Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 567 i Sea Angler

ANGLING HAS THE ABILITY TO THROW UP SOME AMAZING CATCHES just when you don’t expect them. You can usually predict big cod in winter, but massive bass in January are another matter. Yet that’s just what happened when a stunning 17lb 4oz fish (pictured on our front cover), the second-biggest ever on a lure, was caught by a boat angler (see page 32). There was also a 14lb fish, and late last year our contributor Andy Webb bagged a 12-pounder. You can read Andy’s story of his personal best on page 18. He was on a flounder session, but decided to target bass, which is what happened when Chris Clark fished Poole Harbour. Instead of flatties, he caught some superb bass (see page 6). It’s also worth remembering that, at…

Casting distance can be an advantage, and is why some anglers miss out, even though they are in the right place with the correct rig and bait. For most, a cast beyond 100 yards with bait in fishing conditions is pretty good going. Stick to fixed-spool reels and European-style rods of 14-15ft in length and matched to a 7500 or 8000 sized fixed-spool reel  with a long-cast spool. The rod’s added length increases lead weight speed, therefore increasing distance, and the long-cast spool design maintains a high line profile as line leaves it during the cast, again maximising distance. Other tips to get better casting distance are to load the reel with 20-30lb braid and fish a 60lb braid shockleader. An alternative is a 13ft beachcaster and  a multiplier that…

Seeing a bar of silver with its deep red colouring behind the gills as it fights hard through the surf is a perfect sight for any bass angler, and is what makes them a favourite species with many. In my younger years I went through a phase where I chased after them at every chance I could get, visiting beaches in the South West armed with buckets of lugworms and peeler crabs. My first bass catch was at Ladye Bay in the Bristol Channel, when a 3lb 8oz fish took a mackerel fillet. The memory still sticks with me to this day. Sadly, once I started catching rays, my direction of angling drifted away from bars of silver. Since then I have put in a few sessions to target a…

THIS STUNNING 17LB 4OZ BASS IS ONE OF several big doubles caught in January, and is the second-biggest of the species caught on a lure. It was taken by Isle of Wight angler David Cheal at the end of a session on January 6, when he switched to a home-made Wight’in lure, a 165mm shad-style version, and on his second drift caught the personal best bass. The angler, from Ryde, was fishing on his boat FishArdour, a Warrior 165, off the southern side of the island. “I was fishing lures vertically using a new Hart Bloody Offshore 15-50g rod, 25lb Daiwa J Braid and a Quantum Cabo 50 fixed-spool,” said David who, along with his friend Ben Creaser, designed and moulded both the 130g jighead and the 165mm tail specifically…

A 21lb 10oz cod is possibly the biggest UK shore-caught cod of the winter so far. It was taken by Kane Hyden (above), who fished a mark close to his home in Newport, South Wales. He fished a fresh Devon peeler crab on a size 4/0 hook. “I’m absolutely buzzing,” he said. “It’s the fish of a lifetime. I still can’t believe it.” He’s entering his catch in the heaviest cod competition being run by Holton Road Angling in Barry, which was featured in Sea Angler 565. Kane started the session two hours after low water ready to fish up to high tide in what was a rough sea that pushed them back off the ledges an hour earlier than expected. “After a couple of hours with no bites, I…

BASS SHORE Kyle Sibbald, Workington, 7-2*, Workington Carl Smith, Bournemouth, 13-7*, Boscombe pier BASS BOAT David Cheal, Isle of Wight, 17-4*, Yaverland COALFISH Sean McCaffrey, Scalloway, 7-0*, Shetland Islands COD SHORE Richard Cox, Wells, 7-8, West Bexington Bobby Goldsmith, Ashford, 7-4, Dungeness Sean McCaffrey, Scalloway, 20-0*, Shetland Islands David Ward, Guisborough, 10-2, Skinningrove COD BOAT Lee Frampton, Newport, 31-0, Isle of Wight CONGER SHORE John Johnson, Minehead, 20-0*, Minehead FLATFISH SHORE Iain Bickerstaff, Poole, 2-10 flounder*, Holes Bay Nathan Brown, Barry, 6-10 turbot, Cold Knap Steve Ford, Bristol, 2-0 flounder*, Portishead Sean McCaffrey, Scalloway, 2-1 flounder*, Shetland Islands Antony Searle, Wootton Bridge, 3-6 flounder*, River Medina POLLACK SHORE Craig Johnson, Milford Haven, 7-2, St David’s Head RAY SHORE Steven Burbridge, Gravesend, 9-2 thornback* Isle of Sheppey Gary Chapman, Padstow, 12-0…

