Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 569 i Sea Angler

EARLY APRIL, BUT IT FELT LIKE January in Siberia. My ears were stinging by the time I arrived in my little cove. The tide was high, 2ft of water over the biggest of the rocks and weed patches. I knew my hands would be like frozen fish fingers, so I already had my lure clipped on, a soft plastic in Ayu, a gungy lugworm colour. Not much wave, so I made my first cast 10ft back from the edge, then I stuffed my left hand in my pocket to warm it up a bit. Bang, a fish on, about 2lb. Back it went, I checked the lure, and out with another cast. Hand restored to the pocket as the softie sank through the water, then a twitch and half a…

WE’RE AT THAT TIME between when the majority of fish are offshore breeding and prior to their eventual return, typically from the middle of April. After that we should notice the return of a multitude of species to our shores to rid anglers of an air of despondency, but for now we must adapt our fishing to catch what’s there and not target fish that are unavailable in numbers. Yes, it’s a challenging period, especially on the open surf beaches in my local area of west and north-west Wales. It can be argued that a change in our seasonal weather pattern has seen some winters hang late, making, for instance, the month of March more like the February of old (think 2018). Many of us still work to the fish…

OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE River Swale, the true name for this 13-mile channel is The Swale, a name believed to derive from an Old English word meaning a swirling, rushing river. This channel separates the Isle of Sheppey from the mainland of North Kent, with the eastern end at Harty Ferry joining the River Thames three miles west of Whitstable, and the western end linked to the River Medway at Sheerness. A popular area for sailing and jet skiers, the tide floods from both ends, meeting off Milton creek. This area really comes into my thinking as we leave the cold months behind and my mind starts to switch on to fishing the rivers near me and the fun of catching flounders, soles, eels and bass that visit these…

THE MOON WAS YET TO SHOW when darkness covered us. Only the light from a fisherman’s cottage in the distance provided some illumination. Routinely, I made cast after cast. It had become a relaxing automatic reflex. Suddenly, something happened that I had not expected. An unknown creature just below the surface grabbed my plug and made a mad dash with its prize. My heart pounded. I had planned to go boat fishing, but the weather had prevented it. Now it didn’t matter. Let me explain… As I landed at Sao Miguel – one of the islands of the Azores, an archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic about 850 miles west of Portugal – I saw many whitecaps on the Atlantic Ocean through the plane’s window. With a…

Sea Angler contributor Matt Hope (pictured), who wrote part of our preview of the big event (Sea Angler 566) and took part, was angry about the cheating and that the real winner, Chris Fisher, did not get his moment in the limelight. Echoing the views of many other competitors, he told Sea Angler: “I’m upset about this because it’s cast a shadow over the whole event.” Matt, of Elloughton, East Yorks, has called for action against anyone who assisted in the cheating. “I’m so glad at least one of them has been caught, but I’d be happier if others were too. I feel sorry for the overall winner Chris Fisher; he hasn’t had his moment of glory on the big stage that he deserves, and this year will only be…

■ With a change of format for the 2019 Angling Trust Southern Junior Talent Pathway, it could appeal to many youngsters who have the aspiration of donning an England shirt. On this occasion the programme will be restricted to one weekend on August 10-11. There will be a workshop and buffet lunch on August 10 at the Lymington clubhouse, while the following day (August 11) will be a fishing session along the Milford Shingle Bank. Black bream are expected to dominate. Bait will be provided to all those registered. Entry is open to youngsters aged 10 through to those who become 16 during 2019. Application forms can be downloaded from the Angling Trust website, or email kirsty.marshall@ anglingtrust.net. ■ The RNLI has launched the Creches for Bangladesh appeal to provide…

This 12lb 4oz bass (below) is a personal best for Alan Chattaway, of Brixham, Devon. He fished a Sidewinder lure over a mid-channel wreck. The fish, which was released, was caught when Alan was fishing aboard Spot On, skippered by  Ross Parham, out of Brixham. In South Wales, Glyn Burniston (below) fished a local mark, Friar’s Point at Barry, and caught a 7lb 1oz bass. The fish, caught two hours before low water at the front of the rough ground, took a fresh crab on a pulley rig. After catching a 21lb 8oz spurdog during a charter trip, Vince Knight returned for another session and boated one of 22lb 2oz. The angler from Maidstone, Kent, was fishing on Poseidon (Taxi Boat Charters), skippered by Wayne Lees, out of Ramsgate. During…

