Innehållsförteckning för 523 från Sea Angler

HOT TOPIC AMONG SEA ANGLERS at the moment is the capture of two big bluefin tuna off the southwest coast of Wales. As you’d expect Sea Angler has got the story, so turn to page 108 to find out more. First came the catch of a 300lb tuna, which was followed by a battle with a 500lb fish. This confirmed the opinion of experts who had predicted it was only a matter of time before these fish were taken on rod and line. Yes, they’ve been caught before – the British record of 851lb was caught off Whitby in 1933 – and in recent years the sharking boat crews have been reporting sightings of tuna. Besides the fish off Wales this year, there have been shoals off Penzance, Plymouth and…

ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION IN recent years I have been left questioning the effectiveness of various conservation restrictions imposed on both the angling and commercial fishing communities. Yet there is no doubt that, since the 2009 protection order on keeping undulate rays was implemented, there has been a population explosion. A species that a few years ago was considered a rarity, especially for shore anglers, has now become numerous, with doubles reported almost daily and fish being caught during daylight within yards of the shoreline. With the local grapevine buzzing with reports of double-figure undulates showing freely during daylight sessions from one of my local Dorset beaches, it took little persuading for me to pack my kit and meet up for an evening sortie with Tom Bagnall, who runs…

WHEN WE THINK OF LIGHT ROCK fishing, we associate it with rocky marks and harbours around the coast, but these are not the only places where light lines and small lures can be used. So, is it possible to use LRF gear effectively at clean sand beaches? The answer is a resounding yes. For fishing an open beach mark, I prefer a longer rod than for harbour work. LRF rods above 8ft long are more specialised, often making them hard to get in the UK. A longer rod can help get a bit more distance if necessary, as well as helping to lift your line above the waves. Many fish can be found close in, especially flatfish, so casting far is not a general requirement. An LRF rod, either solid-tipped…

I WENT TO THE COAST FISHING WITH MY pal Bill Fagg recently. It was the first decent spring tide of the series and we both thought we might have a chance of a bass. I also took along my fly rod in the hope of finding surface-feeding mullet. The fish in our area have been a little thin on the ground this year, so we were both eager to catch something. It was a fairly long hike to get to the chosen beach where we thought there might be fish, and on the way we passed another pal, Dave Little, who was already spinning from a flat, rocky ledge. Dave had not caught anything, and after a chat we pressed on to our goal. We should have guessed from the…

PETER Andrews highlights a hard decision for so many beach anglers. As a beginner working to a tight budget, should he use a multiplier loaded with ordinary monofilament, or should he use a fixed spool with a shallow spool loaded with thin braid? Peter fishes clean ground with moderate currents, and he’s not concerned about casting huge distances. From the mechanical point of view of getting a bait out to sea and landing a fish, it doesn’t really matter. Both combos perform extremely well. Most people would automatically use a fixed spool on a long Euro-style rod, whereas on a 12ft UK rod the choice could go either way. Any of the popular CT multipliers filled with monofilament will do everything Peter asks. Budget models deliver excellent performance, and even…

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. ALAN YATES Contributing editor and former England international angler, Alan is your shore fishing expert. 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 problems. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photojournalist Henry, based in Cornwall, will answer questions on lure angling. Q: What colour braid would yousuggest for LRF? PAUL HILL, PORSTMOUTH AK & DS say: The colour of braid has little impact on your catch rate, as long as you…

Q: When do you think the season ends for surface lure fishing? MARK BRAZIER, DORSET, BY EMAIL HG says: I see no reason why with the right conditions that you can’t take bass on surface lures until at least nearly Christmas, but, of course, this depends on the weather. Some guys I know who fish the Dorset coast swear by putting their surface and shallow diving hard lures out a long way and covering as much water as possible, but then I also hear of good lure anglers who do well by fishing soft plastics close to the shoreline. It also pays to seek advice from a good local tackle shop. Q: I want to replace my treble hooks on my hard lures with single hooks. What size of single…