Most sea angling methods are not usually intended to sort one species from another. Haddock fishing is no exception, and demands specific tactics in order to catch them with any regularity. Haddock are a member of the cod family and, as such, have three dorsal fins. The first appears as a tall triangle, the second is a broader triangle and the third is small and sloping. This fish has a silvery sheen, with a purple-grey iridescent back and a creamy-white belly. Perhaps the best giveaways for identification purposes are the black lateral line and the pronounced ‘thumbprint’, which can be found above each pectoral fin. Haddock have smaller mouths than other members of the cod family, and they have a small barbule on their chin. BEST TIMES Haddock can be…

POLLACK ARE A VERY SPORTING fish to target, especially through the late winter when the inshore cod fishing has died a death. Heading offshore to the wrecks and reefs can provide a fun-filled day afloat when conditions allow, and it’s a sure-fire way of beating the winter blues. The initial dive from an angry pollack is the main reason why so many anglers love to fish for them. Nothing beats the feeling of retrieving a lure, feeling the pollack plucking at its tail, then your rod tip hoops over and line screams from your reel as the hooked pollack dives for the sanctuary of the wreck or reef – it’s electric. Because the takes and runs from big pollack can be so violent, it’s essential that you tackle up to…

HEAPS OF OLD BEACH TACKLE GATHER dust in sheds and attics. A handful are collectors’ items; Moncrieff Springheel rods and the original black Abu 6000C multiplier, for example. For decades nobody cared much for the rest. But judging by Facebook pages such as Vintage Casting Tackle, we may be on the verge of a retro revival driven by the same sentiment that makes some of us prefer a Series 1 Land Rover to the latest 4x4 - the fun and challenge combined. Readers have been in touch about classic multiplier reels. They want to know the ones to look for, how to fix them up, how to cast and fish. There are many multipliers out there from dreadful to exotic, but I’d go straight for a Penn or a Mitchell.…

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: Is it a nuisance to the Coastguard if I contact them using my boat’s VHF at the start of a day’s fishing to tell them my plans? LAURIE TOMPKINS, BY EMAIL DL says: No, in fact quite the opposite – the Coastguard wants you to get in touch each and every time you fish. Give the boat’s name, how many persons are on board, where you intend going and what time you expect to return. Don’t forget to contact the Coastguard when you return and, obviously, advise if your plans change. Q: How much spare fuel should I carry for a day’s fishing? IAIN RAYNER, BY EMAIL DL says: I would suggest always carrying at least 50 per cent more fuel than you anticipate needing should be regarded as…

Elie to St Andrews, Fife, 123 anglers Despite the previous three days of strong easterly winds and ice and snow forecast for the day, a good turnout of 123 anglers braved the elements to compete in the 21st running of this Christmas open. Local angler Alan Combe managed to find a hotspot near St Andrews and cleaned up with heaviest cod at 8lb 13oz and a superb 15 fish overall bag of 45-13-0 to pocket a seasonal present of £1,200 for his efforts. Local anglers were to the fore, filling seven of the top 10 places. ■ Result: 1 Alan Combe, Kirkcaldy, 15 fish, 45-13-0, including heaviest cod, 8-13-0 (12pts); 2 Steven Green, Arbroath, 5, 13-10-0 (11); 3 3 Daniel Campbell, Arbroath, 6, 12-8-0 (10). ■ Carrickfergus Beach & Rockers…

