Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 561 i Sea Angler

You don’t have to be mad to fish for wily thick-lips, but some might say it helps. It can be a frustrating mission. On occasions ‘mullet madness’ is the only description of going after thick-lipped mullet. To put it simply, these grey ghosts can test the nerves of even seasoned anglers. It’s the reason they are given a wide berth by some, but there are always plenty of exceptions. I picked up a few whispers that some quality thick-lipped mullet were being caught from the eastern end of Beer beach. Soon a plan was hatched and I was off on another road trip to the west for what I hoped would be Mission Possible. As usual, when heading to this stretch of the Devon coastline, I was meeting up with…

GETTING THERE With its good transport links, serviced by bus and rail, it has Inverness airport 70 miles to the north and is 100 miles north of Glasgow. The drive along Loch Lomond and into Glencoe is stunning. Fort William makes an ideal base for the adventure enthusiast, with loads of accommodation to suit all budgets. TACKLE SHOPS I’m aware of two places where you can buy bait and a few bits of tackle, but they cater more for spinning and mackerel fishing, and the serious angler should come prepared. E H Wallace , 36 High Street, Fort William PH33 6AT, tel: 01397 702832. Tools and Tackle, Loan Fern, Ballachulish PH49 4JB, tel: 01855 811111. HIGHLAND SHORE ANGLING Leo Crofts runs an instruction and guiding service for the Scottish Highlands.…

It had been a blustery afternoon, but the incessant easterly wind was forecast to decrease slightly later in the day. I’d had my eye on this particular evening tide following my weekly scrutiny of the tide tables, weather and surf forecasts, and had decided in advance exactly where I was going to fish. With a high tide of 4.6 metres due to peak during dusk at 9.43pm, my plan was to begin fishing once darkness had set in for around three hours, well into the ebbing tide. There was a good reason why I was so keen to fish what some may consider as a period in the tide that isn’t as productive as the flood. In my experience, once you’ve discovered a potential bass mark, then only by fishing…

FROM THE MINI WRASSE SPECIES like corkwings, to the large brutish ballans, my summer LRF sport revolves around finding and catching these thrilling fish. They become an obsession. I find them really fascinating, particularly their behaviour that changes from region to region. It’s a guessing game that has me constantly asking questions, such as why they are in a certain area, and why they favour certain lures and techniques over others? When I work out the answers and this results in great sport, it always throws up a new question. My recent LRF sessions devoted to wrasse have followed the same pattern, which revolves around tide and foreshore features in what becomes a game of hide and seek. I like to fish my local marks over two or three different…

FOR SOME, SETTING OUT A YEAR’S angling targets is simply making a mental note, for others it can be a little more detailed. Rarely is it a case of turning up and catching your target, and most of my successful trips have been meticulously planned, usually weeks or months in advance. I decided early that my target for 2018 would not change from the previous two years – that was to catch all the types of rays that frequent the Dorset and Hampshire coastline. This includes the spotted, undulate, thornback, small-eyed, stingray and the elusive blonde. My shore fishing quest began on March 24 at Dorset’s Chesil Beach, specifically Abbotsbury. Reports of plaice and rays had filled me with optimism. Eager to start, I set off early from my home…

■ Holding a shark without supporting the mid-section can cause internal injury. Sharks do not have a rib-cage to protect or support their internal organs. ■ Lifting a shark, skate or ray solely by the tail can lead to internal injury and cause muscle damage. ■ Avoid placing fingers in or on a shark, skate or ray’s gills/spiracles – they are incredibly delicate and easily damaged. ■ Extended fight-times, and time out of the water, cause physiological stress to a shark. Know when to cut your losses… and your line. ■ Getting sharks off the hook and back into the water as quickly, and safely, as possible is vital.…

