Dave Cowell
Tel No. 0191 423 5188
We are a well established region with a membership of approximately 25. Probably the most important
factor of the success of the club is the strong social side, with both meetings and events being well attended.
The meetings are an informal
affair and are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month (except December where festivities take over and we all go out for a pint and a curry
in the Bigg Market). Meetings are held at the The Highlander, 25 Front St Winlaton, Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE21 6AF and start at 8.00pm for 8.30pm.
The club has a large selection of books and videos available free to the members, which provide information both to the experienced and beginners alike.
We hold a match series of 6 matches throughout the year, normally in the Lake District or South West Scotland, with the winner receiving a trophy. Trophies are also given to the member who catches the heaviest fish during the match series, the heaviest pike of the year (record so far 33lb) and the heaviest lure caught fish.
The Tyneside Region also has its own boat which is moored on the shores of a Loch in South West Scotland. The Loch reputedly holds fish in excess of 30lb and our members have caught a number of twenties from this venue.
One of the highlights lights of the club calender is our weekend away where we meet at first light on the Saturday at a chosen venue and fish until around 4.00pm (details of this venue are kept under raps to avoid press invasion). We then travel to our digs, normally in Newton Stewart, where we have a 4 course a le carte meal and sample a few (or more) of the local hostelries, followed by a visit to the local lap dancing club - oops sorry I mean the night club, where we exchange tales of the demons of the deep and where the wind-ups become even more exaggerated. Its up again at first light, okay then nearer 9 o'clock, where we have our breakfast (for those of us who didn't sample to many of the hostelries), and enjoy a spot of fishing on the way home whilst having a laugh at the past evening's events.
Although all our members are pike fishermen, we also fish for other species, mainly barbel and carp. Over recent years, however, we have travelled further afield catching trout from Canada weighing over 40lb, Nile perch weighing over 60lb, sharks weighing over 100lb (before having any members for lunch), and barracuda, wild wahoo, sturgeon and catfish weighing up to 135lb.
As you can see, we have an active membership, fishing all over the UK and have regular group weekends away (no smuttiness please - this is purely sport) up into the Highlands of Scotland and across to Ireland in pursuit of that fish of a lifetime - yes we're an optimistic lot.
If you wish to join the club, the Annual Membership Fee is £5.00 per year and all anglers are welcome be they experienced or beginners. For further details please contact R.O.'s on the above phone numbers. Or you can e-mail this site and request that the e-mail be forwarded to one of the R.O.'s.
(c) copyright 2000-2007 Robert Murray