A NUMBER of Dover sole have been reported around the region with the best of 1lb 12oz landed by Tilmanstone angler, Jack Pugh, who took the fish on lugworm from the Chequers section of Sandown beach.

Pugh is in his first year of sea angling and it’s his best catch so far. Sole are most often caught in darkness, with the early hours the hot time to hook them. Kent hot spots are: Deal pier at the end of the yellow railings, the stretch of groynes at low tide opposite the Deal 1919 AC headquarters, the beach at Dengemarsh and the Prince of Wales pier at Dover. Best time is at night with the early hours especially productive.

Other catches around the region include mackerel with large numbers coming from the piers, especially Dover’s Admiralty where it’s six a cast on feathers and lures. The pier though, is very crowded and some less hectic mackerel fishing can be found on Deal and Folkestone piers.

The latest Deal 1919 AC beach match was won by Andy Manning who landed four dogfish from the beach at Boundary Road, Walmer for a weight of 3.115kg. Second was Dover’s, Luke Hutton with 2.090kg made up of three dogfish caught at Deal Castle, and third was Deal’s Saul Page with 1.730kg including a bass of 1.075kg which he caught from the Chequers at Sandown.

Sandwich Bay is producing its annual crop of smoothhound, with the far end of the bay best fished low up at night using peeler crab. The fish reported have been mainly small so far with bigger fish to double figures possible later this month and into July.

Darren Phillips won the open competition on the Swale at the Isle of Sheppey with a bass of 6lb 2oz he caught from a peg to the north of the Sheppey bridge on peeler crab.

* Freshwater results include the latest Cottington evening league which was won by Lyminge angler, Peter Joiner with 21lb 4oz of carp. Second was Steve West of Canterbury with 17lb 1oz and third Paul Joiner, brother of Peter, with 15lb1oz.

Sandwich Bait and Tackle’s new fishery at St Nicholas at Wade produced a winning net of 87lb of carp last week and in this week’s event Sandwich angler, Frank Manning netted 44lb 2oz of carp to 10lb on the pole and pellet paste. Second was George Newing who used sweet corn to catch 34lb and third was Tony Bayliss with 24lb 2oz. Other competitors included nets of roach up to 20lb.

* Sea fixtures coming up include a Dover SAA Admiralty pier event on Monday, June 23, with fishing from 7-11pm. The club has a freelance all night breakwater session on June 28.