POLLACK BOAT Andrew Deacon, Gosport, 17-0, Hayling Island RAY SHORE Allan Beale, Middlesbrough, 8-2 thornback, Balcary Peri Chapman, Mold, 10-8 thornback*, Mostyn Brendan Davies, Pontypridd, 10-9-8 thornback, Penarth pier Adrian Diment, Dawlish, 10-13 thornback*, Bristol Channel Richard Green, Newport, 10-2 undulate*, Totland Bay Derwyn Jones, Llanfairfechan, 8-0 thornback, Anglesey Harrty Thatcher, Plymouth, 13-6 thornback*, Plymouth Mark Williams, Crumlin, 15-13 blonde*, Cold Knap RAY BOAT Jim Grant, Guildford, 32-0 blonde*, Hayling Island Jeff Hoggard, Bridlington, 188-0 common skate*, Lochgilphead Mark Johnson, Driffield, 187-0 common skate*, Lochgilphead Robert Nichols, Driffield, 190-0 common skate*, Lochgilphead D Piercy, Wallasey, 189-0 common skate*, Lochgilphead Mick Walsh, Wallasey, 232-0 common skate*, Oban SHARK BOAT Kevin Rishman, Selsey, 19-5 spurdog*, Chichester Kim White, Bath, 19-4 spurdog*, Poole Ian Youngs, Bridport, 17-0 spurdog*, Weymouth * denotes catch and…

APRIL 2009 ■ John Wilson rattled the local record books when he beached a cod of 27lb 8oz while fishing an evening match on the River Tyne. It was thought to be the biggest cod from the Tyne, the previous best being around 16lb. ■ Really Wrecked SAC member Clive Hodges had a good reason to smile when he caught pollack of 17lb 8oz and 16lb. He was fishing on Dave Elliot’s Ocean Warrior, out of Newhaven, East Sussex. ■ Lochryan SAC members reckoned they were in danger of losing an important match venue if plans by a ferry company went ahead to redevelop the area at Old House Point, Cairnryan. The beach was the club’s main venue for one of Scotland’s oldest pegged matches. ■ Allen Matthews, of Blyth,…

THE RNLI ALWAYS RECOMMENDS wearing a lifejacket at all times, as accidents can occur even on calm days. All of your Man Over Board (MoB) preparations could well be meaningless if the MoB is not wearing a lifejacket. For just about every angling boat situation, the RNLI suggests a 150 Newtons auto-inflate lifejacket. When you fall into the generally cold water around the coast of the UK, the first thing that happens is that you suffer from cold-water shock. This could prevent you from being able to pull the inflation lanyard on a manually inflated jacket, so an automatic version can buy you time to recover from the effects of cold-water shock. During an Advice On Board visit from RNLI Community Safety Officer Andrew Lowe to Glyn Pressley and Andy…

NEWQUAY IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN for being the surfing capital of the UK, not to mention one of the most popular tourist towns in the South West of England. With it being located on the north coast of Cornwall, approximately midway between Padstow and St Ives, you would expect there to be some really productive fishing grounds off Newquay – and you’d be right. With easy access on greatly improved roads, a huge selection of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets, countless places to choose from to eat and drink, and many top tourist attractions within a short drive, Newquay really is the perfect destination for either a designated fishing trip, or a family holiday in which you can include a few days’ fishing. You’ll find numerous fishing…

I’VE SEEN it so many times, shore anglers attempting to blast their baited rigs as far as they possibly can. To be fair, it’s an instinct in us. When standing in front of a vast amount of water, we want to cast a long way. For some, bravado takes a firm hold and showing off impressive skills and styles is all that really matters. The importance of casting is accuracy and, yes, at times, long-distance casting can have its benefits. Knowing where the fish are likely to be feeding, though, is certainly the key to catching. ■ TOP TIP: If you can accurately cast your baited rig to fish-holding areas, you will have more success. GET SUITABLE GEAR Matching a rod and reel to your style of casting is incredibly…

