Innehållsförteckning för Issue 591 från Sea Angler

COD FISHING YOU MIGHT THINk IS, TO COIN A PHRASE, A GAME of two halves, particularly for shore anglers. Those in one half of the country seem to catch their share during most winters, while those in the other part feed on slim pickings. It’s the fabled North/ South divide in fishing terms. Draw a line between the Mersey and the Wash and in most years those north of that divide generally get the best of the cod fishing. South of that line, the cod fishing is rarely outstanding now, perhaps with the regular exception of Chesil Beach in Dorset. Chesil too can be temperamental though, as you can find out on page 6. Of course, those along the Bristol Channel will tell you their winter cod fishing is either…

SPOTTED RAYS, OFTEN CALLED homelyn rays in Ireland, are a fairly common species in our waters but can be localised when it comes to targeting them from the shore. Sometimes confused with the blonde ray, the spotted variety has the spots on its back stopping short of the edge of the wings to leave a clear unmarked gap, whereas on the blonde the spots go all the way to the wing edges. Shore-caught spotted rays average between 2-4lb, with a five-pounder a very good fish, but commercially they have been caught to over 10lb. TACKLE & RIGS Standard 4-6oz beachcasters up to 13ft long suit the majority of spotted ray situations, and reels like the Abu 6500 or Penn 515 are ideal. Load the reel with 17/18lb line and a…

RIGHTON MARINA IS A B real gem with outstanding potential and many different species just waiting to be caught. Add to this the ease of access along with fishing for all abilities and this is one venue not be missed. With 74 bays on the east arm and 26 on the west, there are an additional nine on the western extension, meaning the space available to fish is immense. The first bays start in shallow water, which are ideal for float-fishing among the rocks for the resident big bass. In addition, you have areas leading to the deepest parts of the marina where almost anything could be waiting to devour your baits. The huge variety of species is amazing and ranges from rock-hugging blennies to much bigger species like smoothhounds,…

IT IS ONLY ON RARE OCCASIONS that you have intimate encounters with a fish before you catch it. Perhaps it’s the wise brown trout that inhabits the snagged haunt on a chalk stream, or as a child you secretly caught goldfish from a garden pond. My encounter happened earlier this year, when, after work I headed for a local bass mark on the Menai Strait. It was half an hour before low water and with the first of the flood fishing best I felt confident. The northerly breeze in my face made casting difficult, so I clipped on a 32g Savage Gear Seeker lure, which casts well in all conditions. As the current picked up, I hooked a 3lb bass. My second was a little bigger and the third weighed…

HOW TO ENTER Send your pictures, name and address and details of the catch to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk In association…

Start by tying your chosen hook to the end of a 5ft length of 40lb fluorocarbon. I’m using a Sakuma Manta Extra size 6/0. Thread top hook (Manta Pennell Extra 6/0) on from the other end. Position it about an inch or so higher than needed. Now form a loop of line behind the bend of the top hook so that the bottom hook ends up pointing downwards. Pass the bottom hook over and behind the top hook five times like this. Now pass the bottom hook through the loop that you made in step 3. Pass the hook through and slowly pull it tight to secure the top hook in place.…

T IS NOT ONLY USEFUL BUT I important that anyone who operates a boat has at least a basic understanding of the meaning of various types of navigation buoys used around the coast. In the event of GPS failure and the lack of a paper chart in an unknown area, the buoyage will clearly indicate which is and is not the safe way to proceed. Navigation buoys are put in place to assist boats to make safe passage to and from a port, harbour, an estuary or along a particular stretch of coastline. They indicate both safe waters, namely the deeper channels, along with the location of hazards that might typically include sandbanks, reefs, isolated pinnacles of rock and even wrecks, which as we know are all good fish-holding marks.…

ASIDE FROM SHARKS OR THE various bluewater pelagic species such as tuna or billfish, anyone looking to catch a fish weighing in excess of 100lb almost anywhere throughout the tropics, should target a grouper. Globally, there are several species that commonly exceed 100lb and at many destinations these can be fished for with a near certainty of a hook up. But don’t be under any illusions that catching monster grouper is easy. While hooking  a big grouper may be a near certainty, actually getting your fish to the boat for a successful release is another matter. I have caught and witnessed many very large groupers being boated. On one memorable occasion, a good friend, Pete Bailey, and I were fishing a reef off the coast of Mozambique. Pete boated a…

