Innehållsförteckning för Issue 610 från Sea Angler

There’s something about fishing in the surf that you don’t get from other types of fishing, except perhaps salmon fishing or river fishing for trout. It’s something to do with standing in the water, feeling the current against your waders, being amongst the cool, crashing, fizzing, salt with your rod in hand, waiting for the lunging bite of a bass – you really can’t beat it. This month we’re celebrating surf fishing and bringing you the best of it in all its forms. Mike Thrussell explains the art of surf fishing with baits on page eight before we take you to four of the most iconic surf beaches in the UK and Ireland starting on page 21. Henry Gilbey is a self-confessed surf fishing nut and takes us on a…

Located on the Gower coast in South Wales, Llangennith beach is a vast expanse of golden sand which extends for several miles in a southerly direction from the tidal island of Burry Holmes to the clifftop village of Rhosilli. I’ve fished at Llangennith for almost 50 years and this is undoubtedly my favourite British shore angling destination. SPECIES Given just the right conditions Llangennith can be a very productive for bass and flounder, both of which are caught throughout the year. Other species you can catch here include dabs, sole, dogfish, small turbot, smoothhounds and, perhaps most popular of all these days, golden grey mullet. Watch out for weever fish, which are often caught when fishing small baits. BAIT In my early days fishing at Llangennith bass were always our…

GETTING THERE To get to Pendine Sands, follow the signs from the A477 between Carmarthen and Tenby. Once you arrive in the village you will find a large pay and display car park next to the beach. Access to the opposite end of the beach is possible by driving along the coast road from Pendine Village to Ginst. Aside from offering good fishing, Pendine Sands are an excellent venue for digging/pumping black lug.h. TACKLE SHOPS ■ Anglers Corner Milford Haven Tel: 01646 698899 ■ Anglers Corner Llanelli Tel: 01554 773981…

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. Steve Wells, Sussex FISH: 15Ib thornback ray VENUE: Aboard Flamer IV, Dorset BAIT: mackerel head DATE: May 4th Rick Upton, Sussex FISH: 8lb ballan wrasse VENUE: Newhaven, Sussex DATE: May 1st Andy Games, Cheshire FISH: 10lb bull…

Cardigan Bay has long been associated with excellent sea angling, and Aberystwyth is perfectly located right in the middle of this west facing stretch of coastline. Popular with tourists, Aberystwyth has long been a favourite port for boat anglers, especially those from the Midlands. Once the home port for a dozen or more busy charter boats. Today, sadly, you will not find a single charter boat based here. Thankfully, anglers who want to fish the productive fishing grounds can do so aboard their own boats, which they can either berth or launch at Aberystwyth Marina. SPECIES Popular species caught off Aberystwyth throughout the spring and summer months include tope and black bream, both of which are often available in large numbers. The first tope start to appear in April. These…

■ Kilmore Quay is located a short drive west from the Rosslare ferry terminal. ■ For launching, berthing and other information about Kilmore Quay Marina visit: kilmorequaymarina.com Charter boats based at Kilmore Quay include: ■ Autumn Dream: Contact Eamonn Hayes +353 87 2135308 or +353 53 9129723 Email info@kilmoreangling.com Website: kilmoreangling.com ■ Lady Alison: Contact: Paul Bates Mobile Phone: +353 86 2075901 or Phone: +353 53 9129831 Email: bates.p@hotmail.com ■ An Foracha and An Crosan: Contact: Declan Bates Mobile Phone: +353 87 529736 Phone: +353 53 9129684 Email: declanbates@eircom.net ■ Enterprise: Contact: Dick Hayes Mobile Phone: +353 87 2549111 Phone: +353 53 9129704 ■ Celtic Lady: Contact: John Devereux: Mobile Phone: +353 87 2926469 Phone: +353 53 9129637 ■ Kilmore Quay Angling: Contact: Walter Rankin Mobile Phone: +353 85 1730323 Email:…

Small eyed ray (Raja microocellata) are one of the most distinct ray species found in the UK and, in my opinion, with the exception of stingray, pound for pound, they are the hardest fighting species. This is certainly the case when hooked in shallow water, which will often be the case. Distributed almost exclusively in the south and west of the UK, typically west of the Isle of Wight, small eyed ray are caught at localised marks throughout Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. The Bristol Channel has long been a stronghold for this species, which can also be found throughout the southern half of Cardigan Bay. Small-eyed-ray occupy a similar south-westerly distribution in Ireland, where they are most commonly caught in County Kerry at locations including Brandon and Tralee Bay where…

