Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 565 i Sea Angler

THE DEE ESTUARY IN NORTH Wales has always played second fiddle to its neighbour the Mersey. Certainly, it can’t match Liverpool’s cod catches, but it does have marks that are consistent winter fish producers, and none more so than Mostyn. I’ve fished Mostyn, on and off, for more than 20 years and though it’s one of the most talked-about venues on social media, it gets little airtime elsewhere. Popular with locals, it hosts many club competitions, and gets regular footfall from anglers from North Wales, Cheshire and Manchester. It’s a mark that can produce through the toughest time of the year from late December through to late March, when it’s not really about big fish but more in finding somewhere that offers consistent numbers of fish. Mostyn is off the…

STASHING YOUR LURE ROD, REEL and lure collection once the central heating is called into action is a difficult thing to do. Does it really need to be this way, or can you realistically catch bass on lures from the shore up to Christmas, or even into the New Year? A lot depends on your location as, generally speaking, the further south and west you live or are prepared to travel in the UK, the greater your chances are of catching a cold-water bass. It is then a question of narrowing down your approach to certain types of marks – estuaries, surf beaches and reefs – and, eventually, to precise locations within these places. ESTUARIES Bass reside in estuaries all year. Admittedly, they may be the more immature and pre-spawning…

■ Jamie Lock, of Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, caught a new personal best thornback ray (below), weighing 10lb 9oz. It took a black lug and squid bait on a two-hook pulley rig with size 3/0 Sakuma Manta Extra hooks, at Burnham Lower Light. ■ A 62lb halibut was the highlight of a trip to northern Norway for three anglers from Devon. Edward Reilly, Nathan Giddy and Frankie Costello, from Plymouth, all landed double-figure fish every day, including 18lb and 20lb coalfish on a lure rod rated to 80g, cod to 18lb and an amazing 62lb halibut for Nathan.…

A late shark trip out of Poole in Dorset produced a 200lb porbeagle and a massive thresher estimated at up to 600lb. Sam Cumming, skipper of Silver Spray, out of Poole, reports: “All the excitement from last month’s shark trips encouraged us to have another go, which proved very fruitful. Tony Lees (below left)boated his first porbeagle shark, weighing around 200lb. The fish fought for 90 minutes and was returned unharmed. “Later in the day we had our second run with an enormous thresher that jumped clean out of the water 100 metres behind the boat. After three more hours we managed to get the fish alongside the boat and touch the trace to confirm the catch. It’s the biggest thing I have ever seen on rod and line by…

FANCY WINNING TACKLE FROM SHIMANO by catching a fish? Your target is to catch one over the weight given on our nominated species list. If you do, you automatically win a Mission Accomplished badge, as well as being in with the chance of winning a great monthly tackle prize. Each issue we award a superb Shimano reel to the captor of the best shore fish and best boat-caught fish, both chosen on merit. There is no choice of prize, which is awarded at our discretion. Andrew Peadon, Dorchester, Dorset. Fish: 12lb pollack. Bait: Ragworms and squid. Venue: Piscary (Matt Rowe), Poole, Dorset. Date: October 21. Aaron Sanders, Perranporth, Cornwall. Fish: 21lb blonde ray. Bait: Squid. Venue: Escape Charters (Wayne Cook), Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan. Date: Sept 8. June Stokes, Coventry,…

■ Only fish caught since November 2018 are eligible. ■ We must see a picture of the fish. We may refuse an entry. ■ You can claim one badge per species in an issue. ■ A further badge can be awarded in future only if you set a new personal best. ■ Enter by post using the coupon; by email (please include information requested on the postal form) to paul.fenech@bauermedia.co.uk ■ Prizes are as stated (Shimano reserves the right to send alternatives). ■ No correspondence will be entered into.…

MANY OF THE VERY BEST BOAT trips that I have been fortunate enough to have been involved with over the years have been those arranged at short notice. Typically, these have started with an unexpected phone call from a skipper or friend advising me that the fishing has been very good and that the weather forecast for the next day would be perfect. Would I like to jump aboard for a day’s fishing? This was the case in the autumn when I had a phone call from Glyn Pressley, inviting me for a day’s fishing. Along with his pal Andy Samuels, we’d be targeting rays and other species in the Bristol Channel aboard their co-owned pride and joy, Happy Days. One problem with such trips is obtaining bait at such…

