Innehållsförteckning för Issue 563 från Sea Angler

Want to catch more fish this autumn? Then get your fishing off to a great start by following our 80 tips for success for shore and boat anglers. You’ll find loads of simple pieces of advice throughout the magazine to get you catching. IT LOOKS LIKE MOVES MIGHT BE AFOOT TO FORCE ALL EUROPEAN governments, including the UK, to bring in a registration or licensing system for recreational sea anglers. This news is buried in a Regulation of the European Council to amend earlier laws on fisheries control, and will apply to any recreational fishing activities. This was being talked about several years ago when Sea Angler contributor Dave Barham visited the EU Parliament building. As Dave has now highlighted, if this proposed EU regulation is accepted and posted into…

1 When planning to fish rough seas, take the time to discover the likely wind direction and strength. 2 Lure choices range from floating, to suspending and fast-sinking patterns. 3 A very shallow-diving hard minnow may end up being spat out on the crests of the waves, so try a medium or deeper-diving floating minnow. These burrow into the water. 4 Slender weedless soft plastic lures with a paddletail worked slowly, parallel with and very close to the beach, is an excellent tactic. Fish these lures weightless, otherwise you increase the risk of weed gathering on the line and lure. 5 Be safe – wear a lifejacket or flotation device…

THERE ARE CERTAIN MILESTONES or goals in fishing, and whether they are numbers or size of fish, or perhaps travelling somewhere new and remote, what I so love about fishing is how there is room for all of us and what we want to get out of it. When I was heavily into bait fishing, I classed myself as a specimen hunter because I was actively chasing the biggest fish I could find of a particular species. This could be a cod, ray, conger or bull huss for example, but trying to better my heaviest fish was a big part of the drug for me at that time. Then along came bass fishing, and with it an addiction to lure fishing. For many years I had caught the occasional bass,…

13 Cram as many worms on a size 4/0 as possible. Put each worm head first on the hook and thread it for about half an inch before exiting the worm’s body and moving the worm around the bend of the hook and up the shank. 14 Baiting needles are ideal for putting ragworms and lugworms on the hook. 15 Use a single or two-hook paternoster with 12-20in hooklengths and Aberdeen hooks in sizes 4-6 if fishing maddies. Go larger (size 1-2/0) for lug, razorfish or a sandeel. 16 It is a mistake to cast too far for bass. Cast beyond the third breaker – about 40-60 yards. 17 Top baits are peeler crabs, lugworms, shellfish, ragworms, sandeels and squid. 18 Plano produces a handy bait box that can be…

Don’t you just love it when a plan goes wrong! There I was, all set for a livebaiting session for bass, but my target species gave me the brush-off. My colleagues had a better plan and, fortunately, it paid off. There’s a lesson here, because I was visiting a venue away from my normal fishing area and was lucky enough to have two local anglers to show me the ropes. As many of you will know, fishing anywhere without some local information can waste a lot of time. Being a usually sensible sort of guy, I like to seek out good advice from local experts, which, over the years, has put me in touch with lots of great anglers, allowing me to tap into their knowledge and experience on different…

30 Chest waders are ideal when fishing the rock platforms, enabling you to get out a bit further. 31 Crab baits are best for the cod. Cocktails with squid or mussels are effective. The wrasse take crab baits too. 32 Pollack will fall to spinning tactics with soft plastic lures, such as shads, but may also take bottom baits. 33 Use a weak link attachment, known as a rotten-bottom, added to your rig to hold the lead weight when fishing in rough, kelpy ground. It means you should get your rig and fish back, but will lose the sinker. 34 Fishing with a strong, long rod and fixed-spool reel loaded with braid is increasingly popular at these rough-ground venues in Yorkshire.…

This is thought to be the first common skate boated by an angler in Luce Bay, Dumfries and Galloway. Amazingly, the 196lb monster was taken on 6lb-class tackle with a mackerel flapper bait meant for tope. It was caught by Bradley Burrett from Drummore. Bradley, who is 19 and the youngest son of charter skipper Ian Burrett, was fishing on his dad’s boat On Yer Marks. “It is the first skate that my dad has heard of in Luce Bay, so a very special fish,” said Bradley. It’s thought the fish is from those normally found off Northern Ireland. Having crewed for his dad for the past two summers, Bradley hopes to skipper his own boat.…

