Innehållsförteckning för Issue 609 från Sea Angler

Surely the biggest development in sea angling over recent decades has been the revolution in ‘lure’ angling? Many of you, like me, will be old enough to remember when it was called ‘spinning’ and fish were caught on Dexter Wedges or the good old flying condom, both of which, incidentally, still catch fish as well as they did back then. Fast forward to today though and the variety of lures now on offer is bewildering, and verging on being intimidating, for those new to the sport: hard lures, soft plastics, shallow runners, weedless lures, poppers, drop shot lures, LRF and HRF. Where on earth do you begin, particularly when many of these beautifully crafted pieces of art from Japan or the United States might set you back £20 a pop?…

If you’re ever sitting on the fence, deliberating whether to go fishing, just do it. Every cast puts you a little bit closer to that personal best fish. We’re all guilty of procrastinating, and the truth is that a night blanking on the coast is nearly always better than watching mindless television. This is the story of my first proper tope, and the circumstances that led up to it. A decade or so ago, I was fishing in Hampshire chasing turbot and rays at a place called Paddy’s Gap with an old pal, when I happened to reel in a baby tope all of 15 inches long. At the time, it was always good to see a new species but it was certainly nothing to write home about. I have…

Situated in the extreme south-west corner of Wales; indeed, just about as far south and west as you can get in the Principality, St Brides Bay offers exciting angling possibilities for the shore angler. The lure fishing from the rocks is excellent, and that is what we are going to focus on in this article. Those amongst you who are keen to explore wild, remote and unspoiled areas of the coastline, while travelling light with just a rod and box of lures, in areas where on most days it is extremely unlikely you’ll encounter another angler, will certainly not be disappointed! The rugged stretch of coastline between the village of Marloes, near Skomer Island at the southern end of the bay, and the famous surf beach at Newgale in the…

Trunch Lane, situated at Chapel St Leonards near the holiday resort of Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast, offers easy access to some excellent fishing for most of the year. It is a well-known spot for smoothhounds and every year several over 20lb are caught. A bonus with Trunch Lane is that there is plenty of parking and you simply walk the short distance from the car park to the beach. Another advantage is there is a good fishing tackle shop on site called Big Catch Tackle, which also stocks live and frozen baits. SEASONAL SPECIES Besides the summer smoothhounds, Trunch Lane is superb in autumn and winter for whiting fishing. Many of the matches fished here in the colder months require more than 30 fish to get in the frame.…

There is one thing that connects us anglers more than any other; we all taste the bitterness of failure at times, and it hurts like hell. If you’re an avid angler, like me, you look forward to the coming session all week; it’s what gets you through your day job and the chores and responsibilities at home. We spend numerous hours planning, making rigs, sourcing the best bait, and dreaming of what we may catch. I often couldn’t sleep the night before a session on Dorset’s Jurassic coast. It didn’t matter whether it was lure or bait, I would lie awake, simulating the session in my mind, almost willing it to be sensational. Of course, expectations and reality are two very different things. Our hopes and dreams are often scattered…

The specimen I rate above all others is a Mevagissey fish caught from the boat OSPREY in 1974. It was a red bream of 9lb 8oz 12dr taken off the Dodman Point, an area of reef that had over the years produced a considerable number of significant fish. Only one other red bream in the class at 9lb 6oz has been registered, this was off an Irish boat called Valencia in 1963. Unfortunately, no picture exists in the Irish Sea Fish records but the weight is recorded. The previous British Record was another Cornish fish of 7lb 8oz caught in 1925 at the Hatt Rock reef south of Fowey by the then Secretary of the British Sea Anglers Society. POLLACK The great majority of record pollack and coalfish that were…

