Innehållsförteckning för Issue 570 från Sea Angler

SEA ANGLING IS FULL OF GREAT CHARACTERS WHO MAKE A NAME for themselves in many ways. Two such gems are Tony Kirrage (above left) and Graeme Pullen (above right). Both are extremely keen anglers, but they gained their fame for different reasons. Tony has been a fixture on the Eastbourne fishing scene for decades, both as an angler and while running his popular shop, Tony’s Tackle. Graeme made his way into angling journalism and, as a result, his writing, particularly in the big-game fishing arena, has entertained anglers for many years. Now he’s often in front of the camera and still retains a huge following. I’ve known them both for nearly 30 years and they’re really interesting characters, who I’m really pleased to include in this issue. My colleague Paul…

GETTING THERE ■ The area is easily found by taking the A75 road from Dumfries to Stranraer, or alternatively the A77 south from Ayr. Both these routes  will give access to many of the marks along the coastline. Careful thought should be given to the landowners when parking because many areas have few spaces in which to leave a vehicle. Special attention must be given to tide sizes and safety when choosing a mark. Very often, when you begin fishing at low water, it is a good distance from where you finish up at the top of the tide. TACKLE SHOPS ■ McCowan’s, 50 King St, Castle Douglas DG7 1AD, tel: 01556 610270. ■ The Sports Shop, 84 George St, Stranraer DG9 7AS, tel: 01776 702705.…

NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO, MY FIRST article to appear in a national fishing magazine was published in the long-discontinued monthly called ‘Sea Fishing’. It appeared alongside a piece by the well-established angling writer Graeme Pullen. My effort, headlined ‘Stalking the Shad’, looked at the wonderful light-tackle lure fishing for twaite shad, which I used to enjoy each spring when these beautiful fish entered several Welsh rivers to spawn. Before you start reaching for your keyboards, fishing for shad was perfectly legal at the time. Printed in black and white, as most were in those days, it was when magazines used to publish perhaps eight inside pages in colour. In this particular issue, dated August 1990, one of these prestige colour positions was reserved for Graeme’s story of fishing for blonde…

An Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD) planned for the cooling system of the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset could be scrapped. The plan had been to locate the deterrent approximately 3.3km offshore as a method of protecting fish from the cooling water system. It would be located under water, and uses sound to deter fish from entering the cooling system. NNB Generation (HPC) Company Ltd is now consulting the public on its intention to apply to the Government to request the removal of the requirement to install an AFD system from the development consent. The company’s application will include evidence demonstrating that the removal of the AFD system will have no likely significant effect on the fish population. Consultation lasts until June 4. Information can be viewed…

BASS HAS SET UP TWO BURSARY funds in memory of Donovan Kelly and Graham Pickett in recognition of their work on bass, which has formed the foundation of our collective knowledge of the species. The Society has allocated £1,000 each fiscal year in order to offer financial assistance to students conducting PhD work on bass, by way of bursary grants of up to £500, in order to encourage and support the future scientists and fishery managers. These grants will be respectively known as The Donovan Kelley Memorial Bursary and The Graham Pickett Memorial Bursary. Any postgraduate MSc or PhD students wishing to apply for funding should review the page on the BASS website: www.ukbass.com. DONOVAN KELLY Within the annals of bass study and science, the name of Donovan Kelley stands…

■ Only fish caught since April 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.…

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.…

THORNBACK RAYS TEND TO BE thought of mostly as fish of the spring, caught at a time when other species have yet to recover from offshore spawning. In truth, these rays are fairly easy to catch just by legering baits on the seabed from an anchored boat. It can be a different matter, though, once we enter June. From then on, right through until November, the rays are back to their full fighting weight and more widespread thanks to a more diverse food supply. By summer, anchoring won’t always cut the mustard, and this is when drift fishing comes in to its own. GROUND AND CONDITIONS Earlier in the season, the rays tend to congregate around specific features, such as sandbanks, and where clean sand butts up to patches of…