■ NAME: Matty Preston ■ HOME: Carnforth, Lancs ■ LATEST BUY: Tronixpro Xenon Match ■ PRICE: £206.99 Matty says: “I saw this rod at the Gerry’s open day last year. George Cunningham, from Tronixpro, was there with a number of new rods and the Xenon Match really caught my eye. I had to have one! To say that I’ve been impressed is a huge understatement. It’s surprisingly powerful, has a great tip and is proving to be a superb fishing tool. A real bargain at a cracking price.” ■ NAME: Jordan Whitehead ■ HOME: Bridlington, East Yorkshire ■ LATEST BUY: Berkley XTS 15lb mono and Asso Ultraflex shockleader ■ PRICE: Both £9.99 Jordan, who shops at East Coast Tackle in Hornsea, and North Bay Anglers, Bridlington, fishes the Holderness Coast…

The Westport Sport 3 comes with a tiller-steer 6hp outboard and with a roller trailer. Prices start from £5,860 including VAT. Fitted with a remote-control 15hp outboard and with a roller trailer, the prices start at £9,250.00 including VAT. All boats are built to order with a lead time of six to eight weeks. A choice of hull colours is available. ■ For more info, contact Howard Marine Sales Ltd, tel: 07977 466160. ■ Email: sales@howardmarine.com ■ Web: www.westportmarine.co.uk…

WIRRAL HOSTS FINAL ■ The big final for the top anglers in the 2018 Penn Sea League will be on Saturday, June 1 at the Rock Channel, New Brighton, Wirral. Details have been circulated to the qualifiers from 2018 – the top 35 in the Premier Divison and top five in Division One. TWO BEST FISH ■ Jody Lemm included a 71cm ray and a 26cm dab, the longest round fish and longest flatfish, in his 349cm catch to win the Bispham Angling Sea League round 3 at the Gynn Wall, Blackpool. There was also a ray caught by Jimmy Price.…

APRIL 5: PF Sea League rnd 4, Eastney, measure & release, £20 league, £10 match entry, (£12.50 non-member), Lock, Stock and Tackle 02392 812 478. • 6: Ardrossan & District SAC open, Loch Fyne, 3.30pm-9.30pm, register 2pm-3pm at Oyster Bar car park, measure and return 20cm, two hooks only, minimum size 4 hooks, £20 entry, limited pegs, book only, Stuart Ballantyne 07742 716173 or Stuart Miller 07868 732891. • 6: Flatfish open, Whitehaven North Pier & North Beach, 9.30am-1.30pm, flatfish only, longest flatfish 1st, longest length 2nd, next longest length 3rd, book in 8am-9am, 60 pegs, book only, Andrew 07494 922986. • 6: Veals Summer League rnd 1 & open, Littleton, 7.30pm-11.30pm, draw 6.30pm, pegged, one rod, three hooks, no white rag or maddies, £60 league, best eight matches from…

ATTEMPTING TO CATCH AN EARLY - season bass will depend on where you live or fish. It can be achieved in March, and most certainly April, but the further south and west you live, it may even be earlier. January 2019 has already thrown up some good bass, although, arguably, these fish could be termed as very late-season stragglers. Here, I am concentrating on where to fish, and will suggest the specific lures that I will be using. SIGNIFICANT MOMENT In my book ‘The Lure of The Bass’ I tell of one freezing-cold, bright and sunny day in early April when – following an extended period of cold easterly winds – I decided to go lure fishing for bass. I arrived on the mark at dead low water, safe in…

Each species has a definite preference for certain ground features. Bass and cod are best fished for tight in among broken ground or tight to or into rough ground. Both will sometimes run the clean sand surf line, but it’s not reliable, and the bulk are caught near rougher patches or boulder ground. If you know of rough patches and time the tide accordingly for the bass and codling, then you’ve massively improved your chances of catching. Flounders advance right on the edge of the flooding tide at night, but dabs and plaice move into the mid-tide ground, then take up station in any shallow depressions or slightly deeper parallel gullies that run along the length of the beach where food can be found. Even at high tide, dabs and…

MANY OF US LOOK FORWARD to spring as the weather starts to improve, so we say goodbye to those cold winter months and look forward to the chance to get out the plaice gear. If you fancy a bit of competition thrown in, then why not take part in the 2nd Southwest Plaice Championships being held on April 13-14? It was back in April last year when the inaugural event was staged and, not wanting to miss out, members of the Sea Angling Adventures Team were all set for the weekend’s main event. This two-day match sees anglers from around the United Kingdom head to the South West’s beaches and rock marks to target their monster plaice. Event boundaries are from Ferry Bridge on Chesil Beach, Dorset, down to Rame…