IF YOU’VE NEVER TRIED FISHING A LIVE OR dead bait under a float for bass, then you have been missing out on a heap of fun. I use this method towards the end of the autumn and in early winter, mostly because I’m too caught up in my lure fishing throughout the summer. However, you can float-fish a bait for bass almost any time of the year, so don’t think for one second that it’s just a winter tactic. First off, I must point out that I don’t use a leader when float-fishing, relying on my 30lb braid mainline straight through to save the hassle of drilling out the centre of the stopper bead so that the leader knot can pass through it. To start, I thread a bead on…

BACKCASTING IS WHERE YOU STAND facing away from the sea and, for a right-hander, rotate yourself backwards to launch the bait over your left shoulder. Thought to originate from our ancestors who used casting poles and handlines, the method evolved into the Scarborough casting style with its bamboo rods and huge wooden drum reels. Norfolk and Suffolk anglers raised backcasting to new heights during the East Coast cod boom, and at one point it almost eclipsed conventional pendulum casting on the tournament courts. Backcasting is often regarded as fairly brutal, involving long, heavy rods and big chunks of lead weight. It doesn’t have to be that way, though, for backcasting can be as refined as any other fishing method. It can excel with long rods, short rods, multipliers and fixed-spools,…

Q: After trying many times I’m still to catch my first gurnard on a lure with LRF tactics. Can you offer any advice? DAVID SIMMONS, EMAIL AK & DS say: Like most of these species challenges, catching one can be relatively easy, but only if you manage to locate them. Lure fishing is no different. The majority of our lure-caught gurnards were taken over sand. Down our way, on the South Coast, it’s normally on well-known plaice or turbot marks. Tub gurnards appear to feed among those flatfish species especially. It seems gurnards mainly feed very near the seabed and prefer sandeels and small baitfish. They don’t look particularly well built for it, but they definitely hunt and attack small fish. A small metal jig with a pair of assist…

Q: I’m not a strong swimmer. Is it safe for me to go kayak fishing? MIKE RIDDOCK, PENZANCE, CORNWALL MC says: Of course. I am a strong swimmer, but I would stand no chance of getting ashore if I were a couple of miles out, especially in winter That is why we wear buoyancy aids. These will keep you afloat, but there is still hypothermia to consider, so a good drysuit with suitable undergarments to keep you warm for an extended period of time is vital. These are next to impossible to swim in effectively. Just ensure that you have the capability to stay afloat, remain protected from the cold and have a means of signalling for rescue and you’ll be fine as a non-swimmer. Q: I left my kayak…

BUYING A BOAT FOR SEA ANGLING is all about getting a practical vessel rather than worrying too much about items for comfortable cruising. It’s a fact understood by French company Beneteau. Its pricing structure starts by offering the hull as a basic package, to which you can then add only those fixtures and fittings that you really need, saving you money by preventing you from having to include items you really don’t need. This policy is the cornerstone of the French company’s marketing, and is likely to be especially of interest to anglers, most of whom would rather spend their money on items practical to their fishing, such as upgraded electronics, rather than items intended to solely add comfort when cruising. Having already reviewed the Beneteau Barracuda 6, 7 and…

DECEMBER 2008 ■ England’s young anglers grabbed team silver medals in the World Youth and Junior Shore Angling Championships, staged in Spain. Junior team anglers Steven Rathbone and Jamie Morgan got individual gold and silver medals respectively. ■ Gordon Mackenzie caught a 159lb common skate from the shore at West Loch Tarbert in Scotland. ■ A ling of 29lb 8oz was caught by Paul Maris, of Takeley, Essex, who fished a mackerel flapper bait while aboard Dave Brett’s Scorpion out of Plymouth, Devon. ■ Portsmouth charter skipper Rob Hickin caught a personal-best bass of 11lb 9oz aboard his boat Sea Juicer. The fish took a cuttlefish bait on a flowing trace. ■ Membership of the British Conger Club was tumbling, and interest in its prestigious Conger Championships was falling. An…

WHEN I WAS A LAD AND living at home with my folks, my bedroom window faced directly towards the coast. When the wind battered against the glass, it always woke me up in the middle of the night, and I would huddle under the covers, instinctively knowing there was a real chance that a decent cod sea would be starting to run. After a few days, the northerly gale would eventually subside and I’d run into the garden at the rear of the house. Amid the subdued calmness, I could clearly hear the distant roar of the waves rolling on to the beach. Excitement would immediately take over, and after a quick inspection of my dad’s bait fridge and freezer in the garage to see what was available, I simply…