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.…

With summer on its way many sea anglers will be reaching for their float fishing tackle as a super-exciting and effective method of catching a wide variety of species such as wrasse, mackerel, garfish, pollack, mullet and bass. The sliding float rig allows you to easily adjust the depth at which your bait is presented depending on where the fish are and what depth of water you are fishing in. Follow these instructions on tying a sliding float rig and be prepared to watch that float go under as another fish takes your bait! Step-by-step 1. Pass your mainline through the loop of wire attached to your rubber float stops. Then pull the float stop off the wire loop until it is connected to your mainline only. The float can…

As many of you will know, I have a longstanding working relationship with Shimano. This somewhat privileged position gives me the opportunity to use some of the finest fishing tackle manufactured today. While it is always a pleasure to use top end products, I have ensured that I familiarise myself with the company’s entire product range. After all, how can I honestly recommend a rod or reel to someone if I have never used it myself? Towards the end of last year I received one of the first Shimano Spheros SW8000HG reels that arrived in the UK. This was perfect timing as it coincided with the easing of covid travel restrictions which allowed me to use the reel extensively on two separate trips to Costa Rica. I loaded the reel…

Targeting bass in the surf was once described to me as an art form. I was only 14 or so at the time and didn’t understand how accurate that statement was. What I’ve come to realise is that to become an art form a compilation of factors must come together to create a finished product. To be successful at surf bassing you need to break it down into its individual components then bring them back together to form the work of art. WHEN & WHERE TO FISH You could argue that seeking bass in the surf is a 12-month occupation, and to some extent that’s true with bass being caught, especially along the western coast of the UK, throughout the year. However, we need to narrow this down to better…

GETTING THERE To get to Llangennith beach exit the M4 at junction 47 and follow the signs for Gower, then the A4295 north Gower road, turning right towards Llangennith at the petrol station. At Llangennith follow the signs for the Hill End camp site beach car park where you pay a nominal charge to park a short distance from the beach. Fish can be caught all along the beach. Hot spots include in front of the stream near Burry Holmes and the ‘White House’ further south. Llangennith is a very popular surfing beach so during weekend and holidays, and when the surf is up, you may need to walk north towards Burry Holmes and away from the surfers. Hill End campsite facilities include a shop, toilets and a café. Maddies…

Get the ferry to Dublin (routes from Holyhead and Liverpool) or Rosslare (from Pembroke). Dingle is a 4.5 hour drive from Rosslare and similar from Dublin. Inch is a 20 minute drive from Dingle, or just over 30 minutes from Tralee. STAY There is a fully serviced campsite adjacent to the beach (www.inchbeach. com) with B&B and self-catering cottages also available on site. Next door, the Seafront Inn offers B&B accommodation, and has a great bar and restaurant with stunning views over the bay. The Dingle Peninsula has a huge range of accommodation, from self-catering cottages to B&Bs and 4-star hotels. Dingle Town is the nearest large town with plenty of nightlife and restaurants. Tralee is another large centre with plenty of accommodation options. Check out www.discoverireland.ie for recommended accommodation options.…

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…

Saltwater flyfishing is taking off in the UK, of that there is no doubt. An increasing amount of coverage is rightly being devoted to this productive method of sea angling in the mainstream angling press, with much discussion about its merits and the techniques and tackle needed. However, surprisingly little has time has been spent on de-mystifying the business end of things, the flies themselves. There is, in any branch of lure fishing (and that is essentially what a fly is), a huge array of choice, verging on being bewildering. The cost of an individual fly may not be high, but take it from me, the inevitable ‘kid in a candy store’ syndrome can kick in, and before you know it you’ve spent a small fortune on beguiling, enticing, intricate…

Some time ago in an article I dubbed the conger ‘mean, moody, and magnificent’ – a fair summing up for a fish that has a touch of mystery about it. Add its ability to swim backwards almost as well as forward, that it has been caught commercially in UK waters to over 200lb, and that huge fish of almost 70lb are available within easy sight of the shore, and you have a quarry that provides tremendous excitement and long-lived memories. Some of this must have been in the mind of sea angler Mike Connell who served in Bomber Command during the war. He also big game fished around the world. In the 1960s Mike put to the test whether a specialist club exclusively for conger enthusiasts would be successful and…

