Brian Harland & Dave Hambley net WSAA League victories

Brian Harland's Heaviest Bag of Fish 10 lb 13 oz (8) from Wednesday October 5 WSAA League match PHOTO BY PETER HORBURY

The third match of the WSAA League season started on Wednesday in daylight, fishing the last of the ebb and two-and-a-half hours of flood on a slack tide.

Very strong westerly 20-30mph winds. Sea state flat with no colour, the catch forecast was extremely low.

Baits came back untouched, no crab activity, lead loses were high, end tackle dragged into snags by the relentless wind. Seven of 13 members recorded a meagre weigh-in of 20 assorted fish, 13 codlings, two billets and five rocklings, 25lb 11oz.

Man of the Match was Whitby’s Brian Harland, with a double figure bag, 10lb 13oz (42% of the total catch), a remarkable achievement in such poor conditions. Heaviest Fish of 2lb 10oz fell to Colin Stainthorpe (Whitby).

Colin Stainthorpe with his Heaviest Fish 2lb 10oz from Wednesday October 5

On Sunday there was no change in the weather nor fishing conditions, the comfort of ‘sofa hole’ was a big draw from being battered by a gusting SSEasterly 30+mph.

Fourteen ventured out with a choice - fish the cliffs/piers for a couple of hours, then drive to LWater marks mid-match as access to the scaurs opened up.

A fresh cliff fall at Robin Hood’s Bay was witnessed around 7pm. Heavy cloud cover blew in thereafter. The close to shore SSEasterly swell fell away as quickly as the ebbing tide, as did the enthusiasm!

Last to the scales was Man of the Match Dave Hambley with three codlings for 8lb 14oz, his best 4lb 3oz took Heaviest Fish, which he reported catching on his first cast! Next best fish, a lesser spotted dog fish 2lb 1oz went to Dave Ward, Guisborough.

Dave Hambley Heaviest Bag if Fish 8 lb 14 oz (3) on Sunday

Over the last two matches 36 assorted fish, weighing 51lb 1oz - the weather has been unkind and unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. In comparison, this time last season WSAA had weighed-in 270lb (160 fish) to just 126lb (89 fish) after four matches this season.

Sunday’s results: 25lb 6oz (Av 1lb 9oz) 11 codlings, 2 billets, 1 LSD, 1 rockling and a flounder: 1st - Dave Hambley - 3 codlings 8lb 14oz, 2nd - Brian Harland - 2 codlings, 1 billet 4 lb 06 oz, 3rd - R Collinson - 1 codling, 1 billet 1 fl’der 2lb 10oz, 4th - Jonny Watson - 2 codlings 2lb 6 oz, 5th - Dave Ward - 1 LSD 2lb 1oz, 6th - Dave Perrett - 1 codling 1lb 13oz, 7th - Denis Thompson - 1 codling, 1 r’ling 1lb 12oz, 8th - Dylan Goldsmith - 1 codling 1lb 8oz.