FIVE SPECIES OF RAYS ARE REGULARLY caught on boat angling trips from my home port of Poole. These are the undulate, blonde, small-eyed, spotted and thornback. Although all rays are bottom feeders and can be caught on a running leger rig, there are some differences in tactics and terrain that will help you target these fish. If you use a well-balanced rod and reel combination, you can have some good sport. When fishing inshore in 60ft of water and out of the main run of tide, a 12lb-class rod and 30lb braid will do the trick. End gear is a 40lb trace with a size 4/0 hook. The Poole Bay ray grand slam, with the target of catching one of each of the five species in a day, has yet…

MONOFILAMENT • Beach casting at long range with a multiplier reel. • Fishing from piers with a multiplier in very strong tide. • Boat uptiding with a multiplier. • Creating shockleaders, rig bodies and hook snoods. FLUOROCARBON • Leaders and light hook snoods for Continental-style beach casting, with a fixed-spool reel. • Spinning. • Light Rock Fishing (LRF). BRAID • Spinning and lure fishing (micro braids). • Beach casting with a fixed-spool reel. • Light Rock Fishing (LRF). • Downtide boat fishing with a multiplier or uptiding with a fixed spool reel. • Medium-range rock/rough ground fishing with a fixed-spool reel. LINE DIAMETERS AND COLOURS Mono lines are sold by breaking strain and diameter, but a majority of sea anglers choose breaking strain as their main criteria. However, line diameter…

YOU’VE probably packed your light spinning rods, floats and lures to the back of the garage for another year as a productive summer ends. Instead, you’ll be thinking about dusting off your cod rods, tying big Pennell rigs and praying for an onshore blow to stir up the sea and, hopefully, bring 'old bucket mouth' closer to the beach. This month’s offer is just the job for packing all of your winter kit together and getting it along the shingle to your favourite mark. The FishEagle De-Lux rucksack is made from a tough, water-resistant fabric, and has a huge capacity of 35 litres. There’s heaps of room for storing spare terminal gear, reels, food and drink, and even extra clothing. Inside you’ll also find three separate sorting pockets for storing…

• Tree surgeon Andy Church from Colchester, Essex, caught a 21lb blonde ray on August 17 while downtiding a cuttlefish bait in 90ft water on the Goodwin Sands. The fish was returned. • Marcus Bates, of, Hordle, Hampshire, boated a 4lb tub gurnard on a squid strip while fishing from Alan Brand’s Hermit, out of Lymington. • While fishing for black bream, Harvey Collier (above) caught this 24lb cod. He was fishing aboard Silver Spray II, out of Poole, Dorset. • Plympton angler Colin Johns caught a 45lb cod on a mackerel strip bait near the Eddystone Reef during a boat trip out of Plymouth, Devon.…

• Jody Trayte, from Kingsteignton, Devon, caught this 5lb 8oz plaice on August 10 from the famous Skerries banks at Dartmouth. He was fishing aboard Saltwind, skippered by David Ridalls, out of Dartmouth, Devon, using a prawn and mackerel strip bait. • Dutch guest Henk Theulings (top) was delighted to land his first Irish specimen tope of 42lb when he visited County Wicklow. Henk and his three friends landed a record 21 tope on the Castle Maiden with skipper Kit Dunne, of Wicklow Boat Charters. Bait was mackerel on a size 8/0 circle hook to a 7ft plain flowing trace made with 180lb mono. The same boat produced a 15lb 8oz spurdog for well-known Irish coarse angler Daniel O’Kelly (above) . The fish took a mackerel bait on a flowing…

Adrian Pinchbeck bagged a 78lb tope while fishing out of Bridlington, East Yorkshire. The fish, taken on August 30, was a personal best and Adrian believes it is the biggest caught from the port. “I’m unsure, but don’t know of any larger specimens previously taken from the Yorkshire coast, unless you know otherwise,” said Adrian, who lives in Selby, North Yorkshire. He usually fishes for tope out of Bridlington on his own boat Cutty Shark, but he joined his friend Alan Suter on his boat, Laura Jane, for the session. They caught three tope, which included a first tope of 45lb for Alan, who lives in Sheffield. Tackle was a simple running leger with a size 13/0 circle hook baited with half a fresh mackerel fished at anchor in around…