The shore winner receives two spools of Sufix Tritanium Neon Orange 0.35mm mainline, two spools of 80lb Sufix Zippy Shockleader and two spools of Sufix Shock Max 0.18mm-0.50mm tapered shockleader worth £52. The boat winner receives a 300m spool of Sufix 50lb X8 Stealth Green braid and a 250m spool of Sufix 50lb Matrix Pro braid worth £53. The lure/LRF winner receives five of the Rapala MaxRap lures worth £65 To view the full range of Sufix and Rapala products, visit: www.sufixfishing.fishing and www.rapala.co.uk T&Cs: * One prize per winning question will be chosen by the editor. Prizes cannot be exchanged and no correspondence will be looked into. We reserve the right to send alternative prizes.…

Buying secondhand is a case of buyer beware. Ask yourself these questions: If the first owner can’t handle the rod, can you? Do the length, speed and stiffness suit you? Does it match your casting style and the fishing you do? While it makes sense to be ultra-cautious about specification and suitability with an expensive new rod, buying secondhand does carry a bit of insurance against getting it wrong. Buy it, try it and sell it if you don’t like it. If you bought at a sensible price there is little to lose. You might even make a small profit. Of course, collectors may not want to fish with the rod at all.…

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 Spinfisher fixed-spool 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: SeaAngler@bauermedia.co.uk MONTHLY WINNER 591:…

CHESIL BEACH HAS RARELY been kind to me over the years when I’ve targeted cod. A vast expanse of shingle bank located on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, it stretches from West Bay in Bridport, bending a course all the way to Portland, near Weymouth, some 18 miles further east. Many of my shore sessions at Chesil have never been particularly memorable or indeed, anything to write home about. In fact, I mostly remember the beach for its sheer defiance in giving up its fish bounty easily. It’s not as though I’ve never put the effort in either. Days spent breaking my back collecting a variety of baits; many hours spent tying far too many rigs and packing almost every bit of kit I own, hoping to cover any eventuality that may…

GETTING THERE Take the A23 (London Road) to the seafront, turning left on to the A259 (Marine Parade). If you approach Brighton on the A27, take the A270 (Lewes Road) and join the A23. There is parking for 1,500 cars in the multi-storey car park. TACKLE SHOP Situated between both arms in Marina Square is a little gem called The Tackle Box. The shop stocks everything you need for fishing, including bait, and its staff have a wealth of knowledge too. Call before visiting to ensure you have reserved any bait you require, especially in busier months. The Tackle Box, 33 Marina Way, Brighton, BN2 5WA, tel: 01273 696477. Web: thetackleboxbrighton.com REGULATIONS There is no fishing into the harbour. Tents, barbecues and glass bottles are not permitted. You can have…

BASS SHORE Eoin Lynch, Limerick, 10-0, Lahinch Keith McAllister, Portballintrae, 8-6, Co Antrim COD BOAT Dave Hellyer, Rustington, 16-12, Littlehampton CONGER BOAT John Mayer, Nuneaton, 45-0*, Mevagissey Laura Williams, Freshwater, 60-0*, Yarmouth FLATFISH SHORE Kevin Brandwood, Saltash, 2-0-2 Dover sole*, Chesil Beach Chris James, St Mellons, 2-10-8 Dover sole, Penarth Tom Jenkins, Brae, 2-3 flounder, Shetland MULLET SHORE Steve Ford, Stapleton, 4-2*, Portishead marina POLLACK SHORE Paul Wilson, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, 11-4, Newbiggin Bay RAY SHORE Liam Bissett, Scourie, 185-0 common skate*, Loch Aline Matt Mizen, Weymouth, 27-0 blonde, Chesil Beach RAY BOAT Danny Baker, Crawley, 24-0 blonde, Skerries Mark Cordell, Reading, 14-8 undulate*, Christchurch Paul Green, Christchurch, 15-0 undulate*, Christchurch John Hole, Weymouth, 18-8 blonde*, Weymouth Brooke Wilkinson, Milford-on-Sea, 17-10 undulate*, Lymington SHARK SHORE Mike Barter, Taunton, 12-8 bull huss*, Porlock…