Holyhead, on the west coast of Anglesey, North Wales, is a major ferry port for both Stena Line and Irish Ferries servicing the Holyhead to Dublin route across the Irish Sea. It’s also famous for its 1.75-mile-long breakwater, the longest in the UK, which was originally built to offer a safe anchorage for vessels heading in and out of Liverpool, and other northern ports, in stormy weather. SPECIES From April onwards, the general rougher ground offers good wrasse fishing, also conger, huss and the occasional codling, along with pollack, some of the latter going over 8lb even tight inshore. Smoothound arrive from May onwards inside Holyhead Bay, with June to early August seeing the peak of the fishing for both numbers and the bigger fish over 20lb. General ground fishing…

RAYMARINE - LIGHTHOUSE 4 The powerful combination of Raymarine Axiom chartplotter displays and the LightHouse operating system gives boat angler elite-level awareness. Raymarine have announced the next generation of the LightHouse Operating System. The new LightHouse 4 delivers even easier to use operation, exciting personalization options, and several new features. As with all Raymarine software upgrades, LightHouse 4 is available to all Axiom, Axiom+, Axiom Pro, and Axiom XL owners completely free as a downloadable update. A revised menu structures enable easier use of the depth of Axiom features, with personalized images now an option for all boaters to make their boat even more their own. Feature improvements include deeper integration with Mercury Engines, Sirius XM Fish Mapping and Navionics charts to heighten a captain’s boat awareness at the helm.…

Q I am new to kayak fishing and think that safety is paramount as I will be fishing alone most of the time. What are the top five items I need when venturing out to sea that could potentially save my life? JOHN DANSIE, ESSEX MC says: Here are my top 5... 1 No matter what, you should always wear a good quality paddling personal floatation device (PFD). I am a fan of Palm equipment and have been using the Kaikoura for years. This is a quality PFD designed by a kayaking brand that has plenty of stowage and attachment points inbuilt for the other necessary safety equipment. Most importantly, there are large pockets which can take a handheld VHF radio so it is secure and protected from the elements.…

RODS Bass rods around 11ft 6in in length and rated to cast 2oz to 4oz have the length to cast a good distance when required but are also perfect for very close quarter fishing when casting just a few yards. They are also light enough to be held all the time to react to bites quickly, which can often make the difference between success and failure. Try to choose a rod with a supple tip. Bass can be shy feeders in shallow estuary channels, and a supple tip allows the angler to feel the initial interest of a bite at close range, but without alerting the fish that something is wrong. ■ TRONIXPRO BANZAI BASS 11FT 6IN 2-4OZS – RRP £107.99 BAITS Worm baits, such as lug and rag, are…

SIMMS G3 GUIDE WADERS – STOCKINGFOOT Simms’ long-standing, award-winning, wader is back with an exciting update to the material package, improved fit, and an enhanced feature set. The new G3 has an updated material lamination package with even more durable, breathable, and comfortable Gore-Tex 3-layer upper and Gore-Tex Pro 4-layer lower. Other features include: ■ Adjustable spacer air-mesh suspender system with a fabric suspender divider and integrated webbing attach point for net carry ■ Top access zippered stretch pocket plus zippered, reach-through micro-fleece lined hand-warming chest pocket ■ The upper organization also includes a removable Tippet-Tender Pocket and a zippered stretch-woven interior flank pocket on wearer’s left ■ Built-in low-profile back belt loops with high and low options; 2 inch stretch nylon belt included ■ Patented front and back leg…

HTO N70 LABRAX SPECIAL TRAVEL RRP: £479.99 If this brand new HTO N70 Labrax Special Travel lure rod 9’ 4’’ 7-42g ended up as even 75 per cent as good as its amazing 2-piece sibling, which has been on the market for a while, I knew I would like it. I have fished a lot with the 2-piece version and it’s one hell of a lure fishing rod which really suits how I like a rod to bend, recover, and fish. The good news here is that this 4-piece HTO N70 Labrax Special is easily as good as the 2-piece version, and for this I must doff my cap to the people at HTO for going all out to make a travel style lure rod fish as well as this.…