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. Adie Cooper, Grismby, NE Lincs. Fish: 8lb 4oz bull huss. Bait: Mackerel and sandeel on a three-hook clipped rig. Venue: Llandudno, Conwy. Date: Sept 8. Kim Hodges, Newbury, Berks. Fish: 5lb 9oz brill. Bait: Mackerel strip on a flowing trace. Venue: Private boat out of…

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…

CATCH REPORTS USED TO BE dominated by big conger eels, but not so nowadays. It seems to me we’re missing a trick here. As a boat-caught species, they’ve become a forgotten fish, even though skippers tell me that, when they do go for eels, catches remain good and their overall size is increasing steadily too. From an angling viewpoint, what also sits nicely in the eels’ favour is that they often feed when other fish seem less inclined to do so. On reefs and wrecks, this is typically either side of slack water, meaning you can mix in a bit of conger fishing between working lures for pollack and cod, or bait fishing for other species. Congers grow big, too, easily topping 30lb offshore, and they reach 80lb on some…

43 The most effective bait for pack tope is a fresh mackerel fished whole, or as flappers or fillets. Other fish baits work too. 44 Missed tope runs are often attributed to the mackerel bait masking the point. 45 Attach the mackerel on a 6-8in piece of wire with a size 6/0-8/0 circle hook at one end and a crimped loop at the other. Cut off the mackerel’s tail and push a baiting needle through its centre and exiting behind the pectoral fin. When attached to the needle, the loop end is pulled through the bait and attached to the leader. Your hook should be exposed on the flank of the bait. 46 An alternative when baiting up with a whole fish is to use a small cable tie threaded…

53 Keep to natural colours and patterns, such as blue/silver and green/silver and realistic fish-like finishes. 54 Shads between 120-150mm cover most bases. Take some longer, slimmer, eel-like lures of around 160-180mm, especially when larger sandeels and launce are present. Add some larger shads of around 180-200mm to help avoid the smaller fish. 55 Slow-fall or slow-pitch jigs from 30-60g will take pollack. Use generic baitfish colours, such as blue/silver or green/silver, and also orange or pink with zebra stripes. 56 Fishing a slow-pitch jig is all about controlling the way the lure falls and maintaining contact at all times. You need a sensitive tackle set-up for this. Ensure you get as much ‘hang time’ or on-the-drop time as possible to give an erratic fall and flutter. 57 Use a…

You can get a pretty good idea how heavy a shark is by measuring it and using the formula below to estimate its weight. The girth is taken as the deepest part of the body, usually just behind the pectoral fins, and the length is measured from the nose to the fork of the tail. 1 Measure the fish’s girth in inches, then square it. 2 Multiply the figure by the fish’s length in inches. 3 Divide the final figure by 800 to give the approximate weight of the shark. For example – if the shark’s girth is 35 inches and the shark’s length is 80 inches. 35 x 35 = 1,225. 1225 x 80 = 98,000. 98,000 divided by 800 = 122.5lb (122lb 8oz).…

THE MOJO RIG with the hollow, naturally buoyant Z-Man TRD TubeZ is fished very slowly along the bottom, popped-up weedless style. You can adjust the interchangable micro sinkers to suit your leader length. The TubeZ is a durable, tear-resistant short lure with tentacles that flutter in the water and help it attract fish. The buoyant material helps it stand up off the bottom when at rest. Sizes vary to about four inches long. STEP-BY-STEP 1 The hook should be no longer than the main body of the lure. 2 The hook goes into the middle of the blunt end of the lure. 3 Make sure it is angled down to come out close to the blunt end. 4 Push hook and rotate the point upwards. 5 Pull hook down and…