A WOLF-FISH CERTAINLY has distinctive looks, but it is the jaws that make this fish a formidable adversary. With large and sharp front teeth, the jaws are capable of serious power having obvious crushing pads towards the throat. I’ve seen them grab a wooden gaff handle and seriously dig deep into it, and they refuse to let go. Growing close to 30lb, this muscular fish puts up a stubborn fight. A fish that inhabits depths of about 20 to 300 metres, it is easy to identify with its broad head and thick body that tapers quickly to the tail. Its body colour is usually a blue-slate grey, but the flanks are marked with a series of nine to 12 black vertical dark stripes. Being a somewhat elusive fish, mainly because…

The next most commonly encountered type of navigation buoy is a Cardinal Marker, so named after the four main cardinal points of a compass – north, south, east and west. A cardinal marker buoy indicates to which side of that buoy is the safe, navigable water. For example, a north cardinal buoy indicates safe water is to the north so you should pass to the north of it, while an east cardinal buoy indicates there is safe water to the east so you should pass to the east of one of these, and so on. Typically, you will find cardinal marks positioned around hazards or other features that are likely to be of interest to anglers. Again, it must be stressed that unless you are absolutely certain you have sufficient…

Q: If the minimum landing size for bass is 42cm, how come you can buy them in supermarkets sized 25cm either prepacked or fresh? PHIL HINDE, GT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK PF says: I get asked this question quite a lot and the reason is minimum landing sizes (MLS) are only applicable to all wild fish that are caught in the sea, either commercially or recreationally. The bass you see on display on the fishmonger’s stand in supermarkets, which are often small, are farmed bass. These bass are farmed in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and exported for food to many different countries around the world. Because they are not wild bass, they do not fall under MLS legislation and have not been targeted commercially or by recreational fishing methods. The rules…

Q: I’ve started using Fiiish Black Minnows when boat fishing for bass and find the fish destroy the lures when they hit them in deep water. What’s the best way to re-rig the jig head and hook? PHIL GODWIN, BY EMAIL HG says: I think the Black Minnow is the cleverest, best thought out, and potentially most successful paddletail system for bass ever released. I reckon the Black Minnow has accounted for the highest percentage of big bass that I have seen caught from the shore and boat. The Black Minnow is a jig head to lure body and weedless hook system that requires a bit of attention when rigging. As you have found out, it’s a fairly soft paddletail that doesn’t last well at times. That softness though is…

Q: Can you explain the difference between a wetsuit and drysuit and why one is better than the other for winter fishing? ANTHONY GRAY, JESMOND, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE MC says: The clue is in the name. A wetsuit is designed for getting wet in and a drysuit for remaining dry. Designed for immersion, a wetsuit is a layer of neoprene of varying thickness, through which a layer of water enters and is warmed by your body creating an additional thermal ‘layer’ to the neoprene, which is there to reduce any heat loss. They are fairly thick and available in varying qualities of finish. I have 3mm and 5mm paddling wetsuits, which are sleeveless and allow freedom of movement for my arms to paddle. I’d wear one if I anticipated having…

ABSOLUTE ANGLING Catch and Conserve The ultimate guide to deep-sea fishing in all seasons Price: £14.95 Charter skipper Dave Roberts is no stranger to regular readers of Sea Angler magazine, in which he writes about boat angling in the Bristol Channel. Now he’s put his vast knowledge into print with this self-published book based on activities aboard his boats, with techniques, tackle, rigs and baits that can be used in other areas where ground topography and tidal situations are similar. Whether you are an accomplished angler or someone who is eager to try it for the first time, the main purpose of this book is to allow Dave to pass on a series of tips and experiences from a lifetime as a top charter boat skipper. He guides you through…

ABU 464 The 484 and 464 used the same blank, metal ferrule and aluminium handle. The 484, which arrived first, featured a cork handle and screw reel seat. It had conventionally cradled hard-chromed rings. The 464 was a stripped-down version with a shrink wrapped handle and sliding coaster clips. Tournament casters and many anglers preferred it, not least because it was the rod Nigel Forrest used. The 464 rings were simple wire spirals made flexible so that their feet moved with the blank as it compressed and straightened. The first production run used Conolon blanks, which are identifiable by the slight bulge in the blank where it inserted into the male ferrule. There is some question as to the provenance of the blanks used on later rods. HARDY TOURNEY 6-9OZ…