If you want to target a big cod from the Bristol Channel this winter you should put in the hours over the Christmas period. Between December and January, there is a great window of opportunity for some decent fish in the vast estuary. Big cod are, however, few and far between now, with a fish breaking into double figures seen as a good one. The ultimate goal for most specimen anglers would be a cod around the 20lb mark. Because those big cod are in such short supply, you may want some help on where to put in your rod hours. Barry is one place in the Bristol Channel that has a solid reputation for producing big cod from the shore. THE CHASE As always, I like to seek out…

COD FISHING MAY BE HIT AND MISS in the south of the country, but it seems there is no such problem up north in Yorkshire, where shore anglers get among both substantial numbers of fish and large specimens every year. It’s a fact that once you get to the Humber Estuary and go north, the cod fishing can be guaranteed in winter. Unfortunately, that luxury seems to have passed by some parts of the south in recent years. Yorkshire is our biggest county with a long coastline, where the fishing can be considered in at least two or even three distinct parts – the Humber shoreline, the Holderness Coast and the area north of Filey all the way to Redcar. The Humber seems to have hit some form for cod…

GETTING THERE ■ Coming west along the A548 coast road, look for the big black-hulled Fun Ship (you cannot miss it) on the right-hand side after Llannerch-y-Mor. As you pass  this, about 400 yards further on, there is a small right turn over the railway on to a rough track road that brings you to the seawall. Parking is a little limited, so park carefully and always leave access for others. TACKLE SHOPS ■ Deeside Fishing Tackle, 28 Chester Rd, Shotton, CH5 1QA, tel: 01244 813674. ■ Foxon’s Tackle, 2 Lower Denbigh Rd, St Asaph, LL17 0ED, tel: 01745 585583. ■ Geoff’s Tackle & Bait, 163 Wellington Rd, Rhyl, LL18 1LW, tel: 01745 356236. ■ Harry’s Tackle & Bait, 100 Vale Rd, Rhyl, LL18 2BY, teL: 01745 591794.…

THE EU COMMISSION RECENTLY PUBLISHED its proposals for bass fishing opportunities in 2019, which, if agreed by ministers, could eliminate targeted fixed netting and allow anglers to retain one bass per day for seven months of the year – from April to October 2019. However, having lobbied over the course of 2018 to get a bag limit re-established in October of this year, the Angling Trust is pushing for the bag limit to be increased further in 2019. Campaign group Save Our Sea Bass and the Angling Trust have discussed various bass limit options with the Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, at a recent fisheries stakeholder meeting. One of the most significant developments in the EU Commission’s proposals, said the Angling Trust, is a one per cent cap on landings of…

Five new sea fish record claims have been ratified by the British Record Fish Committee. They are: Jason Touzel’s shore-caught 3lb 3oz 2dr white sea bream, caught from the west coast of Jersey on May 11. Cameron Atkinson’s shore-caught 18lb spurdog, from Watermouth, Devon, caught on January 24. Ryan Wingfield’s shore-caught 75lb tope, caught from Strumble Head, Pembs, on May 25. Ryan claimed his fish at a weight of 73lb 2oz, but the scales test showed the scale to be reading light and consequently the fish was ratified at 75lb. John Varcoe’s boat-caught 2lb 1oz 14dr Almaco from a reef off Polzeath, Cornwall, on October 5. Mini-species: David Lynes’s Baillon’s wrasse, weighed in at 285g. David caught his fish from a boat in Poole Bay on September 3.…

■ During a week’s trip to Bodo, in Norway, Tom Rees, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, caught some superb fish, including a 32lb cod, 24lb cod and 10lb coalfish. The trip was with Guided Fishing Norway. ■ Carl Smith, of Bournemouth, Dorset, caught and released a 13lb 7oz bass, a personal best, while fishing at nearby Boscombe pier. He fished a squid on pulley rig with size 4/0 Sakuma Manta hooks. His previous best was 4lb 10oz. ■ Mark Kemble, of the Yak Life group, fished Cardiff Foreshore from his kayak and, during the flooding tide, caught this cod, which was returned unweighed. It fell to squid bait, on flowing trace with size 4/0 Sakuma Manta Extra hooks.…

