Innehållsförteckning för Issue 566 från Sea Angler

ANOTHER POOR BASS DEAL Do you ever get the feeling that sea anglers get the rough end of any deal? A bass bag limit of one fish a day when we wanted three looks like a bad result to me. It seems the UK Government negotiators didn’t get any support for an increase or, some might claim, didn’t try hard enough. On December 19, the Council of the European Union announced that recreational anglers would, once more, be given a bag limit of one fish per day, but extended to seven months (April 1 to October 31). That’s a poor return for the efforts of our campaigners, such as the Angling Trust, Save Our Seabass, and the European Anglers Alliance (EAA), who pushed for three fish a day for seven…

WHEN ONE OF THE FIRST items of equipment out of the back of the car at the start of a shore fishing session is a stout length of rope, you can be sure that you are setting off on an experience likely to be a tad different to the norm. This was the case one afternoon towards the end of November when Martin Thompson hoisted his tackle rucksack on to his back and, with one hand, grabbed his rods and rod-rest, along with a substantial coil of rope with the other. Next, he took us down a narrow track that eventually led us the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Throughout the week Martin and Sandra Thompson run their busy tackle and bait shop, Anglers Corner, in Milford Haven, but on Sunday afternoons,…

WITH ITS HUGE PRIZE fund of £35,000, the annual European Open Beach Championship, which takes place on the Holderness Coast of East Yorkshire, attracts more than 1,000 anglers from across the UK and Europe. The match is fished between Bridlington North Beach and Spurn Point pilot jetty. Living in the area, I have competed in the big event and also fish this coastline on a regular basis. Here’s my guide to some venues to consider fishing in the roving event or, if you are not taking part, to visit this winter. I’ve chosen some places with easier access because I don’t want to send people on long hikes or difficult-to-access areas. ALDBROUGH Located 10km south east of Hornsea, there are a couple of well-known marks here – Aldbrough Dip and…

YORKSHIRE SEEMS TO BE HAVING A good winter cod season, with fish taken from the Humber Estuary all the way up beyond Whitby, including fish into double figures caught among plenty of smaller ones. Anglers fishing in the Whitby area of North Yorkshire have been finding some big cod. Richard Jackman, of Middlesbrough, caught a 10lb 3oz fish, while David Ward, of Guisborough, caught a 10lb 2oz cod. Richard was fishing on December 4 when the fish took a cocktail of cart, mussels and black lug, while David was fishing on December 10 and took his fish on cart and squid. The same area produced a fine pair of cod, part of a bag of six weighing 25lb, for David Leak, of Hartlepool, who caught them during a few hours’…

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. John Watson, Ashington, Northumberland. Fish: 196lb common skate. Bait: Octopus, mackerel and coalfish. Venue: Laura Dawn II (Ronnie Campbell), Oban. Date: Dec 1. Sarah Croft, Worthing, West Sussex. Fish: 43lb conger eel. Bait: Whiting. Venue: Worthing Pier, West Sussex. Date: Dec 1. Andy Sanders, Bideford,…

JANUARY 2009 ■ Fat flounders were showing in Poole Harbour, with Jason Rothwell catching a 4lb 5oz 12dr fish at Hamworthy, while junior angler Jordan Judge took a couple of two-pounders. ■ Yorkshire match angler Ray Maddison was 10 minutes into a pegged event on Marine Drive, Scarborough, when he caught a 19lb cod. ■ The Humber produced an 18lb 7oz cod from the Bull Anchorage for Brian Bee, of Grimsby. It was one of the biggest fish from the estuary for many years. ■ Rough ground off Brighton, East Sussex, produced a superb 31lb 5oz cod for Eastbourne boat angler Sean Tester when he fished aboard Aquavitesse, skippered Noel West, out of Brighton Marina. The fish fell to a whole squid on a Pennell rig. ■ The future of…

AFTER MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS of anticipation and hard saving, a couple of flights, a long drive and possibly a short trip or two aboard a ferry, finally you arrive at your self-catering cabin at one of Arctic Norway’s many fishing camps. Even your luggage has completed the journey unscathed. With perfect weather conditions beckoning and your self-drive boat waiting fully fuelled and ready to go at her berth at the camp dock, it’s hardly surprising you are excited at the prospects of catching some of the incredible fish that first attracted you to travel to these richest of rich seas. Maybe you or one of your party is experienced at boat handling or perhaps you own a boat, but, for many, assuming the role of skipper will be a…