A father and son caught blonde rays of 21lb 6oz and 16lb 1oz while shore fishing from Dorset’s Purbeck rocks, breaking the local shore record in the process. On August 21, Pete Hegg, of Portland, Dorset, bagged a 21lb 6oz fish and his son Martin had another of 16lb 1oz. They were fishing some 40 feet above the water and targeting undulate and spotted rays, so the blondes were an unusual bonus. The local shore record previously stood at only 1lb 7oz. The fish took a sandeel on a running leger rig.…

WELSH BASS FESTIVAL Cefn Sidan, Carms, 210 anglers Cardiff matchman Roy Tapper won the two-day bass event with the biggest bass of 2.470kg. Second, and winner on Saturday, was Chris Stevens, from Cardiff, with 2.245kg, and third was Wayne Philips, of Llanelli, who won on Sunday with 1.620kg. Both Roy and Chris miss out on the monthly Penn reel because they are not registered with the League, so the reel went to Wayne for his 18 points. • Result: 1 Roy Tapper, Cardiff, 2.470kg (20pts): 2 Chris Stephens, Cardiff, 2.245kg (19); 3 Wayne Philips, Llanelli, 1.620kg (18). Pairs – Rory Jenkins and Roy Tapper; Team – Rory Jenkins, Roy Tapper, Stuart Reed, Sally Owen and Mark Cowell. HOLYHEAD & DISTRICT AC OPEN Holyhead breakwater, 50 anglers Plenty of dogfish, ballan…

The event offers £2,500 worth of Penn tackle with individual and team prizes. To enter, all you need to do is send in your club results by email. Please include an address and telephone number with the email address for the club captain or the match organiser. Only 20 competition results count for the Clubman season (May 1, 2015 until February 28, 2016) and all your club events fished count against all members’ scores. Only three results can be entered or count per month. OTHER MAJOR RULES • Matches must have a minimum of 10 competitors. • All anglers will be entered in the league from the first result they are included in. • Juniors cannot enter the Clubman. • Non-members and juniors entered in events do count in the…

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RUDE NOT TO ACCEPT when charter skipper Roger Lennon invited me for a day’s boat fishing for bass out of Ramsgate. And when he said it would be uptide casting, I knew this trip couldn’t arrive fast enough. Roger is the owner/skipper of the Skerry Belle, a 46ft charter boat that carries up to 12 anglers in comfort. A former commercial fisherman, who also served for 17 years in the Merchant Navy, he has fished from the Kent port for more than 30 years. Having run several boats, Roger, a dedicated shore and boat angler, purchased Skerry Belle two years ago. The plan was to board the boat at 7am, enjoy a breakfast, and be at the mark and anchored by 8am for the first run…

MOTIONLESS AS SEAWATER LAPS the thick soles of his chest waders, the diminutive and bespectacled angler in his grey hoodie stands sentinel, like a crafty heron waiting for a foolish goldfish to show itself in a garden pond. Concentration is etched on his face. Not even the mosquito-like attention of our photographer, whose camera shutter clicks continually in the background, can disturb him as he waits for a cod to snaffle his juicy peeler crab bait. Suddenly, his arms move as he lifts the rod, leans back, shifts his right hand to the handle of his fixed-spool reel, glances up at his rod tip and notices its satisfying bend. Friend or foe? It’s either a fish, or his rig is enveloped in the unwelcome embrace of a carpet of thick…

SEA ANGLERS ARE CONCERNED AT THE shortage of newcomers entering the sport to keep the conveyor belt well fed. Two possible causes are young people hiding away in their bedrooms playing computer games and preferring to communicate electronically rather than face to face, and a seeming unwillingness on the part of parents to have them do stuff outdoors. It’s understandable that parents want their kids to be safe. Sea angling, in particular, is not without its potential risks. But you have to serve your apprenticeship somewhere. Where better than under the watchful eye of like-minded people perched on a Victorian pier? Here you have instant access to water deep enough to put you in with a realistic shout of success. Without such an incentive, young people – the next generation…

