Innehållsförteckning för Issue 550 från Sea Angler

ONCE AGAIN, SEA ANGLER brings you all the top sea angling writers covering the where, when and how of fishing from the shore and afloat, along with the latest tackle, news of your catches and match successes, plus insights into the trends and developments. We even provide some of the best fishing adventures from abroad, both near and far. Talking of tackle, all the major companies are in the process of revealing their new launches for 2018, and one of the first has been the long-awaited Mag3 from Penn (see page 106). Many anglers use the 525 version as their standard rough-ground reel, which has undergone a revamp to give improved cast and retrieve performance. Now in red trim, instead of gold, there are improved bearings for smoother, quieter retrieve…

• This 30lb porbeagle shark surprised everyone when it was caught on a set of mackerel feathers. The fish fell to Tyrone May, of Ross on Wye SAC, during his club’s annual shark trip on Swallow 2, skippered by Murray Collins, out of Looe, Cornwall. It was Tyrone’s debut trip and his first shark. “The 30lb porbeagle was not a monster by any means, but the skipper was as gobsmacked as the rest of us when I landed it on mackerel feathers,” said Tyrone (right), who lives in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. “He said the chances of getting it on the boat were next to nil, but here it is. It was like fighting a torpedo and I held my breath from start to finish; I think we all did. It really…

James Batty used a mackerel head and shoulders on a Pennell rig made with size 4/0 hooks to catch three bass, with the best weighing 11lb 14oz (above). The experienced bass angler, from Rosudgeon, Cornwall, caught it on September 14 at a beach in West Cornwall. An hour before first light, he caught and released fish of 6lb and 4lb before hooking the double at about 20 yards out. “The wind was about 30mph, which is a bit calmer than I really like for the beach,” said James, who was using a Shakespeare Omni-X bass rod and Daiwa Opus Bull 5000 reel loaded with, 30lb Spiderwire EZ braid. • Charter skipper John Cooledge, of Warrior Charters Ltd, caught a 14lb bass (below) while enjoying a busman's holiday on board Panther,…

While fishing a rock mark in the South Hams area of Devon, Mark Hayman caught a 12lb 6oz 8dr pollack. It beat his personal best of 8lb and set a new record for his angling club. He was fishing the Plymouth & District Shore League when he set a new record for Rodbenders SAC. Having caught a few pollack and mackerel, Mark decided to try for a conger, by fishing a fillet of fresh mackerel on two size 8/0 Varivas BMX hooks on a 150lb trace. “Within five minutes my reel went off,” said Mark, of Plymouth. “I was convinced it was an eel, but my line went slack so I thought it had got off, but the fish woke up and I had the fight of a lifetime.”…

• DECIDE ON YOUR BUDGET: If possible. buy in the UK from a reputable dealer with access to spare parts. Ask to see the instruction manual and get a warranty. • CONSIDER THE FEATURES: Return To Base Automatically is essential. Test that this works over varying distances. The drone should float, be waterproof, and have an efficient bait release mechanism, although some anglers devise their own. The camera mount should be secure, and both the mount and release must function together. You need a good camera (like a Go Pro) on the drone so you can look for target areas to place baits. A smartphone, mini iPad or a tablet is required. • RANGE AND PAYLOAD: Speed varies, depending on wind direction and payload – I look for about 20mph.…

• Prior to becoming a full-time fishing guide about five years ago, Matt trained as a gourmet chef under Raymond Blanc, serving his culinary apprenticeship at the world-renowned restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. In addition to guiding, Matt loves nothing more than creating sumptuous dishes from ingredients freshly foraged from the coastline and woodlands. His speciality is combining a day’s fishing with foraging, then preparing a meal, which he serves either on the beach or at his permanent campsite. Matt guides from spring until the autumn. The very best time, especially for bigger fish, is invariably late summer and autumn. You’ll need chest waders fitted with wading boots. Clearly, some of the areas Matt fishes are not suitable for elderly or less-able anglers, but there are plenty of excellent…