BASS SHORE Adie Cooper, Grimsby, 7-9*, Chapel Point BASS BOAT Ray Sheppard, Cowes, 10-4*, Yarmouth BREAM BOAT Polton Jones, Neath, 2-6, Weymouth Peter Sillito, Ellesmere Port, 3-1, Poole John Thorne, Neath, 2-5, Weymouth COD SHORE Trevor Thomas, Helensburgh, 8-6-2, Kentallen COD BOAT Ian Campbell, Glasgow, 25-0, Unst Stewart Walker, Paisley, 27-0*, Cullivoe CONGER BOAT Michael Herron, Northallerton, 69-0*, Lymington Richard Knight, Eastleigh, 45-0, Hayling Island FLATFISH SHORE Sean McCaffrey, Scalloway, 1-3 dab, Scalloway FLATFISH BOAT Paddy Ennis, Craigavon, 1-0 megrim*, Killybegs Jay Holliday, Brading, 4-3-8 plaice, Bembridge Dave Morris, Rainham, 5-8 brill, Dover LING BOAT Ian Campbell, Glasgow, 45-0, Unst Michael French, Sedgefield, 41-0, Cullivoe Stewart Walker, Paisley, 28-0, Cullivoe Cyril Williams, Tredegar, 24-4, Plymouth MULLET SHORE Ricky Lapsley, Edinburgh, 4-5, Mersey estuary Stephen O’Neill, Carrigaline, 2-15 golden grey*, Cork…

Revvin’ up your engine Listen to her howlin’ roar Metal under tension Beggin’ you to touch and go Highway to the danger zone Ride into the danger zone It would seem that these opening lines from the 1986 hit ‘Danger Zone’ for Kenny Loggins, as featured in the movie ‘Top Gun’ have nothing to do with tope fishing in Carmarthen Bay. Yet, for those anglers who will never experience the adrenaline rush of breaking through the sound barrier in an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, this idyllic corner of Wales has its very own thrill-inducing danger zone. It’s a DZ that is more than capable of inducing the excitement sea anglers experience when setting out to catch one of our most exciting saltwater species – tope. Now, like me, I doubt…

THE CONWY COASTLINE FEATURES many different types of seabed ranging from rocks and reefs to sandbanks, mud flats and shingle, while inshore wrecks provide a host of mixed fishing opportunities. This area has a great mix of water depths and features, which helps provide a wide variety of species. Conwy Bay is productive and leads directly into the Menai Strait, where the fishing can be superb. Most of the rough ground marks hold plenty of wrasse, pollack, bull huss and the occasional conger eel. Over the more broken to cleaner ground the main targets are tope and bull huss, but you can target rays, gurnards and spurdogs here too. The Conwy Estuary system can be very productive for big flounders, while the offshore wrecks hold some good pollack and cod,…

Q: Any ideas where I should LRF in Anglesey and what to take? KEN HAIGH, BY EMAIL Adam Kirby & Dan Sissons say: You’ve got a wide range of habitats to go at, all within relatively close proximity. Lots of typical LRF structure. Holyhead breakwater, Amlwch and Cemaes Bay harbours all sound great for notching-up species. Then you have an almost unlimited number of sandy bays and rocky outcrops for wrasse and so on. There’s almost too much choice. Worms, creatures and fish-shaped lures should all be attracting attention. Dropshot or split-shot-rig Isome or Gulp Sandworm to build confidence, then switch to 1in or 2in soft plastics on jig heads to hunt for ballan wrasse, mackerel, pollack or even a bass. Q: I notice that a number of LRF lures…

Q: What are the preferred rods for kayak use, particularly in terms of rod length and the best weight class? GRANT PURSER, HARTLEPOOL MC says: Generally speaking, I find something in the region of 7-8ft is about right. They are short enough to handle effectively with a fish on, long enough to reach around the bow, allow you to cast effectively and troll lures with a decent spread from the sides of the kayak. They also allow you to get close enough to a caught fish to hand land it with the rod held securely and safely. In terms of weight class, this depends on your method, quarry, water depth and maximum tide strength. I use 7-28g spinning rods for trolling or casting lures and either 12-20lb or 20-30lb for…