Q When is the best time to go to Norway? A Barely a week goes by without me having a discussion or an exchange of emails regarding the optimum time of year to fish in Norway. Normally, I start by asking just what the angler is expecting from the trip, to which the usual answer is the chance to catch some big cod. I point out that in Norway big cod are rated as fish in excess of 50-60lb, and that while fish of this size can be caught by boat anglers during every month of the year, from my experience the optimum time to catch very big cod is from February through until May. This is the time of year when the shoals of massive Barents Sea cod move…

SOMETHING that has bugged me for many years is how many shore anglers insist on making their own terminal tackle. I’ve even seen some bloke on YouTube raving about how he makes his own lead links with welding rods. It really does beggar belief! If you’re following the advice of an online blogger to make important items like lead links at home, please have a re-think. Proper, expertly-manufactured items don’t cost a lot of money and they’re safe. Your home-made versions may last a few sessions or longer, but just one significant malfunction can result in disaster. Nobody wants to see a lead weight flying indiscriminately along a beach after a weakened home-made terminal item fails. The consequences can be horrific. Many of us are prepared to pay hundreds of…

THE BOMBARDA is a weighted ‘float’ with a bulbous weighted end and hollow plastic tube used for fishing light lures at a distance. It’s a weight on a sliding boom, through which the mainline is threaded, at a fixed distance from the hook. This is achieved by having a separate swivel between the weight and lure. The other end of the swivel connects to the hooklength. Hook size depends on the size of the lure. Bombarbas are available in floating, sinking and neutral density versions. The slow-sinking versions will hang your unweighted lures or bait in the water, giving them a more lifelike, natural appearance. Available as floating and sinking versions in 3g to 25g. If required, you can lock the weight in place by using cocktail sticks or rubber…

TRONIXPRO RIG MAKERS BOX RRP: £19.99 This box has 10 compartments fully filled with every item you need for constructing your own rigs, including beads, pop-ups, sequins, crimps, links and swivels. The box is made from a clear, tough plastic and can either be left at home or stored in your tackle bag or box. ■ For your nearest Tronixpro dealer, visit the website: www. tronixfishing.com SAKUMA 507 O’SHAUGHNESSY HOOKS RRP: £4 PACK OF 5; £67.58 BOX OF 100 When you need extra strength to hold on to larger fish such as sharks, congers and skate, these new hooks from Sakuma fit the bill perfectly. Forged from black nickel and chemically sharpened, they’re available in packs of five or boxes of 100. ■ For your nearest stockist, visit: www.sakuma.co.uk BERKLEY…

TOURNAMENT MATCH PRO Ask Anyfish Anywhere boss Julian Shambrook to explain the origins of his Tournament Match Pro rod and he’ll give you a very simple answer – it’s a more powerful version of his original 13ft 7in Match Pro. Of course, that’s the short explanation, but, being Julian, he will elaborate. “It was brought to our range because anglers wanted a lighter and thinner rod without compromising the performance and durability,” he said. “At the same time, they wanted a rod capable of doing everything our previous rods could, without losing its fish-ability, giving you a perfect tip that sits in a tide and would not trip the lead.” Derived from the 13ft 7in Match Pro, the Tournament is slightly longer at 13ft 11in, making it a more powerful…

WITH A REPUTATION FOR producing reels that provide many years of trouble-free service, Penn’s new Fathom II Level Wind multipliers look set to continue this tradition. Featuring heavy-duty construction and powerful gears, these reels are described as true workhorses by those charter boat skippers who have already used them. Being designed to handle extreme abuse day-in and day-out, whether you are bottom-fishing or casting live bait, it is claimed the Fathom II will stand up to the hardest fishing conditions. A full metal body ensures precise gear alignment, with the 20LW having a fast 5.5:1 retrieve, and the 30LW a more sedate 4.3:1 ratio. The reels have what Penn calls fast gear-access sideplates, which allow easy maintenance of the gearbox without the worry of losing spring or other parts. In…