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: 7lb 2oz Tom Evans WHITE BREAM • Shore: 2lb 1oz 14dr Simon Gavey 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:…

FISHING VIRTUALLY FROM YOUR car door for cod seems almost too good to be true, but it’s one of the main reasons anglers flock to the clifftop village of Auchmithie. This former fishing village, in Angus, located on sandstone cliffs 120ft above a shingle beach, is only three miles north-east of the town of Arbroath, and is the gateway to several miles of superb cod fishing. For at least half-a-mile either side of the village’s small harbour, built in 1891, there are plenty of rocks and skeers at spots known as Maw Skelly, Maiden Stone, Castle Rock, Meg’s Craig, Castlesea Bay and Lud Castle. Capable of producing bags of cod as well as specimen fish, the whole area is both a summer and winter venue. Always beware of the danger…

IT WAS STILL DARK WHEN I ARRIVED AT Abbotsbury one early morning in late September. The car park did seem to be relatively empty, but then, given the storm that had torn across the South Coast the previous night, it was little wonder. Donning my headlamp, I trudged up the sliding shingle where I soon reached the crest of the beach. In the beam of my light I could see that the water was still positively charged from its big stir-up but, more importantly, the swell had died down. It was practical and safe to fish. As the wind whistled past me along the beach, I pulled the drawstring of my hoodie in an attempt to block it out, shuddered and headed back to the car park to meet my…

THE MERSEY HAS BEEN AT THE forefront of UK cod fishing since the early 1970s and 1980s, when marks close to the famous C22 Buoy produced a string of 20lb and 30lb-plus cod. Those big fish may, or may not, be a thing of the past, but catches through the winter of 2016/17 produced a good number of doubles, topped by fish of 15lb and 18lb and backed up by plenty of codling from 2lb to 6lb. I’ve fished the Mersey, on and off, for 30 years, so I’ve seen it then and now and can vouch for the consistency of the cod fishing throughout the winter. The overall size of fish has dropped, but the numbers of cod can be quite staggering. Charter skipper Simon Parry runs the Suveran…

FIVE-THIRTY, SATURDAY MORNING , and I’m standing on the dock side at the idyllic French town of Beaulieusur-Mer, a much-needed double espresso in one hand, a wonderfully warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven croissant in the other. It’s the weekend of the second Beaulieusur-Mer International Festival of Sport Fishing Films and Tuna Tournament, and I have to confess I’m feeling a little fragile. My friend, Patrice Garziglia, whose charter boat Papeete II is based at Beaulieu, had invited me to France to help judge this year’s entries in the film festival, then compete in the tournament. The previous afternoon I had flown to Nice and arrived at Beaulieu just as things were starting to get underway for the evening viewing of the film entries. When I say ‘get underway’, I mean the first of…

Q: Is there a book that concentrates on all the techniques for LRF? DAVID CHOWN, POOLE, DORSET AD & DS say: Regrettably, we don’t think there is, not in a physical sense anyway. When we started exploring LRF, many moons ago, our guide was a digital book entitled ‘The Rockfish Files’, of which there was an edition that focused entirely on LRF and the various techniques. Written in 2011, it remains relevant and still seems to be available as a free download online. A great accompaniment to Sea Angler’s regular LRF content. Q: What make are the minuscule assist hooks you use on metal jigs? PAUL DAVIES, SWANSEA AD & DS say: You probably mean the Decoy Mini Assist Twin DJ-95, which is a secret weapon in our LRF bags.…

Q: Do you have any advice for dealing with conditions that are trickier than those I am normally used to? JOHN ROPER, GATESHEAD, TYNE & WEAR GR says: I can’t stress enough that no fish is worth taking a risk for. When it’s too rough for the kayak we fish from the shore or head out with a local charter boat. Strong winds kept a friend and me off the kayaks earlier this year, so we headed out on a local charter to fish for the smoothhounds from the safety of the larger boat. Take the safer option, and in the long run your partner and family will thank you for it. Q: I have excellent navigational skills and equipment, so is it okay for me to venture out in…