DERIVED FROM AN ANCIENT VIKING name, Lowestoft is a busy port and one that is steeped in history. Some of the earliest evidence of settlement in Britain has been found here, dating back some 700,000 years. The town and port were built on the back of the fishing industry in the Middle Ages, and it continued to thrive right up until the late 1980s, when the commercial fishing industry declined and the port focused more on container ships rather than boats full of herring. Today it is still a very important landing place for modern traders and, of course, for pleasure anglers. GREAT FISHING Throughout the year there are plenty of species to target out of Lowestoft, but perhaps the most sought after are thornback rays, tope, bass and smoothhounds…

THE FIIISH BLACK minnow is an innovative design, available in lengths from 70mm to 200mm to match the bait fish. There are also various jig head weights to suit the fishing depth and water conditions. It is one of our lure expert Henry Gilbey’s top five soft plastics (see page 94), and it has the backing of many leading lure anglers. Andy Steer’s diagram (right) shows how to rig a Black Minnow (here a 90mm version) with the jig head and hook. Fiiish uses a colour code system to allow you to match the correct components by correlating the same colour tag or number of the jig head with the hook and lure body of the same colour. Follow the simple nine stages to rigging up the Fiish Black Minnow,…

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: I have seen both rope and plastic cable ties used when rigging an anchor to trip, should it become snagged. Which are best? ROB RALSON, SWANAGE, DORSET DL says: Either can be used, provided that your choice is strong enough to sustain the weight of the boat when anchored for fishing. It needs to be weak enough to break under controlled pressure using the engine, and allow the anchor to be pulled free from a snag. STAR QUESTION Q: When driving an open boat, where is the best place to attach the engine kill cord? CLIVE HEADLAND, COLCHESTER, ESSEX DL says: I find that clipping it around my leg, as shown, is best. Others clip it to their life jacket, belt or around their wrist, but I find this…

CATCH AND RELEASE FISHING IS UNETHICAL At a great age, I am returning to sea angling. I once caught a 17lb 10oz cod off Hayling, a good fish but then someone caught three to 50lb also off Hayling in the following week or so. I’ve noticed many changes. I believe catch and return is unethical and will not target any fish I do not intend to cook. Why stress a beautiful animal just for fun? Of course, there will always be the by-catches like smoothhounds, female huss and rays and male bream. I would compare catch and return to hare coursing where a kill is merely an accident. Some fish I have learned to avoid, such as conger eels. To avoid these, use a 3-4ft trace extender and catch ling…

■ Day 1: Zone A: 1 Tom Wells, Christchurch Angling, 4-3-0; 2 Philip George, Garry Evans Match Team, 2-14-0; 3 George Smith, Asso Anyfish Anywhere, 2-10-0. Zone B: 1 Stephen Adams, Team Breakaway, 2-1-0; 2 Paul Stevens, Prime Angling, 1-14-0; 3 Henry Randell, Big Catch Tackle, 1-11-0. Zone C: 1 Adam Kingdon, Birds Tackle, 3-7-0; 2 Mark Pinder, Team Breakaway, 3-0-0; 3 Charlie Needham, Charlie’s Angels, 2-10-0. Zone D: 1 Darren Bond, Prime Angling, 4-3-0; 2 Rex Palmer, Hastings Angling Centre, 2-14-0; 3 Martin Jenkins, Deal 1919, 2-11-0. Zone E: 1 Garry Hutson, Asso Anyfish Anywhere, 3-5-0; 2 Richard Burt, Team Breakaway, 2-13-0 3 David Aldous, Ipswich Sea Anglers 2, 2-11-0 ■ Day 2: Zone A: 1 Joe Arch, Prime Angling, 3-8-0; 2 Gareth Cossey, Ipswich Sea Anglers 2, 3-3-0;…