WEEZLE EXTREME UNDERSUIT RRP: £220 When winter comes it is vital to dress warmly and correctly, both on the surface and in the event that you find yourself in the water. Ideally, seek out a one-piece garment that is wicking and not too bulky, and is designed for physical use inside a drysuit. Diving companies have the answer. Weezle is a well-established and respected brand, and offers the Weezle Extreme range, which has a unisex design and comes in nine sizes, from Extra Small to Extra Extra Large, and has a generous cut. Incorporated into the underwear design are two hip pockets and an innovative ‘slashed’ cuff that removes the need for thumb loops. On the shoulder is a toughened nylon back panel to protect from dry zip damage. The…

■ Channel Anglers SAC Burnham League rnd 2 and open, Burnham on Sea, Somerset, 25 anglers (match fished on continental system): 1 Dave Lane, Weymouth, 6 fish, 22-10-0, including heaviest fish, 7-2-0 conger (2pts); 2 Adrian Ford, Weston-super-Mare, 2, 1-10-0 (1). ■ Channel Anglers SAC Burnham League rnd 3 and open, Burnhamon-Sea, Somerset, 24 anglers: 1 Paul Curtice, Hythe, 1 conger, 11-8-0 (2pts); 2 Justin Bird, Cardiff, 2 congers, 4-11-0 (1). ■ East Fife SAC Anyfish Anywhere open, Elie Harbour to St Andrews harbour, Fife, 31 anglers: 1 Andy Crowe, Scarborough, 13-13-0 (3pts); 2 Dennis Thompson, Whitby, 13-8-8 (2); 3 Keith Bathgate, Edinburgh, 12-14-8, including heaviest fish, 4-8-0 codling (1). ■ Holt SAC West Norfolk Challenge rnd 2, Great Ouse at King’s Lynn, Norfolk, 20 anglers: 1 Paul Marshall, Corby,…

AUGUST • 25: Jake and Alan’s summer open sweep, Carnoustie to Ferryden light, 11am-4pm, register 9.30am-10am at Victoria Park, Arbroath, weigh in closes 5pm, £15 all-in, only three wrasse (minimum size 35cm) and three pollack allowed, size limits, Alan 01592 560442. • 25: Southern League Sole Survivor charity open, Hill Head, 7.30pm-12.30am, cash prizes for top three heaviest bags and heaviest fish, raffle, pegged, measure & release, disabled pegs available on request, £20 entry, book only, Christchurch Angling 01202 480520. • 25-26: Northern Ireland FSA Two-day Open Festival, day 1 Longfield 9am-1pm & Benone/Downhill, 4pm-8pm, day 2 Roe Estuary 10am-2pm, HQ at Alexander Arms, Limavady, details Northern Ireland Federation of Sea Anglers page or Belfast Angling Centre 02890 313156. • 26: Whitby summer open, Saltburn pier to Filey Coble Landing,…

1 SCREAMING REELS During the summer we have access to some amazing sport with tope and smoothhounds. Both provide heart-stopping runs when line is torn from your reel during epic fights. 2 GETTING WRECKED Fishing lures over wrecks for cod, pollack and ling on the drift is extremely popular. Nothing beats the thrill of winding in a lure, only to have the rod nearly torn from your hands as a fish grabs the lure. Then there’s the more challenging method of fishing a wreck at anchor for conger eels and ling. 3 THE BIG GUNS There are some true monsters of the deep in UK waters, from 100lb-plus conger eels to 200lb-plus common skate, and, of course, porbeagle, blue, thresher and mako sharks. 4 GET THE DRIFT Another of the…

Most anglers use only a few knots. This instils great confidence in their fishing, and belief in what you are doing goes a long way when out on the water. First up is the classic four-turn grinner knot, which is great when tying on swivels, hooks, lead weights and lures. It’s simple, and can even be tied when using a doubled length of line to give more security when using low diameter and low breaking strain materials. Next up is a knot to join braided mainline to a mono or fluorocarbon leader. With more and more anglers using braided mainline, learning to tie a decent leader knot is becoming ever more essential. It may look a little tricky to tie at first, but once you’ve cracked it you’ll be able…