MY WINTER FISHING HAS been dominated by fishing deep water, but once the temperature rose, I started fishing the shallower areas to capitalise on the influx of more spring species. For a few months, my fishing is determined by three species that are the first to come back inshore and provide consistent sport. This is a time that can throw up some surprise species too. Switching from deep-water venues to shallower marks requires a change of tactics. In deep water, dropshot rigs rule, but shallower water sees more emphasis on jighead rigs, in the way I fish anyway. My jighead weights are always lighter than for deep water, and I find 1-4g perfect for shallower applications. With lighter casting weights, I use a lighter line, usually a PE0.4. This smaller…

A chorus of reaction and speculation about the cheating surfaced on various social media sources following the council’s disqualification announcement on February 25. Many wanted the cheat to be reported to the police, in accordance with the event’s rule 16. One angler said: “The organisers have got to take action and go through the courts. This is going to affect everyone who thinks about fishing it next year. If they don’t, it’s not fair on the honest anglers.” While praising the overall event, tougher rules were called for too. Former England shore international, Sea Angler contributor and a founder of the Sea Anglers Match Federation, Alan Yates (pictured) offered his view: “Make it easy to cheat and this is what you get. Worse, is  that many sea anglers will not…

A charter skipper’s decision to take his boat to Scotland has paid off with lots of common skate, the best 232lb. Kevin McKie, who operates Size Matters, out of Liverpool and Plymouth, is spending a short time based at Croabh Haven, on the Craignish Peninsula in Argyll. Things kicked off with Mike Smith (right), from Cardiff, taking a personal best common skate of 207lb, on a large mackerel bait in 500ft of water. A few days later, Mick Walsh (below right), from Wallasey, landed two skate, the biggest weighing 232lb, followed by a fish of 199lb. They were the biggest of 10 on the day, with mackerel, octopus and large squid baits doing the business.There was also a 202lb fish for Sam Tittersor, of Essex, another of 205lb for Mick…

Not having seen any cod on the Norfolk coast, Matt Lawes (right) and his son Nathaniel made the trip to Chesil Beach in Dorset. Fishing in daylight, Matt, from Norwich, caught a 6lb 2oz cod, which he returned. They caught dogfish after dark. “We’ve not seen any cod our way this year,” said Matt. He fished one rod with a loop rig with plenty of bling, and baited with blow lug for plaice, and a second rod with a Pennell baited with squid and black lug. The cod took the plaice bait. Cod may be few and far between in some areas, but not in Northumberland. ■ A session at Cambois beach in Northumberland produced five cod for Deano Kirtley (left). The angler, from Blyth, fished crab and yellowtail lug…

■ Only fish caught since March 2019 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.…

TRUE ANGLERS, I FIRMLY BELIEVE , respect their quarry, and will do all they can to ensure that stocks are maintained in a healthy state. And yet, at a time when anglers have to accept only being allowed to keep one bass a day for seven months of the year (April to October), undersized bass are being landed in nets and thrown back dead, due to a failure of fisheries management at EU, UK and local level. In 1990, when the previous Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS – then known as Minimum Landing Size) for bass went up to 36cm, the minimum mesh size of nets was scientifically assessed and set at 90mm to correspond to the new MCRS of 36cm. When the current MCRS for bass of 42cm was…

■ Keep your auto-inflate lifejacket in good working order. Once a month, open the cover and check the CO2 cylinder is screwed in tightly and free of corrosion. At any signs of corrosion, the CO2 cylinder should be replaced immediately, so the corrosion doesn’t cause abrasion damage to the lifejacket bladder. ■ Annually (or six monthly for a lifejacket that is used all year), remove the cylinder and check the weight is above the minimum gross weight stamped on the cylinder. The cylinder must be replaced if it is below weight. There is no margin because if it’s below weight it is leaking. Check the bladder, particularly at folds for signs of wear. ■ While the cylinder is removed, inflate the bladder using the inflation tube, either with a pump…

