Innehållsförteckning för Issue 587 från Sea Angler

FLOWING OUT INTO THE WESTERN Solent at the very tail end of the spit well past Hurst Castle, the mouth of the Keyhaven River in Hampshire has a reputation for producing some quality bass on both lures and baits. However, you only get a very short window of opportunity. With boats constantly navigating the narrow entrance of the river and heading up to Keyhaven, sessions are really only viable at either first light or dusk when their activity is at a minimum. Tidal conditions must also be put into the equation because the bass are only active for a maximum of three hours – the last hour of the ebb and the first two hours of the flood. During this period, they concentrate at the river entrance after vacating the…

WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A charter trip of a lifetime produced eight porbeagle sharks to 243lb. The big fish (right) fell to Paul Mailman, of Brixham, Devon, while fishing 60 miles offshore from Minehead, Somerset. The same trip produced porbeagles of 88lb and 80lb for Harry Temple, of Newton Abbott. “On the first day we went to look for porbeagle and blue sharks. We had a three-hour steam out to the mark around 60 miles offshore,” said Harry. “Within 15 minutes of arriving at the mark we got the chum going and, boom!, there were sharks around the boat. We fished all day and eight porbeagles were boated and released.” “The skipper (Michael Webber, of Teddie Boy) and a guy who fished with us, who had been on over…

AFTER REPORTS OF GOOD numbers of smoothhounds and some stingrays being caught on our local beaches in West Sussex, I decided to take my 12-year-old son Alfie for a Friday night fishing session near our home at Bognor Regis. With high water at 6.30pm, we headed to our venue at around 4.30pm. Both being keen to devote some time to targeting colossal stingrays, we soon had large ragworm baits deployed at various ranges. We sat back and stared at our rod tips and hoped for that elusive pull down. Unfortunately, high water came and went with nothing to show for it. The tide was dropping rapidly, which is normally the time to end the session. However, in an effort to actually catch something, we decided to fish into darkness. Having…

In association with HOW TO ENTER Send your pictures, name and address, age, species caught, weight, where caught, bait and rig to paul.fenech@ kelsey.co.uk…

AS SKIPPER JJ HADDEN flicked off the last mooring line and stepped into the wheelhouse to pilot Ice Maiden out of the claustrophobic, concrete-encased lock chamber of Cardiff Bay Barrage, he said: “There are smoothhounds everywhere at the moment and both the weather and the tide are perfect. You’re going to fill your boots; I hope you have got plenty of crabs?” In response there was silence, not a whisper, and the look on the crew’s faces told the story. No, they didn’t have plenty of crabs. “I’ve got some frozen crabs, but not many,” volunteered the lad standing in the starboard quarter, but no, as far as crabs went for bait, we certainly did not have plenty. Under normal circumstances a charter skipper’s immediate response upon discovering that a…

They feed mostly on other fish such as sandeels, sprats and whiting, but they will also eat crustaceans and molluscs. Turbot can be caught all around the UK and Ireland, but most are found along the They don’t have scales on their skin – instead they have boney tubercles. When breeding, the female can produce up to 15-million eggs. They can withstand brackish water and will venture into estuaries. They prefer a sandy/hard mud seabed, and can be caught in water from 15ft to over 200ft deep.…

PAUL FENECH Sea Angler’s features and tackle editor Paul is here to solve your shore angling problems. MARK CRAME Suffolk-based Mark gets a thrill from fishing afloat on a kayak. Send him your kayaking queries. DAN SISSONS The Portsmouth angler will provide answers on the sport of light rock fishing (LRF), the go-anywhere tactic. DAVE LEWIS Based in Newport, South Wales, our contributing editor Dave answers boat fishing questions. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photo-journalist Henry, based in Cornwall, will answer questions on lure angling. HOW TO ASK A QUESTION Email: cliff.brown @kelsey.co.uk or online: www. facebook.com/seaanglermag…

NEW DRIVE-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY OUTBOARDS Leading outboard maker Suzuki has unveiled two new DF115BG and DF140BG four-stroke outboards, the first in their class to offer the advantages of drive-by-wire tech. By bringing its proven drive-by-wire technology (known as Suzuki Precision Control) to its new 115hp and 140hp in-line four-cylinder models, Suzuki is helping to simplify the rigging process, plus delivering smooth shifting, instant throttle response, enhanced performance and fuel efficiency. The reliability and precise control of drive-by-wire technology has been proven for years on the company’s larger models, but the enhancements to the DF115BG and DF140BG go beyond the integration of drive-by-wire technology. An upgraded compression ratio of 10.6:1 helps these new 2.0 litre displacement outboards achieve better top speed and acceleration by improving thermal efficiency. Fuel efficiency has also been…