CREWSAVER PRO 50N SZ & CZ BUOYANCY AIDS The Pro 50N fits each user perfectly, while offering the ultimate in comfort, fit and breathability performance. It’s all thanks to internal airflow mesh, combined with Fusion 3D design and body-shaping foam that adapts to the profile of the wearer. These features, plus an expandable bellow pocket with attachment point, make this the perfect safety companion for a multitude of watersport activities. The low-profile Pro 50N is available in both centre zip ‘CZ’ and side zip ‘SZ’ options and costs just £59.95. The Pro 50N CZ is available in both a stylish bright white and black, while the Pro 50N SZ is available in black/grey and black/blue options. • For more info, visit: www.crewsaver.com SUZUKI’S LATEST OUTBOARD ENGINE Suzuki’s new flagship outboard,…

OCTOBER • 20-21: SAMF GB UK Masters, Skegness, 2pm-7pm both days, all lug and fish baits, including squid, allowed, HQ at Best Western Golf Hotel, Andy Steele, tel: 01772 611597. • 21-22: Hastings Beach Festival, two days, each match separate for Penn points, 10am-3pm Sat, 10.30am-3.30pm Sun, Hastings Angling Centre 01424 432178. • 22: West Coast Tackle League rnd 9, Five Bar Gate, Cleveleys, 10.15am-2.45pm, book on 8.45am at West Coast Tackle, book only, Dave 07472 249294 or Tony 07702 229015. • 22: Bedlington Station SAC Northumbria open, Craster south pier to Tynemouth north pier (all rivers and piers excluded, except Blyth pier fishing into river or sea), heaviest bag £500, £12 adults, £5 juniors, Newbiggin, tickets in advance from local tackle shops or on day from 7am-8am at HQ,…

“We could feel the teeth scraping the underside of our kayaks” EVASIVE ACTION WAS CALLED FOR WHEN two kayak anglers were dragged on a collision course after each hooking 100lb blue sharks, while fishing 30 miles out into the fish-rich Celtic Deeps. It was one of the amazing thrills and spills when the duo, along with two anglers fishing on a charter boat, caught 48 sharks – 10 of which hit the magical 100lb mark. Having previously experienced a successful blue shark trip (featured in Sea Angler issue 536), it was a no-brainer for Mike Burnett and Greg Bowes to book another trip with skipper Rob Rennie, who runs Lady Jue 5. With the kayaks loaded on the ‘mothership’ for a 7am start from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Rob fired up…

• A company which pioneered the concept of the fully equipped ‘package boat’ and supplies engines from Mariner, Mercury and Yanmar, as well as the Quicksilver angling vessels, has celebrated its centenary. Based in Bicester, Oxfordhire, E P Barrus Ltd, one of the country’s top marine companies, marked its official 100 years on September 18. It all began in 1917 when Ernest Prouty Barrus set up a business in the UK to supply precision tools throughout Europe. Over the last century, E P Barrus constantly adapted and diversified into multiple markets, including the marine, garden and industrial sectors, and became one of the largest producers of outdoor power equipment in the world. Barrus entered the marine market during the 1920s and pioneered the concept that became known as the ‘package…

A first-day blitz, gave the England Home Nations Boat Team the platform for victory in this year’s SALC Home international Boat Championship held in Scrabster. With nearly 3,200 fish recorded and returned (mostly cod, haddock, pollack, ling, gurnard and dabs) over the two-day event, Team England recorded 479 per cent from a possible 500 per cent on the first day. The second day saw an expected ‘bounce back’ response from Ireland and hosts Scotland, but it was insufficient to overturn England’s first-day efforts and their Day 1 lead was only reduced by three per cent, leaving them clear winners by 31 per cent. Top England performers were John Bellamy, who came second individually to Scotland’s’ top performer Ally Campbell, with England’s Steve Batchelor taking third. The remainder of the England…