BASS SHORE Clark Gretton, Haverfordwest, 8-9*, Newgale CONGER SHORE Steven Howells, Bridgend, 21-2, Ogmore FLATFISH SHORE Iain Bickerstaff, Poole, 2-8 flounder*, Holes Bay Ray Edwards, Weymouth, 8lb 3oz brill, Chesil Beach Sean McCaffrey, Scalloway, 1-2 dab, Shetland FLATFISH BOAT Dave Colclough, Poole, 2-4 sole, Poole MULLET SHORE Stephen Aldrich, Plymouth, 1-14 red, Branscombe POLLACK SHORE Derek Gould, Truro, 10-9, Cornwall Joe Gould, Truro, 7-10-9, Cornwall POLLACK BOAT Andrew Peadon, Dorchester, 12-0, Poole RAY SHORE Anthony Birch, Sunderland, 9-13 thornback*, Silloth Leo Connolly, Clevedon, 13-13 thornback*, Clevedon pier Andrew Edwards, Littlehampton, 9-8 undulate*, Littlehampton Mark Jones, Pontypridd, 174-0 common skate, NW Scotland June Stokes, Coventry, 10-3 undulate*, Abbotsbury Chris Voller, Haywards Heath, 10-9 undulate, Hove RAY BOAT Aaron Sanders, Perranporth, 21-0 blonde*, Penarth Kerrie Silk, Southsea, 12-5 undulate*, East Cowes SHARK…

FOR ME, NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO seeing and hearing a big bass engulf my lure being worked across the sea’s surface. It’s a tactic I try to use whenever and wherever I can. Topwater fishing for bass is often wrongly regarded as a tactic that produces only on warm, calm, overcast summer days, or during the low-light periods of dawn and dusk, but in reality bass will hit topwaters at any time of day and under many different conditions. I have continued to fish topwaters right up until the end of October this year, and I have still been catching, with three decent fish falling to the method on my last trip offshore. Granted, one of those fish was caught over a reef in just 16ft of water, but the…

WITH THE REMNANTS OF 2,200 frozen black lug to look after for some friends, I also had 13kg of unwashed squid defrosting ready for re-bagging into smaller, ready to use packages. I should have had 300 fewer worms by rights, having intended to them over to Ian Ellis when I was going to Norwich on a particular Friday. Well, that was how it was supposed to work, except we both got the wrong day. The relevance of all this was that I didn’t launch that morning in a sea that was surprisingly fishable, despite the forecast. I’d had to cancel on my pal Si Fletcher. I was still trying to decide what to do when Ian sent a text to say he could make it on Saturday. What a relief!…

Q: How do I put replacement heads on to the bodies of the HTO soft plastic lure range? JAMES BROWN, BY EMAIL HG says: I don’t know the HTO soft plastics, but I do know the Fiiish Black Minnow range very well. These take a bit of getting used to as regards rigging. Have you looked on, say, You Tube for some HTO rigging tips? Failing that, call suppliers Tronixpro and ask how you go about rigging them properly. Q: Could you suggest a good long-casting metal lure that gives off plenty of movement for surf fishing? NICK OWEN, EMAIL HG says: Have you come across the Savage Gear Seeker? It casts really well, and on a medium speed sort of straight retrieve it looks like it’s spinning away in…

TRONIXPRO SEA SUIT RRP: £129.99 There’s nothing worse than being cold and wet on a winter shore or boat session. It’s vitally important to stay warm and dry throughout, so choosing the correct clothing is a step in the right direction. This new two-piece suit offers the winter angler everything that’s required to stay toasty warm, while keeping those freezing winds and the rain at bay. The jacket features a thermal inner, together with a thermal high neck that stretches around the face. Neoprene cuffs prevent the irritation of water creeping up your sleeves, plus there’s a detachable hood. A snug fit is assured by means of a draw-cord inside, and the whole outfit is secured with a tough zip and Velcro fasteners. The outside includes two handwarmer pockets, with…

■ NAME: Ian Ainsley ■ HOME: Seaham, County Durham ■ LATEST BUY: Shimano Power Aero XSB 14000 Ci4+ fixed-spool reel ■ PRICE: £220 Ian bought his latest fixed-spool reel from Fishing Republic in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. “They were having a huge sale in the  store and this quality Shimano reel was drastically reduced in price. I’ve loaded it with braid and it performs incredibly well, I love it!” ■ NAME: Steve Foster ■ HOME: South Shields, Tyne and Wear ■ LATEST BUY: Sonik Gravity Surf 15ft 4in rod ■ PRICE: £180 A very popular three-piece rod, especially among shore match anglers, Steve bought his rod from another angler. “When I heard that another angler in my area was selling it, I didn’t hesitate in buying it. It’s a fantastic…

