Thursday 9th July with fish from ten pounds up to twenty pounds all released unharmed we, are also catching skate to 16 pounds with Phill Losbys party catching over thirty fish on Saturday 11th July 09,plenty of mackerel also being caught great to take home for the barby and a great bait for skate & Bass. 17th July & high winds have caused a bit of a problem this week with a few cancelled trips and disappointed anglers but it looks like its getting better in the next day or so and we can get out again putting our anglers onto the fish. Out today 20th July with Terry Hamlin and mates catching some nice hounds to fifteen pounds and ending the day with a brace of nice bass ,the weather continues in its current vain with strong winds which is making life difficult for us but we are managing to get the odd trip in between the windy days. Out for the last five days catching some fantastic smoothhounds up to twenty pounds and today 27th July was our first lost rod of the season the angler who will remain anonymous turned his back to the rod for a few seconds and paid the ultimate price his prized rod never to be seen again. There has been some fantastic bass fishing days for us in the last few weeks and when we have managed to get out to our marks we have had in excess of twenty fish its more expensive than our normal fishing trips but happy days you will not forget.

 

May and June News 2009

From the 9th May out every day weather permitting with varying results Phil Loadsby and mates had a great day with well over twenty skate plus several cod the following day only half that number but all on board caught and hugely enjoyed themselves. Bass are showing up now and a bass mark that is always good for us boor fruits for us last week with six bass a few hounds and a handful of skate. Out every day from 25th May with many species of fish now being caught including bass some nice hounds still plenty of skate and lots of mackerel last day out today 4th June with some lads from Clacton and caught 23 skate plenty of hounds up to 7 pounds and several tope to twenty pounds. Our first tope trip booked today with John Godard 6th June but due to weather we stayed inshore catching 14 skate before mid day the biggest 13 pounds hopefully we can get of for our first tope trips this week. Ian Kettle and mates from Suffolk had a successful day out today 8th June catching twelve skate some nice hounds all released and a seven pound bass which was also released to fight another day.

Our first tope trip of the year June 12th produced six fish the biggest at just under fifty pounds for Joe Chatterton and his mates had fish ranging from forty seven pounds to thirty six pounds with several fish lost due to smash ups the lads all the way from Evesham had been recommended our boat and they certainly were not disappointed.

It has been a fantastic season for tope so far on our boat with many fish in the thirty to forty pounds range but Dave Walshaw from Norfolk fishing with his friends including Chris Taylor who had his best ever tope last year with us has topped the weight with a great fish of fifty four pounds the best fish in the area so far, it is unusual to get a photo of two big fish as they are weighed and returned as soon as possible but both fish came within minuets of each other enabling us to get this photo. General fishing is very good at this time with some nice hounds coming aboard a few nice bass and still plenty of skate so if your not interested in tope come along and enjoy some great general fishing.

April News 2009

Paul Mageram from Chelmsford fishing with some pals 28th April hooked into his first fish of the day a nice bass of seven pounds this was number seven bass of the week so it shows these fish are now moving in and its a good time to get afloat for your share of this sort after fish. Still plenty of skate being landed but cod are few and far between now.