HILL WALKING, CLIMBING , mountain biking and skiing are synonymous with this outdoor adventure land, but Fort William has another string to its bow – the shore fishing can be tremendous. On a good day, it is not unusual to catch five or six species including dabs, codling, mackerel, pollack, grey gurnards and more dogfish than you can imagine. What really attracts me to the Highlands is battling with thornback rays. More akin to a Scandinavian fjord rather than the open coast, the deep, dark waters of Fort William and Loch Linnhe offer year-round fishing in relative shelter, even when the surrounding high peaks, including Ben Nevis, are being battered by ferocious winds and whipped by winter’s icy blast. Nestled inland on what was once a geological fault line, this…

ONE OF THE GREATEST developments on the lure scene in the last five years is the growth in the use of soft plastics. For many, this probably started with pre-rigged shads like the Storm Shad or classic Red Gill, but now there are numerous options for those wanting to try something new. For many of you this will be preaching to the converted, but I wanted to give the reasons for obsession with fantastic plastics. For the past three seasons I have almost exclusively fished with softies, and the results get better and better. They are catching machines. For me, one of the biggest appeals of lure fishing is being on the move and actively searching for feeding fish. The whole concept of travelling light and using well-balanced tackle means…

Wrasse for most of modern lure anglers are a catch-and-release species. To this extent we have to use good fish care practice. Wrasse give everything in the fight and always need some recovery time so that they can get back down to their kelpy lairs upon release. For ease of landing, retaining and releasing, a landing net or drop-net is essential especially when using LRF gear. While the majority of LRF tackle will be able to cope with the rigours of a rough-ground fight, it will certainly struggle when trying to swing in or handline a sizeable wrasse to land it. I use the net to land the fish and then I place the net somewhere soft, such as a rock pool or a unhooking mat. A long-handled landing net…

BEING ADDICTED TO RAY FISHING, if I go more than a few weeks without catching one I start to feel strangely uneasy. Thornbacks, small-eyeds, spotteds, blondes and a stingrays have all graced my rods over the past 15 years. Being retired, I spend plenty of time fishing for rays and occasional bass around the rock marks and beaches in the west and north of Wales. In addition, every year I have a week on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland, which is where I caught a small stingray at just under 10lb. While the country engaged in the World Cup football frenzy, I headed off to the Scotland in an attempt to catch a common skate. Not technically a ray, but it’s flat with all the characteristics associated with them, albeit…

■ Only fish caught since August 2018 are eligible. ■ We must see a picture of the fish. We may refuse an entry. ■ You can claim one badge per species in an issue. ■ A further badge can be awarded in future only if you set a new personal best. ■ Enter by post using the coupon; by email (please include information requested on the postal form) to paul.fenech@bauermedia.co.uk ■ Prizes are as stated (Shimano reserves the right to send alternatives). ■ No correspondence will be entered into.…

I’VE BEEN INCREDIBLY LUCKY OVER THE years to catch quite a few sharks. The fact these predatory and fascinating feeding machines are built for speed, packed with immense power and possess huge fighting qualities, only makes them even more attractive to an angler. Keeping your wits about you, though, amid the mayhem of a screaming reel and a buckling rod when a shark dramatically snatches a suspended mackerel bait, before quickly turning and running at a ridiculous speed, isn’t easy. Anyone who recommends staying calm after an initial shark strike certainly needs to re-think the advice they’re offering. If your pulse fails to rise by a notch or two and your blood doesn’t pump a little quicker, perhaps it’s time to take up skydiving or bungee jumping? My latest shark…

ALTHOUGH THE BRISTOL Channel can offer some amazing offshore angling opportunities during the summer, sometimes it’s great to chill out and sample some of the sport that an inshore reef can offer. Along the North Somerset and Devon coastlines there are many reef structures that hold a great variety of species for you to target. Whether it’s a competition you are involved with, or you’re simply out to enjoy a fun day out, these reefs can provide a fantastic day afloat. Tides do not pose much of a problem on these inshore marks, so a 10lb-class boat rod with a small multiplier reel or a modern extendable match rod coupled up with a fixed-spool reel and braided line will fit the bill. As specific marks are sometimes a case of…