Comfortable fishing Rest your rod on a tripod or prom railings. Ease of access Proms offer easy access to the fishing. The safety factor Railings and walls provide safe fishing. High vantage point Walls raise the angler above the waterline. Depth of water Walls normally give access to deep water. Vary casting range Fish are caught close in and at distance. PROMENADES AND SEAWALLS PROVIDE access to some special fishing, particularly deeper water, and are ideal venues for the less-experienced angler, as well as being popular for those who want to fish near their vehicle. Promenades are generally more angling friendly, usually accessible, comfortable and safe. They provide a boost to casting distance to reach deeper water, and are therefore more productive than many shallow beaches. It’s so easy to…

DROPSHOT RIG When it comes to flatties, dropshot is my preferred method. I make a couple of tweaks to my normal rigging though. I have the drop (the gap between hook and weight) no more than 6in, which enables me to work the lure in very shallow water to intercept the flatties as they follow the flooding tide in to feed. I use a long-shank hook, like a fine-wire Aberdeen, in size 8 or 6, and a 7g dropshot weight. I retrieve this with the rod tip up to keep the line free from the breaking waves. A slow, gentle retrieve trundling the weight across the seabed is all that’s required to get fish interested. As the weight travels over the undulations of the sand, it imparts a fair bit…

Great advice from the former world shore champion and top tackle inventor WHAT’S NEW FOR BEACH ANGLERS Over the next few months I’m going to preview some of the exciting new kit to be launched by Sundridge and Daiwa this autumn. DAIWA EN-TEC TWO-PIECE FLOTATION SUIT Not only is the En-Tec suit a lot lighter than conventional two-pieces, but also it boasts a great pedigree. It is designed and made by Sundridge, which, as most people know, manufactures the most widely used flotation suits in Europe. No more sweating as you walk, the Crossflow breathable foam keeps you warm, dry and 100 per cent waterproof. When it comes to casting, the inner panels give plenty of freedom of movement. The suit sells for £159.99. What’s more, you stand a chance…

Q: Can I use mackerel feathers for LRF? ANDY LANGTON, GUILDFORD, SURREY AK & DS say: If you specifically want to target the pelagic species like mackerel, scad and garfish, you’d have a lot more fun using light metals. There’s a huge array of micro metal jigs available from just a few quid. Look out for those from HTO, Quantum and Daiwa to name a few. If you hooked a full string of mackerel on feathers, it would probably overpower an LRF rod. Stick with heavier tackle when using feathers. Q: I’m looking to buy a new LRF rod. One of my choices has SiC guides and the other doesn’t. Is this important for light braid? SIMON RICHARDS, POOLE, DORSET AK & DS say: If you can afford silicon carbide…

CASTING TUITION HELPS I started to look online for articles and videos about casting, which, ed me to your contributor John Holden and we exchanged emails and he gave me some pointers. Later I got talking to Mark Armer and John Walker, members of our local casting club who encouraged me to attend. Many anglers won't go to anything like this, perhaps through fear of looking foolish. Some convince themselves they are casting massive distances and would rather splash hundreds on gear than ask for help. I decided to bite the bullet and didn't regret the decision. I found the guys really approachable and helpful and it opened my eyes. Those who think they're putting a bait over 150 yards should try pacing it out on a field. I've also…

MY ALARM SOUNDED AT 4.25AM. I didn’t need it...funny how the body clock works so well when you are going fishing. An hour later I hit the road. Skipper Lyle Stantiford wanted the day’s crew dockside at Weymouth, Dorset, as close to 7.30am as possible. The bridge opened half an hour later and he wanted to be first boat out. Word was that we would be going deep for a few cod, and then back inshore for bass and black bream on the tail end of the tide. The forecast was for five to eight miles per hour wind, with some gentle sun, maybe 20 degrees...or so the forecasters said the night before. Wrong again! As we cleared the shelter of the land there was a hint of blue sky…