George quickly introduced me to the break-test machine, which resembles some sort of medieval torturing contraption. He then invited me to choose a packet of Tronixpro Casting Snap Links from the warehouse, completely at random. However, I’d also brought along some packets of the same type of link, manufactured by other companies, to test alongside his. Would he, though, be prepared to go head-to-head with them? He very confidently agreed – and the results were intriguing. George attached the Tronixpro Casting Snap, rated at 36kg, to the machine. Eventually, it failed at 39kg, well above its rating. However, it didn’t actually break, only opening slightly. Then we tested another two brands that opened at 35kg and 25kg, respectively. Again, they didn’t break, but the considerable differences were plain to see.…

OCTOBER 2007 • The National Federation of Sea Anglers (NFSA), formed in 1904, was facing a cash crisis after Sport England decided to allocate the money elsewhere. The Sport England grant made up 30 per cent of the NFSA’s income. • Sharks were hitting the headlines. Danny Vokins released a thresher estimated at 500lb off the Isle of Wight, Norman Tweddle caught and released a 103lb tope while boat fishing in Luce Bay, and Chris Griffiths bagged one of 42lb 8oz from the shore at Totland Bay, Isle of Wight. • The latest fixed-spool reels featured were the Mitchell Avocet Big Surf 8000 reel, Grauvell Venues ZR2000 and Shakespeare Salt Spins, while Paul Fenech tested the Fox Envoy Surf M and Virage Beachcaster, and John Holden took a look at…

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 Shimano Beastmaster CX bass spinning rod or a Socorro saltwater 500 reel to the captor of the best shore fish, chosen on merit. The top boat angler each issue, chosen on merit, gets a Speedmaster AX Boat Slim 20/30 rod or TLD20 multiplier reel. There is no choice of prize, which is awarded at our discretion. MONTHLY WINNERS • SHORE: Geoff Le Page, 8lb 4oz 1dr thin-lipped mullet • BOAT: Tom Evans, 7lb 2oz red bream…

MENTION HURST AND MANY OF you, who, like me, are football fans will conjure up images of Sir Geoff smacking a shot into the back of the West Germany net in 1966 as England won the World Cup. There is another Hurst, though… a castle nestling on the end of the Milford Shingle Bank, where there is great fishing, rather than football, all year. For many, the thought of hiking the one-and-a-quarter miles along the shingle bank to the castle, which guards the western approaches to the Solent, might seem daunting. All those negatives melt away when there is the carrot of some special fishing dangling on the end of a stick. During late summer and early autumn quality black bream often appear in numbers, along with garfish and bass,…

WHILE SOME ANGLERS IN the United Kingdom may have become a little blasé about catching bass, the excitement is taking hold across the North Sea in the Netherlands, where the species is actually something of a novelty. So many Dutch anglers are being bitten by the bass bug (so well-known to British anglers) that they are practically intoxicated. Once they’ve got a taste for bass fishing, some of them are hooked for life – a familiar story, no doubt, for readers of Sea Angler. One of the enthusiasts is Marc Zitvast, of Smart Lures Netherlands (www.smartlures.nl) who has become something of an expert at catching bass with lures and fly-fishing tackle in the Maasvlakte, which is located in Europoort, the harbour and industrial area of Rotterdam. Created in the 1960s…

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG LAD, MY FATHER and his mates used to take me down to Brixham, in Devon, at least once a year for a week of serious conger fishing. We didn’t fish from a charter boat, but with a commercial wreck netter, who was a friend of the family. He knew exactly where the big eels lived, and during the many years I spent fishing out of Brixham I had the privilege to witness eels to 103lb being hoisted on to the deck. Many of these weighed more than 90lb, and my personal best, at 88lb, I caught at the tender age of 15. Ever since those days I’ve looked forward to the autumn/winter months along the South Coast, when the cod fishing hasn’t quite begun or…

