Brian Harland pulls clear in race for Whitby Sea Anglers Association League title

On Wednesday March 15’s Match 46, Turnbull delivered the first blow, two fish for 6lb 1oz, including the Heaviest Fish of 3lb 1oz, and was first to the elite 200lb Club, writes Peter Horbury.

On Sunday March 19 Harland not only had the only double-figure bag, seven assorted fish for 15lb but also the Heaviest Fish of the night 3lb 6oz.

This gives Brian a 9lb 2oz lead with three matches left to fish, a proper haymaker blow to Turnbull, and Harland also joined the 200lb Club.

Conditions for both matches were very similar, (except the tide) Wednesday evening the Northerly swell 6-9ft, SSEasterly winds gusting 30mph, fishing an all flood match to HWater on a neap tide. The swells were sporadic, and surging spoilt the otherwise regular swell sets.

Of the nine fishing only Dave Perrett (Whitby) and Turnbull weighed-in with 5lb (3) and 6lb 1oz (2) respectively.

For Sunday the Northerly sea state 4-6ft and SSEasterly winds 9mph were still with us except members were now fishing down to LWater, giving access to their favourite LWater marks.

With a steady ebb members were hopeful the fish would drop off the scaurs into the gullies increasing the chances of a fish or two.

With a very lean three-pounder in the bag by 7.30pm I was hopeful of a few more.

Alas it wasn’t to be, on the best bite of the evening the pennel rig returned upside down.

At the scales just six of 10 had a weigh-in - 18 codlings, a blegg, and a rockling for 40lb 3oz.

1st - Brian Harland - 5 codlings, 1 blegg, 1 r’ling 15lb; 2nd - Dave Hambley - 4 codlings 7lb 14oz; 3rd - Denis Thompson - 2 codlings 5lb 2oz; 4th - Ryan Collinson - 3 codlings 5lb 1oz; 5th - Colin Stainthorpe - 3 codlings 4lb 2oz; 6th - Peter Horbury - 1 codling 3lb.