This is a single-hook, streamlined and effective rig that is perfect for targeting mainly cod from rough ground, but also smoothhounds and pollack at long distance. It’s a fixed paternoster, making it ideal for quicker hook-ups, especially at stronger tidal venues where the ground is testing. It has a main 80lb mono rig body with a 50lb hook snood and a strong 4/0 Mustad Viking hook. A strong Gemini Genie Bent Clip sits at the base of the rig, acting as a bait clip and lead link. At the head of the rig is a strong diamond-eye swivel to aid with quick rig changes during a session.…

Q: A group of us have booked our first charter trip this winter. Do you have any advice on what we can do to help make it a success? BOB BROWNING, NEWMARKET, SUFFOLK DL says: The golden rule is always to ask the skipper for information and advice on bait and techniques before the trip, and to listen to and heed his advice during the trip. Q: I find it hard to winch my boat back on to its trailer. Is it possible to fit an electric winch to do this? PAUL DAVIS, SWANSEA DL says: It is, but before you do I suggest that you check with the boat’s manufacturer that the hull is suitable for power winching. You should check your trailer is fitted with sufficient rollers to…

“These paddle scabbards make excellent rod-tip holders as well” NORTHWATER PADDLE SCABBARDS RRP: £35 Designed for sea kayaks as a place to store two-piece paddles, these paddle scabbards make excellent rod-tip holders as well. For those days when launching and landing requires paddling through surf, it can mean the difference between a good day’s fishing or a trip to the tackle shop for new rods if things go wrong. Attaching to the decklines at the bow of your kayak using the webbing tabs/ loops included, or by riveting permanently to the hull and being adjusted to the shape of the bow by webbing straps, fitting couldn’t be simpler. These streamlined, semi-rigid holders are made of tough, waterproof webbing, fit on either side of the kayak and also feature reflective edging.…

TOP WITH BASS ■ Eleven bass for 340cm was enough for Gary Wood, of Holyhead, to win the Young Lives versus Cancer open held at Pwllheli beach. The match proved tough with a lot of weed in the water. Karl Nangle, of Grimsby, was second with two bass for 66cm. DOG DAY WIN ■ Alan Hughes, of Holyhead, won the Victoria open at Llandudno with a 24-6-0 bag of dogfish from zone B. Zone A produced second and third places, with Mike Peters on 17-0-0 and James Fraser on 16-9-8. PERFECT SCORE ■ Simon Drayton, of Gainsborough, won the SAMF Yorkshire Summer League with a perfect score of three points. Runner-up was Garry Hutson, of Cleethorpes, who won the final round at Barton.…

■ Bognor Regis AAS open, West End Beach, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, 11 anglers: 1 Steve Middleton, Bognor Regis, 5 fish, 662pts, including heaviest fish, undulate ray (1pt); 2 Michael Joy, 7, 329; 3 Wayne Hart, Bognor Regis AAS, 5, 264. ■ Charity open in memory of Ashley Vance, Isle of Grain foreshore, Kent, 45 anglers: Jt 1 Trevor Cousins, Maidstone & Tony Malone, Isle of Grain, both 30cm flounders, Paul Vance, & Tony Clutterbuck, both Isle of Grain, both 30cm eel (4pts). ■ Furness FA RNLI open, Priory Point, Ulverston, Cumbria, 34 anglers: 1 Mark Lamb, Barrow, 7 fish, 225cm, including longest fish, 42cm flounder (3pts); 2 Ian Murphy, Askam, 6, 211cm (2); 3 Ged Stevens, Barrow, 5, 177cm (1). ■ Hastings & St Leonards AA open, Hastings, East…

FOLLOW THE FOOD KEEP MOVING NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME DODGE THE TIDDLERS DON’T SCARE THEM AWAY PICK THE RIGHT BAIT HAVE FUN LET ME START WITH A FEW WORDS of caution. I catch a fair number of double-figure fish, and I’ve developed a local reputation as the bass-whisperer, the fellow whose maternal granny was a monster bass. You might think I know exactly what I’m talking about, but bass fishing doesn’t work that way. There are no universal truths or binding rules. The more you study bass, the more you recognise their endless capacity for springing surprises. I’ve seen a whopper that hit a tiny mackerel feather off a crowded pier at noon and another that took a thumbnail-sized piece of bread from the surface of a busy…