COX & RAWLE LONG RANGE WORM RRP:RRP: £2.50 SPRING FISHING During the spring months many anglers, myself included, like to get out targeting flatfish. I love plaice fishing during the spring, especially on those crisp, calm days with a clear blue sky. Along with just fishing for pleasure, I also have a run of fishing competitions in the spring, at many of which I will be targeting flatfish. However, as the temperatures begin to rise we will also start seeing many of these same venues producing smoothhounds and therein lies my problem. I don’t want to sacrifice a good hook-up ratio when targeting smaller fish, with a heavier gauge of wire because of smoothhounds, or any other bonus fish for that matter. I want a hook which is suitable for…

3: HASTINGS & ST LEONARDS AA TEAMS & OPEN East Sussex, 38 anglers ■ Result: 1st Shane Giles 5lb 10oz (3); 2nd Luke Mooring, Dover, 5lb 7oz (2); 3rd Rex Palmer, Hastings, 4lb 4oz (2). 3: KENT FLOUNDER LEAGUE ROUND 4 Allhallows, 34 anglers ■ Result: 1st Lewis Clark Rochford 105cm (3); 2nd Pete Josh, Gillingham, 102cm (2); 3rd Trevor Back, Sheppey, 96cm (2). 3: EAST ANGLIA TEAMS OF FIVE AND OPEN, ROUND 5 East Lane, 64 anglers ■ Result: 1st Steve Adams, Chelmondiston, 332 points (6); 2nd Alan Lewis, 303 points (Not registered); 3rd Dan Eagle, Leiston, 284 points, (4). Zone winners: Liam Roper, Aldeburgh (2), and Mark Ward, Ipswich (2). Biggest fish, Liam Roper with a thornback worth 230 points. 3: SCOTTISH FEDERATION OF SEA…

SHAKESPEARE AGILITY LRF ROD The Agility is specifically designed for drop shotting and ideal for both the LRF expert and beginner. Features include a white rod tip helping to detect even the smallest of bites in low light levels. The rod comes in two sections and has an EVA Handle, a satin matt blank finish and braid friendly zirconium oxide Lined guides. STILLWATER KYOTO LRF ATOZ 5BB 1000 REEL The Agility is paired with the Kyoto Atoz 1000 fixed spool reel incorporating a lightweight graphite body and rotor, a double anodised aluminium spool, a precision cut solid brass pinion gear, an oversized multi-disc drag system for smooth performance and five Ball bearings. DAIWA J-BRAID GRAND 135M GREY 0.06MM 11LB/5KG Detect every single bite with this strong, supple, and abrasion resistant…

The story of the Eastbourne-based tackle dealer and match angling legend is a must-read for any UK match angler. Tony Kirrage’s fascinating life story charts his personal life, career, and adventures in the world of fishing in the UK and abroad. Sea Angler is offering readers the opportunity to buy a copy of this limited 142-page hardback book for just £16.99 while stocks last. Don’t miss out! Copies are available from Tony’s Tackle, 211 Seaside, Eastbourne, BN22 7NP. Alternatively call to order on 01323 731388 or email tonystackle@mail.com Make sure to reference the Sea Angler reader offer to receive your discount.…

My youngest daughter is obsessed with distance running. She trains religiously so that when the opportunity arises in a race she is in a good position to try and break her Personal Best (PB) time for certain distances. A PB is a PB for a reason, and it’s therefore not easy to beat it. However, by training hard and running the best she can, she is giving herself every chance to do so. Plenty of variables, such as the course, the weather, the conditions and other factors will all affect her ability to do so. It’s all about being as well prepared as possible to better her times when the situation arises. I would suggest that fishing shares much of this DNA. I don’t remotely class myself as a specimen…

Branscombe is a lovely little village which sits between Beer and Salcombe Regis in east Devon. You will have to negotiate some very narrow country lanes in order to gain access to the beach at Branscombe, but once there you’ll find a good size pay and display car park. This is a shingle beach which goes off onto sand. However, there is some heavy ground on each side of the main beach when looking out from the car park. This mixture of underwater terrain gives you loads of options with regards to fishing and different species of fish to target. As a rule of thumb, the seabed is relatively clean when fishing up to the end of the first set of small huts on the right-hand side of the beach,…