■ Day 1: Zone A – 1 Craig Bradshaw, 72pts; 2 Mark Rogers, 70pts; 3 Steve Swan, 41pts. Zone B – 1 Martin Reid, 54pts; 2 Colin Crosby, 51pts; 3 Ory Turner, 26pts. Zone C – 1 Saul Page, 74pts; 2 Joe Croxon, 60pts; 3 Jason Carter, 35pts. Zone D – 1 Nathan Elliott, 145pts; 2 Brett Cotter, 107pts; 3 Louis Smith, 76pts. ■ Day 2: Zone A– 1 Nathan Elliott, 159pts; 2 Filip Galens, 60pts; 3 Tom Van de Pol, 60pts. Zone B – 1 Nigel Scott, 60pts; 2 Louis Smith, 53pts; 3 Mark Corlett, 46pts. Zone C – 1 George Smith, 48pts; 2 Andrew Hutchings, 46pts; 3 Darren Bond, 44pts. Zone D – 1 Craig Bradshaw, 100pts; 2 Lee Adams, 99pts; 3 Steve Adams, 68pts. ■ Overall: 1…

SCRAPING THE FROST FROM THE car windscreen during the early hours on a crisp December morning, the adrenaline was flowing freely. I was heading off on a flounder quest at one of the more remote areas of Poole Harbour in Dorset. With the harbour fishing poorly for flatties during the past months, I did have more than a few doubts, but a surprise in the form of bass was in store. Joining me for the fun were Steve Lawrence and Chris Rogers, both from Poole, and, as usual, Steve, who is the renowned Poole flounder ace, was brimming with confidence when I arrived at the rendezvous point just as the first shafts of daylight were starting to appear over the horizon. With the car loaded, we were soon heading to…

AFTER A PERIOD OF INTERMITTENT northerly winds along the east coast of Yorkshire, with some massive seas and horrid weather, the cliffs and get-downs get very sloppy. At times like this, it’s better to err on the side of caution and look for an easy-access venue. Feeling the urge to get out fishing, I decided to fish Easington beach on the Holderness Coast because of its easy access to the water, rather than what could be a tricky descent on some of the muddy cliff marks. The chosen spot was just past the caravan site. By locating an old boat compound adjacent to it, you’ll see a slipway cut out of the cliff providing an easy walk to the beach. Another bonus is the good parking after the caravan site.…

IF THERE IS ONE STYLE OF FISHING THAT makes my heart pump faster and often causes me to yelp with joy at the racing clouds, it is catching bass on lures in the surf. I think back to those old magazine articles and black and white photos about those bass anglers standing thigh deep in creamy white surf as they mostly bait fished the exposed storm beaches of the UK and Ireland. Of course, my mind turns to how much lure fishing we can do in similar locations and conditions and how hard these bass fight when they are so fizzed up in oxygenated water. Does it get much better? As with any saltwater fishing, we check the relevant weather and swell forecasts and we make plans. We visualise the…

An angler who set out to raise money for charity by catching 52 species of fish in 2018 to mark his 52nd birthday has exceeded his expectations. At the start of 2018, Steve Dawe began his personal species challenge with the additional aim of raising awareness and donations for the Stroke Association after a friend suffered a stroke. Steve’s project was called the Fishty Two Challenge 2018. The task reached its climax on December 31 when Steve was able to report he had exceeded his expectations, catching 77 species and raising £1,340 for the charity. His challenge included sea, coarse and game fish, but the bulk of the total was made up of 51 sea species. Clocking up 7,000 miles and notching 115 sessions which included the use of 16…

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. Dave Parry, Holyhead, Anglesey. Fish: 35lb tope. Bait: Whole whiting. Venue: Spindrift New Dawn (Gareth Williams), Holyhead, Anglesey. Date: Jan 5. Bill Oliver, North Petherton, Somerset. Fish: 17lb undulate ray. Bait: Mackerel and squid, Pennell rig. Venue: Flamer IV (Colin Penny), Weymouth, Dorset. Date: Jan…

■ Only fish caught since January 2019 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.…

Fishingmegastore.com awards a £25 voucher prize to each of two winners - the youngster with the best shore fish and another with the top boat catch. The winners can use the voucher to select tackle from Fishingmegastore.com which is based in Glasgow and Edinburgh. ■ HOW TO ENTER: We prefer digital photographs sent by email to paul.fenech@bauermedia.co.uk Please include the details listed on the form (right). Prints can be sent by post with the form.…