THIS MONTH’S offer showcases a superb fixed-spool reel, together with some quality mono mainline and shockleader. Star of the show is the Tronixpro Envoy 7000 fixed-spool reel. Featuring 5+1 bearings, with a cranking power of 4.1:1, it’s ideal for conquering all of your winter beach sessions. Not only does it possess enough grunt to beat a nodding cod, or a battling bass, it’s also incredibly smooth and easy to master. The frame is lightweight and will certainly balance perfectly on your chosen beachcaster or Continental-style outfit. Other features include an infinite anti-reverse and powerful front drag system. Accompanied with a high-capacity spool that will easily swallow up 270yds of 17lb, or, 230yds of 20lb mono mainline – it even comes with a spare graphite spool. Finished in super-stylish chrome, it’s…

Crewsaver is launching its ErgoFit+ lifejacket in March 2019. With its halo hood system, it is tailored to the shape of the ErgoFit inflated bladder to reduce water reaching your airway. Once deployed, the halo hood forms a spacious chamber above your face and includes an internal barrier protecting you further against water ingress, while doubling up as an anti-glare panel to shield your eyes from the jacket’s flashing light. Sculpted shaping around the shoulders provides improved in-water mobility. In addition, there is a quick-lock buckle that accommodates the use of a single loop harness for ease of tethering. An Exposure OLAS Tag (a portable tracking and overboard location alert system) can be integrated into this lifejacket. ■ For more info, visit: www.crewsaver.com NAVICO’S NEW DISPLAY CATEGORY A new category…

THE ANNUAL POLICE SPORT UK National Team Championships was once again back on the East Coast. This year, the Suffolk venues of Felixstowe and Aldeburgh welcomed police forces from around the UK, who entered 30 teams of four anglers. Fishing over two days and to SAMF catch-and-release rules using the weight-to-length conversion chart, all anglers were issued with bait packs that consisted of lugworms, mackerel and squid. The opening match was at Felixstowe and fished during darkness. This turned out to be an absolute fish-fest as hordes of whiting and the occasional dogfish were beached by the competitors. Zone D certainly proved to be the hotspot, where Martin Case, representing Dorset A, put in a sterling performance, winning the section with an astonishing 61 fish for 851pts. Just behind was…

EAST ANGLIAN TEAMS OF FIVE OPEN Weybourne, Norfolk, 73 anglers Zone 4 produced the top two, with Tarrick ‘Taz’ Brighton taking 24 fish for 4-9-8 at peg 55, and Barry Diaper catching 26 for 4-7-8 at peg 51. Third was Matt Frost with 27 fish for 4-2-0 at peg 73 in zone 5. Team Breakaway and Stuart Guns & Tackle shared were the top teams on the day. ■ Result: 1 Tarrick Brighton, Aldeburgh, 24 fish, 4-9-8 (7pts); 2 Barry Diaper, Stowmarket, 26, 4-7-8 (6); 3 Matt Frost, Woodbridge, 27, 4-2-0 (5). Zones – Alan White, Ipswich, 15, 2-11-0; Craig Buy, Colchester, 17, 3-13-5; Graham Adams, Shotley, 18, 4-0-10 (all 2). EAST COAST WARRIOR OPEN Sewerby Steps to Paull Lighthouse, East Yorks, 116 anglers Winner Karl Wieckpe, of Grimsby, fished…

■ With £10,000 in tackle prizes spread over the two divisions, points, based on entries, are awarded to the top three, section winners and captors of the largest fish caught in each designated Penn match. Penn also awards a prize of a 525 Mag reel to the angler scoring the most points in matches shown in each issue. If there is a tie, the winner will be the angler whose total is from the greatest number of results and is then chosen on merit by the editor. An angler can win only one reel during the year. To win a prize you must be registered with the Penn Sea League – supply your name, address, phone and email. Send fixtures, results and league registration by email to: cliff.brown@bauermedia.co.uk…

BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST natural harbours in the world, Poole offers countless opportunities throughout the year for a wide variety of species, but it is particularly flounders, which show during the winter, that attract anglers to this shoreline, in search of a magical four-pounder. For those targeting flounders, Poole Harbour has one great advantage over many of its West Country rivals where peeler crabs rule supreme. Crabs can often be expensive and difficult to source during the winter, but, luckily, ragworms are far the most productive bait within Poole Harbour, and these can be bought at a reasonable price from the many tackle shops that serve the area. For instance, £10 should buy more than enough for a day’s fishing. December and January are the prime months for big…

GETTING THERE For Holton Road Angling, follow the M4 to South Wales and leave the motorway at junction 33. Head down the A4323 towards Barry. Turn off on to the A4050  and follow the A4231 to Coldbrook Road. Turn off to Church Road, which leads to Holton Road. For Cardiff Foreshore, leave the A48 Eastern Avenue at the Cardiff Docks/ City Centre exit at Llanedeyrn. Go along Southern Way and Rover Way to the dock entrance. Park on the approach road and then walk to the Foreshore. TACKLE SHOP ■ Holton Road Angling, 242 Holton Road, Barry, South Wales CF63 4HS, tel: 01446 679284.…

GETTING THERE ■ Boulby is in the Redcar and Cleveland area, between Saltburn and Whitby. It is easy to reach on the A174. Parking space is limited here. Access is easier from Staithes, a mile to  the south, where you park and follow the shore to the left under the cliffs at Cowbar. Access to the Boiler Hole and Boulby Gully is two hours either side of low water. It is a good walk to the gully. Hawsker is to the south of Whitby off the A171 before you get to Robin Hood’s Bay. TACKLE SHOPS ■ Keith Sports, 31 Milton St, Saltburn TS12 1DN tel: 01287 624296. ■ Redcar Angling Centre, 159 High St, Redcar TS10 3AN, tel: 01642 474006. ■ Whitby Angling Supplies, 67 Church St, Whitby YO22…

WHEN A NORTH- westerly wind blows in winter, it’s the signal to try your luck for codling at Holland-on-Sea, the neighbour of the Essex seaside resort of Clacton. Add in a big high tide and your catch-rate will increase. A north-westerly will be blowing offshore over the top of the cliff behind you, which gives an added advantage of making it easier to achieve longer casting in comfortable conditions. It was December and, as I always have my ear to the grapevine for local catch information, I heard of occasional codling being caught. As you can guess, it didn’t need much encouragement for me to grab my gear and head to the beach. Yes, it is fair to say that it had been a few years since we’d seen a…

This 8lb 3oz brill is a potential British shore-caught record. The big flatfish was caught at Abbotsbury, Dorset, by local angler Ray Edwards. It took a whole squid and lugworm cocktail on a clipped-down Pennell rig. He used a Century Tip Tornado LD rod and Daiwa 7HT reel. The British shore record is 7lb 7oz 8dr (3.387kg) caught in 1980 near Vason Bay, Guernsey. ■ Dylan Rees, of Maesteg, Bridgend, fished on Penarth pier, where he used lugworms on a two-hook flapper rig to catch this Dover sole of 2lb 13oz. ■ Dougal Martindale, of East Cowes, Isle of Wight, fished at the island’s Atherfield beach and caught a personal best undulate ray, weighing 15lb. The ray took a pouting fillet. ■ In Time Machine for 1988 (Sea Angler issue…

Fishing in 450ft of water a mile off the coast of County Antrim, Philip Dripps caught a superb 208lb common skate. The fish, which was 88in long and 68in wide, was tagged and released by charter skipper Sean McKay, who operates Lady Linda, out of Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. Philip’s bait was a coalfish injected with halibut and crab oil and mounted on a size 10/0 Mustad O’Shaughnessy hook with a crushed barb on Okuma 300lb mono. Philip (pictured below) also used a 4lb lead weight. “This was a fish of a lifetime and my best sea fish ever,” said Philip, who lives in Ballymena. ■ Meanwhile, charter boat skipper Hamish Currie (right) is considering his chances of claiming an IGFA record for a big common skate, based on the fact…