For more information contact the harbour master on Tel: 01970 611422 E: enquiries@aberatthemarinegroup.co.uk Port call sign & working channel: VHF Channel 80 Website: themarinegroup.co.uk/ marinas/aberystwyth/ Milford Haven Coastguard: Tel 01646 690909 FISHING TACKLE SHOPS: ■ Aber Fishing Tackle is located a short distance from the marina at 3 Terrace Road Tel 0970 611200. They sell all locally required tackle along with fresh bait such as ragworm, plus top-quality Ammo frozen baits. They open 0900-1730 every day during the summer but shut on Sundays during the winter. ■ GB Fishing are located at 5 Corporation Street, and can be contacted on Tel: 01970 630974 You’ll find plenty of accommodation locally to suit all budgets.…

WINNING QUESTION Q Could you please tell me what the apparent measurement rating in thousands, i.e. 7000 to 14000 on similar-looking sea fixed spool reels, actually refers to? NEIL MAYELL, DOVER, KENT JM says: The numeric measuring found on fixed spool reels is an indication of size. Most fixed spool reels will go up in thousands, but you will also find some models which go up in hundred increments as well. Generally, fixed spool reels that are purposely meant for sea fishing start from around the 4000 bracket and this is mainly down to the size of the spool. With closer inspection you will notice a greater line capacity on the spool as you move up in size bracket with each model of reel. You may also notice certain components,…

Back in the 1970s charter boats out of most southern ports, but especially the South-West, were bringing to shore massive catches of conger eels to over 100lb. This and overfishing by commercial fleets have made the conger eel quite a rare catch in many areas and fishing for them fell out of fashion. However, the species is making a comeback, so much so that congers have replaced cod along much of the south coast with small ‘strap’ conger becoming a nuisance. This is a ‘marmite’ species with many people not keen to try and to eat this tasty fish. But prepared properly conger is a very tasty alternative to cod or haddock. The eel has a firm, white, flesh and is suitable for fish pies and, unlike its smaller cousin,…

COX & RAWLE SURF AND UPTIDE RRP: £2.50 (5-10 HOOKS PER PACK) CHANGING SEASONS As the weather and water temperatures continue to rise, I’ll be concentrating more of my efforts fishing from the open beaches in the Bristol Channel. We can catch a good mixture of different fish on our sandy beaches at this time of year. Numbers of flatfish and bass have already increased and we are starting to see better numbers of rays. Mid to late spring really can be a great time for fishing on the beaches around Somerset and in South Wales. It won’t be long until we start catching good numbers of conger eels and smoothhounds from some of these venues too. Sometimes you really don’t know what you are going to catch next and…

Father Vincent Moore stood on the end of the stone pier, looking out across Broadhaven Bay, eagerly watching as the St Christopher made her final approach into Ballyglass. For Tommy Walsh, skipper of the 21ft ‘doubleender’, it was the end of yet another successful day’s angling. For Father Moore, it was the realisation of a dream, a vision if you like, which had resulted in the birth of the Belmullet Sea Angling Club a few years previously in 1965. As the St Christopher came to rest at her berth, the wooden fish boxes overflowing, smiling faces more than told the success story of the day. Broadhaven Bay is an enormous expanse of sheltered water, almost an inland sea, tucked in between the mainland and the Belmullet peninsula in County Mayo,…

A seven-mile expanse of flat, golden sands that extends from the mouth of the Taf estuary at Ginst Point in the east to the picturesque holiday village of Pendine in the west, Pendine is a classic surf beach. In addition to being one of the best known and productive surf beaches in the UK, at one time Pendine was the chosen venue for those attempting to break land speed records. In the past anglers were allowed to drive onto the beach to fish, but unfortunately, due to the reckless activity of a few, all vehicular access is prohibited. The only exception to this is when competing in club matches, where the organisers have obtained prior permission to drive along the beach. SPECIES Like many other South Wales surf beaches you…

Get the ferry to Dublin (routes from Holyhead and Liverpool) or Rosslare (from Pembroke). Dingle is a 4.5 hour drive from Rosslare and similar from Dublin. Stradbally is a 25 minute drive from Dingle, or just over 30 minutes from Tralee. STAY Castlegregory is a charming little village at the eastern end of Stradbally, and there are many self-catering cottages and B&Bs in the area. Dingle town, on the far side of the scenic Connor Pass, is the biggest accommodation centre in the area, and is famous for its sheer number of pubs, offering plenty of options for post-fishing entertainment. Many pubs offer great food too. Check out www.discoverireland.ie for recommended accommodation options.…