Even while battling through the traffic on the M27, which can be total madness and often resembles a giant car park, the adrenalin was still flowing as I headed to the east on a fishing road trip. For a change, I was travelling alone, although I would be meeting with Brendon Moon, Darren Dixon and his nine-year-old son Bradley at East Selsey, a venue that I had fished on a few occasions, mainly during the winter. Quality bait is certainly one of the key elements in any successful road trip; it is never worth skimping. On route I stopped off at Allan’s Marine, in Portsmouth, to collect a variety of baits including large sandeels, squid, mackerel and ragworms. With all my booty in the cool box, it was back behind…

GETTING THERE ■ For the area we fished, drive into St David’s and follow the signs for Whitesands Bay. Head out on the coastal path until you find an accessible spot to access the shoreline. For more specific information on mark location here and elsewhere throughout Pembrokeshire, contact either Martin or Sandra at their shop (details below). TACKLE SHOP ■ Anglers Corner, 1 Pill Road, Milford Haven SA73 2NS, tel: 01646 698899. Open seven days a week, with Sunday being a half-day opening.…

GETTING THERE ■ All marks on the Holderness Coast from Kilnsea up to Bridlington can be reached from minor roads off either the A165 or A1033 from Hull. TACKLE SHOPS ■ Chapman’s Hull, 208-212 Hull Road, Hessle, HU13 9HU, tel: 01482 639900. ■ East Coast Tackle, 1B Willows Drive, Hornsea, HU18 1DA, tel: 01964 535064. ■ Fishing Basket, 500 Beverley Road, Hull, HU5 1NA, tel: 01482 445284. Fishing Republic, 6 Strickland Street, Hull, HU3 4AQ, tel: 01482 707977. ■ Holderness Tackle, 118 Queen Street, Withernsea, HU19 2HB, tel: 01964 612340. ■ Hull Angling Centre, 575-577 Holderness Road, Hull, HU8 9AA, tel: 01482 374201. ■ North Bay Angling, 84 Promenade, Bridlington, YO15 2QL, tel: 01262 401144.…

This 8lb 2oz cod (left) was a personal best for former professional footballer Steve Simonsen. The angler from South Shields caught it on yellowtail lug tipped with a frozen peeler crab at his local pier. He was using a Pennell pulley rig. At a nearby cliff mark, Shaun Rundle, of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, caught a 4lb 6oz codling on cart stick and black lug on a Pennell pulley (right). ■ Ignoring local doctrine, Lazslo Meszaros, from Starcross, Devon, fished the Exe estuary in flood. After the usual plague of bass up to 1lb, he was rewarded with a 4lb 4oz bass on a 5-25g spinning rod with 4lb mainline and a running trace carrying a size 4 hook baited with rag. ■ This 14lb 7oz spurdog was a…

BASS SHORE Anne Lock, Burnham-on-Sea, 5-4*, Burnham-on-Sea Jamie Lock, Burnham-on-Sea, 11-9*, Burnham-on-Sea COD SHORE Dean Cook, Cheltenham, 10-2, Clevedon Pier CONGER SHORE Sarah Croft, Worthing, 43-0*, Worthing Pier FLATFISH SHORE Sean McCaffrey, Scalloway, 1-0 witch and 2-1 plaice, Shetland Andy Sanders, Bideford, 2-0 flounder, North Devon RAY SHORE Jamie Lock, Burnham-on-Sea, 10-9 thornback*, Burnham-on-Sea RAY BOAT Bob Blair, Portchester, 6-4 spotted*, Portsmouth Jason Budge, Taunton, 15-0 undulate*, Weymouth John Watson, Ashington, 196-0 common skate*, Oban SHARK SHORE Paul Phillips, Teignmouth, 12-1 huss*, South Hams Jack Warby, Steynton, 9-12 huss*, Pembs…

Zac Campbell presented half a mackerel to tempt this thornback ray weighing 12lb 8oz. The nine-year-old, from Shoreham, in West Sussex, was fishing from a private boat six miles out to sea. On a windy day at Roker pier in Sunderland, Harley Thompson celebrated his seventh birthday with a win in his local club event. He caught 10 whiting and a dab for a total weight of just over 7lb. Eight-year-old Harrison Izzard had a good day in the Weston-super-Mare SAA RNLI open. In a match featuring 60 entrants, including five juniors, the angler from Axbridge was top in the under-16 section with a 20cm bass and a 38cm flounder (1lb 9oz), which also placed him 11th overall. Lacey Gray, of Newcastle upon Tyne, was junior and ladies champion in…