THERE’S ONLY ONE SPECIFIC MENTION of recreational fishing in the Fisheries Bill, which is in reference to it being able to receive funding for development and promotion. This could be a game changer for sea angling. The financial assistance will replace the EU European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, which recreational fishing didn’t qualify for. Other plans for recreational fishing don’t need to be included in the Bill and can be brought in as Statutory Instruments, or secondary legislation, at a later date. Some of the areas being considered include whether some fishing opportunities should be reserved for the recreational angling sector, how to further integrate recreational angling into fishery management governance and decisions, managing some stocks specifically for the recreational angling sector only, and looking at how the recreational sector…

BASS ■ Shore: 19lb 13oz 8dr John S Locker ■ Boat: 19lb 4oz Wayne Milton BLACK BREAM ■ Shore: 5lb 5oz 1dr C Le Monnier ■ Boat: 6lb 6oz Tony Heart COUCH’S BREAM ■ Shore: 2lb 15oz 1dr Lynton Carre ■ Boat: 6lb 9oz 7dr Ray Fallaize GILTHEAD BREAM ■ Shore: 9lb 8oz Scott Smy ■ Boat: 10lb 2oz Roger Simcox PANDORA’S BREAM ■ Shore: 1lb 2oz Baz Wheater RAY’S BREAM ■ Shore: 6lb 1oz Jordan Colwell RED BREAM ■ Boat: 6lb 4oz Patrick Meegan BRILL ■ Shore: 8lb 3oz Ray Edwards ■ 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…

There is little better on a cold frosty midwinter morning than to dig out the flotation suit, pick up your bucket of lugworms and head for your favourite charter boat. The target, of course, will be cod. From the end of September through to late February, the Bristol Channel charter fleets will be flat out in search of what must be the British anglers’ favourite catch. Catch rates vary from season to season when the different year classes make the vital decision on which route to take for their winter migration. Of course, the force driving them is directly related to the quantity and quality of available food. With a staple winter diet of mainly crustaceans and various worms, the cod should find an abundance in the Bristol Channel. The…

Micro jig heads are available in various weights and colours to pair with a wide range of small lures to suit different light rock fishing situations. Our diagram is a guide to the weight of jig head needed for the length of the lure. The jig heads are connected to line with a nonslip loop or grinner knot, or you may prefer to tie a link on your mainline. The jig head then clips to the link. Try something like an HTO light link or Spro Freestyle snap. STEP-BY-STEP 1 Match the jig head to the lure. With the head snug to the top of the lure, the hook should come out in the middle of the lure’s back. 2 Turn the jig head and insert the hook from above…

PAUL FENECH Sea Angler’s features and tackle editor Paul is here to solve your shore angling problems. DAVE LEWIS Based in Newport, South Wales, our contributing editor Dave answers boat fishing questions. MARK CRAME Suffolk-based Mark gets a thrill from fishing afloat on a kayak. Send him your kayaking queries. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photo-journalist Henry, based in Cornwall, will answer questions on lure angling. ADAM KIRBY & DAN SISSONS The Portsmouth-based duo fish ultra-light from shore and boat. They’ll provide answers on light rock fishing (LRF), the go-anywhere tactic where size of fish is secondary to the fun of catching them.…

Q: What is the difference between maximum speed and optimum cruising speed? ERIC DYSART, BY EMAIL DL says: As the name suggests, the maximum is the top speed achieved when the engine is running at full revs. Cruising speed is a more economic compromise, which offers a decent running speed with more acceptable fuel economy. Assuming an outboard engine revs to a maximum 5,500rpm, a cruising speed will be in the region of 4,000rpm. Modern engine monitoring systems perfectly illustrate exactly how much fuel you are burning at any given speed. Q: Is there any way of repairing a damaged shad lure when in use and wet? STUART ASHLEY, GRIMSBY, LINCS DL says: I fish shads extensively in Norway and Iceland and find that elastic bands attached as shown provide…

SONIK VADER XS SHORE ROD PRICES: £54.99; £64.99 & £79.99 Be honest…did you find yourself doing a double-take at the prices above? I reckon you probably did, and now you’re wondering if it’s a huge mistake. Well, I’m happy to report that there’s nothing wrong with your eyesight and the prices are unequivocally correct. The latest batch of blanks to enter Sonik’s remarkable stable of shore rods is the Vader XS range, an updated model that sees them replacing the popular SKS rods. So, if you’re a newcomer to shore fishing and in need of a quality outfit, be prepared to rub your hands at the thought of using a rod that doesn’t cost the Earth to buy. There are three rods to choose from, with a single three-piece outfit…

