Feature
PYE’S PROGRESS
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t’s that time of year again, winter fishing is tailing off rapidly and spring fishing has not yet begun. Gary called me and said: “Time for another trip, mate. It’s a rotten time of year, but I’ve a good, reliable place I can bank on. How about it?” Gary Pye challenged the editor of Total Sea Fishing, Barney Wright, that he could catch fish wherever he went. I, Terry Patterson, go along to record the action. So far Gary has been successful and caught fish from every venue we’ve been to – how long can this string of successes last? Gary has fished from Durham Beaches, Robin Hoods Bay in North Yorkshire, South West Scotland, Newbiggin in Northumberland, The Tyne Estuary and the cliffs at Easington. So I ask him: “Where are we going this time?” “Well,” he said, “I think we’ll go to Hartlepool. Well… not exactly Hartlepool, but a couple of miles north, to Steetley Pier. It’s not very salubrious, but usually produces fish.” “Right you are then.” I replied “I’ve never been there, so I’ll meet you at your house.” So I did. It was midday when we arrive at Steetley. Gary had brought a friend, Michael Chilcott, son of Century MD, Simon Chilcott. Michael hadn’t done much sea fishing, so he had come along to get some casting/ fishing tips from Gary. Steetley was, at one time in the past, a magnesiumprocessing factory, but long ago became derelict. We
pick our way through the discarded industrial debris to a path that leads us to the pier. The pier itself is about 600-yards long – the sides are pipes about three feet high and the walkway is wooden. The pipes were used to extract sea water from which the magnesium was processed. There is a platform at the end of the pier, which is again surrounded by pipes, and very handy to fish from. When we get to the platform there are already anglers there. The only space left to fish is from the middle, so that’s where Gary sets up. We soon hear that nothing had been caught in the last few hours as the tide went out, and everyone is hoping that things will pick up as it floods. The anglers around us get fed up and go, only to be replaced by others. We are able to change our position on the platform and, despite Gary’s casting and excellent baits, the time wears on and still no fish! The tide starts to come in, the water is still coloured, but not one of the anglers had caught anything. Gary is starting to get downhearted. “It’s the time of year,” he tells Michael. “A fortnight ago this place was heaving!” Just then he feels a small bite and soon lands the first fish of the day – an undersized dab. After we return the dab to the water Gary has an idea: “I know,” he says, “let’s go for something to eat and come back when it’s dark.” He chuckles. “I know I’ve caught something, but one small dab isn’t enough for the challenge!”
TOTAL SEA FISHING
p08-12_tsf_06_Pyes Progress Part2 2
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18/4/08 16:20:15