IT HAS BECOME QUITE APPARENT THAT wrasse have a rubber fetish, and there really is no other method as exciting or as rewarding than when fishing with soft plastics. In recent years the soft plastic lure revolution has changed how many anglers fish for wrasse, both from the shore and boat. There are five main species of wrasse available from most UK ports – ballan, cuckoo, corkwing, goldsinney and rock cook, the latter three being on the mini species list as they do not grow in excess of 1lb. Then there are two ‘rare’ breeds - the Bailon’s and scale-rayed wrasse, again both mini species. All of these wrasse can be caught on lures, namely soft plastics, with the smaller mini species readily falling to LRF tactics. However, it’s the…

THE MENAI STRAIT HAS LONG BEEN popular with shore anglers, small -boat owners, and local charter skippers, not only for the consistency of its fishing but also for the shelter it offers in all but the very worst of conditions. I’ve fished here from shore and boat for more than 30 years but, being honest, not that frequently over the past two decades, purely due to a full annual fishing diary. In some ways I’d lost touch with it. Friend and local charter skipper Gethyn Owen, normally based in Holyhead, Anglesey – which is very exposed to the weather – decided to move for the main winter months to a new mooring at Port Dinorwic Marina. This offered a perfect opportunity to book a couple of trips to sample the…

■ Cleveland Princess, Brian Poppy, tel: 07771 926590. ■ Lead Us, Colin De Brock, tel: 07803 270798. ■ Lowestoft Provider, Andrew Wood, tel: 07855 520433. ■ Off The Hook, winter only at Lowestoft, Jake 07852 959528. GREAT MARINA Lowestoft Marina is well geared up for visiting anglers and boaters. There are toilet facilities, plus a great little café and a museum. The postcode for the marina is NR33 9NQ. For more info you can visit: www.lowestoftmarina.net TACKLE SHOPS ■ Oulton Broad Fishing Tackle, The Boulevard, Units 6 and 7, Bridge Road, Lowestoft NR33 9JS, tel: 01502 539593. ■ Tackle-X-Change, 2 Essex Road, Lowestoft NR32 2HH, tel: 01502 508989.…

Q: I tried the split shot rig but can’t get my shot to stay in place. Any tips? DEREK MONTEVILLE, BY EMAIL AK & DS say: Get some rubberised, thin rig tube, cut a tiny section and thread it on the line where you mount the shot. Then secure the shot to the tube. Not only will the rubber tube help the shot grip the line but it will allow you to move it if the rig needs adjusting. Q: Do the lure colours that work for wrecking, such as rhubarb and custard, have similar results in LRF? BILL HUNNINGS, PLYMOUTH, DEVON AK & DS say: Those same bright and dark lures definitely have their day with LRF, but the range of successful colours is much greater. The colours that…

Q: What advice would you give on judging whether or not it might be too rough? CHRIS PECK, BY EMAIL MC says: I made a very simple decision when I first started using a kayak. If I have to ask myself if I should launch or not, the answer is not. Over time, I got better and pushed my boundaries, and there’s very little weather now that I’ll not venture out and fish in, and I’ve yet to come a cropper. There is no substitute for practice, and you should never blindly follow someone else if you’re concerned. I have more than a thousand launches under my belt now, in all conditions and in many different kayaks over the last dozen years, and there are still times when I just…

■ The rod is a lightweight, high-modulus carbon blank ■ X5 multi-directional nanofiber tip section lay-up ■ Fuji guides feature corrosion control frames that provide seven times more corrosion-resistance ■ Shrink wrap on the lower handle to improve grip when casting ■ White hollow carbon tip for easy bite detection ■ Unground carbon finish at joints to assist with parting sections TECH SPEC ■ MODEL: Sonik Gravity X5 HT ■ SECTIONS: Three ■ LENGTH: 15ft 4in ■ GUIDES: Fuji ‘K’ ■ REEL SEAT: Fuji DPS screw-winch ■ BAG: Yes ■ RRP: £349.99…

