Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 543 i Sea Angler

“Check out the successes in Joe’s glittering career. Can you think of a more successful sea angler? I can’t” DURING THE 25 YEARS I HAVE BEEN working for Sea Angler magazine, I have fished with some of the very best shore anglers in the country, including several who have won an individual gold medal at the World Championships. All have been extremely dedicated, skilful, committed and hugely experienced anglers, who, it would seem, could catch fish from a roadside puddle; anglers such as Joe Arch. Living in South Wales myself, I’ve known Joe, who is from Cardiff, for many years, but on all of the previous occasions we have met on the beach he has been competing in a match. When this has been the case, Joe has been totally…

THERE CAN’T BE MANY ANGLERS who have not caught a dogfish. To say this humble, speckled rough-skinned swimmer is common is the understatement of the century, but as darkness falls they can be positively leaping on to a baited hook. The lesser spotted dogfish only grows to a few pounds in weight, but just imagine how menacing this fish would look if it did reach double figures? Well, actually it does. Okay, so maybe not the lesser-spotted variety of the species, but the greater spotted, or bull huss as it is known by UK anglers, can, in some areas, reach more than 20lb in weight. A fish of this size would be truly exceptional, but fish into double figures are commonplace across many west and south-west facing coasts. West Wales,…

YOU BEGAN YOUR ANGLING LIFE by beachcasting, and that’s how you’ve continued. Now, you are a good caster and can pitch a 200g weight as far as most. When it comes to wishbones, pulleys, flappers, and the like, you are well versed in the technology, and you always fish with the best lugworm, ragworm, crab, mackerel or squid baits that you can obtain. Many is the night when you have sat under a million stars, on the beach, chatting with your mates and catching whiting, cod, smoothhounds, bass or conger eels. There were those memorable times when, after a lengthy struggle, the glistening flank of a real beauty showed itself in the foaming surf and, in great excitement, you were able to beach a personal best. It’s a wonderful sport!…

THE lineman’s loop is often used when making rigs with multiple snoods. It can also be used to attach lures on a rig body above a jig or pirk. This is an alternative to creating the dropper loop shown in the previous issue. HOW TO TIE THE KNOT A Using a length of, say, 60lb line as your rig body, make a turn in the line to create a large loop that will then be folded down. B Fold the loop down to form what looks like a double loop. Grip the middle of the loop and pass it under the rig body line and through the gap. C Moisten the line with saliva. First begin to pull the line further through the loop, and pull both sides of the…

ADAM KIRBY & DAN SISSONS The Portsmouth-based duo fish ultra-light from shore and boat. They’ll provide answers on light rock fishing (LRF), the go-anywhere tactic where size of fish is secondary to the fun of catching them. PAUL FENECH Sea Angler’s features and tackle editor Paul Fenech is here to solve your shore angling problems. DAVE LEWIS Based in Newport, South Wales, our contributing editor Dave answers boat fishing questions. GARY ROBINSON Galway-based Gary gets a thrill from fishing afloat on a kayak. Send him your kayaking problems. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photojournalist Henry, based in Cornwall, will answer questions on lure angling. Q: I have noticed that tapered shockleaders for shore fishing are generally around 13m in length. Why is this? STEVE FORD, BRISTOL PF says: Tapered shockleaders are…

DURING APRIL EACH YEAR THE black bream hit our inshore waters, as well as being found offshore on deepwater wrecks and reefs, but superb fishing seems to occur in shallow to moderate depths within sight of land. This makes them not only accessible to the charter angler but, indeed, anybody who owns a small boat. Black bream favour mixed ground, but rarely are they found far from an underwater feature. Some wrecks produce bream, but wreck fishing is not as consistent as fishing reef marks and the hard ground around them - a hard seabed is what the bream seems to like. Bream turn up in huge shoals during spring, and the intensity of the fishing increases as the water temperature rises throughout the summer. As autumn arrives and temperatures…