■ A big tide in early September was the signal for Sam Wadman to get out in search of bass and it paid off big style with a new personal best weighing 14lb 4oz. The Brighton aangler was on his first bass session of the year on the Sussex shingle. “Conditions were perfect,” said Sam. “With the time of year and big tides, everything felt right to get the waders on and start soaking big baits again.” There was plenty of action from the off with bites and knocks straight away, but it wasn't until three hours into the session that he got his first positive connection. “The fish steamed off in the dark, ripping line from my reel. I knew instantly it was a special fish and the adrenaline…

UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES I would be full of enthusiasm and bubbling with excitement at the mere thought of locking horns with wrasse and bull huss in the rough stuff. But calm conditions had left the sea like a crystal-clear mill pond, not really ideal conditions for a bagging session. As a result, there was more than a little apprehension running through the veins as I drove with my pal Steve Lawrence from Poole to Seaton in Devon, where we would be meeting up with some local rods at Seaton Angling Centre before hitting the beach. As we pulled up outside the angling centre, Chris Chappell, who owns both the shop and adjoining café, had a brew waiting on our arrival, which was very welcome after a long drive. Unfortunately, two…

You really do have lots of options with regard to target species on this beach, especially in the warmer months of the year. Charmouth is by no means a big caster’s venue, especially over high tide, when fish can be caught off the end of your rod.You could spin, feather, float-fish or use pop-up rigs for mackerel in the summer. The mackerel often arrive here in June and can still be caught well into October. When fishing nearer the surface of the water with small strips of fish you can also catch garfish and scad. These two species can be caught from August through to October. Scad generally start feeding at dusk and then throughout the hours of darkness. Garfish mainly get caught daylight. Anglers who are willing to scale…

Sea temperature is one of the most critical factors, alongside the lengthening and shortening of the days that contributes to the migration of many species of fish, and of course their prey. While the latter is set in stone, the former can fluctuate depending on the air temperature and prevailing wind direction. For example, in warmer winters the overall water temperature around our shores will remain higher than average. But conversely, if we have extended cold spells or winds outside of the usual southwesterly direction then it can delay nature in general – something that most definitely occurred this year, of course. That the bass fishing season started excruciatingly slowly is undeniable, but when it did switch on, for me, (during the first few days of May) I was left…

BASS BOAT Neil Burrow, Southampton, 10-8*, Solent Matthew Clark, Watchet, 9-10*, Watchet James Thomas, Minehead, 9-12*, Dunster BREAM BOAT Mick Barry, Basingstoke, 3-14 Couch’s, Langstone harbour Neil Williams, Brixton, 3-10, Plymouth COD BOAT Darrin Limond, Huntly, 27-0, Cullivoe CONGER BOAT Steve Hill, Bath, 45-0*, Poole FLATFISH BOAT Kim Hodges, Newbury, 5-9 brill, Littlehampton LING BOAT John Locker, Truro, 39-0, Falmouth MULLET SHORE Luke Marriott, Newport, 7-0*, Yarmouth POLLACK SHORE Ricky Lapsley, Edinburgh, 12-6*, Eyemouth POLLACK BOAT David Commins, Flint, 16-7, Amlwch RAY SHORE Steve Hulbert, Bristol, 12-3 thornback, Severn Beach Steve Roberts, Poole, 12-13-8 undulate*, Highcliff Matthew Turley, 12-9 small-eyed*, Minehead Lawrence Wright, Burton Bradstock, 11-5 undulate, Chesil Beach RAY BOAT John Hamilton, Lurgan, 4-3 cuckoo*, Rathmullen Rick Hawkins, Dorset, 19-4 blonde*, Weymouth Peter Minns, Chester, 19-0 blonde*, Weymouth SHARK…

35 Best time is June to November, but they are available all year. Winter often produces the bigger fish. A mild winter produces consistent catches, but congers don’t like very cold water. 36 Modern 50lb-class rods have a supple tip with loads of power in the mid-section and butt, which is ideal for conger fishing. Match it with a strong two-speed, lever-drag reel. 37 Load the reel with mono or braid. I use 50lb braid – some use 80lb. 38 You don’t need a shockleader if you’re fishing tight to a wreck surrounded by cleanish ground. If fishing in the wreck or where it is surrounded by a large debris field, then add a short 80lb fluoro leader using an Albright knot. 39 Best rig is a running leger. Tie…