YOU DO NOT NEED A LUXURY CAR for much of your day-to-day driving because a basic family compact will perfectly suffice. Likewise, why spend a considerable sum of money to buy a boat for inshore angling when, in many cases, a relatively small, open and basic boat will be perfectly adequate to get you afloat and among the fish? If you’re looking for such a boat, then check out the smart Sport 4, manufactured by Westport Marine. Described as being an all-purpose sports boat aimed at users who want a rugged all-rounder, she is perfect for anglers. This is an open boat featuring a console situated aft, in the starboard quarter. Given her relatively small hull size, this internal layout option provides the absolute maximum space forward from which to…

WAY FORWARD FOR SHARKS Shark fishing is the current pinnacle of the UK boat fishing scene; true sport fishing in our home waters. However, there is growing disagreement between anglers, skippers and scientists as to whether we should boat these magnificent creatures and, if so, how best to do it. The Shark Trust issued some guidance in your excellent magazine (issue 561) stating it is okay if done carefully, and your magazine often has pictures of people (including myself) posing with them. However, an eminent marine biologist who crews on a Plymouth charter boat has science and numbers to state that mortality of those brought on board is high unless great care is taken. This causes an ethical and moral dilemma for those fishing for them who want a catch…

PENN PLUS BRITISH OPEN Deal and Walmer, Kent, 140 anglers Winner Michael Cox was in zone A at the favoured Sandwich Bay end, where he caught 45 fish for 7.160kg. Fish were mostly whiting and dabs to lug and mackerel baits. Fished on the Continental system, the top four were the zone winners, the next four zone seconds. Asso (Saul Page, Michael Cox, Tim Fagg and Richard Yates), were the top team. ■ Result: 1 Michael Cox, Dover, 45 fish, 7.160kg (14pts); 2 Martyn Reid, Folkestone, 31, 5.350kg (13); 3 Saul Page, Deal, 20, 3.550kg (12); 4 Nigel Scott, Deal, 23, 3.480kg (11); 5 Ben Arnold, Brighton, 39, 4.950kg (10); 6 Barry Sedgwick, Dover, 30, 4.880kg (9); 7 Peter Farrell, Portsmouth, 16, 2.380kg (8); 8 David Davies, Neath 12, 1.860kg…

JANUARY • 13: The 42nd Sonik Amble open, Seahouses to Lynemouth, 10am-2pm, book in from 7am at Radcliffe club, Amble, NE65 0RA or in advance from local tackle shops, £12 entry. • 13: North Norfolk National Sea League rnd 4 & open, Salthouse, Tony 07780 793141 or thomasamt@btinternet.com. • 13: East Anglian Teams of Five open, Sizewell, 10am-3pm, Rob 07855 848967. • 13: Scottish FSA North East Region winter open, Boddin to Ferryden, 11am-4pm, register 9am-10am at Commercial Inn, Arbroath, heaviest bag and heaviest fish payouts, £15 entry, Jake Chalmers 07913 076872. • 19: Mike and Chris’s Winter Heaviest Cod League rnd 4 of 5 & open, Carnoustie to Ferryden Lighthouse, 2pm-7pm, register 12.30pm-1pm at Victoria Park, all depart 1pm, £10 league entry, £15 per match, weigh in closes 8pm,…

MANY YEARS AGO, WHILE PUTTING A feature together for a British angling magazine about boat fishing in the Kattegat, which is the water dividing Denmark and Sweden, I fished with some anglers from various parts of mainland Europe. After a hard day’s fishing, during which we caught some wonderful cod to 20lb-plus, I watched the 30 or more anglers on board killing their fish with empty beer bottles that only a few minutes earlier had been full. How things have changed. After dinner one evening, I went for a walk along the local pier and noticed four or five anglers were float-fishing on the end. When I wandered over to them, I discovered that they were from Germany. They spoke about as much English as I spoke German, which is…

MENTION ALDEBURGH TO any East Coast angler and it will probably conjure up memories of anglers taking double-figure cod on frosty winter days. Times have changed, though, and overfishing during the late 20th Century all but put the cod stocks in jeopardy. Without those heavyweights, there are always other fish to be caught from the Suffolk town’s beaches. Even though I was very fortunate to land a 22lb cod off these deep beaches in the 1990s and some low double-figure fish as well, I’m a great believer that where there is a void (in this case far fewer cod), then other species fill that space. It is certainly proving that way because the winter dab fishing has always been pretty good. Of course, there is still a chance of a…