■ Result: 1 Adam Farmer, Holton Road Match Team, 5 fish, 7.700kg (6pts); 2 Rory Jenkins, Tonyrefail, 10, 6.900kg (5); 3 Chris Jones, Porthcawl, 7, 6.740kg (4). ■ Teams: 1 Garry Evans Match Team, 418 fish points; 2 Sakuma MT, 411.5; 3 Holton Road MT, 395; 4 Channel Anglers, 393; 5 Gwent Beer Bellies, 360. ■ Individual League after two rounds: 1 Rory Jenkins, Sakuma MT, 199 points; 2 Andrew Withey, Sakuma MT, 196; 3 Chris Jones, Baits 2go, 191; 4 Phil George, Garry Evans MT, 182; 5 Jamie Sergeant, Channel Anglers, 182. ■ Team League after two rounds: 1 Sakuma MT, 21pts, 887.5 fish pts; 2 Garry Evans MT, 21, 835; 3 Holton Road MT, 16; 4 South Wales MT, 14, 765; 5 Team Baits 2go, 14, 677. TEAMS…

FLATFISH OPEN Whitehaven North Pier & North Beach, Cumbria, 75 anglers Winner of this catch and release match was the angler taking the longest flatfish, and that was Robson Bell, who caught a 51cm plaice. Second and third were for total length, with Steve Williams catching three fish for 70 points, followed by Neil Cutler with a trio of flatfish for 68pts. The event raised £225 for charity. ■ Result: 1 Robson Bell, Whitehaven, 51cm plaice (7pts); 2 Steve Williams, Jarrow, 3 fish, 70pts (6); 3 Neil Cutler, Gateshead, 3, 68cm (5). NEWPORT & DISTRICT SAC OPEN St Brides, Newport, 130 anglers The top four in this match all caught a single conger eel, with Justin Bird, of Newport, edging top place with 1.900kg. Very close behind was Steve Chadwick,…

■ 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 MONTHLY…

There are two new events in the BASS Fish-In schedule for 2019, thanks to the addition of sessions in south-east Cornwall and Guernsey. They are at Shell Island (Mochras) on May 3-6; the Looe area of Cornwall, June 28-30; Guernsey, Aug 29-Sept 2 to coincide with the Guernsey Open Bass Festival; East Prawle, South Hams, Devon, September 13-15; Isle of Man, Sept 27-29, and Fort Belan, Menai Strait, October 4-7. All BASS members are welcome to attend. For membership details, email: membership@uk.bass.com…

MAY 2009 ■ Dave Lynes, of Poole, Dorset, came close to breaking the British record for a boat-caught spurdog with a superb fish of 20lb 7oz. It was 10oz short of the 21lb 3oz best, and was caught while Dave was on the local charter boat Silver Spray, skippered by Andy Cumming. ■ A 26lb 8oz cod was a personal best for John White, of Middlehurst. It was caught on Dave Elliot’s Ocean Warrior, out of Newhaven, East Sussex. ■ A stunning whiting of 3lb 14oz, taken at Withernsea, East Yorks, was only 2oz 7dr short of the British shore-caught record. It was caught by Graham Major, of Beverley, East Yorks. ■ A Scottish trawler fishing off Thurso netted a 60lb cod, which was bigger than the 58lb 6oz British…

TONY KIRRAGE RUSHES behind the counter to answer the phone: “Hello, Tony’s Tackle. Yeah, how many you after? 100 fresh-outs shouldn’t be a problem. Pick them up first thing in the morning, okay?” As soon as he puts the phone down, it rings again. “Hello, Tony’s Tackle…yeah loads mate, how many you after?” It’s Tuesday, a little after 9am. Tony’s Tackle, in Eastbourne, has been open just a few minutes and already the phone is ringing continuously. Behind the counter is owner Tony Kirrage with the phone wedged firmly to his ear by his shoulder, and he’s quickly wrapping some freshly delivered black lugworms in newspaper. Dropping the phone on the counter, he spots me walking through the door and it rings again. He answers it immediately, and with a…

After a couple of failed attempts during the past few years, my hopes of bagging some black bream at Cheyne, which overlooks Freshwater Bay on Portland’s southeastern flank, were all but a distant memory. However, I’ve never been one to throw in the towel. With just a light north-westerly forecast, the perfect weather conditions for this stretch of Dorset’s coastline, I set off to Portland with my old mate Steve Lawrence, from Poole. Black bream can be caught here from April, with the best fishing from June to September. As summer turns to autumn, they shoal up in the deeper water here before heading off to warmer waters as the first frosts start to bite, but at this time sport can be hit and miss. On occasions you could have…