FORMALLY KNOWN AS BRITISH Honduras, the tropical paradise of Belize is recognised as one of the great light-tackle sport fishing destinations. Having become an independent nation in 1981, it was in 2010 that this small Central American country became the first nation to ban bottom trawling within its territorial waters. Travelling sports fishermen find excellent light-tackle fishing all along Belize’s short coastline, and within its jungle rivers and coastal lagoons. The world’s second-largest barrier reef is located offshore and is the key to the exceptional sight fishing you’ll experience at some of the most productive flats in the world. KEY SPECIES There are four main target species – bonefish, permit, tarpon and snook. All are abundant, making Belize one of the best locations to achieve a coveted IGFA Inshore Slam…

• Put your dug worms into a small bucket or plastic container, containing clean seawater, in which they can purge themselves of mud. The habour rag can then be placed in a tray, which should be lined with several layers of newspaper and topped off with clean seaweed or sea peat. Popper bladderwrack is considered the best type of seaweed. Replace the newspaper after an hour and turn over the worms, peat or weed. Remember that sea peat comes in various types and can only be found in a few garden centres. Natural sea peat, which is a mixture of seaweed and other dead vegetation, occurs on sheltered beaches and estuaries – some say it looks like a mix of tea leaves and brown grass. It is very absorbant and…

Q: Are Needlefish lures simply for casting up a tide run while keeping contact with them as they work/swing around in the tide? Is it possible to work these lures by imparting some action with the rod tip? KEVIN WILLIAMS, ANGLESEY, N WALES HG says: My experience with Needlefish is limited – I fish them as I might fish a Senko at night, casting them out and winding them in, and they are working well. Simple! I see no reason why you could not try working Needlefish, as such ,during daylight hours, especially if the bass are feeding aggressively, and you can work the lure almost like a surface lure. Q: How can I tell how deep/shallow a lure will fish and what difference coloration will make? MARK DAWE, PADSTOW,…

PENN PLUS NORTH OF ENGLAND CODLING CHAMPIONSHIP Whitby west pier to Sewerby Steps, Flamborough, Yorks, 105 anglers Eight codling sealed victory for council executive Paul Medd. The angler from Scarborough, who now lives near Peterborough, was fishing at Filey Brigg. • Result: 1 Paul Medd, Peterborough, 16-13-6 (10pts); 2 Andy Crowe, Scarborough, 16-5-1 (9); 3 Rob Allison, Loftus, 13-2-0 (8); 4 Matt Hillaby, Scarborough, 11-5-1 (7); 5 Jeff Walker, Middlesbrough, 9-8-0 (6); 6 Dave Turnball, 8-11-1 (5); 7 Dave Allinson, Redcar, 8-9-5 (4); 8 Dave Bielby, Scarborough, 8-3-0 (3); jt 9 Martin Dixon & Mike Vasey, both 7-14-9 (both 2). CHANNEL ANGLERS SAC FLATFISH OPEN Burnham on Sea, Somerset, 51 anglers Despite strong wind and rain, this event was well attended with the flatfish format appealing to anglers of all…

I STARTED FISHING ALMOST 77 YEARS AGO SO you can imagine the changes and funny things that I've seen happen during that time. I promise you, every word of all the stories I've told are true. For instance, a pal of mine Byron Barawitzca (no longer with us) and I decided to fish Blyth pier in Northumberland. It was New Year’s Eve and it was snowing heavily. We got to the wooden pier about 10pm when there was at least a foot of snow on the ground. We got as far the gate (in those days you couldn't get past it) and tackled up. Byron used an Apollo Hollow Steel 13ft rod and a 12in Scarborough reel – we didn't fish light in those days. We tackled up and cast…

VETERAN TO VETERAN, NICKNAMED the Expandables, was formed to support veterans and serving soldiers in West Wales in their transition to civilian life and engage with those needing help to get back on track. The aims are to bring members of the armed forces community together through social events to relieve the isolation, depression and loneliness that is caused by leaving their military family, and allow them to build new sustainable social and support networks. Assistance is in the form of a volunteer mentor/buddy, who acts as a link to mainstream services that can help with specific issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, debt resolution or tenancy issues. At least once a month, VTV uses beach fishing to bring veterans together as a social group choosing different venues in West…