GETTING THERE Leave the M4 westbound towards Carmarthen on the A48. Then head towards Haverfordwest on the A40. From there you can choose which part of the expanse of St Bride’s Bay to fish. TACKLE & BAIT Anglers Corner, based in nearby in Milford Haven, is the closest tackle shop. Open seven days a week, Sunday being a half-day. Anyone looking for tackle or bait, or the latest advice and news on the Pembrokeshire sea angling scene, would be well advised to either call or pop in for a chat. The shop stocks an excellent selection of lures, including all of the favourite models in colours used by local anglers. Tel: 01646 698899.…

FANCY WINNING A NEW ROD AND REEL COMBO from Okuma by catching a great fish? In our catch competition, your target is to catch one over the weight given on our nominated species list. If you do, enter our contest and you automatically stand a chance of winning either our shore or boat prize. Each issue we award a superb Okuma package to the captor of the best shore fish and best boat-caught fish, both chosen on merit. Prizes are awarded at our discretion and Okuma reserves the right to send alternative prizes. Josh Harrop, Bristol FISH: 15lb 4oz blonde ray BAIT: squid and sand eel wrap VENUE: South Wales DATE: April 3rd Jay Pickup, Merseyside FISH: 11lb 9oz bull huss BAIT: Squid and mackerel VENUE: Cable Bay DATE: March…

After reading an article in Sea Angler and speaking to a few fellow local fishermen, I was shocked to hear of people catching big bass at night with lures. I’m not new to fishing. I’ve have been fishing for over 20 years as a hobby to relax and get away from the grind. But I’ve only really taken my fishing seriously over the last five years, particularly lure fishing for bass on the north Cornish coastline. After reading an article in Sea Angler and speaking to a few fellow local fishermen, I was shocked to hear of people catching big bass at night with lures. This really piqued my interest because in the summer here in Cornwall it’s hard to fish during daylight hours, what with the hordes of tourists,…

This is a breakdown of the records established during the years stated: skippers, species and weight, year of capture and the ports from which they operated. The list does not take into account the very considerable number of fish that were record near-misses. No other ports outside of the South-West where there was charter boat angling came remotely close to the successes of those west of Dorset to the western approaches of the English Channel and those of Atlantic Cornwall. ■ SEA SPRAY: Vic Evans, Brixham, conger 133lb 4oz, 1995. ■ OSPREY: George Pearce, red bream 9lb 8oz 12dr, off Dodman, 1974. ■ FLYING STAR: Bob Armstrong, Plymouth, turbot 31lb 4oz, 1972. ■ SEA ANGLER: Malcolm Jones, Plymouth, whiting 7lb 8oz. ■ Boat & Skipper unknown: electric ray 96lb 1oz,…

GETTING THERE General access is simple from pretty much all inland directions as the main A55 North Wales Expressway runs right along the North Wales coast and straight into Holyhead. When you get to the traffic lights adjacent to the ferry terminals right-hand turn, continue straight on through the lights and follow the road on until it forces you to turn left on to the Prince of Wales Road which is signposted for the Marina. Follow this road, with the sea on your right-hand side, and it eventually brings you to the marina, again accessed by an obvious right-hand turn. USEFUL INFORMATION ■ Holyhead Coastguard: 01407 762051 ■ Maritime Office: 01248 752449/712312 ■ VHF Channels: 14/16 ■ Holyhead Marina Ltd: 01407 764242 ■ Website: www.holyheadmarina.co.uk ■ E-mail: info@holyheadmarina.co.uk TACKLE SHOPS…