FOR ME, CATCHING BASS ON SOFT plastics comes second only to catching them off the top on surface lures. There’s something about working a piece of rubber over rocks and weed from a boat that really gets me excited. Part of the draw is the fact that I can feel every bump and knock of the lure, whether it be pulling through weed, bouncing off a rock, or a bass swiping it or nibbling at the tail of the lure. For this piece I’ll concentrate on the main lures I use for inshore work, how I rig them and how I fish them specifically with bass in mind. SIMPLE TACKLE Depending on the harshness of the ground I’m fishing over, I like to fish with the lightest gear possible. Not…

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A shakedown cruise – catch a few mackerel, make a couple of drifts on a favourite wreck until the tide changed, and then an hour’s drift with a little rubby-dubby bag over the side to see if there were any blue sharks... and then head in for a pint and home. Ha ha! Nearly right. We’d had an electrician in to sort out all the electrickery and remake some of the connections that the salt air gremlins had made less than reliable. Job done, except for the windscreen wipers. But on such a flat and sunny day off Plymouth they would not have been used anyway. What a glorious day it was, one of those days we dream about during the dank days of winter.…

IDENTIFICATION The blue shark is one of the most easily recognisable sharks. It has a distinct colour – a deep indigo blue from above and a vibrant blue on its sides, changing to white underneath. The large pectoral fins are also easy to spot, as they are as long as the distance between the tip of the snout and the last gill slit. The blue shark is a long, slender shark, reaching 3.8 metres (13ft) in length. It is likely the most prolific of the large shark species as it is abundant throughout its range. The blue shark has a weak keel on the caudal peduncle, and the upper lobe of the caudal fin is larger than the lower. The teeth on both the lower and upper jaw have triangular…

Q: For LRF, would you see any problem with tying lures direct to the braid, or would you always use a leader? WILL FOSTER, BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX AK & DS say: Yes, always use a leader when using a braid mainline for LRF. First, a light fluorocarbon leader of around 4lb will be much less visible to small fish, especially when fishing slow presentations. You’ll find fluorocarbon easier to knot. Once you’ve tied a decent leader knot, it will hopefully last a few sessions and allow you to easily change lures multiple times. Fluorocarbon is tougher than braid and will offer some abrasion-resistance when fishing around rocks, stone quays and pier legs. Finally, fluorocarbon offers a little stretch compared to braid that has none. It’s as good as a shock-absorber,…

Q: I have a flotation device and a wetsuit, but I am wondering what other safety equipment I need? DYLAN MORGAN, RICHMOND, GTR LONDON MC says: You already have the minimum to keep you alive if you are in the water in summer. This is a great starting point, but you need to be able to attract attention. Aside from a whistle and a compass (in case fog rolls in), the first thing would be a good-quality waterproof case for your mobile phone (with 999 and 112 on speed dial for the coastguard). This won’t always be sufficient and can be difficult to use in the wet, so consider a portable VHF radio too. Legally, you will require an OFCOM licence (free) and an RYA Short Range Certificate (not free)…

THE BARRACUDA 7 IS THE product of Beneteau’s vast experience in the development of performance seagoing hulls. Quick to plane and stable to drive, she is primarily a fishing boat, but her design makes her well suited to family-day cruising. Her light, airy and spacious pilothouse features two side doors that open on to the port and starboard walkways, making movement on board easier. Rear access is provided through full length, three-leaf glass, sliding patio-type doors. A space-saving feature of note is the wheelhouse table that slides up and down on a pole, keeping it out of the way beneath the wheelhouse ceiling when not in use. Forward of the pilothouse is a huge stowage space/cabin that can be converted into a double berth, including space for a toilet. The…