As you would expect from a prolific fishing port, the quality and quantity of fish off this part of the Devon coastline are superb. Protected by the famous Brixham Breakwater, the harbour is a haven for commercial, charter and small boats, and the port is often a hive of activity, especially during the summer. There are numerous banks, reefs and wrecks inshore, which throw up all manner of species from rays and smoothhounds, to bass, pollack and wrasse. Head offshore into the English Channel and there are literally hundreds of wrecks, most of which produce good numbers of cod, pollack, ling and conger eels throughout the year. The British boat record conger eel, weighing 133lb 4oz, was caught out of Brixham by Vic Evans while he was fishing from his…

ICOM IC-M25 EURO HANDHELD VHF RADIO RRP: APPROX. £150 WHEN I USED TO OWN MY own angling boats, a good VHF radio was one item of equipment I insisted on carrying each and every time I put to sea. Products from Icom were always my personal choice, despite the fact that they were invariably more expensive than several other brands available at the time. I used to regard Icom as being ‘reassuringly expensive’, and utterly reliable, a fact endorsed when you see just how many professional boats, including the search and rescue service, are equipped with Icom. Recently, I found myself in need of a good, portable, and 100 per cent waterproof handheld VHF radio, when I received an invitation to join a small group of American anglers on a…

SHORT CASTS Stories from the world of angling • A cocktail of squid, mussels and cart produced a first double-figure cod for Jake Macgregor, of Redcar, North Yorks, who was fishing at nearby Staithes on February 28. • Jamie “Buff’ Roberts, from Anglesey, used a whole mackerel bait on a pulley rig with size 8/0 hooks to catch this 18lb 6oz conger eel at a mark on the island. BIG BASS FOR ALDERNEY ANGLER A Channel Islander has caught a superb 10lb 8oz bass on a shallow-diving hard plastic lure. Andy Black, who lives on Alderney, caught the big fish, a personal best, on March 5 during rough conditions in a falling tide. His previous best was 7lb. Andy, who is a stonemason, fished with a 9ft 6in Daiwa Tournament…

Sunline, the largest Japanese producer of fishing lines, strives to develop the thinnest and strongest lines. Our winner gets a selection from the range: • Sunline Super PE 150m (4 strand): Hi-vis green, dark green and light blue. Low stretch for sensitivity and extra-tight braiding for durability. Special finish reduces guide friction. Superior control and response when using lures. Very tough when fishing rough ground. Knots are easy to tie. • Sunline Super PE8 150m (8 strand): Hi-vis orange. Resistant to abrasive structures. Sensitive, low-stretch design to capture delicate bites. Slick, smooth line surface for low guide friction and excellent castability. Knots effortlessly. • Sunline Momentum 4x4 150m (8 strand): High-grade polyethylene and high specific gravity ester mono with amazing specific gravity of 1.05. Less susceptible to the effect of…

• On her maiden shore fishing trip, Mia Tamburrini caught this ballan wrasse using light float tackle. The seven-year-old, from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, used ragworms from a rock mark at the Mull of Galloway. • Oli Cole, from Watchet, in Somerset, caught this thornback ray weighing 5lb. He presented mackerel and squid on a running leger rig during a charter trip on AlyKat, skippered by Dave Roberts out of nearby Minehead. • Aaron Avons, from Warminster, Wiltshire, displays a thornback ray weighing 3lb 2oz. The 13-year-old presented ragworms and squid mounted on a pulley rig, during a shore session at Lilstock in Somerset. • Kian Downing enjoyed a productive session catching pollack out of St Ives, Cornwall. Fishing aboard Bluefin, skippered by Sam Narbett, he used lures to catch fish…

PENN PLUS WESTON OUTCASTS COD OPEN Clevedon to Portishead, Somerset, 147 anglers Anticipation was high for this open rover boasting the club’s largest prize of £1,000 and a record attendance of 147 anglers. There had been a few reports of codling in the Clevedon and Portishead area, but competitors knew the sport was going to be a lottery. Strong wind and weed made fishing difficult in some areas throughout the whole tide, but it wasn't long before reports of a few fish were received on social media. However, only seven anglers weighed in, with each angler recording just the one fish each. Winner of the £1,000 prize was Dave Gracie with a 4lb 12oz codling, caught early in the match. He also collected £294 in pools for his win and…