ANGLERS FISHING ON KEVIN MCKIE’S Size Matters during its stay in Scotland have located huge numbers of big common skate and a first-ever blue skate. The small blue skate, weighing a mere 22lb, was caught by Wirral angler Bert Williams, meaning Size Matters has had all three species of giant skate (common, white and blue) in Scottish waters. The boat has produced 31 skate weighing more than 200lb. Getting among the recent 200lb fish were Liverpool angler John Owen, who boated his biggest skate of 216lb, Damion Owen, of West Kirby, with a 213lb fish, while George Shannon, of Houghton, caught a bigger one of 226lb, and Steve Potter, of Heysham had one of 207lb. The fish, caught in the Sound of Jura, took mackerel and octopus baits. Skipper Kevin…

Some big double-figure pollack have been showing off Guernsey for anglers on the local charter boat, Out the Blue. Skipper Richard Seager reported a 17lb 4oz fish for Guernsey angler Dan Pinchman, who caught it off the west coast on a pink Sidewinder lure. There was a 15-pounder for another local angler, Chris Bougaize, who fished a live launce. Both anglers used 12lb-class tackle.…

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. Peter Vallet, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Fish: 10lb 3oz undulate ray. Bait: Sandeel on a three-hook flapper rig. Venue: Milford Bank, Hants. Date: March 30. Paul Brooks, Wrexham, North Wales. Fish: 193lb common skate. Bait: Mackerel, squid and octopus. Venue: Size Matters (Kevin McKie), Craobh, Argyll. Date:…

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…

IT WAS OFTEN THOUGHT THE PLAICE WERE found over mussel beds because they were feeding on shrimps and crustaceans. However, we now know different, and it’s the mussels that the fish are gorging on. Plaice seem to like the young seed mussels that they can digest easily, their strong jaws crushing them to release the goodies inside. These fish are quite aggressive when feeding, and this is why they will readily hit a fast-moving bait, which is why bouncing a bait over the mussel beds is considered your best method of attack. Besides mussel beds, where you can nearly always find plaice, another good idea is to fish over clean sandbanks. The flatfi sh love to rest in shallow depressions on sandbanks, waiting for any small fish, crabs or shrimps…

LARGE SPOTTED CATSHARK , nursehound, bull huss and greater spotted dogfish, or to give them the scientific name, Scyliorhinus stellaris, are becoming a major feature in many general ground fishing trips. Love them or hate them, bull huss will often surprise and even delight the boat angler. Though found mainly in Wales, the south and south-west of England, they can show up virtually anywhere. Here in the Bristol Channel, this species has flourished over the past few years. It is not unusual to see 50 or more huss taken on rod and line in a single tide here. Individuals can reach weights in excess of 20lb, with the British record of 22lb 4oz taken aboard my boat back in 1986. Though predominantly a nocturnal feeder, huss often come to life…

ULTIMATE BLUEWATER GAME FISHING PRICE: £80 If you’re into big-game fishing, you need this book. It’s regarded by many top anglers in this field as the Bible. It’s stuffed with a massive amount of information, destinations, data, tackle, bait presentation, fish movements, as well as some stunning photography. In fact, everything you could ever wish to know on the subject is here. It’s written by German angler Jurgen Oeder, one of the most respected and acknowledged authors in this part of our sport. ■ Available from: www.biggamebuch.de…

Lowrance, Simrad and B&G – leading brands in the design and manufacture of world-class marine navigation, autopilot, radar, communications and fish-finding systems, have announced that the 2019 GPS Week Rollover has not adversely impacted their products. Experts in research and development from Lowrance, Simrad and B&G had been preparing for the event for months, testing a wide range of equipment and have confirmed that all current generation devices are 100 per cent compatible with the GPS rollover event. The Global Positioning System has its own date and time scale, based on counting weeks and seconds within a week; however, the field that contains the week number is limited to 1024. A GPS rollover event occurs when this counter reaches week 1023 and then rolls back to week zero. The event…