■ Atlantic Diver and Atlantic Explorer, Chris Lowe, tel: 01637 850930 or 07860 927833. ■ Che Sara Sara: 07836 335903 or 01637 871886. TACKLE SHOPS ■ A few shops in Newquay sell some tackle, but the nearest specialist shops are: ■ Linebite Angling Centre, 10A Eastcliffe Rd, Par, PL24 2EX, tel: 011726 825103. ■ Roger’s Tackle Shop, Higher Bore Street, Bodmin, PL31 1JZ, tel: 01208 78006. ■ Padstow Angling Centre, 1-2 South Quay, Padstow, PE28 8BL, tel: 01841 532762. ■ The Art of Fishing, Hamilton House, The Platt, Wadebridge, PL27 7AD, tel: 01208 368014. ■ TJ’s Fishing Tackle & Bait Supplies, St Andrews Street, Par, PL24 2AE, tel: 01726 815062. ACCOMMODATION I stayed at the Hotel Victoria, East St, Newquay, TR7 1DB, tel: 01637 872255. Web: hotel-victoria.co.uk For lots more information…

EVER SINCE THE DAY WHEN, AS A schoolboy, I did my first serious tackle upgrade, buying a fixed-spool to replace my trusty centre-pin, I’ve been fascinated by reels. I remember exactly what I felt and thought at my local tackle shop. Here was technology that, even in my hands, would open up new opportunities. It was an Intrepid True Spin, and, boy, were the fish cruising those distant lily pads in for a hard time. Of course, when I started out in this wonderful sport it was way before the internet. The way we got to know our gear was to play around with it in tackle shops. The better shops would have staff who were happy to spend time explaining not only how to use what they had on…

RUK SPORT 1.5M & 2M PADDLE LEASH RRP: £6.80 & £10.40 Leash it or lose it! If you don’t want to feel the pain of rod, reel, line and trace going down to Davy Jones’s Locker then you have to accept the need for rod leashes. RUK Sport (Recreational Sports Ltd) produces four versions for paddles ranging from 1.3-2m. The RUK 1.5-metre coiled elastic leash allows for unrestricted movement and stretches sufficiently, while being relatively compact as well. With Velcro attaching it to the rod, and a plastic clip to the boat, it’s secure as well as being easy to break free in case of entanglement. There are 1.3m (£5.25), 1.5m (£6.80) and 2m (£8.90) versions. In addition, there is a 2m heavy-duty, elasticated leash (£10.40) that also uses Velcro…

■ 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 MONTHLY WINNER…

I HAVE A FEELING THAT IF I EXAMINED the lure fishing tackle of 100 bass anglers, the most common breaking strain for both their braid mainline and fluoro or monofilament leader would be either 20lb or at least close to this. When we go lure fishing for bass from the shore, we are unlikely to connect with a bass that weighs more than 10lb. Even if we are lucky enough to hook a magical double-figure fish, it isn’t going to go over 20lb – we can but dream, though. It is perfectly possible to land fish that weigh far more than the breaking strain of your line but, of course, this doesn’t take into account where you are fishing. I have seen 200lb-plus sharks landed from beaches in Namibia on…

UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES I give specimen hunting a wide berth early in the year because the fishing has a reputation for being as hard as nails. Yet after hearing some rumours on the grapevine that a few fish were stirring two months earlier than normal from marks along the Dorset/Devon border, it really grabbed my attention. After a few hasty phone calls, I was ready to hit the road again in February with Steve Lawrence and Jamie Young, both from Poole. We decided on Seaton as our destination, where a few early rays had been caught, and where the fishing normally springs into action with plaice, rays and smoothhounds from April onwards. As we pulled up at the café that adjoins Seaton Angling Centre, our hopes of a bagging session…

The 2nd Southwest Plaice Championships takes place from Ferry Bridge to Rame Head on April 13-14. All information is on the event’s Facebook page or on page 118 of this issue of Sea Angler. Entry is £20 for an adult and £10 per junior to enter for both days. Facebook: www.facebook.com/THESOUTH WESTPLAICECHAMPIONSHIPS WHERE TO FISH Chesil Beach has some fantastic beach venues to target plaice, such as Abbotsbury, Cogdon and West Bexington, and you could try Seaton, Budleigh, Slapton or Beesands among others. The rock venues leading down towards Salcombe are some of the prime marks for big plaice. Fish with loop rigs, two-hook flappers and up-and-over rigs. Use light traces to get plenty of movement and attraction. Bait with black lug ragworms or peeler crabs.…