IF YOU need to kit your kayak, dinghy or charter vessel out with specific mounting accessories for holding items such as a GPS, mobile phone, tablet, camera or rod holder, in fact just about anything that needs securing firmly, New Zealand company RailBlaza provides a huge range of products. They’re extremely well built, fit securely to any surface and all are guaranteed for five years. In addition, the good news for us is they are readily available in the UK. STARPORT HD RRP: £12 This is a stylish, low profile base mount that allows any RailBlaza accessory to be firmly fixed into position by the star-shaped docking port. Not only that, they are interchangeable with many products on the market, such as Scotty, RAM, Cannon and Fish-On mounting bases. It…

ANNOUNCEMENT There will be no relegation from the 2020 Premier Division. Those with 20 or more points in Division One will be promoted to the Premier Division. HOLT SAC OPEN Kelling, Norfolk, 39 anglers The top three were the three zone winners and they caught more than 20 fish each, mostly dabs and flounders. Winner Mike Topping in Zone A caught 20 fish for 256 points, which converted to 5-5-5. Runner-up Chris Spall was in Zone B where he caught 26 fish for 215 points (4-7-10), with Simon Drayton in Zone C finishing third with 21 fish worth 205 points (4-4-5). Result: 1 Mike Topping, 20 fish, 256pts, 5-5-5 (3pts); 2 Chris Spall, Saxmundham, 26, 215, 4-7-10 (2); 3 Simon Drayton, Gainsborough, 21, 205, 4-4-5 (1). MIKE AND CHRIS’S WINTER…

TRIPS TO MY FAVOURED stretches of Dorset’s Purbeck coastline were severely restricted due to the Covid-19 restrictions and then gridlocked roads during the main summer holiday season made sessions only viable during midweek evenings. Once the tourists had departed though, I couldn’t resist the urge to get out rock hopping on this rocky stretch of Jurassic coastline. Calm conditions are best when tackling some of the lofty perches and should be combined with a tide topping out an hour or so after dusk. Having watched the weather forecasts carefully, a window of opportunity suddenly opened and a couple of days later I was heading west with my mate Steve Lawrence from Poole to our destination at Little Hedbury, a small quarry nestling midway between Dancing Ledge and Seacombe. From the…

LIGHT ROCK FISHING IN winter, especially in the colder parts of the British Isles, can be tough but you can keep the fun going all year by building up your knowledge of marks. Getting to grips with their topography serves you , only sport is harder but also throughout the year. With LRF being less commonly practiced than standard bait-and-wait shore fishing tactics, much of the tactical information rarely applies to modern lure work. For instance, advice such as “fish a gully 40 metres out with peeler for cod on the flood” will only show you if there are cod present. How do you apply this knowledge when using low diameter mainlines and lures up to 7g? KNOW THE TERRAIN Experience of a mark built up over time lasts forever…

IT SEEMED LIkE AUTUMN WAS underway up here in Glasgow – wind blowing the leaves to the ground, the air freshening and a distinct lack of sunshine being replaced by a somewhat oppressive and overcast feel to the season. I’d managed a few solo trips to the south-west of Scotland and this jaunt to Wigtown Bay, in Dumfries and Galloway, felt like the last gasp of fair-weather fishing before the cod season up on the north-east coast. I’ve felt my way into fishing the south-west of Scotland. Trial and lots of error and more than a few blanks, despite attempting some fishing research and trying to read the conditions. Although I’d had a red-letter day a week or so previously (more of which later), I wasn’t particularly optimistic when packing…

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:…

JUST WHEN THE WINTER COD fishing is at its best in December and January, sport can suddenly die . The main reason for this is the influx of sprats or herrings, both inshore and offshore. While the cod are still there feeding, they get preoccupied with huge shoals of baitfish in mid-water, which is why they aren’t interested in taking your juicy lug and squid baits. Therefore give them what they want under these conditions and use a livebait. I’ve lost count of the days I’ve spent cod fishing with the very best bait, only to be on a blank boat. That was until I began experimenting with livebaits back in the 1990s. It doesn’t always work and can be a waiting game, but when nothing’s taking your bait that’s…

