Malc

Just in case anyone is fishing south shields pier, this is how the tide runs on a decent sized flood tide. 
 

Just in case anyone is fishing south shields pier, this is how the tide runs on a decent sized flood tide. 
 

I was a bit bored so decided on a couple of hours at the mackerel, and preferably herring, from south shields pier. Mid tide upwards is both easier to fish and more productive. I started 3/4 of the way along it even though it is supposed to be off limits due to work on the wrecked lighthouse etc so I wouldn't be in their way or in any danger. 
2-3 hours into the flood and the tide is hitting the pier and dog legging towards the river proper and you can see the tide lane which is where I aim for. Normally people don't fish here much as they get snagged too often, however I have done my research and have a mental map of the seabed from fishing from my kayak and there is a sharp rise up about 50m out. 80+ m cast into the main run and then slow retrieve for 30m and then reel fast to miss the snags. 3 mackerel in 30 minutes and just one snag and I go back down to get a place further down the pier on the other side of the gate. 
I know that the last 2 hours of a tide this big (5m) should get an eddy forming that runs up the pier and should bring the fish around here and close in. Half an hour and I get my first fish, unfortunately it shakes off on the way in, next cast the same and a couple of casts later I land another. Few more hits and misses and then it goes quiet an hour before high water and I'm off home. 
I am lucky enough to be 7 miles from the coast so I can get there more whether or not I am fishing, I've read about shields pier and its best spots and listened in on conversations on the pier and in tackle shops etc and can now put together all the information and hopefully get the best out of it. 
So what? Big smug grin and a pat on the back! I watched some of the other people on the pier, a group of lads in their late teens, 2 lads not quite in their teens and a holidaying family all having a go, none catch anything but the bottom and other lines. No one really speaking to anyone, however the two young lads had a problem with one of their reels and very politely asked for help, it was just a loose loop, so we get talking and one hooks a mackerel but in trying to get it up the wall it drops off. So we talked about fishing and I explained about how I was fishing the pier and why, and they listened and asked questions which I tried to answer. 
It gets me thinking that we need to help out more with those who are willing to ask or need help, I've seen guys get stroppy because they were told that they needed more line on their FS reel as you could just hear the friction of the 50(possibly stronger) lb mono from a half filled spool, or multiple crack offs because they don't have a leader (divvent tell me what to dee, I've been fishing here...) . Sad that some people are so self absorbed and can't be told and some are sponges and would mop up the smallest bit of information and act on it, perhaps angling clubs should be a bit more proactive as well as anglers in general 🤔 
Sorry for a rambling thread on makky bashing, just finishing my 2nd cuppa tea 😆

Just in case anyone is fishing south shields pier, this is how the tide runs on a decent sized flood tide. 
 

Drogue would be my thoughts 

Had Gary ( @thejollysinker) out for a trip yesterday. He was on holiday locally and dropped a line for a trip. By chance had space so he joined us for an expedition to the deeps. 
 
What an all round nice guy 🙂 was great to have him aboard! Sadly I didn’t find him a blue whiting for the species hunt was a fast drift, and a bit lumpy… (LOTS of pot holes and speed bumps in the sea on way out and back in again, but cat bashed her way through) 
Gary did manage one blue…. Took a while to get it in. I did learn some new colloquial phrases from Devon that apparently aren’t safe for social media… but I can’t blame him when this little smiler popped up next to the boat after a heavy 35 min scrap 🙂 
Top work that man, expertly played, tagged and released… 🙂 
Another 5 finished off the day nicely 🙂 
 
 

we get them here on the sand banks - like the Shambles, adamant etc - i've never caught one yet but seen them landed!!
 

We get quite a few, especially on the surf beaches. Inshore is very quiet at the moment, so maybe that is why we are picking more up 🤔

if you go to the stoney mud by hyth marina i have seen a few there in the rock pools, plus on the shallows by the marsh at leep .i all ways where some thing on my feet there.

We get both here. The common lesser weever and the much larger greater weever.
I got stung on the skerries a  couple of years ago, unpleasant for an hour or two, but not too bad. I didn't have any hot water, so poured hot coffee on it from the flask.
The number seem to stay fairly constant, however, we are seeing a lot more dragonets this year.

That'll be impressive, take some pics! Seen castles but never swings and roundabouts! 

@Saintly Fish 
Interesting that you mentioned Gurnard as they are also caught in the same area as the weever and were a rarity but more common now. 