“The £35,000 prize fund includes a £4,000 first prize for the winner of each of the two days” AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE , sometimes the first three months of the new year can be a slow period for sea anglers, but there’s an event that really draws the crowds – the European Open Beach Championship. This match is a three-day event that starts with a Flattie Bash on the Friday, and is followed by the two days of the main competition, where the target fish are mainly cod, thornback rays and whiting. Set up by the late Paul Roggeman in 1994, it was part of his job to attract visitors to East Yorkshire by hosting events. Being a keen angler, Paul saw an opportunity outside the main summer season,…

IN THE SHORT WHILE SINCE THE TERM Light Rock Fishing cropped up in the UK, the sport has grown massively. The perception and application of fishing as light as possible has become a common feature up and down the coast, and for a multitude of different species. Although the style was a very Japanese concept in the beginning, anglers in the UK have developed it to suit their sea fishing. Techniques and tackle have been developed to help target our great sporting sea fish from mini-species to bigger quarry. Yes, LRF has had a great impact, especially on my own pursuit of sea fish species. By fishing ultra-light I have refined my various lure fishing techniques, none more so when stepping up to using heavier gear. Is there a grey…

Calls for recreational sea angling to be recognised as a stakeholder in future fisheries policy and a plea for an end to commercial over-fishing will be voted on by MPs. They will form two amendments, put forward by the Angling Trust, to the Government’s new Fisheries Bill. The first argues that recreational sea angling must be formally acknowledged as a legitimate stakeholder in future fisheries policy with a full seat at the table. The second calls for commercial overfishing to be ended through a legally binding duty placed on Ministers only to set fishing limits that do not exceed best scientific advice in order to rebuild fish stocks. In December there was Parliamentary scrutiny of the Government’s new Fisheries Bill, during which the Angling Trust’s Martin Salter was invited to…

YOUR MISSION TARGETS... Catch a fish of this weight or above in your region to qualify for a badge. South is the area below a line drawn from the River Mersey to The Wash. North is the area above a line drawn from the River Mersey to The Wash. ■ Only fish caught since August 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…

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

REGARDLESS OF THEIR SWEET taste, dabs are not at the top of our target list when planning a great day afloat. They are the smallest of the UK flatfish and, despite weights recorded in excess of 2lb, are generally widespread in the 8oz bracket. A dab that exceeds 1lb would be considered a great catch, unless you’re fishing in Norway or Iceland, where the average size is 1lb-plus. Often, when the winter cod fishing has died away and even the whiting are scarce, the good old dab can turn a slow day into an action-packed session – you just have to scale down your gear and actually target them. The dab is easily identifiable when compared to other flatfish such as the flounder and plaice. They have a white underside…

WITH A LIGHT OFFSHORE wind it was time to go fishing, and because I’d bargained for a weekend session, it would give me the chance to fish with some of the guys I don’t see very often. My alarm went off early and I heard the patter of rain. I don’t like rain, but I do like fishing, so I dragged myself out of bed. I left early and pulled up at the car park at Corton, Suffolk, where Frank Burden and James Leech, who was full of cold, awaited my arrival. They both hoped I would cancel, but to no avail. They begrudgingly got suited up. Aaron Napper turned up next, then Tim Weston, and with us all sorted we made our way down to the beach, 90 minutes…

ALL FIXED-SPOOL REELS TWIST LINE to some extent. Owing mostly to their shallow spools and refined line lay pattern, modern reels twist line less than reels of old. I upgraded my ancient Mitchells specifically to make life easier in that department. These excellent old fishing tools are notorious for wringing a line’s neck so badly that you never know whether the next cast will wrap the butt ring in a tangled web. The principle of a fixed-spool reel guarantees some degree of line twist. As yet, no reel maker has eliminated it. Twisting varies with model and size of reel, line diameter and type, and how often and how far we cast. I have reels where line runs smoothly for ages. Others demand reconstructive surgery after a single session. Constant…

