Even the boat anglers are finding little action.

Top sport stories
- Ruthless Keane explains Miller axe.
- Sunderland through to cup semis.
- Bally: We won it as a team.
- Savage faces axe for Cats clash.
- Latest transfer rumours.

For example, not one decent fish was taken by boats trying their luck on Sunday, even close inshore.

Shore anglers found very little action except up river in the Wear where flounders were the main target.

Some rods were so desperate that they tried their luck on Whitburn Beach on Sunday afternoon, a venue not known for much action in daylight, and much to the surprise of the "experts" quite a few flounders were taken.

The lack of sport is generally taken to be because this is the spawning time for most fish but, as they are known to breed in shallow water, how is it that the inshore marks are producing virtually nothing in comparison with other times of the year?

Having said that, one worthwhile cod of over 10 pounds was taken on the Blast Beach on Sunday afternoon in a Seaham SAC match.

Diehard anglers still continue to favour the competitions with 26 rods fishing in the Ryhope Sweepstake of last Tuesday night. Most took some fish but one decent codling of 1,080 grammes was taken by Leno Fenech from the Manholes followed by a flounder of 383gms by Anthony Curtis, a whiting of 290gms by Scott Brown and one of 215gms by Shaun McEvoy, all on Roker Pier.

Sport took a nose dive on Wednesday night when 12 anglers turned out for the Eastenders Sweepstake with only two weighing in. Ernie Hunter took a whiting of 9½oz from Whitburn and Brian Turnbull had a flounder of 9oz from the Rat House Corner.

The East End and Hendon Sweepstake on Thursday night fared no better with just two out of 11 hopefuls taking one fish each from Roker Pier.

The best was a codling of 1lb 4oz by Jim Ford and the other was a whiting at 1lb 3oz by Anthony Ford.

There were 37 members of Eastenders SAC out on Saturday afternoon with a poor catch of five flounders, two coalies and a whiting. Paul Hossack won with two flounders at 2lbs from the Alexandra Bridge area and there was a tie for second place between Colin Smith (flounder) and Jimmy Dunlop (coalie) at 14oz each.

The competition for the Committee Cup by Seaham SAC junior members had to be cancelled due to rough sea conditions.

Most of the action was on Sunday with Ryhope SAC having a good turnout of 100 members with 15 weighing in 20 flounders, 10 whiting and three codling.

Joe Lemon took the honours for five flounders and one codling for 1945gms from Whitburn with Ray Fisher next for two codling at 1740gms from Hill Sixty, followed by Lee Brown with four flounders at 1275gms from Whitburn. Lemon had the heaviest round fish at 880gms and the heaviest flatfish at 470gms fell to the rod of Lee Brown. The junior winner was Gary Warwick jnr for 345gms.

The Kirton Cup match for Seaham SAC members on Sunday proved to be patchy with most of the action on the Blast Beach.

Sixty seven members turned out with 26 weighing in 59 fish (42 whiting, seven dabs, four codling, three flounders and one coalie). This was in contrast with the boats fishing close in just off the venue who took nothing.

Davie Bond hit the jackpot on the Blast Beach, taking five fish for 12.79lbs including a cracking cod of 10.22lbs. Gary Ramsden was second and unlucky to take the runner-up prize for nine fish at 6.66lbs with Dean Monarch next at five for 4.51lbs. The pairs pool went to Davie Bond and George Curry for seven fish at 14.03lbs.

I am having trouble with my computer at the moment, not able to receive or send correspondence, but hopefully this will be resolved by next week.

It is just four weeks to Easter Sunday when the WBA are holding a heaviest single fish club competition from 10am to 2pm for the Peter Mendam Memorial Trophy.

There is no charge for this competition but the trophy will be presented at a party night in the club house on March 29 from 7.30pm.

There will be live entertainment, a buffet and the presentation of the cup with tickets at £3 available from the bar.

Competitions are still in vogue with the following events: Tonight and next Thursday, East End and Hendon Sweepstakes 7-10pm; Saturday, Eastenders SAC noon-4pm; Sunday, Eastenders Open 1-5pm, entry £10, East End and Hendon SAC 2-6pm; Tuesday, Ryhope Sweepstake 7-10pm; Wednesday, Eastenders Sweepstake 7-10pm.