The African pompano, Alectis ciliaris, also known as the pennant-fish or threadfin trevally, is a widely distributed species of the jack family, Carangidae. The species is found in tropical waters worldwide. Juveniles have long, filamentous dorsal and anal fin tips which are thought to discourage predators. The species lives in depths less than 100m, consuming a range of crustaceans and small fishes. The current IGFA all tackle record for African pompano is held by a fish that weighed 50lb 8oz, caught off Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1990. The species has been recorded from both the east and west coasts of the US, South America and Africa, throughout the Indian Ocean and along Asia and Australia, as well as many islands in the Pacific. I have personally seen and caught this…

JAMES MADSEN Bristol Channel angler James Madsen is here to solve all your shore angling problems. JOHN HOLDEN A Sea Angler contrbutor for over four decades specialising in casting and rod building. BEN BASSETT The Plymouth angler and blogger 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, blogger and photojournalist Henry, based in Cornwall, is our lure expert.…

Q Does the colour of the lure you use make any difference when fishing in hundreds of feet of water, and if you think it does, what are the most effective colours? HARRY CAMPBELL, BELFAST DL says: Science tells us that no, it doesn’t. But from what I have experienced on numerous occasions I would say yes, even in deep water the colour of a lure can make a difference. Whether or not this is because of the actual lure colour or because in your mind you believe you are using the most effective colour, so are fishing with a great confidence and efficiency, I really don’t know. When fishing in deep water I like to use black, red, or orange lures, switching to more natural colours as the water…

In the last 10 years the lesser spotted dogfish has taken up the slack when our cod stocks crashed. The species has always been very common in some parts of the country, such as the Bristol Channel, but has become increasingly common and can now be found in all around the coast. Its larger cousin, the bull huss, also known as the nursehound or greater spotted dogfish, is still found mainly in the South West, Wales, the South Coast and Scotland. Dogfish have never been a favoured eating fish by the public but many sea anglers know that they do taste good if prepared and cooked correctly. Lesser spotted dogfish can grow to about two kilos (4.4lb) with the average specimen nearer one kilo. With only a cartilaginous backbone a…

DAIWA BG MAGSEALED 2500 RRP: £175 DAIWA BG MAGSEALED 5000 RRP: £205 I first acquired the Daiwa BG 2500 for my LRF and lure work in 2020 and spooled it with 15lb J-Braid Grand. Since then, it has done an enormous amount of work, chasing species like squid, bass, pollock, black bream, mackerel and scad. I would highlight that it also has this mag sealed technology. Unfortunately, I am not a guy who routinely rinses my reels. I look for ones that have high-quality components that offer corrosion resistance, which in turn means longevity of use. They feel so powerful for such a tiny reel; the drag is smooth, and they’ll handle anything in the class you are aiming at. The reel is running just as smoothly as when I…

PENN SLAMMER IV 2500 AND 3500 RRP: FROM £239.99 There is no getting away from how smooth and light so many of the Shimano and Daiwa spinning reels are these days. In fact, I would suggest that we have never had it so good on the reel front and how much we can get for our money. There’s no doubt that these reels sit so well on our lure rods, and retrieving lures for hours on end is a joy, but what about if you are fishing in the surf and your spinning reels are getting a regular soaking from saltwater? Via a lot of experience with a lot of different spinning reels, I find myself turning to the Penn Slammer range of reels these days. While it used to…

There has been an obvious increase in the number of people turning to angling for the first time, or returning after many years of absence as a consequence of the pandemic which has changed so much in the last 18 months or so. To a degree, this has been mirrored in the BASS membership. For many years, new BASS members tended to be anglers of some experience and very often, bass-specific at that. BASS now finds itself with a wider range of angling ability and experience amongst its members than perhaps ever before. With this in mind, it seems like the perfect time to offer some material aimed predominantly at those that are new to chasing bass. That said, the learning never stops in any form of angling so hopefully…