DALE IS A REALLY QUAINT LITTLE village with some decent bed and breakfast accommodation and a great pub/restaurant, The Griffin Inn, which serves some of the best seafood you’ll ever eat in the UK. There’s a small lifeboat station and a watersports café, where they teach kids how to sail, paddleboard and canoe. It really is one of Wales’ hidden gems. GREAT SPORT The fishing out of Dale is really superb and geared towards proper sport fishing, with a couple of boats offering completely different opportunities. On the one hand you have a large charter boat, Broadside Charters, skippered by Andy Truelove, which offers all manner of fishing from general ground to wreck and, more interestingly, shark fishing the Celtic Deep, where the occasional tuna can often appear as a…

STEP 1: Tie a size 2 rolling snap swivel to the end of your mainline or leader. You can use a larger swivel if you’re intending to fish over a wreck where there might be cod and ling. STEP 2: Tie a 3-4ft length of 20lb fluorocarbon to the other end of the snap swivel (not on to the snap link itself, but to the bottom eye of the swivel). STEP 3: Now tie a Breakaway Fastlink or Mini Link to the other end of the 20lb fluorocarbon trace. This is where you will attach your lure. STEP 4: All you need to do now is clip a lead weight on to the snap swivel and you’re ready to go.…

THE CAROLINA RIG has the weight fixed above the hook and can be very effective when fished with buoyant soft lures, rising off the bottom unimpeded by the cone weight to give a more natural movement. For extra attraction you can add a brass clicker and additional glass beads. The diagram shows a VMC Predator hook and Z-Man Finesse soft plastic worm, but other brands can be used. STEP-BY-STEP 1 Tie your hook on the hooklength. 2 Insert hook into centre of front of soft plastic lure and out through bottom, as shown. 3 Pull the hook through in an upward direction. 4 The knot end of the hook rests against front of lure and is now turned anti-clockwise. 5 With the hook point facing upwards, insert into the middle…

Q: Can I use the dropshot rig for wrasse, or should I go weedless? DON MCCULLOUGH, FIFE, SCOTLAND AK & DS say: Specifically talking about LRF here, dropshot has probably caught us more wrasse than any other rig. However, those wrasse came when fishing for bites, rather than specifically targeting wrasse. When targeting big wrasse, or any wrasse residing in heavy cover, it requires a different tactic, but ordinarily dropshot suits the more common, smaller fish, especially when fishing vertically. Q: What’s the best colour braid for LRF? MARK PETERS, TENBY, KENT AK & DS say: The best colour is normally the one you can most readily see in a variety of light levels. It has very little to do with the fish because you should always use a light,…

Q: We often get seals turning up when we are out fishing and it’s starting to be annoying. Any suggestions? ERIC LAFARGE, BY EMAIL MC says: First of all, they aren’t there because of you. They are there because of the fish, so the presence of seals indicates the presence of fish, and usually decent ones at that. That makes me, unlike most anglers, reasonably happy to see seals in the area. That said, they can become a nuisance if they start getting too close (maybe they’ve smelt your catch) or if they hang around and start snatching fish off your line. They don’t seem to be scared by much, so I’ve got no advice on getting rid of them and I’d not want to be attacked, so I wouldn’t…

IF YOU’RE looking to upgrade your current shore fishing kit, then this deal will be right up your street. This month’s offer consists of a two-piece beach rod, fixed-spool reel, rig wallet stuffed with shore rigs, plus a spool of mono mainline and shockleader. Heading up the offer is the fantastic Sonik SKS Black shore rod, and you can choose between either the 13ft model with 4-6oz rating or 14ft with 5-7oz rating. It really does look the part and features top-quality guides, Japanese shrink wrap and a sliding reel seat, and it even comes supplied with its own rod bag. Accompanying the rod is the Tronixpro Envoy 7000 fixed-spool reel. Featuring 5+1 bearings, with a cranking power of 4.1:1, it’s ideal for conquering all of your winter beach sessions.…