Eleven anglers landed 109 conger eels to 63lb while fishing on Kevin McKie’s Size Matters, out of Plymouth, Devon. “I reckon we had over 3,000lb of congers,” said Kevin, whose crew also caught ling to 28lb and cod to 16lb, on mackerel, cuttlefish and squid baits. Top rod was Mick Southworth (below right), from Preston, who landed congers of 63lb and 62lb. Luke Brennan, also from Preston, who was on his first boat trip, landed 13 eels to 58lb. Alan Willavise, from South Wales, caught a personal best conger of 48lb. The best ling of 28lb was taken by Graham Benyon (below), from Manchester, and the 16lb cod by Nigel McLoughlin (right).…

MY DICTIONARY DEFINES THE trendy, if not bizarre outdoor activity of coasteering as “a physical activity that encompasses movement along the intertidal zone of a rocky coastline on foot or by swimming, without the aid of boats, surfboards or other craft.” Certainly, it’s not an activity to be undertaken by the faint-hearted. Be prepared, especially if you book a day’s fishing with Welsh bass guide Matt Powell – you’ll likely experience all the thrills of coasteering and, as I discovered, catch a bass or two on lures along the way. Keen to do it safely, I met Matt at a campsite in the Pembrokeshire countryside. From there I drove behind Matt and his friend David Miller, the wildlife artist featured in Sea Angler (issue 549), through miles of twists and…

MISSION BADGE WINNERS BASS SHORE Bob Butt, Newcastle Emlyn, 10-3, Borth Martyn Evans, Coleford, 9-8, River Severn Mark Harris, Canterbury, 9-8*, Folkestone BASS BOAT  Roy Adams, Westbourne, 12-0*, Poole David Young, Chichester, 12-8, Littlehampton BREAM SHORE  Nick Bentley, St Saviour, 9-3-1 gilthead, Guernsey Pete Churchill, Weymouth, 3-14*, Chesil Beach Matthew Doey, Coleraine, 9-4*, Benone beach Simon Gavey, Jersey, 2-1-14 white, St Ouen Neil Griffiths, Newport, 3-8*, Chesil Beach Justin Keight, Truro, 1-8 Couch’s*, Falmouth Simon Lynch, Chepstow, 2-3*, Abbotsbury BREAM BOAT  Tom Evans, Poole, 7-2 red, St Peter Port Will Merwood, Ryde, 5-1 gilthead, Ryde Peter Thwaites, Halsall, 3-10, Weymouth Kim White, Lytchett Matravers, 4-0, Poole COALFISH  John Beswick, Havant, 30-0, Shetland Stewart Walker, Paisley, 26-0, Cullivoe COD BOAT  Kenny Nelson, Mansfield, 14-4, Flamborough CONGER BOAT  Trevor Cozens, Peterborough, 55-0*,…

OVER HIGH WATER, ST MARY’S Well Bay is invariably an overlooked mark offering few viable shore angling options, other than perhaps mullet and bass. Wait until the tide recedes over low water on the larger tides and you’ll have access to one of the very best shore marks at the eastern end of the Bristol Channel. It is a small sand and rock beach between Sully Island and Lavernock Point, on the Vale of Glamorgan coast where, throughout my formative years as an angler, the Sand Spit was noted for producing lots of cod. It was a place where throughout the autumn and winter months anglers would line up shoulder-to-shoulder. Viewed from a boat at night, the solid line of bright Tilley lamps gave the impression of a small town,…

AUTUMN AND EARLY WINTER are the very best times to fish for bass from the spectacular strands located around the famous Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. It’s why many of us make the pilgrimage to these beautiful beaches. Given suitable conditions and the right bait, there is a high probability that you will catch a bass or two at these amazing, westerly-facing beaches of unbroken sand. The influx of UK anglers to Kerry for the bass fishing usually kicks off in September, with the Daiwa Irish Pairs always a big attraction too. Fenit and Brandon have long been favourite areas. While bass may be on your mind, unfortunately, the right conditions can rarely be relied upon for a full week. The late, great angler and journalist Clive Gammon used to…

