Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i Sea Angler

On the last couple of (few and far between) occasions I’ve found to get my boat on the water over recent months it’s been to take a couple of non-fishing friends fishing. When I say ‘non-fishing’ I mean those people who are very happy to get out fishing for the day with you but don’t consider themselves anglers and wouldn’t go fishing without an invitation from someone else; you know the type? On both occasions I was keen to make sure they caught a few fish and had a fun day afloat. On both occasions they did, both catching some nice bass jigging lures on light tackle, and both catching their PBs. Mission accomplished! It then occurred to me that perhaps I was getting more satisfaction from putting them on…

In association with £25 TACKLE VOUCHER WINNERS 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. ■ Send your Young Rods entries by email to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

The Menai Strait in North Wales provided the stunning backdrop for the inaugural Small Boat Bass Fishing Competition organised by the “Small Boats Sea Fishing UK” Facebook group which boasts a following of over 30,000 members. With the expert coordination of Gavin Williams and Carwyn Roland the event drew 32 boats and 80 enthusiastic anglers. Among them were Luke and Gemma, both members of the Suzuki Fishing Team. Although Luke is typically found aboard Squidward III, for this challenge, he teamed up with Gemma from ‘Ship-Happens’, her own boat, a restored 1978 Marina M17 powered by a new Suzuki 60hp engine. Adding to the significance of the event was the presence of John Locker, a seasoned angler and well-known figure in the fishing community. John was there specifically to support…

As a coach I rarely get to choose when my fishing sessions take place. Clients ask for availability but usually they want daytimes. At this time of year on the south east coast, the best fishing is early morning or evening into dark. Allied to this I would normally prefer a big tide, but we can’t have everything can we? I have had several sessions over this summer that I would not normally fish and I do recommend to my clients the best tides and times that are available; however, that often doesn’t fit in with holiday plans! In spite of this we have been fairly successful, especially with bass although flounders and eels have also found their way to the beach. My youth group is growing in numbers and…

Over the years I have fished several days which have fallen within the “hook ‘em and cook ‘em” genre. That is, the sole purpose of the day was to catch a specific fish then deliver it to a restaurant to have it prepared for dinner. Without exception these trips have been hugely enjoyable assignments, but one trip in particular brings back fond memories of a great day with a great friend. One day Clive Gammon and I were discussing the virtues of eating fish that was freshly caught; we were talking about cod in particular. It was early autumn, the start of the annual cod run here in South Wales, and I had mentioned to Clive that the first run of fish fed primarily on the shrimp and prawn that…

TM: Like all the other “legends” I’ve interviewed you’ve been fishing for a long time – what got you hooked on fishing all those years ago? PW: I started life on the freshwater scene, gravitating to the sea during family holidays. What kept me hooked was taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme with angling as my chosen hobby. Then, after sticking with holiday sea angling on into my early twenties, a neighbour introduced me to a sea angling club he was a member of (Leyland & Farington Boat Angling Club). Unfortunately, on the very first trip, we all ended up in the sea off Morecambe when the tender used to ferry us back from the moorings was swamped in a freezing snow storm. Not the best of…

For many years I have dreamed of landing a shore-caught tope in Northern Ireland. The species is considered the pinnacle of shore fishing along our coast. After countless hours of research, refining my techniques and honing my skills, I have learned how to successfully catch these impressive sharks. By sharing the knowledge I have gained I hope I can help other Sea Angler readers land their first shore-caught tope. With the right techniques and perseverance Northern Ireland’s shores can yield impressive-sized tope. However, due to the limited number of deepwater spots along the Northern Irish coastline, I discovered that the best strategy was to focus on locating their food sources. SPIDERMAN One of the most common sources of food for tope is the European spider crab. These crabs are identified…

Float fishing for bass often conjures images of live bait dangling temptingly in the water. However, there is a fascinating alternative that combines traditional techniques with the diverse range of soft plastic lures available today. This method offers a unique and effective way to catch bass, especially when live bait is scarce. Preparing for the float fishing adventure before rigging our lines and lures, the first step is to utilise a sonar device, such as the Lowrance HDS. This advanced technology allows you to scan the bottom of the fishing area to identify high points and potential snag zones. In traditional bottom fishing, these high points often result in lost lures and frustrating snags. However, by pinpointing these areas, we can set our floats to keep our lures just above…

MOST IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER WHEN PRACTICING: Timing is everything but don’t overthink it – do it! THE PENDULUM CAST If you have been following this series you will know that its time to bring out the big guns. To properly execute the pendulum cast you will need a rod that will take the strain it will be put under. The pendulum action loads the greatest amount of energy into the rod which, when released at the right time, results in long distance casts. With this in mind it is crucial that all your kit is in good condition. Check lines, leaders, rigs and knots. Any weakness could result in a crack off that sends a lead across the beach - effectively a 5oz bullet - and you do not…

During the space of one week, I have gone from a super high, after a successful boat trip, to the depths of despair after blanking in an evening club match from the shore. The agony didn’t stop there as a night trip on the beach for soles produced just one under sized conger and a bass. It was with a dose of wild optimism that I went out the very next day in bright sunshine with just 20 lugworm to see if the fish would at least give me an occasional bite. I was fishing a mark I had never fished before that I had been meaning to try for some time. Fishing with two rods I put out a large black lug on one rod and rigged up a…