• Joe Arch has represented Wales at World Championship shore angling level a staggering 18 times. • He’s won two World Championship individual medals – gold in 1997 when the event was held in England and silver in 2009 in Montenegro. • In total, he has collected eight World Championship team medals – two gold, four silver and two bronze. • Joe is a three times winner of Sea Angler’s Penn Sea League in 2004, 2007 and 2010, and winner of the Penn final in 2007. • He has won the National Sea League four times. while fishing with two different teams. • In 2007, he won the Irish Winter Beach open, the Magrini Memorial in Sardinia in 2011, and the Yuki Masters 2014. • In 2010 Joe won the…

I STOOD ON A ROCK, SLIPPERY WITH A brown weed that only seems to be found on this particular mark, my hands were bleeding from various cuts and puncture wounds, but I didn’t mind the pain. The bass I had just returned to the clear sea was bass number 70. Yes, 70 bass in little more than two hours’ fishing, and not just bass, sometimes a mackerel, garfish or pollack would beat the bass to the lure every time that it hit the water 30 or so yards away in the slowly rising tide. Small bass, for sure, from about 1lb 8oz up to 3lb, great fun on a light spinning rod and 8lb mainline; the sea was simply full of fish. On another day and another tide I was…

1 While cheap rig components are readily available on line, it is inadvisable to compromise on quality when choosing certain items such as hooks and swivels. Bulk buying quality rig components from known brands is certainly the most cost-effective way to purchase, and need not be overly expensive. 2 Always use good-quality line for the rig body and its hooklengths. It might be tempting to use line left over from reel fills, but using proper leader/ rig line will help produce strong, more efficient and more reliable rigs. 3 Be careful when using metal crimps (below) to secure swivels as these can very easily damage nylon line if squeezed too tightly. 4 With the exception of rigs tied specifically for flatfish, don’t be tempted to add too much bling or…

Each month we’ll select a winning question from each of our shore/LRF, boat/kayak and lure questions. Three lucky readers will get great gear prizes from sponsors Tronixpro. The sponsors reserve the right to send an alternative prize to an equal value. • BEACH: Guerilla Beach rod and Envoy Tournament Mag reel, worth £140. • LURE: HTO Lure Game rod, Lure Game 4000 reel and Lure Game 16lb braid, worth £123. • BOAT: Guerilla 20lb-class rod, Envoy Wave reel, 20lb Axia line, beaded spreaders, triple spreader, lumo hokkai and multiplier wrap, worth £123. HOW TO ASK A QUESTION • Q&A, Sea Angler, Media House, Lynchwood Business Park, Peterborough PE2 6EA • cliff.brown@bauermedia.co.uk • www.facebook.com/ seaanglermag…

LINK POINT A swivel connects the hooklength to the mainline. SINKER The weight of the sinker needs to suit tidal strength. THE TRACE Make a 6-12ft hooklength with 50-60lb mono line. SHARP END The hook size should be from a 3/0 up to 6/0. TURBOT ARE A LARGE, LEFT-EYED flatfish found primarily close to shore in sandy shallow waters throughout the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean and Black Sea. They have an asymmetrical, disk-shaped body, and have been known to grow up to 100cm (39in) in length and 25kg (55lb) in weight. An excellent eating fish that consistently commands high market prices, in many areas numbers of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) have been severely depleted by excessive commercial pressure. SPECIES The only species to which turbot are similar in appearance and,…

WE’RE looking for the nation’s favourite charter skippers. Each issue we will throw the spotlight on a top boatman nominated by a Sea Angler reader. Use the form right (photocopies acceptable) to tell us the skipper’s name, boat, port and typical charges, along with the reasons you would recommend their services (use a separate piece of paper if you require more space). It’s your chance to tell Sea Angler’s readers why the skipper is so good and what a great service is provided. We’ll select the best entry for each issue and will reward the winning operator with a special Sea Angler plaque that the skipper can display with pride on their vessel. Alternatively, enter by email, with the subject line Top Skipper, with the details listed on the coupon…