PAUL FENECH Sea Angler’s features and tackle editor Paul is here to solve your shore angling problems. DAVE LEWIS Based in Newport, South Wales, our contributing editor Dave answers boat fishing questions. MARK CRAME Suffolk-based Mark gets a thrill from fishing afloat on a kayak. Send him your kayaking queries. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photo-journalist Henry, based in Cornwall, will answer questions on lure angling. 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.…

Q: Does the colour of a lure make a difference at night? TONY PARKER, UCKFIELD, EAST SUSSEX HG says: On some nights I’m convinced white lures are out-fishing anything else, but my theories fly right out of the window when the next night they are hitting almost anything. I will default to white because it gives me so much confidence, but I am only one angler – and there are many different ways to skin a cat when night fishing for bass. Q: What colour lure is the best to use on a sunny day and a cloudy day? KRISTIAN REES, BY EMAIL HG says: The age-old saying goes that you should use a bright lure (pictured above) in bright conditions and a darker lure in darker conditions. As much…

TRONIXPRO VIRTUOSO LR FIXED-SPOOL RRP: £79.99 An ideal reel, especially if you’re targeting fish that often pick up a bait and run, such as when livebaiting for bass, or scaling down on tackle for smoothhounds. The live-running (LR) drag system means you can permanently set the clutch and switch from freespool to fight mode in an instant. Equipped with 10 saltwater-resistant bearings that enable a super-smooth retrieve, another notable feature of this 8000-size outfit is the ultra-precise drag system, which is easy to manage and capable of controlling many hard-running fish. Other features include a crank ratio of 4.6:1, a spool capacity of 380 metres of 0.35mm and the ability to interchange other spools from the Virtuoso range. FEATURES ■ SIZE: 8000 ■ BEARINGS: 9+1 stainless steel ■ RATIO: 4.6:1…

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IMPROVED COMFORT on long-haul angling trips, along with exceptional attention to detail and build quality, then consider the feature-loaded Beneteau Barracuda 9. Beneteau’s brochure says the extra comfort is due to an excellent freeboard providing superb inboard security from within an open, spacious and modular cockpit In addition, other key features include a starboard access door, which makes mooring alongside and climbing aboard easier. At the back of the pilothouse, a large full-beam glass door provides good ventilation and seamlessly opens up the living spaces on board. The interior saloon has an innovative layout with facing seats positioned lengthways, making movement easier. The galley is as functional as ever and is now equipped with a large refrigerator’. I reviewed the Beneteau Barracuda 6 in Sea Angler…

If you have an overseas boat fishing trip approaching, or perhaps a family holiday offers you an opportunity to plan a session afloat, this superb outfit is sure to catch your eye. The Abu Garcia Suveran Travel Boat rod is a four-piece, equal section outfit that has a total length of 7ft with a rating of 30lb. Broken down, it measures just 23in and will fit into most modern suitcases. It’s incredibly lightweight yet powerful, combined with a progressive and steely tip action coupled with a stiff butt section. Other fantastic features include superb handgrips, a gimbal located under the butt-cap, Fuji alconite guides and a tough ALPS Tri reel seat. It all slots nicely into its very own partitioned rod bag. Normally, this rod would set you back £179.99…

GRAND DAY OUT ■ A nominated species fundraising match, for the England junior teams, organised by Lymington & District SFC and held at Pennington seawall, raised £1,000. Winner was Malcolm Stote, of Lymington, with 1007cm. TOP OF LEAGUE ■ Sea Angler contributor James Madsen won round 7 of the Veals Summer League with 12-14-0 and topped the league for the best five results from seven. Runner-up in the league was Steve Ace, with Vicky Izzard in third place. PRICE IS RIGHT ■ There were a few big fish in a tough North West ASAC match at Wallasey. Ben Price included a 93cm smoothhound in his winning 122cm. Heather Lindfield, of Greasby, was second with 118cm, which included a 52cm bass.…