SEPTEMBER 2010 Scientific advice suggested North Sea cod stocks were showing signs of holding their own, but the WWF was concerned that poor management of stocks threatened to undermine the long-term recovery of the species. Wonder if anyone took any notice? A charter trip to the Channel Islands produced a 23lb turbot for Alex Miles, while fishing off Alderney, aboard Silver Spray, skippered by Andy Cumming, out of Poole, Dorset. Lee Le Poidevin set a new Channel Islands’ record for a tub gurnard when he caught an 8lb 2dr specimen on a legered fish strip during a boat trip. Sea angling was being hailed as a growing pursuit in England and Wales. The Environment Agency claimed that 1.9 million people over the age of 12 fished in the sea. Research…

Anglers visiting shore marks on the Holderness Coast and down into Lincolnshire have been enjoying some seriously incredible fishing recently. To put it bluntly, it’s been hectic and off the scale in terms of success for many. The usual species such as smoothhounds and bass have not only ventured inshore in huge numbers, they’re even bigger. Thornback and spotted rays have also been muscling in to provide variety and there’s also been rumours of the odd stingray being landed. But for some anglers who are on the ball, experiencing hard-hitting bites followed by long powerful runs, eventually resulting in strong hook snoods being bitten clean through, has seen them turning to using wire traces. Incredibly, this summer has seen more tope also feeding closer to the beach, and some are…

WE DIDN’T KNOW IT, BUT we couldn’t have picked a worse week for bad weather. Hit with constant gales, severe flooding that saw roads awash, and unbelievably, at times, it got even worse, with winds to 60mph. It was roughhouse fishing, to say the least! Inland Fisheries Ireland fishery inspector Kevin Crowley and I were in the Dingle area of Ireland’s County Kerry. On our hit-list were small-eyed rays, which Irish anglers call painted rays. Their beige-coloured back is patterned with creamy white lines, and often the wing edges can be shaded a faint orange to a deep red that makes for a very pretty fish. They are also one of the better fighting rays too, especially in the surf. As for the ideal conditions for them, then the textbooks…

BEING FAIRLY NEW TO SEA angling, I’ve found it a struggle to choose what to target and when to do so. It means I usually select a species and put out messages on social media seeking basic information, but preferring to learn as much as possible on my own. My main dilemma has been picking what to target. Recently, I’ve had some company on my fishing trips, having been joined by two friends, Jordan Lockyear and Lee Beadman. These guys, who are from Poole too, are also new to sea fishing. Instead of thinking about what to target, I asked them what they wanted to catch. We settled on smoothhounds. I’d never set out to catch hounds before, but I’ve caught a few tiny pups, though never by design. There…

Five common skate, each weighing more than 100lb, and a 25lb cod were boated by four anglers fishing off the Shetland Islands. Biggest of the bunch was a fish that was too big to weigh, although it was estimated at 174lb. It was 82 inches long with a wingspan of 83 inches. It fell to Nathan Johnson, of Whiteness, who was skippering a private boat fishing off the small settlement of Sumburgh. Nathan, along with Vic Simpson and Steve Glaister had three boat sessions over a week and caught all their skate on mackerel baits on running leger rigs with size 12/0 hooks. Vic, who lives in Scalloway, caught four fish, the best weighing 105lb, and others of 71lb, 63lb and 57lb. As well as the biggest fish, Nathan also…

BASS SHORE Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 5-0, Bridgend Mark James, Port Talbot, 8-3, Llansteffan Ricky McClure, Stranraer, 7-3*, Port Logan Gerwyn Williams, Pencoed, 14-9, Aberavon BASS BOAT Andrew Peadon, Dorchester, 11-0*, Poole Keith Young, Newport, 10-2*, Needles COD SHORE Glen Devine, Withernsea, 7-10, Withernsea Alex Swan, Inverkething, 8-8, Arbroath CONGER SHORE Lance Edwards, Taunton, 28-10*, Minehead FLATFISH SHORE Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 3-0 Dover sole & 2-6 flounder, Newport Carl Campion, Swansea, 2-10 Dover sole, Redwick Colton Jones, Neath, 2-0 Dover sole, Swansea Colin Paterson, Dunrossness, 2-4 flounder*, Dunrossness MULLET SHORE Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 2-9 golden grey, Loughor estuary Ronan Doherty, Dublin, 4-13*, Roscarberry Tyler Williams, Newport, 4-7*, Bembridge MULLET BOAT Paul Shapley, Penarth, 6-10 thin-lipped*, Penarth RAY SHORE Phillip Basford, Swindon, 7-4 undulate*, Selsey Ben Bissett, Wick, 188-0 common skate, Loch…