With such an array of rods available, it can be quite daunting to choose what you need, especially as some tackle manufacturers have spotted an opening in the market and are producing kayak fishing rods. Sadly, these aren’t always the most suitable, and have often been designed without the experience of kayak use, being overly short. Likewise, many standard rods are too long. So what should we consider when looking at rods? To begin with, ascertain how much length you will require to lead a fish around the bow of your kayak, because there will be times when this becomes necessary. Typically, 7-8ft is about right and, fortunately, this is a common size for both boat and spinning rods. This is also an ideal size for casting baits away from…

“The Eliminator T700SGT is a wonderful bit of kit, with so much technology rammed into its walls” CENTURY ELIMINATOR T700SGT RRP: £499 CENTURY, BASED IN WASHINGTON , Tyne and Wear, has, yet again, launched a beach rod that firmly cements this innovative company’s place at the forefront of British design, build and quality. The new T700SGT sees the company’s carbon technology being exploited to the absolute maximum as the family of Eliminator rods steadily grows. When I first got my hands on the 15ft, two-piece outfit, it was immediately noticeable how incredibly light it felt. A blank weight of just 500g is down to Century adopting Graphene resin technology in the design, and I’ll endeavour to explain that later. There was, however, some interesting advice attached to the rod that…

YOU CAN almost feel the anticipation as another lure fishing season is upon us. Early-morning visits to rock marks just before the sun pokes its head into the sky is definitely the hot time. As is dusk, when everything begins to settle and the light is fading. This is certainly an optimum time for a predator to move inshore on the prowl. The likes of pollack and wrasse will readily chase down a lure and smash it with force, and it’s bound to set the blood pumping. It’s the lure angler’s favourite species, though, that will be at the top of the hit list, and that’s bass, one of the hardest-fighting fish, pound for pound, in the UK and Ireland. This month’s offer is one that will definitely help to…

EFFECTIVE METHOD I read, with interest, the letters from Gordon Mitchell and Tony Pinto in Sea Angler issue 542. Gordon highlighted conflicting opinions given by myself and Mike Thrussell about killing fish for the table, the idea of bleeding fish, and he also felt it was wrong that, in another article, it took three people to play a tuna. His letter is a good one. My aunt and uncle, who ran a charter boat, used to release any fish if an angler couldn’t land it on his own; they said they didn’t deserve to beat the fish. With regard to bleeding the fish alive, it’s not pleasant, and I struggled with the ethics at first, but then I never liked bashing their heads in either, nor leaving them to suffocate.…

FANCY winning tackle from Shimano by catching a fish? Your target is to catch one over the weight given on our nominated species list. If you do, you automatically win a Mission Accomplished badge, as well as being in with the chance of winning a great monthly tackle prize. Each month we award a Shimano Nexave Surf 400 five-piece rod and a Speedcast XS-B fixed-spool reel, worth a total of £300, to the captor of the best shore fish, chosen on merit. The top boat angler each month, chosen on merit, gets a Beastmaster AX Boat Slim rod and a Tyrnos 20 multiplier reel, worth a total of £320. Mark Coghlan, Milton Keynes, Bucks. Fish: 13lb 9oz undulate ray. Bait: Squid and mackerel on a Pennell rig. Venue: Flamer IV…

APRIL • 8-9: Norfolk Sea Angling Festival, rover, Cley to Cromer pier, 10am-3pm each day, £30 entry, Norfolk Angling Club (Dene) 01263 838248. • 9: East Anglian Teams of Five, Dunwich, 10am-3pm, Rob Tuck 07855 848967. • 9: Gwent SAC open (Garry Evans Seamaster leg), St Brides, Ivor Smith 07854 829590. • 9: Bognor Regis AAS open, Pagham, 8.30am-1.30pm, book in from 7.30am at yacht club, PO21 4SY, £8 entry, £4 OAPs & juniors, optional pools, Johh 07799 762377. • 9: Gravesend spring open, 10.30am-2.30pm, £10 entry, £5 juniors/OAPs, optional pools & raffle, book in and draw from 8.30am at Ship & Lobster pub, Graham East 07985 557920. • 14-15: Wexford Easter Festival, two days, Rossdunestown, Fri 8pm-midnight, Ballyhack, Sat 10am-2pm, Martin 00353 (0)87 6481791. • 15: Senhouse Street Easter…