A Guymarine Antioche Chalutier 650 package with a Honda 135hp outboard engine, as reviewed, is £36,700 inc VAT. The standard spec fitted is comprehensive, but a list of many optional extras are available on request. For more information, contact SAL Marine at Haven Quay in Lymington, tel: 01590 679588. Web: www.salmarine.com. Email: sales@salmarine.com. You can find out more about the Guymarine range of boats at www.gumarine.fr. For more information on Honda outboard engines, visit: www.honda.co.uk/marine…

MANY BASS MEMBERS ARE SAYING that the average size of bass they have caught this year is well below the normal for their usual marks. This is interesting, and possibly another indicator of the demise of the species over the years. Alternatively, it might also be a reflection of slow growth in certain years, because very cold winters affect the yearly growth. The growth of any fish is generally taken as permanent increase in length, as distinct from reversible growth due to say, obesity or illness. RESEARCH INTO GROWTH The growth of the European sea bass has been studied by the CEFAS laboratory at Lowestoft for many years, and BASS has been running its own research into length, weight and age using data and scale samples sent in by its…

There are lots of different knots used in sea angling, although there are a few favourites. My personal choices are: • A five or six-turn half blood (or tucked) for hooks to mono (left). • Three or four-turn Grinner knot for swivels and components. • I like a full blood knot (also tucked) for mono tapered leaders. • A Bimini Twist for parallel leaders. • Braid needs extra care and turns when joined to mono, and some anglers even use Superglue. My preference is the Bimini Loop lasso variation, especially for tapered leaders to braid. Also good is the uni-knot.…

FINALLY, THE BOOK THAT ONE OF OUR leading sea angling journalists thought he’d never write is being published, much to the relief of the man himself and his many dedicated fans. Yes, 25 years or so after penning his earlier books, Mike Thrussell has written about his life in angling...and it’s well worth the wait. ‘Addicted to Angling: A lifetime’s obsession with fish and fishing’ is 176 pages with two colour photo sections as well as a loads of black and white pictures and rig diagrams. To be published by Peridot Press on October 5, it will be available from Waterstones and all leading internet bookstores. Costing £14.99, the hardback book has 15 chapters detailing Mike’s angling exploits. Born in Sheffield, he got his first fishing rod during a family…

The angling world is buzzing after the capture of colossal tuna of 500lb and 300lb off the coast of Wales. First a fish of 300lb fell to Mike Steer while fishing from a private boat and three days later a massive 500-pounder was brought to the side of a famous sharking boat. The 300lb fish was caught and released on August 30 aboard Full Monty, owned and skippered by Graham ‘Bev’ Bevan. He travelled out of Milford Haven, Pembs, with Mike Steer and Clive Jenkins and set up a drift 20-30 miles offshore in the Celtic Deeps and soon began to catch blue sharks. Fishing a spread consisting of five rods in 400ft of water, they had been enjoying a great day’s fishing with 10 blues boated. Then, around 1pm,…

• This huge common skate is the biggest seen aboard one of Ireland’s top charter boats. The fish, estimated to weigh 229lb, had a 71in wingspan and was 91in from nose to tail and was caught by Marcus Frost during a charter trip in Clew Bay, Co Mayo. The angler from Northampton was aboard Shamrock, skippered by Mary Gavin Hughes. “The skipper told us it was the biggest she has ever seen and estimated it was around 229lb,” said Marcus, who caught it on a mackerel. Meanwhile Karin Polleman from Austria is thought to be the first woman to catch a common skate weighing more than 200lb in UK and Irish waters. Her fish weighed 212lb and was caught from Hamish Currie’s Predator in Red Bay, Co Antrim. • Brian…