LIKE MANY ANGLERS, I ALWAYS wanted to catch a big ray. My turn came while fishing a low-water mark during a light southerly breeze and with the water like a sheet of glass. Standing side by side with friends and lines out in the dark depths of the Bristol Channel, suddenly the long hours of fruitless effort were about to pay off. My rod tip started to pull over and shortly after I saw a ray gliding through the surf to the shoreline. I caught three small-eyed rays that night, up to around 5lb 8oz in weight. You could say that session kick-started my passion for specimen fishing. These fish taught me never to give up on a quest. However, it took many hours before I saw a specimen small-eyed,…

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THERE ARE PLENTY of species to target, but perhaps the most desirable are the nation’s two favourite fish – bass and cod. The Bristol Channel is littered with sandbanks, gullies and other fish-holding marks, with no shortage of areas to choose from. During the summer it’s possible to target species such as smoothhounds, bass, tope, bull huss and rays with general uptiding gear. In the winter months, cod, conger eels and whiting take centre stage. SMALL-BOAT SAFETY For the small-boat angler towing a boat, the upper Bristol Channel has to be one of the easiest places to get to and safest places to fish. The upper reaches, around Portishead, are nearly 20 miles inland from open waters, so they are quite well protected. There is a good-quality…

“The argument for not wearing a PFD holds no merit” A CONTROVERSIAL IDEA IN THE WORLD of kayak fishing in the USA is a debate that, so far, doesn’t seem to have too much support here – the great PFD divide. There has been growing debate as to whether or not the personal flotation device, or lifejacket, is a necessary item of kit. There are those who won’t ever go afloat without wearing one, while others seem to hate wearing them for a number of reasons. Some say they are strong swimmers, they aren’t venturing out far, a PFD is too bulky and inhibits paddling and casting. To most reading this, I would hope that there is no incident that is worth going afloat for without a PFD. With more…

Putting casting matters on hold , I’ll focus instead on the price of beach fishing. I have two reasons for doing so. First, the many questions concerning rods and reels for casting a long way. Second, and far more important, the wide and growing perception that beach fishing done properly has become a big-money game. I have had writing this article in mind for a long time, but what finally prompted me to wade into such contentious waters was a phone call from a reader fairly new to fishing, who had been advised that to do the job properly, he should spend some £500 on a rod and reel. Plus, ideally, that he should have a matched pair of each. What did I think? It’s pure nonsense. I’m not saying…

ASK THE EXPERTS WHEN SENDING YOUR QUESTION,PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS 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 queries. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photojournalist 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: My local beach has worm casts showing at low tide. Will these…

Q: I’m looking to build up my bait store for the winter and wondering what is the best way to target launce from a boat? JONATHAN KERR, LISBURN, BELFAST DL says: Launce are widely available in many areas, and almost always in the vicinity of fast tides and sandbanks. Strings of small mackerel-type lures, such as Sabikis or small white feathers, fished at various depths should very quickly catch plenty of launce. Q: What is a poor cod? MARC DAWSON, DRIFFIELD, EAST YORKS DL says: A poor cod is a small species very similar to, and often confused with, pouting. Poor cod are not as deep in the body as pouting, and always leave small silvery scales on your skin after handling. Q: When using a small fixed-spool reel afloat,…

“The launch of Sonik’s ZX rods will come as a huge relief to many” I’M A HUGE ADMIRER OF NORTHUMBERLAND - based tackle company Sonik. Since the brand was launched back in 2007, commitment to continually improve the quality and performance of all its products has been the company’s vision. A decade on and the team behind the brand, led by commercial director Ian McCormack, continues to work closely with some of the country’s leading anglers as it strives for even more improvement and affordability. Mixing knowledge with talent is certainly what gives Sonik its leading edge. A recent addition to its range of sea products is the ZX shore rods. Masterfully crafted using the very best components, there are three models to choose from, and if first impressions are…