After hearing reports of bass being caught along the Holderness and Lincolnshire beaches, my dad decided it was time to travel down to sample the action. On arrival at Skegness, the weather was pleasant and, more importantly, the conditions were perfect for bass, with a decent surf rolling in and lots of colour in the water too. It was late afternoon and I was feeling extremely confident that a few fish would begin to feed as the light faded. Itching to get a line in the water, I quickly set up my kit and aimed my pulley rig and crab bait into the surf, full of anticipation. My target species were bass and smoothhounds, and a fresh peeler crab bait is definitely the best bait to use. Bass can also…

AS WE PUSH ON FURTHER INTO the summer and anglers have had their fill of the hard-fighting bream on the reefs and big pollack on the wrecks, we enjoy a wide range of fishing aboard my charter boat Silver Spray, which operates out of the large harbour at Poole, Dorset. This means we quite often try three types of fishing in one day and such variety requires a wide selection of bait. The right bait correctly presented is the most important factor towards having a successful day afloat. Here are some of my favourite baits and how to present them to have the best chance of hooking up your target species. MACKEREL It is no surprise that mackerel is the most frequently used bait by boat anglers throughout much of…

BEING A SHORE ANGLER ON MAINLY rocky marks, boat fishing is something I have never previously done, but that changed in June. Because of lockdown I missed out a huge chunk of my fishing season but, most importantly, I missed the peak time for rays at my local beaches. I was gutted because my aim for the year was to catch a decent ray to beat the 3lb spotted I’d caught in 2019. Scrolling through social media, I came across plenty of catch reports from the boats, so I contacted a local charter company in Penarth. It was the same boat that my friend, Lee Glyn, had been on previously and caught rays, dogfish, bull huss, conger eels and smoothhounds during an action-packed day. Skipper Darren Ryan had a vacancy…

Q: What are the benefits of using a leader material, and why can’t I tie my mainline directly to a lure or clip? LEON SUTTON, MAIDSTONE, KENT DS says: A fluorocarbon leader is essential. All lure fishing can involve putting your plastic into heavy weed, rocks or structures, and that couple of feet of abrasion-resistance can make the difference between a lost fish and one in the net. Secondly, fluorocarbon is almost invisible underwater and this will increase your chances of hook-ups. Lastly, braid has zero stretch. Trust me when I say that some stretch in your line when you hit that fish of a lifetime can make the difference between a great photograph or just another story of one that got away. I know that tying a leader knot…

The rescheduled SAMF UK Masters, due to be held on September 5-6 at Deal in Kent, has been cancelled. It means those who had hoped to fish the event, one of the match calendar’s big weekends, will have to wait until next year’s event on March 13-14, 2021. Organiser Tony Thomas said: “We are all disappointed that this decision has had to be made as we were hoping to get this show on the road this year after lockdown.” The main reasons were the low number of bookings prior to the lockdown, the vulnerability of the competitors to the Covid-19 virus and many of those who had booked intimating they would now not take part due to the pandemic. All entry fees for 2020 will be carried forward to the…

JULY 13TH 1980, A SUNDAY, WAS AN overcast and drizzly day in south-east Wales, with hardly a breath of wind, resulting in a slick calm on the murky, fast-flowing water of the Bristol Channel. Thanks to a spring tide, it was the perfect day for collecting bait. A few hours finding crabs was initially all that Don Cook had intended as he loaded his old Hillman Avenger estate with bait bucket and boots, before heading west from his home near Barry to Aberthaw. Don’s plan was to gather a few dozen peelers for a session later that evening, when he’d fish over high water at another mark targeting bass. It was only as an afterthought that Don threw in an old rod and an Abu 8000 reel, along with a…

LIVING ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE from Viscount Beach at Pagham means I can fish it at short notice when the tides are right for any particular species. In more than 10 years of fishing trips to this West Sussex venue, I’ve had some good sessions and, of course, some bad ones. First time I fished it, I blanked. I remember the day like it was yesterday because I must have found every snag on the beach, even after moving to different spots. A few sessions later and a few dog walks at low tide gave me an idea of where to start fishing. As the months and years progressed, I gained more knowledge from other local anglers and certainly improved my catches. Now I only fish tides of five metres…