• This 105lb 6oz halibut fell to a Savage Gear cut bait lure fished by Gordon Downes. The anglers from Rhos on Sea, North Wales, caught it on September 2 during a boat trip at Arviksand fishing camp, Norway. • Cornish kayak anglers Rob Griffiths, below, and Liam Faisey had a red-letter day on the tope. Rob, of Camborne AA, and Liam, of Mount’s Bay AS, caught 18 tope on mackerel flappers. Rob’s best was 28lb and Liam’s 26lb 8oz. • Daniel Manvill, of Honiton, Devon, caught an 11lb 8oz 2dr bass at Sidmouth on a mackerel head. • Robin Fuller bagged a 9lb 2oz bass in the Camel Estuary, Cornwall, while using a 55-year-old bamboo rod, wooden centre-pin and a crab bait. • Lure angler Sam Daniels from Jersey…

CLEVEDON SEAWALL IS NOT A VENUE you hear spoken of a great deal, even by seasoned Bristol Channel matchmen, but this stretch of sea defence running from Clevedon to Wick St Lawrence has, in recent times, been recognised as an excellent match venue. With a varied terrain ranging from the rubble-strewn remains of the seawall construction to gullies winding their way through the mudflats, it is the perfect venue for a pegged competition due to its excellent fishing platform in the shape of a tarmac promenade that runs the entire length. Access is possible at several points along the wall, but at Clevedon it is at its simplest. Park near Yeolands Road, walk to the track that runs alongside the Yeo estuary and you will find yourself at a set…

Irish Kayak Fishing Open, Courtmacsherry, County Cork The winner of the €1,000 first prize in the inaugural Irish Kayak Fishing Open was Ian Burton with seven species, writes Sea Angler kayak writer Gary Robinson. Held on August 15, the event took place at Courtmacsherry, in West Cork, and was the first insured and fully open kayak match in Ireland, which had previously hosted only small club competitions. The five-hour event was a species competition, with a €1,000 voucher for first place provided by Wilderness Systems, while Palm Equipment gave a €500 voucher for second and Adventure Technology Paddles donated a €250 voucher for third. Other prizes were given by Cox & Rawle, Sea Angler and Inland Fisheries Ireland. Most competitors had planned to go into the deeper water with the…

FLOTATION SUITS ARE JUST NOT supposed to look this good. Super-lightweight sports styling, eye-catching colours and big safety features are all included in the Daiwa En-Tec two-piece flotation suit. Not only is the En-tec 30 per cent lighter than conventional two-piece flotation suits, but it also boasts a great pedigree. It is designed and made by Sundridge, which, as most people know, manufactures the most widely used flotation suits in Europe. Features of the suit, which sells for £159.99, include a new style hood with instant Velcro adjustment, outer cuffs that adjust with Velcro and ‘Kansai’ elastication, plus fleece-lined handwarmer pockets. You get a lightweight, tough jacket with 210D nylon outer shell and polyester body lining that is totally waterproof at WP10,000 and breathable to MV5,000. It has a fleece-lined…

SPECIMEN HUNTING, THAT IS THE pursuit of fish roughly between 60 and 70 per cent the weight of a club, regional or national record, has been a major part of sea angling for more than 40 years. When an angler catches such a fish, it’s great to have an official award or certificate that you can retain as a keepsake and reminder of that special event. However, the problem has been, that for a fish to qualify as a specimen, it invariably had to be killed and weighed officially on certified scales with witnesses, and was applicable to both shore and boat-caught fish. This was understandable to limit the chance of cheating or mistakes being made. But, in these rightly more conservation-minded times, and as a result of anglers more…

Make sure you’ve got a supply of fresh, live peeler crabs and store them in a cool box or cool bag. Kill the crab and remove all the legs either by hand or with a pair of sharp scissors. Once all the shell is removed, use the scissors to cut the crab almost in half. Hook the cut crab where it is held together on a size 5/0 Sakuma Manta Extra hook. Take the hook completely through the bait and add a small sliver of squid on the end. Fold the cut peeler crab so it is wrapped around the whole of the hook shank . Use fine elastic bait cotton to secure the crab to the hook, making sure the point is exposed. Steven clips the hook on the…