Surf fishing is quite possibly the most electric way to fish for bass, and every single bass you hook when fishing like this is worth at least double because they fight so hard in all that oxygenated water. In my book it’s about as good as fishing gets. All that moving water, all that noise of the crashing waves and their relentless assault upon the coastline. And then that hit from a fish in all that turbulence. It’s a rush, and I love it. Catching bass in the surf is nothing new of course; Indeed, my first memories of hearing about these fish was from the pages of this very magazine. I remember those stories of Irish exploits on the big west coast surf beaches when the writer would be…

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Right up there with the Ray’s Mullet fly, the ‘Romy’s’ has landed more fish than you can shake a rod at! A relatively recent addition to the swffer’s armoury, the little glittery, gold, shrimp imitation also has a fluorescent red ‘tag’ at the head-end. Much like the Ray’s fly, the inclusion of a splash of red definitely increases the hit rate. Interestingly, mullet are capable of seeing colours in the ultraviolet spectrum, so the fluoro coloured tag is thought to positively beam out the ‘dinner is served’ message to peckish shoals. It’s especially effective for thin-lips and golden greys in shallow water with a pale or sandy bottom. A darker version, the Spectrashrimp, is the go-to pattern for brooding thick-lipped mullet feeding over mud (red-tagged or with blue ‘feelers’). Again,…

The only member to record a 50lb-plus eel from the shore (56lb 4oz) and 100lb from boat (109lb 6oz) is Roger Beer of Ivybridge. The UK records since the formation of the club: Colin Chapman, 85lb 9oz, Lyme Bay Peter Arscott, 92lb, 13oz, Lyme Bay Billy Oaten, 95lb 11oz, Lyme Bay Ron Thompson, 102lb 8oz, Falmouth Robin Potter, 109lb 6oz, Plymouth Hans Clausen 110lb 5oz, Plymouth Trevor Kerrison, 111lb 4oz, Plymouth Nial Ball 112lb 8oz, Dartmouth Del Mash112lb 8oz, Plymouth Vic Evans 133lb 4oz, Brixham For more information on the British Conger Club and details on how to join visit www.britishcongerclub.org.uk…

Kilmore Quay is a busy fishing harbour located in County Wexford in the south-east corner of Ireland. Kilmore has long been a popular port for boat anglers, both those who fish aboard charter boats and those who trailer and launch their own boats. It’s the location for the long running Rosslare Small Boats Festival, a hugely popular species hunt that attracts many of the UK’s very best small boat anglers. The species fishing around Kilmore Quay is some of the best in the whole of Ireland, and it’s not uncommon for over 40 species to be landed during this week-long competition. MARKS You only need to look at chart covering the area to see just why the boat fishing here is so varied and productive. Just over three miles offshore…

Pandora bream, Pagellus erythrinus, have a slim, oval body, with a small mouth featuring somewhat bulbous lips. They are generally pinkish in colour, with their back peppered with lilac blue spots. A rare summer and autumn visitor to the UK, the current British record is held with a fish that weighed 3lb 6oz, caught in 1997 off Newquay, Cornwall. Pandora bream are found primarily along the eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean, but specimens have been record from Scandinavia to Cape Verde, including the Mediterranean and the North Sea. The species is common throughout much the of the Mediterranean, which is where I have encountered them at several destinations, notably Gibraltar. Anyone looking to catch a Pandora bream here in the UK should make every effort to liaise closely with…

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. HOW TO ASK A US QUESTION ■ Email: sa.ed@kelsey. co.uk or online: www. facebook.com/ seaanglermag By asking a question you are giving us permission to use your name and where you live in all versions and platforms of this magazine.…

Q What is the difference between a launce and a sandeel? Also, which makes the most effective bait, a fresh or a frozen launce? JACK EVANS, SWANSEA DL says: There are several species of sandeel, and launce are one of the larger species. From an angling perspective the different species are simply large and small sandeels and equally effective as bait, with the size chosen being dependent on the day’s target species and techniques. Provided you obtain good quality frozen eels, as illustrated, they make a first-class bait. From my experience, frozen sandeels can actually be more effective than fresh when targeting species such as rays, huss, various species of flatfish, and even bass. Q What is the difference between a popper and a stickbait? GERRY WHITTLE, NORTH YORKSHIRE DL…

