LAST weekend many of the boat anglers went in search of the tope.

There had been excellent reports. On the Sunday, Mark Taylor and Thomas Marshall went on their first ever tope adventure.

Not sure if they had the right spot, they tried for a few mackerel, writes Tony Burman.

This was harder than expected but they managed to get a few.

It was not long before the first reel was screaming off and Taylor was into a very good fish. In fact when he eventually got it in the boat, it was bigger than him. It was a fish over 6ft. It just bottomed the scales out and they went to 55lb, but the fish had not even been lifted completely off the floor. I have seen the photos and it looks like it was around 70lb.

Thomas wanted to join in the action and he had a good fish on. The only thing was that it was too much for the rod and it is now a three piece rod instead of the intended two piece.

This did not put them off. They still were struggling for mackerel but every time they put a bait down a run followed.

They finished up with four tope each, landed and all returned alive, and then had around ten runs which had the tope the winner, making its escape.

With this in mind I was champing at the bit. On Monday night I had a call from Peter Spendlow and we went out on the Tuesday.

The mackerel feathers went down but there were no sign. In fact my first catch on the feathers was a very nice lobster.

Eventually we got a mackerel. Peter put in one and nearly instantly a tope was making its first run. After a while Pete landed a 47lb fish and we thought we were going to have a good day.

The mackerel feathers were coming back empty and there were several boats out and they were all having the same problem.

I eventually got a mackerel and it was straight on the wire trace and a run came very quickly, the fish tore two hundred of line off the reel and still wanted to go.

I turned the fish, but it wanted more line. Thinking I was in control I put a little more pressure on the fish. The result was the 100lb mono rubbing line snapped and the fish made its escape.

I have been using a shorter piece of wire and a 100lb mono line as the other part of the trace but I think it is back to 6ft of wire in future.

Wayne Baxter was struggling with a real big fish, in fact this monster was 78lbs, a real specimen.

It was the biggest tope that Wayne had landed. He was also not getting any mackerel. Paul Sekker called us on the radio and he gave us two mackerel. We put these on when the tidal run started again. Peter was in again and the line was tearing off the reel, but the tope won again and made off into the deeps of the North Sea.

All the boats had fish or runs on the day. If we could have found the mackerel I am sure that we have had a very good day. You need the fresh mackerel alive if possible.

I understand that off Withernsea, the sea is black with them, so hopefully they come this way shortly.

If you get chance to go toping, grab it. The sounding of the reel line screaming off and then the sight of this grey monster coming at you is a sight that you will never forget.

HCA took on the Boston pirates last week for the rearranged skate match. The Boston lads took the honours. There was very little in the shape of rays caught.

The biggest two were both caught by Boston angler Alan Kindred who had the biggest of the day, 10lb 7oz, and Lol Dawson the next best with a 9lb 14oz ray.

It looks like the Boston lads are on a roll. They have won the cod and the ray match this year and need to be stopped.

Bring on the cod in the Humber. Let's have the HCA back on top.

I heard this week that due to health reasons, the owner of the charter boat Huntress has sold it and it has gone to Wales. What a shame.

The charter boats in this area were working well to together and getting a good name for themselves – and the port of Grimsby as a good recreational fishing area.

I heard all good things about the Huntress. I hope the new owner has lots of good fishing with her in Wales.

On the shore side, Cleethorpes Angling Centre were in action on the Big Wheel side of the promenade and in John Atkinson's words, which have been altered so it will be printed, the fishing was rubbish.

Garry Hutson was top man with five fish for 132cm. Next in was Simon Drayton, five fish for 125cms and third Dave Burr, three fish for 67cm.

There was a tie for the heaviest round fish, a 31cm bass, between Garry Hutson and John Atkinson.

Steve McGregor had the biggest flatfish, a 29cm flounder.

I had a good friend of mine from the other side of the river contact me this week with disturbing news.

Paul Jefferson does fantastic work with young people over on the Holderness coast, getting them out of trouble and into angling.

Well some nice person has decided to raid the lock-up which had all the tackle in it and take 10 Diawa long beam bass rods, nine blue Shakespeare tripods and nine umbrellas.

They were taken between August 18 and 19 from Withernsea. If you see these rods or are offered them please let myself or Paul know.

If you have any rods lying around and you think they could be useful for Paul, again let us know.

Paul and Rob Neale have gained national recognition for what they have been doing and the results have been incredible.

I hope that this does not stop this great work from going forward.