HAVING HAD WHAT WAS easily the most successful session I have ever witnessed targeting bass on jigs, I realised the effectiveness of modern slow pitch jigging. It was back in the summer that I enjoyed an incredible day fishing with Matt Forrester aboard his boat Silver Halo, out of Torquay, Devon. Bass were our main target but the action started slowly when each of the several wrecks we visited produced a fish or two, along with an occasional pollack, all of which were beautifully fat and in prime condition. Fishing conditions during the afternoon were much better than the morning, with the tide and a light breeze combining perfectly to create an ideal drift. Not only did we start catching more fish, but also the average size steadily increased. Typically,…

HAVING STARTED FISHING nearly 20 years ago when I was five, my angling journey began with brown trout on the River Avon, then the River Calder before joining local angling club at East Kilbride. Passing my driving test opened the doorway to new and exciting angling opportunities. Nowadays I fish throughout Scotland from Loch Leven to the Mull of Galloway, and in England as far down as Portsmouth. What really fired my passion was when I worked at Glasgow Angling Centre and got to know Nicolas Valentin, who coaxed me into kayak fishing. Now it’s my favourite form of fishing. Through Nic I met members of Central Scotland Kayak Anglers (CSKA), who advised me to start off with an entry-level vessel to decide whether this type of fishing was in…

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. DAN SISSONS The Portsmouth angler will provide answers on the sport of light rock fishing (LRF), the go-anywhere tactic. HOW TO ASK A US QUESTION Email: sa.ed@kelsey. co.uk or online: www. facebook.com/ seaanglermag…

John Popplewell: “I have a couple of Hardy Longbows (above), along with some other stuff and all the range of Penn reels way back to the 1950s. The Hardy Longbow in the 1960s was always the rod that anglers dreamed that one day they would own. For me, a Penn Squidder and a Hardy Longbow were a match made in heaven. “Leslie Moncrieff designed the Hardy Longbow and, in its day, it was the Rolls Royce of beach casting rods. It had a removable butt ring which you unscrewed after fishing. The rubber grips on the rod butt made for comfort when reeling in and casting. The Longbow was classed as a 6-8oz casting rod, but, as with our modern rods, I always knock an ounce or two off and…

BEING WARM, DRY AND PROTECTED is a real bonus during a winter session, whether you’re afloat or on an exposed shore venue. Flotation suits have long been known to provide superior protection, especially in adverse weather conditions. They’ll also keep you toasty warm when the temperature plummets, but they equally provide important safety for any angler. This new two-piece flotation suit is state of the art and has been produced according to the CE and is EN 393 compliant. Basically, this suit is as good as similar suits that cost three times more. It boasts being a fantastic life preservation suit with top quality integrated buoyancy in both the jacket and trousers. It also offers superb storm-proof protection against wind rain and cold. Available in the following sizes: Small to…

Entries close at 23.59 on 06/01/2021 and the winners will be drawn on 07/01/2021. Winners will be notified within 28 days of the close of entries. The draw is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Entry is free. Open to residents of the UK aged over 18. Employees of Kelsey Media and their family members are not eligible to win. Only one entry permitted per person, no bulk entries will be accepted. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable. If any prize or product is lost or damaged during the course of delivery to the recipient, Kelsey Media will provide reasonable assistance in seeking to resolve the problem. However, it will not always be possible to obtain replacements for lost or damaged goods and,…

Chesil League round 8 & open, Preston beach, Dorset, 26 anglers: 1 Rory Eastlake, Weymouth, 939cm (2pts); 2 Mike Taylor, Southampton, 906cm (1). Mike and Chris’s Winter Heaviest Cod League round 2, Carnoustie to Ferryden lighthouse, Angus, 45 anglers: 1 Pete Bauld, Ballingry, 9 cod, 25-7-0 (4pts); 2 Alfie Brown, Peterhead, 9, 24-10-0 (3); 3 Rab Gallagher, Kirkcaldy, 8, 22-6-0 (2). Heaviest fish - Anthony Cook, Newcastle, 8-7-8 (1). Yorkshire FSA open, Withernsea Promenade, East Yorks, 17 anglers: 1 Lee Smith, Hull, 326pts, 5-1-8 (2pts); 2 Graham Dyas, 301, 4-1-4 (1).…