Q You often hear about ‘clipped down’ rigs, but I often wondered if there could be such a thing as a ‘clipped up’ rig. If this was possible, would the baits still release the same or would you get more tangles? As the lead always leads in the Cast, would arranging your rigs way make them more streamlined, thereby allowing more distance in the cast? Bob Price, Norfolk JH says: Clips do work well enough high on the rig, and that can be useful in some circumstances. Generally, though, it is better to clip the baits fairly close to the sinker. You tend to get better release that way, and then there is the option to use clips integrated with the sinker - Breakaway Impact Leads, for example. The heavier…

Tackle confuses so many beach fishermen. Deluged with opinion and hype, we often don’t know which way to turn. One particularly persuasive message is that only the latest and greatest gear will do. Fishing with last season’s rod? No monomag in the reel? And still using monofil line, for heaven’s sake? The party has moved on, so grab your wallet and head for the tackle shop. Years ago I stopped trying to keep up with the tackle world. I retreated because it had occurred to me that I’d become a sheep. I ran with the herd, heading in whatever direction the market prodded us. I always felt that something was missing, and occasionally I got fleeced. Through my experiences in casting and fishing, I should have known better; but you…

SHAKESPEARE SALT SAND SPIKE The Shakespeare Salt sand spike is a simple yet very effective way of holding a rod on a beach. It’s also a great way to get your mainline up and out of the way of other beach users in the warmer and busier months of the year. This sand spike is saltwater resistant and very easy to set up. Shorter in length when compared to most other sand spikes on the market, the Shakespeare Salt sand spike is very stable once fixed into the ground. Simply place the butt of your rod in the cup and then rest the remaining part of the rod in the upper holder of the sand spike. The Shakespeare Salt sand spike also comes with a practical carry case. ■ Saltwater…

Ever since I first came across the now legendary shallow diving IMA Komomo SF125 many moons ago, I have had a serious thing for long casting hard lures that can get me out there and then swim nice and shallow. In the main this is because so much of the bass ground we fish over is pretty shallow. However, I do also believe that as a species of fish, bass are very attuned to hitting lures that swim so shallow. A while back I came across this fairly new to the market IMA iBorn 98F Shallow, a 98mm long lure that weighs 13g and flies like a proverbial missile. I have always liked IMA lures ever since I first started fishing with them for bass, and quite simply because they…

If you go on any of the bass lure fishing forums or Facebook groups you won’t have to look far to find people asking about changing from treble hooks to single hooks. The answers are usually mixed. Some anglers will swear by trebles and that you miss out on fish with single hooks. Others will say they’ve not noticed any difference on hookups using singles. I have mainly fished with soft plastics up until this year (other than a few bigger fish on surface plugs), so the idea of changing my trebles to singles wasn’t really something I was too worried about. The way my fishing has gone this year, I have spent more time, and caught more fish, off the surface, which has led to the odd struggle in…

1: YORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY MATCH 66 fished ■ Result: 1st Mike Coates Hull, 2.675 kg Ray (6); 2nd Phil walker, Hornsea, 2.20kg ray (not registered); 3rd Simon Drayton, Gainsborough, 1.80Kg bass (4). 30: ANGLESEY MATCH ANGLERS OPEN Pwllheli, 59 anglers A Fantastic turnout of 59 top anglers from all over the country arrived at the famous Welsh match stretch, Pwllheli beach. Unfortunately, it was tough going for the majority of anglers with the long-settled spell and gin clear water leading up to the match making things very difficult. Distance casting certainly paid off and the effort was rewarded with some cracking bags for the conditions. The convincing winner on the night, showing his experience and continuing his great form this year, was Shane Russell. ■ Result: 1st, Shane Russell,…

The Sea Anglers Match Federation (SAMF) was formed in 1980, with several well-known match anglers at the forefront: Alan Yates, Ian Golds, Chris Clark to name but a few. The principal officers running the organisation for a great many years were John Amery (Chair), Andy Steel (Secretary) and Mary Steel (Treasurer). In recent years Mike Watts, Tony Thomas and I have taken the lead roles, although Andy is still in the background providing guidance and support where needed. The current SAMF committee includes a number of well-known match anglers from around the country such as Andrew Dugdale (Isle of Man), Bob Gascoigne (North-East) and Bill Lindfield (Merseyside). SAMF has a constitution, risk statements, match rules and insurance – all things you would expect from an established organisation. At the forefront…