I HAVE A ‘THING’ ABOUT SNAKES – I AM absolutely terrified of them. Once when in Kenya filming the fantastic fishing with a Finnish television crew, the director came up with an idea. For me, it was a stupid idea. We’d had some tremendous sport with one of my catches being a 75lb sailfish taken on a salmon fly-rod and using a 20lb breaking strain tippet. After weighing, the fish was tagged and returned alive. To introduce a bit of variety in the show, the director decided we were to go to a snake farm the next day. This, by the way, was causing me to have nightmares. That evening, after our day’s filming, the owner of the snake farm came to the hotel, which was the famous Hemingways at…

1 KAMASAN B940 This pattern is one of the most successful match-fishing hooks of all time. Its fine carbon steel wire is incredibly strong, and the points are chemically sharpened. From the boat, they are excellent in sizes 1 and 1/0 for plaice rigs. 2 KAMASAN B940S The B940S is the B940 with a shorter shank. Use when fishing for black bream or for carrying crab baits when targeting flounders. 3 SAKUMA 540 MANTA The wide gape, strong, yet thin wire and super-sharp point is perfect for many fishing situations. Use these in size 1/0 right up to 7/0 for presenting all types of bait from a whole peeler crab to mackerel fillets, head and guts or whole squid. 4 SAKUMA 545 MANTA EXTRA This is much the same hook…

1 LUGWORM Probably the most common of all sea fishing baits. Blow lug, yellowtails and black lug are the most common. During the summer, a single lugworm fished in a muddy estuary will catch you bass and flounders, while later in the year a big bait of lug tipped off with squid is the staple for most cod anglers. Here’s how to present a black lug bait that delivers a huge scent trail in a relatively small package that can be cast very easily. HOW TO FISH A BLACK LUG SAUSAGE 2 PEELER CRAB This is a common shore crab in the process of shedding its shell in order to grow. Each spring, and throughout the summer months, peelers can be collected from under rocks and weed beds that are…

1 CORPACH A small village near Fort William on the Mallaig Road, where, if you pass the sawmill you have gone too far. With comfortable fishing from a grassy bank at the start of the Caledonian Canal, it is noted for mackerel and pollack to lures. Bottom fishing with baits is harder due to the fierce tide that can occur, so choose neap tides for thornbacks and dogfish. 2 LONG STAY CAR PARK This mark is situated on the southern edge of Fort William and offers very comfortable fishing from the boot of your car. It can be busy in summer with tourist parking and mackerel anglers, but it is a great family venue that fishes year round for all species. For some variety and mixed species, try a two-hook…

ARGUABLY IRELAND’S BEST- known professional bass angling guide, John Quinlan, grew up fishing for trout and salmon but broadened his horizons to saltwater fishing. His superb Thatch Cottage Fishing Lodge, which he runs with his wife Lynn, is a fully guided angling operation based at Cahersiveen on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, in the southwest of Ireland. Having co-guided with John, I stand by my description of him as “Ireland’s best bass guide, a thoroughly nice bloke and, wow, does he know the Kerry coastline”. On a recent visit to the Emerald Isle, where I do some co-guiding work with John, I got a chance to quiz him on all things fishy. He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very good bass guide. Now, turn over… HENRY GILBEY: Tell us…

Depending on the terrain I am fishing, I take different lure profiles and colours to suit the situation. This varies from region to region and will change during the season when other food sources become available. Here are a few ideas to consider when making your choices: STICKS/SENKOS AND SLUGS:  These soft lures are often slim, long and without an obvious tail. Ideal for imitating sandeels, launce or garfish, fishing them weedless and weightless is a killer technique for shallow water. I use these in the five, six and seven inch sizes, and go for white/pearl and a natural two-tone such as olive over silver or green over silver, and even pure black for some night fishing scenarios. Their action is very subtle (some might say non-existent), but they are…

HAVING STOOD SINCE 1989, THE Scottish record for a tope caught by a boat angler has been smashed with a huge fish of 78lb. It was while fishing out of Portpatrick, Dumfries & Galloway, that David Monk (above) boated the big tope. The angler, from Crosby, Merseyside, was on an annual fishing trip with his dad, Geoff, and brother, James, on the charter boat Lucky Dip II, skippered by Steve Stringer. Anchoring only 100 metres off some rocks, it was early afternoon when David hooked the big tope. After a long fight, he landed the 78-pounder that skipper Steve, who had never seen anything like it, weighed on the boat’s calibrated scales and announced that it smashed the Scottish record by almost 4lb. That record had stood for nearly 40…