WITH TWO PIERS AND PLENTY of local beaches, the coastline around Clacton-on-Sea is very popular with anglers, especially with the improved cod fishing and an influx of thornback rays in recent years. The area is part of the Tendring Peninsula, of north-east Essex, which also includes the towns of Frinton-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze, Brightlingsea and Harwich. NAZE TOWER BEACH This stretch is at the northern end of Walton. Big midday tides can reach the cliffs, but beaches to the right can be fished at high tide. The best spot is between the two pillboxes on the beach under the cliffs. High water at 6-7pm produces smaller tides for fishing the ebb. Bass appear from May, and some big fish show on early morning flood tides from July to September, along with soles…

PART OF THE FUN OF SEA ANGLING is visiting new venues and testing your skills in a different environment. With time often limited for such discovery sessions, you need to ensure that the visit is worthwhile. Getting that important edge is normally a case of talking to local tackle shop staff, quizzing other anglers on web forums, or gleaning information from angling magazines. That’s all fairly straightforward when the venue is nearby, but it can be fraught with problems if you are making a short visit, or fancy a bit of fishing while away on holiday. Consider how difficult it must be for those who want to try sea angling. They will be surprised at how time consuming the sport can be. Tying traces, digging bait, tuning reels and numerous…

MACKEREL FILLET AND STRIPS Mackerel is rated as one of the most productive sea baits, especially from the boat. It can be used in various ways, with strips used on their own or to tip other bait. Remember to always cut away from your hand and fingers, and use a sharp filleting knife. Filleting gloves are also useful, while scissors can be a better option on a moving boat to cut the strips. The fresher your mackerel the better, and a very sharp filleting knife is essential for producing clean cuts. Lay the fish on a flat surface and nick the filleting knife under the fin while holding the head firmly. Start to slice the mackerel fillet towards the tail, always making sure the knife is moving away from your…

OUR EXPERTS SOLVE YOUR FISHING PROBLEMS Q: Being new to fishing from a kayak, can I use lures in winter and, if so, what fish go for them? MIKE TRICKEY , PLYMOUTH, DEVON GR says: Lure fishing is popular in the summer, but as the water cools down a lot of warm water species leave and, consequently, the chances of catching them on lures diminishes. The back end of the autumn is a great time to pick up some of the summer species that can still be found, like pollack, wrasse and mackerel. As the winter rolls in, so do the cod, and they can be caught on lures, but bait is best. Whiting can be taken on smaller lures. Winter flatfish are also a very realistic possibility with lures,…

Variety of fish The Portland rig will catch many species, including cod, pollack, ling and bass. Hook and bait The size 5/0 hook carries fresh bait or a lure of your choice. Sinker choice The cannon ball lead clips on a snap link or an oval split ring. Above the reef Lower the rig to the seabed and reel in a few turns to ensure bait is clear of the reef. Connection This top swivel connects to the mainline or leader. Rotation The hooklength swivel rotates between two beads. MOST REEFS OFFER BOAT ANGLERS the opportunity for excellent mixed fishing and, depending on your geographical location, a huge variety of different species can be caught from even the smallest patch of rough ground. Obviously, if targeting specific species, such as…

FOLLOWING ON FROM THE successful launch of Century’s Eliminator T1000 beach rod, the Tyne and Wear-based company has revealed its new T800 and T900 models. Both are built with glass tips to enhance bite detection, while maintaining the impressive power that has long been recognised by Century users worldwide. The T900-SGT is a 14ft 4in, two-piece outfit that will suit anglers who prefer to fish into deep water, combined with heavy to mixed ground and strong tides. As you would expect from any Century beachcaster, the build quality and fittings are impeccable. The tech-spec reading is mind-boggling and just proves how dedicated the company is when producing the highest standard in rod manufacture. Casting the T900 is certainly not daunting, although I won’t go as far to say it’s the…