Deep Atlantic depressions or low pressure systems driven by the jet stream towards our shores are either welcomed or despised, depending on what species of fish you are targeting. Cod anglers, of course, love a turbulent sea and, to a certain extent, so do bass anglers using bait, when all manner of tasty morsels get torn from the seabed and dumped on to the shoreline. If lure fishing is your thing, then how do you go about coping with large swells, breaking waves and the associated murky, water, along with those dreaded floating weed fragments that can frustratingly hinder a lure’s action? Consider the lures at your disposal, and then decide if you are ready for the inevitable onshore gales. Are you willing to plan and prepare accordingly so that…

6 The bigger the tide, the better. More rise and fall means more current, and that drags more edible stuff into the wave. 7 Bass are eating machines. It makes sense to put your bait or lure into spots where there’s plenty of food on offer. 8 A good many of my best lure-caught bass have come from casts that were almost parallel with the shoreline, and I rarely fish a surf bait more than 30 yards from the rod-tip. 9 With bait, unless the wave’s enormous, I use a bomb weight so my gear moves around in the surf, searching out the areas where food might be accumulating and a bass might be waiting. 10 Even though big fish are caught in daylight, he hours of darkness are more…

GIVEN JUST THE CORRECT conditions, many surf beaches, – that is west-facing beaches – such as beautiful Llangennith on the Gower Coast, can be a very productive for bass and flounders through the autumn months. Depending on the location, you can catch several other species too, including dabs, soles, dogfish and golden grey mullet. It was back in the early 1970s when I first fished at Llangennith, when a small group of us camped on Burry Holmes, a tidal island situated at the northern end of the beach. We spent the better part of two weeks fishing from the island and the vast expanse of golden sands, which run for several miles in a southerly direction to the cliff-top village of Rhossili. Bass were always the main target species. While…

21 The ground along this stretch is pretty rough, so tackle needs to be chosen accordingly. 22 A rotten-bottom system is advisable in rough ground. 23 If the water is clear and the weather bright, think about fishing after dark. 24 In rough ground, you can choose to fish with 18lb mono and a shockleader, or lob out your bait with 30lb line straight through (remember, no power casting). 25 Spider crabs are more than capable of snipping through 20lb line. Be warned! 26 Ragworms can catch some surprising species, even bull huss, which normally prefer mackerel or squid.…

AFTER A TELEPHONE CALL AT the start of June with Paul Medd, the winner of the European Open Beach Championship 2018, a trip was planned to one of Yorkshire’s best-known venues, the amazing Filey Brigg. A long, narrow peninsula a mile north of the town of Filey, the Brigg is, at first sight, a rough-ground angler’s dream. Our target for the session would be pollack, wrasse and cod. We would target the cod and wrasse with baits on the seabed with rotten-bottom rigs, though Paul told me to bring a spinning rod to fish shads for pollack. With only a day to go before the big trip, Sea Angling Adventures’ Nick Panther arranged to meet me outside Exeter for a 4am start to our journey up to Sand le Mere…

IRISH CHARTER SKIPPER ADRIAN MOLLOY has tagged and released his 100th bluefin tuna of 2018. With fishing taking place from August to December off the Donegal coast, where Adrian is licensed to tag tuna, the fish was caught on September 12 by Kenny Williamson. There were also bluefins to 350lb caught by a party of four anglers. Kenny, who lives in the small village of North Roe, on the northern tip of the Northmavine peninsula of the Shetland Islands, was on a week-long trip to Ireland to fish on Adrian’s boat Evie Rose, but strong winds prevented any sport on the first day. “We got out fishing on the Tuesday, departing from Teelin on Adrian’s eight-metre Cougar cat, Evie Rose, a superb sea boat and amazing fishing platform,” said Kenny.…

OCTOBER 2008 ■ Brighton Diver, skippered by Paul Dyer, out of Brighton Marina, East Sussex, produced a 13lb bass for Paul Smith and a 60lb-plus conger eel for Simon Dubrovic. ■ Three 20lb-plus smoothhounds were hooked at once by Ian Hambury, Bill Green and Tony Patel. They caught fish of 21lb, 22lb and 24lb respectively on hermit crab baits while on John Rawle’s charter boat Daphne Carol, out of Bradwell, Essex. ■ Kent anglers were angry over RSPB plans to close vehicle and boat access to the sole hot spot at Dengemarsh beach. ■ Two superb fish were caught from Plymouth, Devon, waters – a 27lb 14oz ling and a 62lb 8oz conger eel. Rodger Stephens, of Bridgwater, bagged the ling, one of three over 20lb he caught on Crusader,…