Never seen one, but would like to. Just like Gurnard they seem to be a species that evade me or don't live in my patch. 

We have always had a few in and around the estuary mouths in the NE, however this year they are plague proportions! Coming in on just about every drop and making mackerel fishing a right faff, even coming up in double shots. 
I even saw this on the BBC... 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c785wpnnlzpo.amp
 
Are you seeing more than the usual numbers where you are?

The silver darlings are back, my favourite fish! Just a quick 2-3 hour session in the river as there was a lot of big traffic coming in and out. The fish were staying well away from the deeper channels and seemed to be picking off bait fish near to the rock ledges, both mackerel and herring were thin on the ground but I kept 3 mackerel that were badly hooked and one herring as I juggled the other back into the sea 🤦‍♂️
Late lunch of herring with a green and a potato salad. 

I had a 3lb pollock inhale my lure on Sunday and rather than let a bleeding fish suffer it came home. 
Two pan sized fillets off it and I chopped up a medium sized red pepper and a handful of green beans. I put the paste (from A well  known supermarket) on the fillets and marinated for 15-20 minutes, but next time I will leave it a bit longer. 
I fried the pepper and simmered the beans for 5 minutes, added the two ingredients to the rest of the paste and fried for 3 minutes and added half a can (200ml) of coconut milk and then fried the fillets in a little oil until cooked. Meanwhile I cooked the noodles and added to the sauce and vegetables. Chucked on top and enjoyed outside in the sun. 
Yum 

The silver darlings are back, my favourite fish! Just a quick 2-3 hour session in the river as there was a lot of big traffic coming in and out. The fish were staying well away from the deeper channels and seemed to be picking off bait fish near to the rock ledges, both mackerel and herring were thin on the ground but I kept 3 mackerel that were badly hooked and one herring as I juggled the other back into the sea 🤦‍♂️
Late lunch of herring with a green and a potato salad. 

The silver darlings are back, my favourite fish! Just a quick 2-3 hour session in the river as there was a lot of big traffic coming in and out. The fish were staying well away from the deeper channels and seemed to be picking off bait fish near to the rock ledges, both mackerel and herring were thin on the ground but I kept 3 mackerel that were badly hooked and one herring as I juggled the other back into the sea 🤦‍♂️
Late lunch of herring with a green and a potato salad. 

The silver darlings are back, my favourite fish! Just a quick 2-3 hour session in the river as there was a lot of big traffic coming in and out. The fish were staying well away from the deeper channels and seemed to be picking off bait fish near to the rock ledges, both mackerel and herring were thin on the ground but I kept 3 mackerel that were badly hooked and one herring as I juggled the other back into the sea 🤦‍♂️
Late lunch of herring with a green and a potato salad. 

The silver darlings are back, my favourite fish! Just a quick 2-3 hour session in the river as there was a lot of big traffic coming in and out. The fish were staying well away from the deeper channels and seemed to be picking off bait fish near to the rock ledges, both mackerel and herring were thin on the ground but I kept 3 mackerel that were badly hooked and one herring as I juggled the other back into the sea 🤦‍♂️
Late lunch of herring with a green and a potato salad. 

The silver darlings are back, my favourite fish! Just a quick 2-3 hour session in the river as there was a lot of big traffic coming in and out. The fish were staying well away from the deeper channels and seemed to be picking off bait fish near to the rock ledges, both mackerel and herring were thin on the ground but I kept 3 mackerel that were badly hooked and one herring as I juggled the other back into the sea 🤦‍♂️
Late lunch of herring with a green and a potato salad. 

im droolling allready

That looks and sounds ace. Got my mouth watering 👍

I had a 3lb pollock inhale my lure on Sunday and rather than let a bleeding fish suffer it came home. 
Two pan sized fillets off it and I chopped up a medium sized red pepper and a handful of green beans. I put the paste (from A well  known supermarket) on the fillets and marinated for 15-20 minutes, but next time I will leave it a bit longer. 
I fried the pepper and simmered the beans for 5 minutes, added the two ingredients to the rest of the paste and fried for 3 minutes and added half a can (200ml) of coconut milk and then fried the fillets in a little oil until cooked. Meanwhile I cooked the noodles and added to the sauce and vegetables. Chucked on top and enjoyed outside in the sun. 
Yum 

Short trip yesterday over high from Burnham On Sea. Stayed on the one mark looking for hounds. Slowish day though we did find half a dozen hounds to low doubles, thornbacks, straps, too many dogs and a tiny tope for myself for our club species hunt