GETTING THERE ■ Exit the A48 at Cowbridge and take the B4270 south towards Llantwit Major and the B4265 west towards Marcross. Turn left when you see signs for  Marcross and Broughton and, when you reach the village, turn left at The Horseshoe public house. Follow the lane down to the lighthouse visitor centre car park, it costs £2 per day. It’s not an especially tough walk, but it takes 15 minutes and there’s a steep climb back up the cliff, so travel as light as possible. TACKLE SHOP ■ Ewenny Angling Centre, tel: 01656 662691 or visit www.reelfishing.co.ukFor more information on fishing along the Glamorgan coastline, contact Holton Road Angling in Barry, tel: 01446 679284. ■ Safety: The cliffs along this stretch of the coastline are constantly crumbling and…

■ Ardrossan & District SAC open, Loch Fyne, Scotland, 5 anglers, void for Penn points: 1 Stuart Miller, Stevenston, 472cm; 3 Cameron Carmichael, Oban, 442cm. ■ Asso Five Man League rnd 4 of 4 & open, Hastings & St Leonards beaches, East Sussex, 38 anglers: 1 Darren Brooks, Hastings, 3 fish, 2-2-0 (3pts); 2 Jacob Gainey, Canterbury, 3, 1-15-5 (2); 3 Jason Carter, 3, 1-14-0 (1). Sections – Mark Hurcombe, Deal, 1, 0-14-0; Louie Smith, Deal, 1, 0-13-1. Heaviest fish – Luke Hutton, Dover, 1-13-0 bass. Final league – 1 Luke Mooring, Dover, 30pts; 2 Mark Hurcombe, Deal, 29. Team winners – Channel Angling Deal. ■ Kent Flounder League rnd 4, Allhallows, Kent, 34 anglers: 1 Trevor Cousens, Bearsted, 276cm (3pts); 2 Trevor Back, Sheerness, 156cm (2); 3 Jim Maynard,…

WITH SPRING UNDERWAY and the summer fast approaching, the south-west of Scotland – stretching from the northern shores of the Solway Firth to the large open waters of Loch Ryan – becomes a big attraction for anglers. Almost every species of fish found in Scottish waters can be targeted from this stretch of coastline, which gives access to classic surf beaches, deep-water rock marks and tidal estuarine environments. As with most areas of the UK, the fishing in the south-west of Scotland is extremely seasonal. YOUR SEASONAL GUIDE TO SOUTH-WEST SCOTLAND SPRING As the final run of codling departs when winter turns to spring, the sea begins to change. The area seems to grind to a halt as anglers wait for the summer visitors, the first being plaice, followed…

There was storm brewing in the south-west, but after a week at work, some of the Sea Angling Adventures team remained keen to get out to wet a line on the Somerset reefs and catch some thornback rays. The weather forecast predicted a 20mph south-westerly wind by 11am and rising to 40mph by 4pm. A big storm was coming in, and by 8pm that evening the southwest would experience gusts of anything up to 80mph. With that in mind, the plan was to get up to the Bristol Channel as soon as possible, catch some fish and get home before the storm really took hold. Our plan was to meet Rob Yorke and Gav Cuthbertson at 6am at Cullompton Services, which is on the M5 just outside Exeter, Devon. Adam…

A first shore session for thornback rays produced two double-figure fish for David Lumley. The angler, from Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, made the trip to the west coast of Scotland, where he caught a 11lb 6oz thornback ray on a Bluey bait fished on a Pennell pulley rig. He also caught another of 10lb 5oz among a total catch of 12 rays. “We arrived at 7am and conditions seemed perfect until an easterly wind came within the first hour and put off the fish, but we persisted and a few hours later the wind dropped and the rays came on,” said David. “It was the first time I’d fished for rays and I’ve only been fishing four years. Totally hooked is an understatement!”…

AFTER FOUR SESSIONS AND MANY hours trying to search out a flounder in three locations in and around Southampton Water, I eventually caught a personal-best fish of 1lb 6oz at Holes Bay, Poole. As my pal Dave ‘Bazzer’ Barrett wanted a flounder too, I was more than happy for a return visit to Poole, as I had not been fishing since…well, since the day before at Swanage Pier. Being retired, I fish two or three times a week, normally with Bazzer. After the journey from my home in Totton, Southampton, we had set up by around 3pm at Holes Bay, having put Bazzer’s shelter at the end of a handy bench to keep off the wind and impending rain, and to give us some comfort for what looked like a…