PALM RIVER TREK 125L DRYBAG RRP: £65 There’s nothing worse than a boot filled with wet kit, steaming up the rear windscreen and leaving pools of salty water to run into every rust trap beneath. Having storage large enough and tough enough to cram a drysuit, PFD, boots and assorted kit into then seal up is extremely useful, and the Palm River Trek bags are ideally suited to this end. Tough‚ durable and waterproof with a heavy-duty padded shoulder harness‚ it is designed to be comfortable to carry when fully loaded and won’t turn your car into a salty, sandy, soaking mess! Available in a range of sizes, the 125l version will swallow pretty much everything you could hope for! ■ For more info: palmequipmenteurope.com PALM DESCENDER SHOES RRP: £50…

It’s three for George England international bags trio of league victories Popular Lincolnshire match angler George Smith has become the first Englishman to win the Penn Sea League three times, and only the third to do so since the annual, year-long event was launched in 1999. The England international, who has fished at World Championship and Home Nations events for his country, follows in the footsteps of Welsh internationals Alan Price and Joe Arch in topping Britain’s most prestigious event for shore match anglers on three occasions. His Penn Sea League Premier Division win earns him a £1,500 tackle voucher from sponsors Penn. With a consistent performance in matches all year, George really made it count in the last two months of 2018, finishing with 89 points from the maximum…

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Penn Sea League, we’ve introduced some new rules for 2019. For the open match season starting from January 1 and running to December 31, 2019, these include a maximum score for any match now capped at 30 points, but with bigger matches attracting points for more anglers. Therefore, one-day and multi-day matches featuring 120 to 399 anglers will be awarded points down to fifth place, and those with 400 or more anglers will be awarded points down to 10th place. We are continuing the Penn Plus status where chosen matches get points down to 10th place. Remember, too, that multi-day events only earn points for the overall result and daily zones, and these matches cannot be split into several Penn matches. ALL YOU…

DEAN FOSTER MEMORIAL Noses Point to Blackhall Point, Co Durham, 128 anglers The top five anglers in this heaviest fish match all caught codling, with top spot going to George Davies, of Hartlepool, with a fish of 4lb 3oz 8dr. Heaviest bag winner was Danny Swann with 14 fish for 9-7-2. ■ Result: 1 George Davies, Hartlepool, 4-3-8 (12pts); 2 Curtis Robinson, Murton, 3-15-5 (11); 3 Andy Davies, Hartlepool, 2-9-7 (10); 4 Ben Shepard, Maryport, 2-7-9 (9); 5 Andrew Foster, Easington, 2-6-7 (8). Heaviest bag – Danny Swann, 14 fish, 9-7-2 (4). HARRINGTON SAC COD OPEN Whitehaven to Workington, Cumbria, 122 anglers The £1,000 top prize went to Tony Lewthwaite, of Maryport, with a 4lb 10oz codling. The £500 for second went to Mark Scott, of Workington, with a 4lb…

FEBRUARY 8: PF Sea League rnd 2, Eastney, measure & release, £20 league membership, £10 match entry, (£12.50 non-member), Lock, Stock and Tackle 02392 812 478. • 9: Chesil League & open, Masonic, 5.30pm-10.30pm, best eight from 10 matches, £25 league membership, new members welcome, £15 match entry, book in by 3pm, Dave 07977 132951. • 9: Asso Five Man League rnd 2 of 4 & open, Hastings & St Leonards beaches, 10am-3pm, lug, fish and squid baits only, £50 team of five, £10 individual league, all prizes for teams and individuals awarded at end of four matches, NSL team qualifier, Colin Crosby 07971 252652. 10: The Tronixpro World Dab Championships, Dungeness rover, 11am-4pm, RNLI friendly fundraiser, £100 1st prize, £10 entry, £5 optional pools, all entrants get five free…

Advance tickets are now available for two unmissable events for all anglers. Book early and you can save on gate prices. Why not have a day out at The Big One, where you can guarantee some amazing shopping deals and see a host of top angling stars. The Big One is being held at Farnborough, near London, on March 23-24 and organisers have now added a sister event at the NAEC Stoneleigh, in the Midlands, on April 13-14. New to the Farnborough event will be a demonstration arena, and you can also expect to see loads of great new tackle for sea, coarse and game fishing, discover some hot deals and meet the star names in angling. ■ Order your tickets now at www.thebigoneshow.co.uk…