I spent countless happy hours poking around in rockpools as a boy, scooping up their inhabitants with my flimsy net and into my castle-shaped plastic bucket for safekeeping. I was fascinated by the creatures I found: blennies, postage stamp sized turbot and flounders, crabs and on one occasion even a small lobster, which took me by surprise. Occasionally a bucket of prawns would make it home to be boiled, peeled and eaten that evening. A HIGHER PURPOSE Thirty-five years later and here I am again, kiddies’ net in hand, this time with my own children in tow, scooping the weedy crevices of the pools with the same enthusiasm I had all those years ago. Only this time the prawns, my target crustaceans, will have a higher purpose: to be used…

TALES FROM THE TIDELINE You are an experienced angler. You’ve spent years, even decades, soaking up all that angling knowledge like a sponge, refining your technique, acquiring watercraft and accumulating an expensive stock of cutting-edge tackle that is perfectly attuned to you, your body and your style of fishing. You have a solid knowledge about the numerous species of fish you are likely to encounter during a session: their foibles, their feeding habits and their wily ways are all well known to you, and you can target them at will. In fishing terms, you are a force to be reckoned with and, when you set your mind to some target there is nothing that can stand in your way. Well, nothing except Sod’s Law that is. Typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,…

HOW TO ENTER Email only to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk Please supply these details: angler’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, type of FISH, weight of FISH, where caught, DATE caught, BAIT/rig, whether caught from shore or boat, if from charter boat, give name of boat, port and skipper. Please state if the FISH was retained or returned. Send us your entries and win some great prizes ■ SHORE LURE OPTION: Solaris 4000 or 5000 reel, RRP: £60, Epixor 15-50g rod RRP: £80 ■ SHORE LURE OPTION: Solaris 4000 or 5000 reel, RRP: £60, Epixor 15-50g rod RRP: £80 ■ BOAT: Classic CLX, RRP: £60 Cortez Boat Rod, RRP: £90 ■ SHORE BAIT OPTION: DSA reel RRP: £60, Wave Power surf rod, RRP: £80 YOUR TARGETS... Catch a FISH on this list at…

I grew up fishing on the Skerry Belle out of Leigh-On-Sea, Essex; in fact, the first time I ever went fishing properly was just after my fifth birthday (there are pictures of me on the deck as a baby, but until I could hold a rod properly I wasn’t allowed to fish). Back in those days you didn’t have to go far to catch some decent fish, and, as I recall, my first ever fishing trip was out to the Leigh Ray, an area renowned for its flounder, eel and bass fishing, and to this day I remember catching flounder and eels during that first fishing trip. My dad used to take me boat fishing every other weekend, and I’m eternally grateful to him for that. I spent countless hours…

ASK THE EXPERTS When sending your question, please remember to include your name and address CHRIS KENNEDY Chris is a specimen hunting specialist based on Sark and answers shore fishing questions. DAVID MITCHELL David is Sea Angler’s editor and is an expert on sea angling policy and conservation . BEN BASSETT The Plymouth angler and blogger will provide answers on the sport of light rock fishing (LRF), the go-anywhere tactic. DAVE LEWIS Based in Newport, South Wales, our contributing editor Dave answers boat fishing questions. HENRY GILBEY Angler, blogger and photojournalist Henry, based in Cornwall, is our lure expert. BRIAN PASK Brian is a qualified sea angling coach and casting tutor who works with young people and experienced anglers to improve their fishing skills. SHORE ANGLING Q Is it possible…

Twenty years ago, setting foot on beach with a fly rod would have raised more than a few eyebrows from the incumbent bait chuckers. These days, however, saltwater fly fishing is becoming an increasingly popular and, dare I say it, mainstream method of saltwater angling. And with good reason. It offers unparalleled sport and a completely fresh take on how to approach the shoreline. It’s a productive, lightweight and extremely dynamic way to fish. I’ve been ‘swffing’ (as it’s referred to) for 18 years now, and while I still have my beachcasters and lure rods, if the conditions allow, I’ll reach for the fly rod every time. For the completely uninitiated, though, picking up a fly rod for the very first time is a challenge. You enter into a whole…

SHIMANO VANFORD REEL The new Vanford reel is available in 19 different options ranging for the compact 500 for extreme lightweight combinations, up to a medium 5000 for use with larger lures in open waters for targeting larger fish. The Vanford is described as one of Shimano’s most sensitive spinning reels, perfect for a wide range of fishing styles. Part of the Magnumlite Series the Vanford pushes the boundaries of lightweight technology and engineering delivering finesse that you can actually feel. With sensitive and lightness comes control and with this comes better fishing. ■ RRP: from £249.99■ Available for all Shimano dealers NOMAD RIDGEBACK LONG CAST METAL LURES The unique shape and original design of the Ridgeback Saltwater Long Casting Metal Fishing Lure creates an exciting new casting metal action.…

SEPTEMBER ● 13-14: Alan Gilbert Memorial, Holland, team of 15. Holland and Belgium national team v UK ● 14: Leinster League Tommy Keogh Open, Dodds Rock & Roney Point 1-6, contact Alby Allan for details albertallan@hotmail.com ● 14: Filey Fishing Festival, heaviest single fish match, fishing 2-6pm, weigh in by 7pm, Filey playing fields association, contact Scott Blowman 07934 049126 ● 15: Filey Fishing Festival, North of England codling championship, greatest weight of codling, fishing 10-4pm, weigh in Filey playing fields association, contact Scott Blowman 07934 049126 ● 15: Mick Kearney Open, Ballinesker 1-5, contact Alby Allan for details albertallan@hotmail.com ● 15: Tata Steel Aberavon Open Aberavon, Alun Price 07824 382218 ● 20: Fishon Tackle, round 9, Eastney 8-12pm, signing in 6pm till 7pm from solider, pegged measure and release…