BREAM SHORE Michael Emm, Tidworth, 2-2*, Milford Bank COD SHORE Lee Jackson, Sunderland, 9-0, Whitburn POLLACK BOAT Ray Gattrell, Portsmouth, 14-0, Hayling Island RAY SHORE Arron Dyer, Ryde, 17-4 blonde*, Ryde Richard Foreshew, Chichester, 18-5 undulate*, Selsey Lee Jackson, Sunderland, 8-14 thornback*, Balcary Daniel Laird, Barnstaple, 10-1 thornback*, Abbotsbury Jason Lockyer, Christchurch, 15-7 thornback*, Christchurch Ross McKay, Castlehill, 8-10 thornback*, Balcary Tony Partridge, Poole, 13-14 undulate, Swanage Allan Sloss, Kilsyth, 199-0 common skate, Highlands Harley Thompson, Jarrow, 8-8 thornback*, Balcary Peter Vallet, Salisbury, 10-3 undulate*, Milford Bank RAY BOAT Dave Ball, Nuneaton, 24-8 blonde*, Hayling Island Greg Barratt, Liverpool, 191-0 common skate*, Craobh Ricardas Bartoska, Croydon, 18-5 undulate*, Weymouth Paul Brooks, Wrexham, 193-0 common skate*, Craobh Ben Carter, Wincanton, 144-0 common skate*, Craobh Richard Glover, Newmarket, 18-0 thornback*, Walberswick Tommy…

OUR SISTER TITLE ANGLING Times has launched a new John Wilson book to celebrate the life of our greatest-ever angler. Created with the blessing of John’s widow, Jo, the strictly limited-edition, 132-page book is packed with classic stories from Wilson’s lifetime in fishing. In his own words he explains how he started in the sport and recounts stories behind his ‘Go Fishing’ years and his move to Thailand. It also features some of his most popular magazine articles, amazing catches, classic interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from his career. A special section called ‘Wilson & Me’ gives readers an insight into fishing trips he shared with famous anglers worldwide, including an ice-fishing session with Sea Angler’d Dave Lewis and his US carp trip with Chris Tarrant. Wilson’s relative, Angling Times columnist…

WHEN IT COMES TO targeting big fish abroad, it’s quite often common practice to slap on a huge lure. Take Norway, for example where, if you want to catch a big cod, it seems a big lure is the way forward. Although they have relatively small mouths for their size, the same can be said when targeting halibut – after all, the aim of the game is to hit that benchmark 100lb-plus goal, isn’t it? So why do we not opt for larger lures when fishing for UK species? THE EVIDENCE For the most part, UK anglers will tie on a 14cm lure and hope for the best, but I believe times are changing. If you read my ‘Boat Fishing with Barham’ piece last month (issue 569) about the rather…

SURELY THERE CANNOT BE A SEA angler who does not want to experience the thrill and excitement of catching a tarpon. Also known as the ‘silver king,’ these most magnificent platinum-plated giant herring tick just about every box possible. Tarpon can be caught on any angling method and are one of the hardest, if not the hardest-fighting species of fish that swim. An incredibly beautiful fish, invariably they are caught at some of the most spectacularly beautiful locations around the planet. I love tarpon fishing, and if I were told I had to choose just one species to target for the rest of my life, then it would likely be a tarpon. HABITAT Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) are found in the western Atlantic ranging roughly from the Chesapeake Bay south to…

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.…

■ NAME: Gerald Sargeant ■ HOME: Eastbourne, East Sussex ■ LATEST BUY: Akios Airloop R10 fixed-spool reel ■ PRICE: £100 Respected match angler, Gerald bought his latest item at Tony’s Tackle: “It’s a beautiful reel and so easy to use. Everything is just excellent, especially the casting…it flies! Plus, I’m amazed at just how smooth the operation is when winding in. It’s a fantastic outfit.” ■ NAME: Roy Tapper ■ HOME: Cardiff, South Wales ■ LATEST BUY: Tronixpro Baitex elastic thread ■ PRICE: £4.99 Matchman Roy uses a lot of this stuff and swears by it: “It is essential when preparing soft baits for casting long distances that I have a decent bait elastic. This stuff is brilliant and comes in a handy container for storing and dispensing 300m. It’s…