■ Only fish caught since October 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.…

LIKE MOST PORTS AROUND THE country today, in recent years there have not been as many charter boats working out of Swansea as there once were, but its fleet has been boosted with the addition of a new vessel. She’s called Lyn Marie, a Vigilante 33 built by Breaksea Boats. At 10 metres long with a substantial 3.8m beam, providing her with as much deck area as some catamarans, she is powered by a pair of 260hp Volvo inboard engines. She has a slick top speed of 40 knots and cruises at 24 knots, resulting in less time travelling and more time fishing. Recently, I joined one of her first charters, on a day when the boat had been booked by the Nicholas family, from Swansea. Located midway along the…

THE WILD AND UNTAMED SEAS OFF the west coast of Ireland are famous for their pollack, and while I have battled many from the rugged rock marks, I haven’t really explored the miles of unspoilt coastline while afloat. Last season, my father John and I invested in a small Honwave inflatable, initially bought for chasing bass, but we have deployed it on occasions in search of these big-eyed predators. After a few days of settled weather, we decided to explore a stretch of coastline that we’d previously scrambled over. Now, however, it was time to try something a little different. I picked this spot based on a few basic principles. First, it isn’t too far from where I have a house over in County Donegal, which meant it was only…

59 Use circle hooks, which avoid deep hooking and make releasing the fish much easier. 60 If you loosefeed any chopped fish or entrails, feed it on the seaward side of the boat so that it is forced down under the boat. 61 Releasing sharks at the side of the boat is best practice. 62 Rubby-dubby is a great way to attract shark species to the boat. Mash up some fish, add some flaked bran and fish oil, put the mix in a mesh bag over the side of the boat and start the drift. 63 When fishing with a fast-dropping lure, thumb the spool to lightly restrict the action of the jig to get down to the bottom. Tap the bottom, make three or four turns on the reel…

64 On the end of the reel line, use a rubbing leader made with 10ft of 400lb wire, adding a 5ft, 400lb wire trace. 65 The method is to drift four or five baits, each set under a balloon float at different depths. 66 Rubby-dubby is a form of groundbait made with minched fish, pilchard oil and bran. 67 The rubby-dubby is placed in an onion sack or drilled bucket suspended over the side of the boat. 68 The best hookbait is a mackerel flapper (the fish with its backbone removed) or a large squid.…

AGOOGLE SEARCH FOR ANGLING knots throws up scores of them, ranging from the familiar to the frankly weird. Which do we need for beach fishing? Strength and reliability top the list. A small, neat knot that speeds cleanly through the rod rings is the obvious priority for attaching a shockleader. It helps if the knot can be trimmed neatly to avoid trapping weed and other muck on the tag ends. And surely the more versatile a knot is, the better? The critical factor, for me, is how easy a knot is to tie on the beach, especially in poor conditions and where speed counts. I don’t mind spending a happy hour at home messing about with all kinds of knots purely to see how they work and how strong they…

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: In one of your previous answers, you advised using a fluorocarbon leader. Am I wrong to have my braid straight through to the lure? LESLIE CROWTHER, ESSEX HG says: If it works well for you, you’re not doing it wrong. I have tried lure fishing without a leader, but I don’t like it much. I like that bit of clear, slightly stiffer fluorocarbon at the end of my braid for extra abrasion-resistance especially. I would always argue that if an angler learns to tie a proper braid to leader knot, like the FG knot (check out videos on the web), then it simply isn’t a weak link. Q: I feel so much more confident with hard lures, but I think I should be trying soft plastics more. Any tips?…