• With lighter tackle, terminal rigs must also be balanced to the rod action and line strength. It is pointless using a lighter rod with heavy line, as it is using ultra-thin lines with standard beach caster. • Low diameter thin line is more likely to tangle and why coarse anglers use one hook snood. Really long snoods are favoured for multi-hook rigs because they are less likely to tangle, but they must not be allowed to overlap each other, the lead weight or line link. • Line is held on many container spools by a plastic clip, elastic band, or even a small cut in the spool. • If you use a fixed-spool and want to take line off from the side, beware of spools with a clip or…

A rare 50lb angel shark was caught and released in Cardigan Bay, Wales, by an angler who was fishing for tope. Michael Griffiths, who is from Partington, Manchester, was seeking tope aboard his 9ft RIB. Fishing on August 16 in 20ft of water over a reef about two miles out, he legered a whole mackerel on a running leger rig with a size 6/0 hook tied to 150lb mono. The day’s fishing started at 8am, two and a half hours before high tide. “I didn't have to wait long for a bite, may be five minutes,” said Michael, who was fishing with a 40lb-class rod. “It was fighting differently to any fish I had hooked before, staying under the boat hugging the bottom.” After 40 minutes he managed to bring…

A new venue will soon be available to the sea anglers in Kent. The Port of Dover’s plans for improvements to the marinas and docks inside the town’s harbour mean that the Prince of Wales pier will soon close. It is the only pier venue with access for disabled anglers and their cars in Kent and much of the south. Officials from the Port of Dover have now offered an alternative section at the very end of the Admiralty pier’s inside wall. The stretch of wall is from the end of the cruise terminal buildings to the pier end (approximately 80 railing posts) and will be available unless a cruise liner is docked there. Car access will be available up to post 24 and only anglers on foot will be…

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 win a Mission Accomplished badge and the chance of a great monthly tackle prize. Each month we award a Shimano Nexave Surf 400 five-piece rod and a Speedmaster 8000 fixed-spool reel, worth a total of £325, to the captor of the best shore fish, chosen on merit. The top boat angler each month, chosen on merit, gets a Beastmaster AX Boat Slim rod and a Tekota 500LC multiplier reel, worth a total of £340. PETER BAKER, BOSHAM, WEST SUSSEX. Fish: 16lb 4oz smoothhound. Bait: Whole squid. Venue: Selsey, West Sussex. Date: August 21. Monthly winners SHORE: Pete Hegg, 21lb 6oz…

CONVERSION An eel is measured before its weight is calculated on a special chart ROUND 1 Keith Warren, from Clevedon, won with a small conger eel that was taken on a three-hook rig ROUND 2 The event’s organiser James Madsen came out on top with this 51cm bass, weighing 6lb 7oz ROUND 2 SteveAce, with two codling, took second place in the match and was runner-up in the league placings ROUND 3 Sean Anderson, of Weston-super-Mare, won with two Dover soles, the biggest converted to a weight of 1lb 6oz ROUND 4 Eventual winner James Madsen finished second in this round with this thornback ray being converted to 5lb 4oz ROUND 4 Winner Shawn Kitteridge used fresh peeler crab to catch this conger eel, plus a thornback ray to total…

SEPTEMBER • 24-27: The UK Saltwater Fly-Fishing Festival, St Mawes, Port Isaac to Looe, two-day match, with welcome reception and forum, practice and demo day, evening barbecue, and prize giving, visit www.saltwaterflyfishinguk.com Amelia Whitaker, 01326 279278. • 26: Victoria open. Llandudno North Shore, 7pm-11pm, book 5pm onwards at Paddling Pool HQ, three zones, £10 entry, £5 ladies and juniors, Norman 01745 852876. • 26: Samalite open, Abbotsbury, 2pm-7pm, Dave 07977 132951. • 26: Scarborough Open Angling Championship (Scarborough Angling Festival), Whitby to Flamborough, 2pm-6pm, greatest weight of fish, weigh in by 7pm at the Anglers Social Club, £7 entry, juniors £3, Pete Atkinson 07711 104090 or 07711 124032. • 27: The All England Codling Championship (Scarborough Angling Festival), Whitby to Flamborough, 11am-5pm, greatest weight of codling only, weigh in by…