I SPENT the best part of this morning laughing out loud recalling the time when a friend of mine tried the Fiiish SW Powertail for the first time. I remember watching him loading his rod and lunging forward into the cast only to hear the dreaded crack of his braid as his leader knot refused to pass through the final eye. We both watched aghast as the Powertail disappeared towards the sun. We wheezed with laughter later that evening at the thought that the Powertail, several hours later, might well still be travelling. We drew pictures of the lure alongside an astronaut. Childish I know, but, seriously, if you want to get more distance with your lure fishing, try them. I have plenty in my lure box now. The trouble…

Commercial operators working pots or nets often choose an open centre console for their small boats, primarily for the available deck space and versatility. That large amount of space is appreciated equally by saltwater anglers too. I introduced you to the latest version of the Orkney classic, the Fastliner 19 in Sea Angler 567. That boat, a thoroughbred, British-built angling vessel, featured a forward open cuddy, but those seeking more space will be pleased to know the same hull can be fitted out with a centre console. In my previous review I mentioned that a great many Orkney boats, especially the original Fastliner 19, are used by commercial fishermen. Clearly, this is testimony to their excellent sea-keeping, build quality and structural integrity. MAIN FEATURES The Orkney Fastliner 19 CC has…

WITH A HISTORY dating back 44 years, the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers’ East Region Shore League is one of the most competitive series of events for match anglers in South Wales. Fished at venues along the Bristol Channel coastline, the league is a popular event in the local calendar and, on the day I visited, it attracted 64 of the region’s top competitors. This match, round 2, was fished at the area known as Marcross and Monknash, between the slipway at St Donat’s and Wick Ledges. Set up in 1975, when it began as a seasonal competition and then consisted of four legs held during spring, summer, autumn and winter, these days the East Region Shore League is a teams-of-five event consisting of six matches fished throughout the year,…

66 FLOUNDERS ■ A few more flounders had returned to the Thames at Allhallows for the Kent Flounder League round 4, where winner Trevor Cousens, of Bearstead, caught 11 for 276cm. The 34 competitors caught and released 66 flounders. BIG SMALL-EYED ■ Heaviest fish of the Samalite Chesil League match at West Bexington, Dorset, was a 10lb 2oz small-eyed ray for Darren Stevens, of Bristol. Winner was Dave Chidzoy with 13 dogfish and a 3lb 3oz small-eyed ray for 19-15-0. LOCAL WINNER ■ Two flounders and plaice for 2-2-0 took top spot in the final round of the Asso Five Man League at Hastings for local angler Darren Brooks. Heaviest fish was a 1lb 13oz bass for Luke Hutton, of Dover. League winner was Luke Mooring, of Dover.…

MAY 3: PF Sea League rnd 5, Eastney, measure & release, £20 league membership, £10 match entry, (£12.50 non-member), Lock, Stock and Tackle 02392 812 478. 3: Tony’s Tackle Eastbourne Individual League rnd 3, Langney Point, 9am-2pm, £10 all-in (paid by Thursday before match), pegged, four matches, catch & release, lug, rag and fish baits only, 01323 731388. • 4: Samalite Chesil League & open, Bexington, 4pm-9pm, best eight from 10 matches, £25 league membership, new members welcome, £15 match entry, book in by 3pm, Dave 07977 132951. • 4: Lincs open, Humber North Wall, 4.30pm-8.305pm, book in from 2.30pm, catch and release, £15 entry, booking advisable, Garry 07889 271115 or George 07857 550125. • 4: Veals Summer League rnd 2 & open, Littleton, 6.15pm-10.15pm, draw 5.15pm, pegged, one rod,…

The big final for the top anglers in the 2018 Penn Sea League will be on Saturday, June 1 at the Rock Channel, New Brighton, Wirral. The top 35 in the Premier Division and top five in Division One qualify for the final, and details have been circulated to all those eligible to fish. Hosted by the North West ASAC, the fishing is from 2.30pm to 7pm, with low water at about 5.20pm, spectators are welcome. North West ASAC has also organized a Penn points match for the following day at the same venue.…