Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Sea Angler

Why aren’t more sea trout caught by anglers fishing the shore and coasts of the UK? It’s a question I’ve often asked. Which sea angler wouldn’t be drawn to catching this enigmatic and hard-fighting species in the environment it spends the majority of its time? Sure, a few are caught accidentally by bass anglers and those fishing around estuaries where the occasional fish takes a lure of bait intended for something else. But far fewer get targeted and caught than you might expect, given that they are regularly caught by anglers fishing the beaches of Kerry and Cork in Ireland, using both lures and bait, and by anglers in Scandinavia where saltwater fishing for sea trout is the place to go. While sea trout numbers have crashed throughout the UK…

It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there in some of the online fishing communities; marks getting shared (or not) and ruined with litter, people casting doubts on others catches and a reluctance to share knowledge with beginners. However, this is not the case in many social media groups and I’ve learned a load of things over the years from reading about other people’s experiences and recommendations. A Facebook group that I and many of the Scottish east coast anglers frequent is pretty supportive: lots of advice and good-natured ribbing and boots-on-the-ground weather updates from local anglers who are on the spot. However, a young beginner was recently the subject of a bit of online sniping due to him asking when he could “catch a keeper cod” in a post on the…

Autumn and winter are the best time to target dabs from the shore along my part of the coast here in Kent. The days following a strong south-westerly blow are the prime time to target them, with the sea awash with natural bait torn from the seabed. This is the time to head to the beach; walking along the high tide line you can collect all types of shellfish, lugworm and other baits to either use then and there, or freeze for later. TACKLE AND APPROACH My approach to catching dabs is similar to flounders in the rivers. However, I do step my gear up a bit. I like to use two Century Tip Tornado LDs paired with two Akios shuttles with 15lb Asso main line and tapered leaders. Again,…

HOW TO ENTER YOUR TARGETS... Catch a FISH on this list at the weight or above in your region to qualify for the chance to win prizes in our Mission catch competition. To enter, send us the details requested above and email that information and your picture to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk. THE RULES... ■ Only catches since January 2025 are eligible. ■ We must see a picture of the fish. ■ We may refuse an entry. ■ Enter by email only (please include all of the information requested in How to Enter panel) to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk ■ No correspondence will be entered into. MONTHLY WINNERS: SHORE: Donal McDonnell, Cork BOAT: Curt Curtis, Milford on Sea…

A recent trip to Sandland Brygge in Northern Norway resulted in me honing my chart-reading skills to the max in order to put my friends and I onto some decent fishing. We were there at the start of August, which isn’t noted as being the best time for big cod, they’re normally caught around mid-March through April, but as ever with this magical country there are always some big fish to be found if you go looking for them. I’ve been lucky enough to fish all over Norway for the best part of two decades, but Sandland Brygge is one of those places that I keep going back to, time after time. It’s like a second home to me, and over the years I’ve pretty much worked out where to…

UK & IRELAND SPECIALIST SPECIES HUNTING The tub gurnard, Chelidonichthys lucerna, is also known as the sapphirine gurnard, tube-fish, tubfish or yellow gurnard. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway south along the European and African coasts as far south as Ghana. It occurs throughout the Mediterranean, Black Sea and is also found in the sea of Marmara in Turkey. It is common in the coastal waters of the British Isles. As with other species of gurnard, the tub has a large, bony, triangular shaped head. The large mouth is set low on the head, and the jaws are covered by densely set rows of teeth. The lower three rays of the pectoral fins have developed into separate, finger-like processes that are packed with sensory organs with…

CREWSAVER ERGOFIT LIFEJACKET Lifejacket manufacturer, Crewsaver has launched the ErgoFit 290N for offshore boating. The ErgoFit 290N integrates the best features from Crewsaver’s product range and is designed with a low-profile and highly functional construction. With a slightly longer cover design that reduces bulk, the ErgoFit 290N provides a comfortable, flexible fit across a wide range of body types. The wide-neck design accommodates high-collared hooded jackets, preventing any push against the back of the neck even when wearing foul-weather gear. A low-profile, load-bearing front buckle ensures reliable harness use and features a quick-release mechanism, allowing the lifejacket to be easily donned, even when wearing gloves. The lifejacket features Crewsaver’s halo hood system, which, alongside the shape of the inflated bladder, is designed to significantly reduce the risk of water inhalation…