FIN-NOR VALHALL 2.0 II TRAVELLER & TRAVELLER LIGHT RODS RRP: £189 & £175 Fin-Nor enjoys a well-deserved reputation for manufacturing high-quality rods and reels, and the company’s Valhall Traveller 2.0 II range of four-piece combined casting/ jigging rods are going to be of interest to the increasing number of anglers for whom a journey to an airport marks the start of most of their angling adventures. The range consists of two blanks, each having an overall length of 2.2 metres. Interestingly, both blanks are specified with two load ratings, one for casting and the other for vertical jigging. For example, the lighter version is rated to cast lures ranging 30-80g and vertically jig lures up to 150g, while the heavier version is rated to cast lures in the 40-140g range…

HERE’S MY SPRING SHOOTS OF AN IDEA that could, potentially, lead to the introduction of slot sizes to be used for the retention of bass caught in UK waters. All I have at the moment is a layman’s understanding of an issue concerning the accumulation of toxins in creatures that eat other creatures lower down the food chain that have absorbed micro plastics found in the marine environment. We all know that disposable plastics from all sorts of sources can end up floating around in our oceans. Earlier in the year I joined the LISA (Local Independent Sea Anglers) club and shortly afterwards found myself volunteering to attend one of their many beach-clean events, this one at Cuckmere Haven, in East Sussex. There were around a dozen of us and…

■ RESULT: 1 Norfolk A, 55pts; 2 Hampshire A, 59; 3 Scotland A, 73; 4 Kent A, 74; 5 Norfolk B, 82; 6 Cambs A, 89; 7 Scotland C, 89; 8 Essex A, 97; 9 Met B, 101; 10 Dorset A, 106. ■ INDIVIDUAL: 1 Ian Ainsley, Durham, 68 fish, 4pts; 2 Tom Gibbs, Norfolk A, 60, 4pts; 3 Paul Gelman, Hampshire A, 71, 5pts; 4 Kevin Green, Norfolk A, 41, 5pts; 5 Gregor Hay, Scotland A, 49, 6pts; 6 Josh Sawyer, Met A, 53, 7pts; 7 Paul Diment, Kent B, 41, 7pts; 8 Carl Harper, Hampshire A, 37, 8pts; 9 Simon Clark, Essex B, 45, 9pts; 10 Vernon Allen, Met B, 60, 9pts.…

JUNIOR WINNER ■ Junior angler Jack Reynolds secured a zone win in the Veals League round 6 at Littleton, South Glos, with two fish for 0-14-8. Winner was Andrew Madsen with 1-6-4. HEAVY BASS ■ Heaviest fish in the Dave Read memorial match at Hastings was a 3lb 6oz bass for Ralph Crosby. The match was won by his brother, Colin, with nine bass, the best weighing 3lb 3oz, plus five whiting for 16-1-0. GALE FORCE WIN ■ Anglers fishing the Tralee Bay SAC open at Rossbeigh, Co Kerry, had to contend with fishing into a gale. Leonard Foley won his first match with eight bass for 400 points. Longest fish was Joe Corbett’s 44cm bass.…

■ Gower Rockhoppers open, The George, Mumbles, Swansea, 60 anglers: 1 Carl Campion, Swansea, 0.940g dogfish (6pts); 2 Peter Hammond, Ferryside, 0.915kg dogfish (5); 3 Chris Jones, Porthcawl, 0.880kg dogfish (4). ■ Hamworthy SAC open, Baiter, Poole Harbour, 40 anglers: 1 Jack Graham, Poole, 2-2-0 flounder (4pts); 2 Mike Carter, Poole, 1-9-0 flounder (3); 3 Dave Johnson, Wareham, 1-0-4 (2). ■ Hastings & St Leonards AA Dave Read memorial, open, Hastings, East Sussex, 32 anglers: 1 Colin Crosby, Hastings, 14 fish, 16-1-0 (3pts); 2 Paul Stevens, Worthing, 12, 15-9-0 (2); 3 Mark Rogers, Maidstone, 9-6-0 (1). ■ Ian Reid Memorial open, Kirkcaldy, Fife, 100 anglers: 1 Dave Dobbie, Buckhaven, 3pts (10pts); 2 Brian Maxwell, Ardrossen, 4 (9); 3 Billy Buckley, Glasgow, 5 (8). Longest fish – Alex Bell, Kilmarnock, 39cm…