Q: I want to try barbless hooks for bass fishing, but will I lose fish? GEORGE LLOYD, SALTBURN, NORTH YORKS HG says: In my opinion, categorically not, but only if you tighten your drag properly and fight fish hard by actually bending your rod into them and not being afraid to do so. I have fished with only barbless treble and single hooks for my lure fishing for years now. I can’t recall any incident in the past when I’ve lost a bass where I was at fault because I had crushed the barbs on my lures. Q: If you could only carry one surface lure, what would it be? SAMUEL DIXON, BELTON, NORFOLK HG says: I guess I need to think back to the one surface lure that has…

TRONIXPRO NEOPRENE BOOTS £39.99 There’s nothing worse than cold and wet feet when you’re fishing. These are flexible, warm, fully waterproof and perfect for those freezing-cold days on the beach or boat. Available in sizes 7-13. ■ For more info visit: www.tronixfishing.com A YEAR OF FISHING 2018 PRICE: £12.99 This book is based around a year’s sea and coarse fishing of broadcaster and angler Jimmy Willis. A regular on talkRADIO, he will star in a new Amazon Prime Video fishing series in 2019 and is launching his Muddy Worm range of fishing rods for sea, carp and coarse fishing. The book starts with Jimmy trying sea match fishing, and then within two weeks taking part in the European Open Beach Championship in East Yorkshire. There’s also some sport from his…

■ NAME: George Smith ■ HOME: Grimsby, North East Lincs ■ LATEST BUY: Tronixpro Lead Bag ■ PRICE: £9.99 George is one of the leading shore match anglers in the UK and competes regularly around the country. His latest buy was bought at Anglers and Danglers Bait and Tackle shop in Grimsby. “Rather than having numerous lead weights rolling around inside my tackle box, this is brilliant for keeping them all in one place.” ■ NAME: Ian Bowell ■ HOME: Holbrook, Suffolk ■ LATEST BUY: Penn Fathom 12 multiplier ■ PRICE: £130 Match angler Ian has recently become the co-ordinator of the Sea Anglers Match Federation match team. He bought his latest reel from Keen’s Tackle & Guns in Bridgend. “This reel is brilliant because it casts faultlessly and is…

TEAM MATCH FISHING IS ALIVE and kicking as demonstrated by a superb turnout at the National Sea League Final . Organised by the Sea Anglers Match Federation, the prestigious event is for qualifying sides from various regional leagues and always includes many of the nation’s best shore match anglers. The big event, fished over two days with match sections located at Kelling, Salthouse and Cley in North Norfolk, had an impressive roster of 33 teams of five. Leading up to the event, weather conditions weren’t ideal as a persistent easterly gale battered the shoreline. A strong wind and sweeping swell showed no signs of subsiding as the rough conditions would subsequently test the angling skills of the 165 competitors. CRUNCHING WAVES Overnight saw the gale gradually giving way to a…

Penn Sea League entries will only be accepted from the match organiser or officials of the club concerned. If results are not returned to Sea Angler within a month of the event, the event will be declared void for Penn points. ■ All Ireland Cod Champs, Youghal, Co Cork, 50 anglers: 1 Noel Fogarty, Dublin, 14 fish, 533pts (5pts); 2 Pete Davis, Limerick, 7, 304 (4); 3 JP Molloy, Cork, 9, 303 (3). Zone – Phil Ord, Kerry, 3, 121 (2). Longest fish – Donal Domeney, Cork, 68cm cod (2). ■ Bass Rock open rover, Seton Sands, East Lothian to Holy Island Causeway, Northumberland, 21 anglers: 1 Steve Williams, Jarrow, 2 cod, 3-1-9 (2pts); 2 Chris Empson, Dunbar, 2, 2-7-1 (1); 3 Andy Brown, Musselburgh, 1, 1-14-7, also heaviest fish.…

WHILE FULLY SUPPORTING BOTH fishing for the table and catch-and-release sea angling, in all cases BASS asks anglers to treat fish with respect. As a result, this article deals primarily with caring for bass that will be released and ensuring we do not contribute unnecessarily to post-release mortality. Catching and releasing fish inevitably causes some degree of harm, whether stress or physical damage, but it’s my ethical responsibility as a sea angling guide to promote best practice so that when fish are returned they have the best chance of survival. Equally, if you choose to keep a bass for the table during the “take” months (within current size and bag limits), it is important to dispatch the fish humanely. Of course, using unhooking mats and keeping fish submerged often isn’t…