We rely so much on our local tackle shops to always be there when we need bait or the odd bit of tackle at short notice, not always realising that bait supply can be a tricky thing to plan for: the changing length of tide, weather, health of the diggers and all manner of other factors create problems for the tackle shop to deal with. Keeping the bait in prime condition despite heat waves, or lack of worms when the temperature drops below freezing, all add to their problems, yet we all expect there to be a plentiful supply because we fancy a few hours on the beach, or a quick trip in the boat when there’s a window in the weather. The better tackle shops will nearly always come…

The Orkney Islands, located off the northernmost part of Scotland, are well known for their freshwater trout fishing, with dozens of lochs scattered across the archipelago. The Islands also present excellent sea fishing opportunities, with all manner of marine species to target, from cod and pollack, to skate and ling, and from a huge variety of marks. There’s no doubt the visiting angler is spoiled for choice. But Orkney has something else, far less talked about, that may well be one of their unsung piscatorial gems: sea trout, in the salt. With a general backdrop of decline in the UK, Orkney, unlike elsewhere, has managed to retain a reasonable stock of these wonderful fish, providing an opportunity quite rare in the British Isles – the chance to fish for them…

A well-known character in our local angling fraternity went by the name of Dai Namic. This wasn’t his real name but one we gave him due to his very intense nature. Although he was an acknowledged, distinctive loner, he was a kind and compassionate soul who meant no harm to any of his fellow fishing club members. Despite this, we all hated him with a real passion. Why? Because, without exception, he won every single competition we held during the entire year – every year! A fanatical, uncompromising zealot, he approached his fishing in the same way as he did every other aspect of his life – with total dedication and incomparable attention to detail. Albert Einstein once said, “The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further…

All through the long night, into the early hours and beyond, the wind howled down the chimney, raging incessantly and threatening to tear down roof tiles, buffeting the windows and hurling handfuls of icy hail against the glass. I tried to sleep, convincing myself that at some point the storm would pass, that the world would eventually settle into a frosted stillness; that standing puddles would glaze over with a covering of ice and the garden return to a fragile, white tranquillity. It didn’t. The image lasted only a split-second before the bullet-rattle of the hail returned once more; shattering any silence or any illusion that the storm’s end was near. There can be no mistake – it is midwinter, and this is no time for fishing. From my nook…

In association with £25 TACKLE VOUCHER WINNERS Fishingmegastore.com awards a £25 voucher prize to each of two winners - the youngster with the best shore fish and another with the top boat catch. The winners can use the voucher to select tackle from Fishingmegastore.com which is based in Glasgow and Edinburgh. ■ Send your Young Rods entries by email to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

I have been fishing now for over 50 years, predominantly in the River Humber. For most of that time, if you had said that you could catch haddock in the Humber I would have taken it with a large pinch of salt! However, how things have changed: last year anglers fishing from the shore, especially around the Grimsby area, were reporting catching haddock whilst fishing for cod. The boat anglers were similarly amazed that they were catching haddock instead of the cod. This year the size of the haddock has increased and there are reported to be plenty of them, especially from the boats. The haddock is also very closely associated with Grimsby. The town was one of the biggest fishing ports for the species until rampant overfishing saw Grimsby’s…

ASK THE EXPERTS When sending your question, please remember to include your name and address CHRIS KENNEDY Chris is a specimen hunting specialist based on Sark and answers shore fishing questions. DAVID MITCHELL David is Sea Angler’s editor and is an expert on sea angling policy and conservation . 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. BRIAN PASK Brian is a qualified sea angling coach and casting tutor who works with young people and experienced anglers to improve their fishing skills. SHORE ANGLING Q I have been…