Entries are open for The Gambia International Boat Fishing Competition 2019 taking place from November 11-16. Costing £150 per angler per day, the entry fee covers transport, bait, water, boat and gala dinner. With up to £7,000 of prizes, the event attracts competitors from the UK and forms part of efforts to promote tourism to The Gambia. Organised by the Gambia Tourism Board and Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the first competition took place in 2014. Offering some of the best fishing areas in Africa, the event takes place at Barra Point, Cape Point, Fajara and Kotu, with alternative fishing on the River Gambia should the Atlantic Ocean be rough. Expect to catch barracuda, snapper, cassava fish, captain fish, tarpon, stringray, catfish, pompano, trevally and many more. Methods are live…

AS WELL AS EATING TURKEY AND mince pies over Christmas, we have been reflecting on the outcome for sea anglers of the last EU Fishing Opportunities meeting that the UK will attend, assuming Brexit goes ahead. It is, of course, deeply disappointing that we did not get two of the things we were asking for – an increase in the number of bass we can take for the table each day, and a percentage of daily catch restriction for fixed netters, to stop them illegally targeting bass. The fight continues, though. Sea anglers are not quitters and we will not rest until we have a sustainable bass fishery and a fair share of the total bass catch for ourselves. The scientists at ICES provided tonnage estimates that showed the bag…

THIRTY YEARS AGO, THORNBACK rays in West, Mid and North Wales would disappear from the inshore grounds during November for breeding, typically venturing back inshore in late February, sometimes even earlier, in many areas. Their return coincided with the cycle of herring shoals and the first peeling crabs shedding their shells out in the warmer, deeper water below the spring tide line. Now, with the winter producing, on average, higher overall sea temperatures, they seem to hang about throughout the year. There is also a wider spread of the outward and inward migration pattern through the spawning period. If you know where to look, it’s still February, with its increasing hours of daylight and, hopefully, sunshine to kick-start the inshore food supplies, that still signifies the real return of the…

GETTING THERE ■ From Hull, take the A1033 and B1445 to Easington caravan site, HU12 0TY. TACKLE SHOPS ■ Chapman’s Angling, 208-212 Hull Rd, Hessle, Hull HU13 9NH tel: 01482 639900. ■ East Coast Tackle, 1B Willows Rd, Hornsea HU18 1DA, tel: 01964 535064. ■ Fishing Republic, 6 Strickland St, Hull HU13 4AQ, tel: 01482 707977. ■ Hull Angling Centre, Holderness Rd, Hull HU9 3DS, tel: 01482 374201. ■ North Bay Angling, 84 Promenade, Bridlington YO15 2QL, tel: 01262 401144. ■ Top Sports, 118 Queen St, Withernsea HU19 2HB, tel: 01964 612340. 541192.…

COLD WEATHER, RAGING SEAS AND numb fingers are all the hallmarks of a British winter LRF season. Cold and rain are easily nullified by wearing the correct clothing, but the raging seas and consistent easterly storms have cut short many of my fishing options. Harbours have been my only viable location in raging seas, but still the fishing has been patchy. However, there is one venue that has been consistent, even in the rough weather, and that is my local power station. Based on the coast, the power station has one major feature that attracts all sorts of fish throughout the colder months, and that’s a hot water outflow. In the rockpools, shrimps still thrive throughout the winter, and these small habitats provide home for numerous rockpool fish. In turn,…

An amazing second-day comeback saw the Army team overhaul the hosts, the Royal Air Force, to win the 31st Inter Service Shore Championships, held in North Wales, while a last-minute bull huss from an end peg decided the battle for individual honours. There were 12 anglers representing each armed service – the Royal Navy, Army and RAF. On Day 1 at Llandudno, the RAF team led with a score of 60 zone points and the best fish points total of 3,064 from 215 fish. The Army were in second with 75 points, having caught the most fish, 227 for 2,643 fish points. The Royal Navy were third on 99 zone points with 171 fish and 2,006 fish points. Steve Rathbone, of the RAF, led the individual scores with 29 fish…