ON MY MAIDEN TRIP TO NORWAY a while back , I experienced plenty of exciting action from the boat. Drifting through some of the country’s largest fjords, and surrounded by some of the planet’s most exhilarating scenery some 300 miles inside the Arctic Circle, huge cod and coalfish certainly tested my light tackle to the limit. During that trip, it crossed my mind on several occasions that many of these giant specimens could easily be targeted from the shore. Of course, being in the capable hands of an experienced Norwegian skipper meant that he knew what signs to look for to put me on top of the fish, with bird activity being one of them. From the shore, though, it’s a whole different ball game. For a start, access to…

WITNESSING A FISH HIT YOUR lure or bait is about as exciting as it gets, but I would suggest that fishing really lively, bouncy conditions is pretty close in the excitement stakes. There is something very special about fishing when the roar of the wind and waves is your soundtrack to punching lures into a heaving maelstrom. I used to love bait fishing a couple of cod venues in north Cornwall when winter storms were raging and the fish were feeding like piranhas, and that love of turbulent seas has transferred to my lure fishing for bass. Let me firstly emphasise, though, that not for one second do I want you to put yourself in any kind of danger. Stay safe with your fishing, and remember that no fish is…

EVERY YEAR I AM SURPRISED AT WHAT is actually swimming and feeding in my local harbours. With new techniques and lures being developed, the ability to catch them all on LRF tackle is a mouth-watering prospect. I look forward to April because winter is over and it’s time to play with the influx of spring species. Top of my list is the return of flounders to the harbours, and bigger pollack to the inshore reefs and rock marks. The majority of my April fishing is primarily for flatties around harbours, but there are many other species that start to come into to this rich, feeding environment. From the bigger fish, such as flounders, pollack, bass and cod, to the mini-species, such as scorpion fish, blennies, gobies and the smaller wrasse,…

THOSE WHO FISH FOR smoothhounds regularly will know that fish up to 15lb or so behave in a fairly predictable manner, usually coming through in numbers but, periodically, there are spells of little or no activity. Once they reach 15lb or so, their pack instincts seem to disappear and they become a more solitary fish. These bigger fish tend to show during periods when smaller pack fish have moved through after a hectic spell of bites, and then, suddenly, all goes quiet. If you’re aware of this anti-social aspect of big hounds, you can begin to target the larger fish with some degree of consistency and success. That said, you need other factors to come together to give you the very best chance. Ideal weather conditions for big smoothies are…

IF THERE’S ONE TYPE OF FISHING TRIP that really sets my pulse racing, it’s a session on the big flatties. The king and queen of our flatfish, turbot and brill, are not only great fun to catch, they’re also extremely good to eat – and I like eating fish, especially ones that I’ve caught myself. I bumped into father and son duo Martin and Brian Donald a few years ago, and I’ve been lucky enough to get afloat with them in recent years. Using their boat called BluPrint, they fish out of Littlehampton, West Sussex, where they catch a tremendous amount of quality fish throughout the year. So when Martin messaged me to ask if I fancied a day’s turbot fishing, I jumped at the chance. Apart from the prospects…

LATEST MODEL IN THE CONTINUALLY evolving Smartliner range of purpose-built angling boats is the superb Fisher 21, one of a range of three vessels that includes a smaller 19 and larger 23. Built along classic lines and featuring a simulated clinker hull and an attractive lantern-style wheelhouse, it’s fair to say the Smartliner Fisher 21 is the modern equivalent of a fishing classic. The wheelhouse is accessed through a door fitted to port, and, as usual, features a helm located to starboard. Interior layout of the wheelhouse is basic, uncluttered and entirely functional, precisely what you need aboard an angling boat. When seated, the helmsman benefits from excellent all-round visibility. There is plenty of space to install a full suite of electronics within easy reach, ventilation is provided by opening…

