Words and photography by DAVE BARHAM
BOAT ANGLER
GO GO GRIMSBY! Dave Barham reveals a new charter boat operation fishing the Humber Estuary out of Grimsby, where cod abound…
T
here aren’t many places in the UK where you’re pretty much guaranteed to catch cod and codling these days. The Bristol Channel can be hit and miss, but this year there have been quite a few quality cod caught there. However, for consistent numbers of codling and cod up to double figures, the River Humber has proven itself to be the single best place to go in recent years. I’ve been lucky enough to fish out of Grimsby for the past three consecutive years on numerous occasions, and I’m yet to blank there.
NEW (OLD) BOAT I received a phone call from my good friend, Roger Cooling, back in October informing me that he’d ‘bought another boat’. It soon transpired that he’d actually bought a fullyoperational charter boat and his intentions were to work her in the Humber throughout the winter months, with the odd few trips throughout the summer – he’s a commercial cocker fisherman by trade and has spent most of his life working on, and owning, various boats. A few years ago, he completed his commercial
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skipper’s ticket, so he’s more than qualified to operate a charter boat. It transpires that Roger had, in fact, bought Pete Churchill’s charter boat ‘Moonshine’. When I discovered what he’d bought I had some wonderful flashbacks from a trip when I had the best tope fishing of my life, with Pete, some 20 years ago! “I know that boat, mate,” I said to Roger. “She’s a great platform, and Pete’s looked after her well.” I continued. Pete Churchill has been running ‘Moonshine’ from Southsea for over 30 years, but he decided
we It was rather pleasant as sh. Wa The into headed
We encountered so me wind and waves off Donna Nook!
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