DESTINATION ANGLER II PRICE: £30 If you were lucky enough to read ‘Destination Angler’, written by Sea Angler contributing editor Dave Lewis, you will have certainly enjoyed his stories of fishing around the world. Dave has now completed ‘Destination Angler II’, which is the continuation of his amazing angling adventures, and features a further 26 chapters. Inside you’ll find beautifully illustrated stories that will certainly inspire anyone who shares an interest in fishing and travel. ■ Published by Wye Angling Publications. To reserve a signed copy, email Dave at: david.lewis21@hotmail.com IPHONE TRIPOD PRICE: £1 If you’re anything like me and do a lot of fishing alone, attempting to get a self-take catch shot using a mobile phone can be tricky. This neat tripod features extendable legs and a head piece…

NEW SUZUKI DF175A & DF150A OUTBAORDS Suzuki has just launched its new DF175A and DF150A outboard engines. These latest motors should strengthen Suzuki’s position within this key horsepower sector of the market. Customers will benefit from Suzuki’s core technologies all geared up to delivering outstanding power and exciting performance, together with superior fuel efficiency – all from a super-compact and lightweight unit. Boasting a class-leading 2.9-litre in-line four-cylinder DOHC engine, they also use a high 10.2:1 compression ratio, which provides great low-end torque and generates impressive acceleration. MAXIMISING PERFORMANCE To maximise performance, the DF175A and DF150A are equipped with a Semi-Direct Air Intake System to provide the engine with a cooler flow of air, an O2 Sensor to optimise combustion, and a knock sensor for superior reliability. Furthermore, Suzuki has…

PENN PLUS THE ALL ENGLAND CODLING CHAMPIONSHIPS Whitby to Flamborough, Yorkshire, 111 anglers A superb bag of codling weighing 34-8-12, including the event’s best fish of 5lb 9oz, secured the All England title for local angler Mark Thomas. 43 anglers weighed in fish at this closing shore match of the popular annual Scarborough Angling Festival, with Matt Hillaby taking second with 23-3-2 and Monty Burton in third with 18-14-6. ■ Result: 1 Mark Thomas, Scarborough, 34-8-12, including heaviest codling, 5-9-0 (11pts); 2 Matt Hillaby, Scarborough, 23-3-2 (10); 3 Monty Burton, Staintondale, 18-14-6 (9); 4 Mick Ellis, Scarborough, 13-2-14 (8); 5 Dan Middlemas, Scarborough, 13-2-10 (7); 6 Rob Allison, Liverton Loftus, 13-1-10 (6); 7 Chris Scaife, Filey, 13-0-10 (5); 8 Malcolm Skelton, Bridlington, 12-13-12 (4); 9 Scott Blowman, Filey, 12-4-0 (3);…

■ 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…

OCTOBER • 20: Southern League rnd 10 & open, Eastney, 7pm-midnight, pegged, measure & return, undersize fish count as 1oz, £15 match entry, £5 pools, £10 pair, book in 5pm-6pm, Darren 07919 073 232, Nick 07870 922 216, Mike 07983 579 596, Ian 07736 004 714 or Ant 07775 691 916. • 20: Bass Master Kerry open, Kilcummin, 6pm-10pm, Chris 00353 (0)85 1532770. • 21: Chesil Beach cod open, Abbotsbury, 11am-5pm, sign on from 9am, £1,000 heaviest bag, £500 heaviest cod, £15 entry, £5 juniors & OAPs, Weymouth Angling Centre, 01305 777771. • 21: North West ASAC open, Town Hall to Maddock Bank, 2pm-6.30pm, sign on 12.15pm-1pm at Tobin Street, CH44 8DF, book only, 07572 593272 or 0151 677 0011. • 21: David Guy memorial Seaham open, Hendon groyne to…

ONE TIME WHEN I WAS FISHING FOR sea-trout on a Scottish river, I hit into a good specimen. Since I was fishing fairly light, I was following the fish along the bank in my brand new waders. Eventually, I came to a piece of barbed wire that was fastened to a short post. As I stepped over the wire I caught the inside of the right boot, which cut a V shape through the rubber. Eventually, the fish threw the hook, which didn’t leave me in a very good mood after damaging my lovely new waders. They’d cost a few bob too! Now, where I lived in Newcastle there was a garage about 50 yards away, and I knew all the lads who worked in it. I took the damaged…