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…

FEBRUARY 2009 ■ The Government had committed to introducing a full UK Marine and Coastal Access Bill to bring about sustainable management of the seas and protect marine species and habitats. ■ In a move linked to the Marine and Coastal Access Bill, it was claimed more than 30 per cent of the seas around Britain must become no-take marine reserves by 2020 if the marine environment was to recover from decades of overfishing and habitat destruction. That was the claim of retailers, The Co-operative, which had joined forces with the Marine Conservation Society to launch a Marine Reserves Now campaign. ■ A mark at The Wherry, Marsden, Tyne and Wear, produced a 17lb 1oz cod for Lance Mcvey, of nearby South Shields. He fished three-bearded rockling on a pulley…

TRADITIONALLY, THORNBACK RAYS START to make an appearance during the early spring and are one of several species that confirm longer days and warmer weather are on the way, but they seem to be caught for much of the year now. They are a favourite species with boat anglers, not least because in many areas thornbacks are relatively easy to catch. In addition, as with most of the various other species of ray caught around the British Isles, thornbacks have a decent average size, probably between 6-12lb, and guaranteed to put a healthy bend in your rod. Widespread around the British Isles, the most productive areas for thornbacks include the Thames Estuary, Solent, various estuaries throughout the South West of the country, the Bristol Channel, Irish Sea and the various…

THERE IS NO DISPUTING THE FACT that northern Norway has the healthiest stocks of fish and the finest sea angling available anywhere in the North Atlantic, and if you hit things right, you’ll undoubtedly experience sport beyond your wildest dreams. Even a mediocre week’s fishing in this wonderful country will more than meet many anglers’ prior expectations, but, just like fishing anywhere, the sport in Norway can be tough. I have spent more than just an occasional day afloat in Norway burning expensive fuel running from one area to another, scratching my head while wondering where all of the fish have gone. The fact is that while there is no disputing that Norway’s fish stocks are vast, there aren’t fish everywhere. If you are operating a self-drive boat, you have…

Q: Do you think studs on the bottom of your wading boots really help that much with grip? JASON NUGENT, TRURO, CORNWALL HG says: I think back to my bait fishing days when I was clambering over all kinds of rocks and I wish I had come across wading studs back then because life would have been easier. Studs on the bottom of my wading boots are an essential bit of kit. If I were still wearing hiking boots for my bait fishing then I’d be putting wading studs on the soles of them as well. Q: Is there any advantage in adding rig glue to the braid-fluorocarbon knot? PAUL DOWLING, KILKENNY, IRELAND HG says: I don’t think there is, and this is coming from me who did go through…

FISH-O-FAX SEA ANGLING APP £11.99 This unique app for any Android device contains everything you need for sea fishing. More than 60 screens are devoted to sea fishing including bait, species, knots, records, landing sizes, cooking and rigs – there’s even a built-in camera to allow you to take the perfect picture, save it and then share it with other anglers. Another unique item is the compass facility. Obviously brilliant for heading and plotting a course, boat anglers will find it extremely useful for returning to various marks. ■ Available for Android only at Google Playstore. For more info, visit: www.fish-o-fax.com GUNKI LRF SOFT LURES PRICE: £4.49 These soft lures are the perfect imitation of a prey fish. They feature oversized realistic eyes and rounded pectoral fin, and create a…

■ NAME: Ian Reynolds ■ HOME: Benfleet, Essex ■ LATEST BUY: Abu Ambassadeur 6500C3 CT Hi-Speed Mag multiplier ■ PRICE: £120 Ian didn’t actually buy this reel because it was a birthday present from his son. “I love my Abu 6500 reels, they’re so easy to use and incredibly smooth-casting outfits. Having another in my armoury is just brilliant.” ■ NAME: Mark Taylor ■ HOME: Grimsby, North East Lincs ■ LATEST BUY: Yuki Sublime Casting ■ PRICE: £230 Mark does a lot of his shore fishing on the east coast where he targets cod, rays and smoothhounds. His latest buy was this Yuki Sublime Casting two-piece 14ft shore rod that he purchased online. “I bought the blank and had it custom built with Fuji Black KWAG guides by a friend.…

BASED ON THE FACT THAT many Orkney boats, and especially sea angling classics such as the original Fastliner 19, are used day in day out by commercial fishermen, it is testimony to the excellent sea-keeping, build quality and structural integrity of the Sussex company’s products. As is always the case with any Orkney boat, a quick glance is all that is needed to confirm the incredible attention and effort that goes into ensuring that each of its boats is perfectly finished before it leaves the factory in Arundel. You will not find a more impressively turned out boat anywhere. Renowned for its long-standing principles of producing a robust, seaworthy design with uncompromised sea-keeping skills, Orkney describes the latest Fastliner 19 as being an ideal harbour launch for the family, but…