NEW RULES ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR Britain’s biggest shore angling match after cheating marred an otherwise excellent event. The 26th Paul Roggemann European Open Beach Championship, held on February 16 and 17 along 50 miles of the Holderness Coast of East Yorkshire, boasted a £35,000 prize pot, with £4,000 to the overall two-day winner. The roving nature of such a huge event, with up to 1,400 anglers, and the large prize fund, have sparked merely rumours of skulduggery in the past. This year the original winner, Martin ‘Marty’ Booth, of Hartlepool, was disqualified after an “ongoing investigation”, but more than a week after the actual prize giving. Due to print deadlines, that meant the previous issue of Sea Angler (issue 568) carried an incorrect result in its coverage of the…

Norway is the first Scandinavian nation to authorise a recreational fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna. It was announced on March 6 that, from mid-May, a limited number of boats can apply to participate in an initial small-scale catch-and-release fishery for 2019, but must tag and release the fish. This will be authorised alongside a commercial fishery, where one tonne of the 239-tonne quota is being set aside for the ‘mortality quota’ of a recreational fishery for just four vessels, to operate between mid-May and December 31. The Norwegian Association of Hunters and Fishermen, which lobbied for a five-tonne allocation for 30 vessels, is hopeful that this small start may lead to a larger opportunity in future. It is not clear whether these four vessel slots are for private or charter,…

Joseph Gamlin, of Cardiff, fished a SWSA points match between St Donats and Wick Ledges and caught the heaviest fish, a 12lb 8oz blonde ray, while fishing at Monknash beach, finishing sixth. It took Bluey on a pulley rig. Winner was Roy Tapper with three congers and three dogfish. He was fishing with a Zziplex LT Bullet rod and Penn Fathom 12 reel. ■ While out for a few hours of shore fishing near Oban, Allan F Sloss, of Kilsyth, caught his first common skate, estimated at about 195lb. The fish took half a tail section of a herring on a pulley rig with a size 10/0 O’Shaughnessy hook on a 200lb mono hooklength.…

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. Harry Thatcher, Plymouth, Devon. Fish: 13lb 6oz thornback ray. Bait: Peeler crab on a two-hook flapper rig. Venue: Elphinstone car par, Plymouth, Devon. Date: March 17. Andrew Deacon, Gosport, Hants. Fish: 17lb pollack. Bait: Blue Sidewinder lure. Venue: Kelley’s Hero (Bex Florence), Hayling Island, Hants.…

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: 6lb 12oz Mark Griggs ■ Boat: 13lb 10oz Tony Hayward TURBOT ■ Shore: 20lb 2oz Eddy Barham ■ Boat: 32lb 1oz Steve Scally BULL HUSS ■ Shore: 21lb 9oz M Urquhart ■ Boat: 23lb D Nicholson COD ■ Shore: 32lb Adrian Lloyd…

You may have noticed that bull huss are showing a definite increase in numbers. It’s probably because they are capitalising on a food supply, namely herring that are also showing a major increase, and are normally predated on by other species such as spurdogs and cod. Whatever the reason, it’s good news for offshore anglers. This increase in huss has been noted off Devon and Cornwall, throughout Wales, and along the west coast of Scotland. Being a regular visitor to Ireland, I’ve witnessed the same pattern of increasing numbers along the south, west and north-west coasts of Ireland too. Now skippers have adapted the way they fish for bull huss, rightly using them as an optional species and reliable time filler during a tide cycle when you might otherwise be…

I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER! Okay, so we got lucky on our latest wreck fishing trip out of Hayling Island, but as soon as we knew there were big pollack to be caught, we all had to switch into ‘hot mode’ and make the most of it. A number of tactics were utilised, which I shall explain now. The pollack wreck fishing sport along the south coast had been patchy, at best, during the winter, with so many boats heading offshore returning with just a handful of fish for their efforts. I wasn’t expecting much from the day as we headed out of the marina on board Bex Florence and Ian Dale’s charter boat Kelley’s Hero III. Couple the poor reports with the fact that we had…

The tide was ebbing fast, so we were guaranteed a consistent drift. The wreck was showing well on the sounder and fish were grouped in a cloud above the rusted ironwork as they waited for baitfish to get swept along in the faster water. This was not going to be an easy drift. In a few more hours, when the tide slackened, we might get a better one on the wind, but for now we had to rely on the trail shown to us on the sounder to judge where best to start. We had a committee meeting, Russ Weston and me. It didn’t take long to work out that to catch those fish high in the water we would need to tap bottom well in front of the wreck…