We all get excited when the first plaice appear, usually in February and March. They are the first real evidence that spring is getting close. The truth is though, these fish are fresh back inshore after a rigorous spawning season and in relatively thin condition. It takes a couple of months of feeding before the plaice start really fattening up and getting back towards their prime, from May onwards. One of the first habitats to produce well-conditioned plaice are the smaller estuaries that litter the Welsh coast, especially North and Mid-Wales. These estuaries vary in size from small ones, just a hundred yards or so wide, to major waterways like the Dee Estuary. They all have one thing in common; their shallow, sandy, muddy banks heat up quickly in the…

This stretch of the coastline is long and varied and features rugged stretches, headlands, storm beaches, coves and estuaries that cut deep inland. SPECIES Bass can be caught throughout the range of marks from Whitsand Bay to St Austell. Rays can be caught in the sandy bays while wrasse and congers are always present in the rocky deep-water marks strewn between the coves and bays. Estuary marks produce flounder, school bass and grey mullet in the summer and autumn. WHITSAND BAY Tregantle Beach three miles in length and a good bass venue is bordered by the Grotto Rock spit stretching beyond the third breaker. The best time and tide for bass is a late autumn evening with a big tide on a flood or as dawn breaks. The occasional small-eyed…

This venue lies at the northern end of Cleveleys promenade on the Fylde coast between Fleetwood and Blackpool. It consists of a flat beach, sandy for the most part but with pebbles at the high-water mark and concrete slabs forming part of the sea defences from just past the gate up to Rossall school. The tide goes out for about a quarter of a mile on the big tides and the beach is interspaced with a couple of gullies. The venue gets its name from the gate at the end of the road. SPECIES Late autumn and winter sees whiting, codling, dabs, rockling and the odd bass, dogfish and flounder. Spring sees plaice, flounder, dogfish, bass, and smoothhounds moving in, as well as thornback ray. Summer sees the smoothhound, rays…

BASS ■ Shore: 19lb 13oz 8dr John 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 BULL HUSS ■ Shore: 21lb 9oz M Urquhart ■ Boat: 23lb D Nicholson BALLAN WRASSE ■ Shore: 9lb 4oz Darren Swift ■ Boat: 9lb Glen Carter CUCKOO WRASSE ■ Shore: 1lb 13oz Joe Edward…

I like to extoll the virtues of saltwater flyfishing; I don’t apologise for that, and honestly, I’m really not biased either. My garage has its fair share of beachcasters, uptiders, plugging rods, spinning gear, float fishing set-ups and more latterly, HRF and LRF kit too. It’s all good, it all catches plenty of fish, and I will employ whatever method will give me the best enjoyment for the venue I’m fishing, or the species I’m after. It’s just that, well, given the choice, and when conditions allow, I’ll always reach for my trusty saltwater fly gear, and for five good reasons. 1 TRAVEL LIGHT I guess the majority of us have spent more hours than we’d like to count yomping across the sand and shingle expanses of our local shores,…

MEWSTONE ROCK A wealth of great fishing marks are within three miles of Plymouth’s Barbican. In fact, 150 years ago, an early writer described the area as having ‘famous’ fishing. At its furthest point is the Mewstone Rock, a conical rock island off which conger and bull huss are the target species. Anchor anywhere around its south facing side, or at the eastern side, where a sizeable ledge of rock is hiding beneath fairly deep water. The Mewstone guards the entrance to the Yealm Estuary where the back of a sandbar is visited by small eyed ray. Live sandeel and launce do best but worm can be effective. The mark farthest away, but only a half-hour run from the Breakwater, is called The Ledges and has half a wreck on…

I’ve been fishing for bass using lures for well over forty years and I’ve been a keen lure angler as long as I can remember. When I started spinning in the 1970s most of my fishing was based around using the tried and tested ‘metals’ such as the ABU Toby and other similar spoons, various Meppstype lures, and the crude though effective German Sprats, not forgetting the various rubber sandeel imitations that have come and gone over the years. Moving into the 1980s and 1990s, like so many other ‘bass nuts’, I read Mike Ladle’s and friends’ classic book ‘Operation Sea Angler’. As a result, I swiftly switched to using jointed plugs such as the iconic Rapala J11 and J13, along with other similar patterns from, mostly, American companies such…