Two nights later and on the eve of my birthday, the next session started the same as the last when I caught a black bream on my first cast, followed by a small plaice. Lee had a small sole on his second cast. While it was nice to be catching fish, I wanted a hound. Once again, the fishing slowed for a few hours until Lee’s rod was nearly pulled off its tripod and he wound in a hound, a little smaller than the one he’d caught during the previous session. As much as I was happy for him, I was feeling disappointed that I couldn’t achieve my goal. I waded out to release Lee’s fish, happy to see it swim off fighting fit, but I felt a little deflated.…

Steve Dawe and his pal Chris Hodgson had the best wrasse session they have experienced with fish to 4lb 4oz. Steve tells the story: “The session was a guided wrasse trip with Paul ‘Bassman’ Gordon, of Fishing Guides Devon. We have done a fair bit of wrasse fishing before, but felt we would benefit from some local advice and angling tips. “We fished a South Devon rock mark from low water up and switched rigs from Texas-rigged stick baits to Texas-rigged prawn, both methods scoring well but with the jigged prawn taking the better fish.” After the guided time, they continued catching and ended up with around 40 wrasse. “I smashed my 3lb 8oz personal best with a fish of 4lb 1oz and Chris landed a PB of 4lb 4oz,”…

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: 7lb Becky Lee Hodges 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 Boat: 43lb 9oz Chris Proctor CONGER EEL  Shore: 66lb 8oz Andy Eke Boat: 109lb 8oz Roger Beer DAB  Shore:…

WIN A PACK OF DRAGON BAITS RAGWORMS The best two pictures, selected by the Sea Angler team, will earn the sender 1lb of rag, worth £15 plus p&p, from farmed bait specialist, Dragon Baits. Please include your name and address when submitting your photograph to cliff.brown@ bauermedia.co.uk. The company supplies the trade, organisations, fishing clubs and individual anglers direct from its farm in South Wales. Contact Dragon Baits, tel: 01639 894111. Email: info@dragonbaits.co.uk Web: dragonbaits.co.uk SEND US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS Email your images to: cli£.brown@kelsey.co.uk or by Facebook message: seaanglermag…

DURING A FANTASTIC DAY’S TURBOT fishing on board Kelley’s Hero II from Hayling Island recently, one of the anglers on board showed me a rather interesting rig. Needless to say, he caught more turbot than anyone else on board. Coincidence? I think not. The rig in question is still being field-tested, but, as this trip showed, it’s extremely effective and Simon Adams, from H&S Tackle, reckons he’ll be producing the ready-tied rigs very shortly. If you want to keep up to date, then have a look at the Facebook page – H&S Tackle. The main aim of this rig is to keep the bait pinned tight to the seabed during the drift. The lead weight and trace components are standard turbot fishing fare – a big watch lead and a…

HALIBUT ARE NOT SIMPLY overgrown flounders that spend their lives grubbing about on the seabed foraging for scraps, or lying in wait behind the crest of a sandbank waiting for the tide to deliver their food to them. The truth is quite the opposite. Halibut are an extremely active and highly aggressive predatory species, a fish that when hooked will undoubtedly rip many yards of line off your reel, while testing your knot-tying skills to the absolute limit. I’d say that halibut rank as one of the great species of saltwater sport fish, arguably the hardest-fighting fish that are found in the cooler seas of the more northerly latitudes. There are two species of true halibut – the Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) which is found in the North Atlantic, and…

LET’S FACE IT, who doesn’t love a summer spinning session targeting mackerel, bass or even garfish? Early morning or late evening sorties can bring some fantastic results, and if you match the style of fishing with the correct kit, the fun can be memorable. This full set-up will certainly help you to put all that action into practice, while putting a decent wedge of cash back into your pocket. First up is the Shakespeare Omni mackerel rod, and at 10ft and rated at 4-8oz, it’s perfect for throwing a set of feathers or spinners, or even plopping a float out into gullies and bays. Coupled with the rod is the Vigor Power fixed-spool reel. It has a graphite body, balanced rotor and arrives pre-loaded with 15lb mainline. If that wasn’t…

OVER RECENT YEARS, the Save Our Sea Bass team (the campaigning arm of BASS.) has seen a steady stream of complaints about bass netting in Cornwall and the lack of action by Cornwall IFCA. But since we published our findings about commercial netting bass landings in Cornwall, this stream has turned into a deluge. Here are some comments from sea anglers about the issue: “Yet again the level of inaction is appalling from this useless organisation, who seem completely incapable of doing their job - this whole situation would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.” “It saddens me to say that nothing will get done until the bass fishery in Cornwall suffers a total collapse (and this day is fast approaching). Shame on you CIFCA - not fit for…