IT’S THAT EXCITING TIME OF YEAR when the UK’s beautiful sharks come closer inshore to greet many waiting sea anglers. And when these majestic creatures do take a bait, boy, do you know about it! There is a gentle click, click, click on the ratchet followed by…ZOOM! What’s more, this year’s unusually warm sea temperatures could mean we see greater numbers of sharks. With extensive publicity and awareness of the many threats facing sharks – some of the oceans’ top predators – James Gittins asked the Shark Trust for its ‘best practice’ guidelines on catching these wonderful creatures. John Richardson, conservation officer at the Shark Trust, provided the following information. “Until recently, the common perception was that sharks, skates and rays were robust and resilient – able to bounce back…

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 issue we award a superb Shimano reel to the captor of the best shore fish and best boat-caught fish, both chosen on merit. There is no choice of prize, which is awarded at our discretion. Liam Jameson, Chester-le-Street, Co Durham. Fish: 50lb tope. Bait: Whole mackerel on a running leger rig. Venue: Lucky Dip II (Steve Stringer), Port Patrick, Dumfries & Galloway. Date: July 13. Geoff Freeman, Milford Haven, Pembs. Fish: 60lb blue shark. Bait: Mackerel flapper. Venue: Phat Cat…

BASS ■ Shore: 19lb 13oz 8dr John S Locker ■ Boat: 19lb 4oz Wayne Milton BLACK BREAM ■ Shore: 5lb 5oz 1dr C Le Monnier ■ Boat: 6lb 6oz Tony Heart COUCH’S BREAM ■ Shore: 2lb 15oz 1dr Lynton Carre ■ Boat: 6lb 9oz 7dr Ray Fallaize GILTHEAD BREAM ■ Shore: 9lb 8oz Scott Smy ■ Boat: 10lb 2oz Roger Simcox PANDORA’S BREAM ■ Shore: 1lb 2oz Baz Wheater RAY’S BREAM ■ Shore: 6lb 1oz Jordan Colwell RED BREAM ■ Boat: 6lb 4oz Patrick Meegan BRILL ■ Shore: 6lb 12oz Mark Griggs ■ Boat: 13lb 10oz Tony Hayward TURBOT ■ Shore: 20lb 2oz Eddy Barham ■ Boat: 32lb 1oz Steve Scally BULL HUSS ■ Shore: 21lb 9oz M Urquhart ■ Boat: 23lb D Nicholson COD ■ Shore: 32lb Adrian Lloyd…

During the summer I get to do a little bit of mullet fishing at various marinas. Quite often I’ll travel down to the venue the night before in readiness for an early start on a charter boat trip. In some cases, I sleep on board the boat that we’re fishing on the next day to help keep costs to a minimum, and that is when we get to fish for the mullet that inhabit the marinas. In recent years it has become apparent that fishing for mullet under cover of darkness has distinct advantages. Most marinas have resident birdlife, usually in the form of seagulls, ducks, geese and swans. During the day, these birds are active, and it can be almost impossible to keep a steady stream of bread going…

ALSO known as the Cheburashka technique, this is a simple but very effective bottom-jigging technique to use for light rock fishing. These jig-heads are a simple way to easily assemble your own hook and sinker combination for finesse fishing with soft plastics. This system consists of a jig-head, which is available in various weights, and the link. The link passes through the jig-head and connects the hook and the line. Use the hook type that best suits your favourite soft plastic. Here it’s a Gamakatsu Worm 325 that has an extra-big eye, allowing the hook and the lure to move freely for a more natural presentation. ONLINE LINK TO THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nFYEEQbclMI…