To coincide with Sea Angler’s 50th anniversary we’ve updated our great prizes SHORE WINNER: ■ Two spools of Sufix  tritanium ■ One spool of Superior leader ■ Two spools of shock max leader ■ RRP: £65 BOAT CATEGORY: ■ One spool of Sufix Matrix Pro 250m braid ■ A bracelet of sufix invisiline ■ RRP: £65 LURE CATEGORY: ■ Five Rapala Max Rap Lures ■ RRP: £65 Prizes are subject to stock availability. Actual prize may be slightly different to those shown 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.…

Sea anglers are curious creatures. We spend hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds on having the best rods, reels, torches, tripods, cameras, terminal tackle and apparel. We spend innumerable hours tying rigs, collecting bait, researching the best possible venues to improve our catches, or finding that special PB fish. Some of us are marvellous researchers, having all of the qualities of a highly skilled detective. Even after all that planning and effort, we sometimes overlook the smallest of details that can dramatically increase our catches, making the difference between a success and a failure. The margins are often very fine indeed. I believe one of the most criminal sins of your average angler is fishing with blunt hooks, and I’ll explain why. PENETRATION Anyone who has handled a fish surely…

DAIWA BG MAGSEALED 2500 ■ Hard Bodyz body in anodised aluminium ■ Air Rotor ■ Magsealed technology ■ ATD Automatic Drag System clutch with carbon discs ■ Digigear II technology ■ 6 Ball bearings ■ Twistbuster wire guide roller ■ Infinity Anti Reverse ■ ABS II coil ■ Maxdrag:7kg/15.4lb ■ Ratio:5.6:1 ■ Retrieve:84cm/33.2inch ■ Reel weight:275g ■ Capacity nylon mm/m:0.25/190,0.28/155,0.30/130 ■ Capacity braid lb/yds:15/190,20/160,30/120 DAIWA BG MAGSEALED 5000 ■ Hard Bodyz body in anodised aluminium ■ Air Rotor ■ Magsealed technology ■ ATD Automatic Drag System clutch with carbon discs ■ Digigear II technology ■ 6 Ball bearings ■ Twistbuster wire guide roller ■ Infinity Anti Reverse ■ ABS II coil ■ Max drag:10kg/22lb ■ Ratio:5.7:1 ■ Retrieve:120cm/47.5inch ■ Reel weight:645g ■ Capacity nylon mm/m:0.35/500,0.40/380,0.45/280 ■ Capacity braid lb/yds:40/480,50/360,65/310…

■ Penn Slammer IV 2500 weighs 326g loaded with braid. RPP £239.99 ■ Penn Slammer IV 3500 weighs 411g loaded with braid. ■ RRP £259.99 ■ Full metal body and sideplate ■ CNC gear technology with brass main gear ■ IPX6 sealed body and spool design ■ Sealed Slammer® drag system with Dura-Drag™ (Sizes 3500-10500) ■ HT-100™ carbon fibre drag washers (Size 2500 only) ■ 8+1 stainless steel bearing system ■ Hydrophobic line roller bearing ■ Spare EVA handle knob (Sizes 3500-10500) ■ Sizes 2500-5500 have automatic bail trip…

In honour of the late Ian Golds, a worldwide respected match angler, SAMF thought it a fitting tribute to rename the annual SAMF masters in Ian’s memory. Following a two-year break due to Covid, the 2022 event took place at Hythe, Kent on Saturday the 18th and Sunday 19th March. One hundred and four anglers booked in, including a number of past Masters winners, along with some of the best match anglers from around the UK, including a smattering of lady and junior anglers. The weather leading up to the event was calm, with a high pressure settling in over the country leading to lots of talk of plaice and rays being the target species. As so often occurs, the weather threw a curve ball and a stiff easterly breeze…