YOU’RE OUT ON THE KAYAK , fishing away, so far, so good. You bend into a fish that fights hard to the side of the kayak and you then realise that you have hooked a personal best. How do you record this momentous occasion? In the past it was sufficient to be happy with the memory, but in our digital era, every little accomplishment has to be recorded and things ‘weighed’ on Facebook and Instagram. How many times have you heard some moron saying “show us the pictures or it didn’t happen”? People expect to see pictures of fish and not to supply them seems to attract ridicule and scepticism. Don’t get me started on people doubting the claimed weight! IMAGE QUALITY Practically everybody now carries a mobile phone with…

IMAX FR MATCH FLATTIE SSP: £129.99 IT MAY BE LABELLED A FLATTIE ROD, BUT this two-piece, 12ft 6in outfit can be used for much more. Rated to cast loads between 2-4oz, it’s a rod that allows shore anglers to be a lot more tactile in their approach. If you’re an angler who enjoys flicking baits into the edge of the surf, this rod is brilliant in both feel and responsiveness. A shallow estuary is another venue where it will shine. Bite detection is superb and, along with the fact that it has a particularly good ‘through’ action, performance and handling is also very pleasing. In particular, I reckon the length is just right. Although you may be targeting fish close in, if you need to punch your bait a little…

TRONIXPRO GUERILLA SURF MX RRP: £79.99 & £83.99 ONE OF THE MANY HURDLES newcomers to shore fishing encounter generally occurs when it comes to choosing their first rod. Most tackle shops nowadays display a vast array of colourful two and three-piece options, so it’s little wonder many first-timers become confused. Not to mention the price that some of these carbon outfits have attached to them. A top-of-the-range rod could very easily set you back £500 or above. However, fishing can be as expensive as you want it to be. There are, of course, plenty of budget rods available, but in many cases, these really don’t suit our beaches that well. Soft blanks that fold under the slightest of pressure will not allow you to improve or, indeed, progress to another…

How do you fancy owning all the luggage you will ever need for securely transporting all of your tackle and bait to a venue? In association with Imax, Sea Angler is offering one lucky reader the chance to own a selection from the new range of Imax FR rod holdalls, rig wallets, cool bags, reel cases and rucksack. Made from a high-quality, durable material, it not only protects, but it makes carrying all your bait and tackle to a session much easier. For your chance to win this free-to-enter competition, simply go to our website at: www.seaangler.co.uk and click the Win button, where you’ll find full details on how to enter. The competition closes on May 3, 2017, terms and conditions apply. NEED TO KNOW MORE? For info on Imax…

Now in its seventh year, the annual World Dab Championships is still drawing in anglers to help boost funds for the RNLI. Sponsored by Tronixpro and held on the beaches of Hythe, Dungeness and Dengemarsh in Kent, this dab-only event has now raised more than £35,000 since it began, thanks mainly to the generosity of anglers. Even though the format is wholly focused on raising money and not serious match fishing, the event still maintains a competitive side. This was proven by the fact that many had decided to arrive at their chosen spot 24 hours before the start. Match organiser is local angler and guesthouse owner Simon Newman, who also volunteers as a crewman for the Dungeness lifeboat. “It never fails to impress me the amount of generosity these…

IN THE DAYS BEFORE NYLON FISHING mainline we used what was called Cuttyhunk line, which looked like brown string. We got this from Freeth’s, a trawler supplies shop (now long gone) on North Shields Fish Quay. This line would retain water and needed a 10oz lead weight to cast out. The reels were those wooden Scarboroughs and, if you caught your finger on their handles, it made you say far more than “damn and blast”. Problem was, on a cold winter’s night, you didn’t feel the pain for 10 minutes, and then when it hit you, you really knew about it. I bought my Scarborough reel from one of the members of the Tynemouth club. He was a bus mechanic and used to churn out the reels for the then…