CRUCIAL WIN ■ A win in the Country Stores fur and feather open, fished at the Loughor estuary, saw Carl Campion go top of the Penn Sea League Division One. His 812g flounder was enough to top the heaviest single fish match and secure 10 points. LEAGUE CHAMP ■ Winner of the Welsh FSA East Region Shore League open was Shaun Tucker, of Swansea, with a 5.44kg thornback ray caught at Cold Knap pebbles, which secured him top spot in the East Region Shore League, thanks to six top places. a WHITE RESULT ■ The Hornsea SAC HCF Cup heaviest fish open winner Matt White, of Barrow-in-Furness, caught a 2.93kg codling at Outnewton, and had the best bag weight of 8.53kg. Runner-up Brian McKenzie caught a 2.13kg codling at Hilston.…

AS MATCH FISHING GOES , THIS EVENT could best be described as a gruelling test for the 131 anglers who lined up on the shingle at Prince’s Parade in Hythe, Kent. With competitors travelling from as far away as the Isle of Man and across the Continent to take part, the calm and clear conditions on the opening day soon put a real dampener on everyone’s high hopes. Using the SAMF catch-and-release to a conversion chart rule, for many, undersized dabs and whiting proved to be a real headache, while others simply couldn’t locate any fish at all. However, those who scaled down rigs and were able to cast huge distances found some success, and this tactic would ultimately see some sizeable species being beached. BATTLE Suffolk’s Craig Bradshaw won…

Asso two-day open (Penn Plus), Hythe, Kent, 131 anglers each day (262): 1 Nathan Elliott, Dover, 2pts, 304 fish pts (20pts); 2 Craig Bradshaw, Ipswich, 2, 172 (19); 3 Louie Smith, Deal, 5 (18); 4 Mark Rogers, Maidstone, 6, 135 (17); 5 Saul Page, Deal, 6, 118 (16); 6 Steve Adams, Shotley, 7, 102 (15); 7 Joe Croxon, Dover, 7, 97 (14); 8 Lee Adams, Shotley, 8, 179 (13); 9 Colin Crosby, Hastings, 8, 99 (12); 10 Darren Bond, Worthing, 8, 77 (11). Zones (pts based on daily entry) – Martyn Reid, Folkestone; Nigel Scott, Deal & George Smith, Grimsby (all 4). Full report page 106. Bedlington Station SAC night open, Tynemouth to Amble, Northumberland, 41 anglers: 1 Lee Gray, four fish, 6-14-0 (4pts); 2 D Tyler, 1, 3-15-0, including…

23 February: Southern League rnd 2 of 12 & open, Bournemouth, 7pm-midnight, pegged, measure & return, undersize fish count as 1oz, £15 match entry, £5 pools, £10 pair, team of five free, 2019 League entry £20, booking ends one hour before start, Darren 07919 073 232, Nick 07870 922 216, Mike 07983 579 596, Ian 07736 004 714 or Ant 07775 691 916. 16-17 March - North Norfolk Air Ambulance open, 10am-3pm, £1,000 1st, daily prizes for daily entries, zoned, limited pegs, free junior entry, booking advised, Henry 07582 756900 or Adrian 07878 229678.…

Europe's largest shore fishing event, the 26th Paul Roggeman European Open Beach Championship, takes place from February 15-17. Offering £35,000 in prizes and fished along the Holderness Coast, the popular contest starts with a separate Flattie Bash, a measure and return match on February 15, held from 10.30am-2.30pm at Hornsea and Mappleton. The main two-day event, the European Open (previewed in Sea Angler 566), is a roving match fished over two days on February 16-17 with fishing from 9am-3pm each day. Competitors can fish between Bridlington and Spurn. Headquarters for the championship is at Sand le Mere Holiday Village, a five-star park at Tunstall. ■ For full details and how to enter in advance or on the match days, visit: www.eobc.co.uk…