This is a fantastic rig designed to be used in conjunction with a Breakaway Impact Lead and brilliant for targeting species such as cod, coalfish, dogfish and whiting at medium to long range. It has a main rig body of 80lb mono with three 25lb hook snoods armed with size 2 Aberdeen hooks, measuring 27cm (top), 28.5cm (middle), 32.5 (bottom) and secured by strong crimps and beads. Each hook snood also has rubber bait stops added to prevent worms from sliding up the snood during the cast. Hooks are super-sharp with a strong 80lb diamond swivel at the head of the rig and a quick-change lead link at the bottom.…

Q: What is a spoon rig? BARRY MURPHY, WINCANTON, SOMERSET DL says: I assume you are referring to a spoon rig used when drifting for flatfish. The rig consists of either a shop-bought spoon, such as the one shown below, or one made from a stainless dessert spoon with the handle cut off, and the spoon drilled to attached swivels using split rings. Keep the handle, it makes a great lure! The hook is attached to a short length of around six to eight inches of line at the bottom of the spoon, and the rig is fished on the drift. Q: Are cooked prawns any good for bait? TONY EDWARDS, HARLOW, ESSEX DL says: Cooked prawns are among my favourite baits. I have used them and they do catch…

SHIMANO STRADIC FK 3000 SPINNING REEL RRP: £149.99 It amazes me how much spinning reel we can get for our money these days. When I picked up this gorgeous and extremely lightweight Shimano Stradic FK in the 3000 size and strapped it to a 10-30g Major Craft 9ft Skyroad lure rod, it really was quite something. You almost know how smooth a spinning reel like this is going to feel right out of the box, but it’s how tight and ‘together’ everything feels that I find so reassuring, to the point where this Stradic FK feels like it should cost a whole lot more. You don’t get a spare spool with it, and this slightly niggles me because anglers are used to getting one with so many spinning reels these…

SOUTHERN LEAGUE RND 7 & OPEN Lee-on-the-Solent, Hants, 62 anglers In hot conditions in which the fish failed to show in weedy conditons, winner with the only sizeable smoothhound and an eel for a 9-3-0 total was Julian Shambrook. The Anyfish Anywhere rod company boss from Torquay was on peg 65 in zone C. He also scooped the heaviest fish pool thanks to the 8lb 2oz hound. Runner-up in this measure and release event, where undersized fish counted as 1oz, was Craig Thompson, at peg 12 in zone A with 1-15-0. Third was Darren Wilson at peg 5 in zone A with 1-12-0. Zone C winner was Aaron Aghilli with 1-3-0 from peg 48, while there was a three-way tie in Zone B where England junior angler Owen Strange, along…

■ With £10,000 in tackle prizes spread over the two divisions, points, based on entries, are awarded to the top three, section winners and captors of the largest fish caught in each designated Penn match. Penn also awards a prize of a 525 Mag reel to the angler scoring the most points in matches shown in each issue. If there is a tie, the winner will be the angler whose total is from the greatest number of results and is then chosen on merit by the editor. An angler can win only one reel during the year. To win a prize you must be registered with the Penn Sea League – supply your name, address, phone and email. Send fixtures, results and league registration by email to: cliff.brown@bauermedia.co.uk…

The reason we need booms for boat fishing is to ensure the bait is presented without tangling, and is fishing at the required depth. As far as beads are concerned, carry a reasonable selection of different sizes and colours. BOOMS FIXED-WIRE VERSIONS Used for most small fish that can’t swim off with your bait but can be hooked as they take it. A fixed boom can be fished close to the lead weight for bottom fishing, but can also be fixed at any point above the weight. Adding two or three fixed booms above the lead weight creates a paternoster rig that will not tangle. Species such as black bream and whiting will take a bait several feet off the bottom, while pollack, mackerel and bass will take them fished…

Uptide fishing was developed to catch fish in shallow water, where the noise and presence of the boat created a scare area that was effectively pushing the fish away from downtide fishing range close to the vessel. Casting and anchoring your baits along any new route these fish were taking makes complete sense, and is still the most important element of targeting fish in shallow water. However, they should become progressively willing to swim closer to the boat as water depth increases. Uptiding is used in depths between 6ft and 60ft. THE METHOD The technique is to cast your baited rig away from the boat, uptide, and once you feel it hit the seabed you let out a bow of line to allow the grip lead to dig in. Once…