A SPRING lock, often called a hitchhiker, is a small coil of wire fitted to a hook that is used to screw into the nose end of a soft plastic lure. Here the lure used is the Pirate Lures Seaducer (www.piratelures.com), which is a soft needle lure developed and customised for the likes of bass. For the best results use a slow, steady retrieve. It casts well even in windy conditions. With the 120mm, 16g version, use a size 5/0 hook. Using a grinner knot, attach a link clip to your leader and attach the link to the hook. STEP BY STEP  1 The hook should be long enough for the hook’s eye to be at the head end and the gape in the middle. 2 Insert the coil’s straight…

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.…

Step aboard the Westport Marine Sport 3 and she seems like a much bigger boat than her overall length of 4.10 metres and 1.60m beam would suggest. Throw in the fact this vessel is easily trailerable behind an average family car, and you have plenty of key selling points. Described as ‘an entry level open sports boat’, this sleek little number is aimed at users who want a rugged all-round vessel capable of just about anything – be it fishing, family fun, coastal trips, exploring rivers, sailing club rescue craft or tender and, of course, just for pottering around. Westport Marine claims the boat provides exceptional performance with modest outboards, which makes her very affordable without compromising performance and economy. For example, with a 10hp outboard, she rises quickly on…

PENN PLUS MARCH NORTH NORFOLK AIR AMBULANCE OPEN North Norfolk shingle, 200 anglers The top three in this two-day charity match all finished with a zone win and a second for three points and had to be separated by fish points. Winner of the £1,000 first prize was Cameron Turner, of Felixstowe, with 487 fish points. He topped Day 1 with first place in zone D at peg 129 thanks to 12 fish for 386 points (8-0-10). On Day 2, he was second in zone B from peg 49, where he caught seven fish for 101. Second overall with 381 fish points was Steve Adams, of Shotley. He was second in zone A on Day 1 with 23 fish for 231pts, and won zone C on Day 2 with 11…

■ Ardrossan & District SAC open, Loch Fyne, 7 anglers, void for Penn points: 1 Cameron Carmichael, 62cm dogfish. ■ Ardrossan & District SAC open, Loch Fyne, March 9, cancelled due to bad weather. ■ Asso Five Man League rnd 2 of 4 & open, Hastings & St Leonards beaches, East Sussex, 37 anglers: 1 Neil Marsh, Herne Bay, 6 fish, 2-11-0 (3pts); 2 Andy Hurcombe, Thanet, 3, 2-7-0 (2); 3 Luke Mooring, Dover, 4, 2-5-0 (1). ■ Asso Five Man League rnd 3 of 4 & open, Hastings & St Leonards beaches, East Sussex, 38 anglers: 1 Luke Mooring, Dover, 9 fish, 4-4-0 (3pts); 2 Neil Marsh, Herne Bay, 2-12-0 (2); 3 Sam Collier, Deal, 1-12-0 (1). ■ Bispham Angling Sea League rnd 3 of 12 open, Gynn Wall,…

The first Pembrokeshire Bass Lure Tournament takes place on June 28-30. Prizes in this not-for-profit event will be awarded for the longest bass, three longest bass, visitors’ longest bass, and the longest bass caught by a junior. It is a catch and release event where anglers sign in from 11 am-2pm on June 28 at The Rising Sun, Pelcomb Bridge, SA62 6EA or from 8am-11am the following day. Entry deadline is May 31. Registration fee is £20 for adults and £12 for juniors. When you sign in, you will be provided with the rules and boundaries. After all costs have been covered, any funds remaining will go to Save Our Seabass. Cntact Merv Bousie, tel: 07771 748179 or Rob Lawrie, tel: 07464 262464. Alternatively, email: rdhbpembs@ googlemail.com.…

THE WORLD DAB FISHING Championships, sponsored by Tronixpro and in association with Sea Angler, once again attracted plenty of anglers, all hoping to lift the coveted title. Held on the beaches of Dungeness and Hythe, in Kent, the emphasis is not focused on serious hardcore match fishing, but more about having fun and raising cash for the RNLI. Now in its ninth year, the charity competition has raised more than £40,000 from generous shore anglers. Organiser, and the brains behind the event, is local angler and Dungeness RNLI volunteer crew member Simon Newman. “I originally chose the title of World Dab Championships as a bit of fun,” says Simon, who also owns Castaways guest house in Lydd. “It’s all meant to be a lot of fun, but, secretly, I reckon…