All anglers who are registered and have scored points for the year 1st January to and including 31st December 2024. The final standings take into account the maximum 12 scores allowed for the year, with ties on countback of biggest single win, total number or biggest win shown in brackets. This year 328 matches were registered and 18396 anglers took part. Those names highlighted in green are all registered for the 2024 league and prizes. More than 640 anglers scored points in this year’s league. Well done to all! The top 15 anglers will receive prize vouchers from Penn. Only those who have scored 9 or more are featured TOP 25 – DECEMBER 2024 This month’s winner is John Hepton from Washington with 10 points from one event. Remember to…

Come and join us in March at the UK’s biggest angling show. The Big One is taking place over March 1st-2nd at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre in Surrey. Traditionally a show for coarse and carp fishing, this year sees the introduction of the Sea Angling Village, a new dedicated area for sea anglers, with brands such as Penn, Lowrance, Savage Gear and more signed up, we’re sure there will be something for everyone at the show. LURE LIVE In addition to the new Sea Angling Village, Lure Live is back for another year, brought to you by Predator Tackle. The Big One is the only UK angling show to have a dedicated lure area, showcasing the largest display of lures that you’re ever likely to see! There’s also the chance…

The behaviour and migration of British sea fishes in 2024 was quite unusual, to say the least! We had plenty of Atlantic bonito being caught on our eastern coasts, more comber here than have ever been reported before, by a jump of tenfold, stringers of grey triggerfish, ringneck blenny spawning when sea temperatures are supposed to be at their coldest and, most notably, an invasion of red bream in our southern estuaries! Now, these fishes are generally all present here either year-round or seasonally, so sightings and captures of them are not new, but this year was markedly different. If you hail from the UK and are born in the 1990s or later, red bream, also known as blackspot bream (Pagellus bogaraveo), is a species which, until this year, you…

Surf anglers need to be aware of tidal rips. These show in the surf as a small area of settled water with no obvious waves coming ashore. They often appear as darker water due to an increased depth compared to surrounding water and with an agitated chop or ripple effect on the surface. They can also appear brown due to suspended sand being carried back out to sea. There may also be white foam seaward of the rip area caused by the outgoing current which can be very strong and powerful. If you see these obvious danger areas, fish well away from them and always be aware. SEA SURFACE SIGN When fishing deep water rock ledges, also when fishing from boats, you will often see swirls and boils on the…

There is a new breed of angling specialist in the UK – younger charter skippers and anglers willing to push the boundaries, explore new ideas and techniques. They are revolutionising the way we all think about angling, the sea and how to present angling to the wider public in a positive way. They think about their fishing, experiment and as result start catching more and better fish. They encourage even experienced anglers like me to realise that we can’t just carry on using the same old methods expecting the same results. Adding to this is their creative use of content on social media channels – exciting and informative content which really captures the essence of sea angling. One standout is Kieren Faisey who at only 29-years-old has already been a…

Following on from our success at the Sea Angling Classic (which we are planning to defend from 19-22 June 2025!) and our top three result at the Clashwannon 5 fish event, team Bluefin’s confidence was high for this competition. Unfortunately, however, our regular Bluefin crew mate Steven Toner had already committed to fish the competition in his own boat, Nauti Nik, along with two other club members. So, with the added prospect of a team Bluefin vs Bluefin battle, we did the only sensible thing and drafted in a super sub – longtime friend and well-known Scottish Internationalist Stevie Souter. Species hunts have grown massively in popularity over recent years and in terms of small boat angling they really do test your all-round angling ability along with the skipper’s ability…

The festive period saw a short break from coaching, but I have still been hitting the local beaches for a quick fish when I can, with only the odd dozen or so of fairly small whiting to report – surprise, surprise! A few dabs have been caught around my way so hopefully we will get a good run of them in the New Year as we did last year. Although the youth club doesn’t run through the first few months of the year, I will be taking a couple of the older ones out targeting dabs. I find that using light gear for dabs can make for a fun session so we will be going out, possibly armed with carp rods, if the conditions allow. For me, dab rigs don’t…

My good friend Peter Nicholas once phoned to invite me for a day’s fishing aboard his Burry Port-based charter boat Panther. I would be fishing with players from the Llanelli Scarlets, based at nearby Strady Park. Amongst the crew were some of the biggest names in the game of the day, including Steve Jones, a British Lion, and the then new Welsh captain. Also included in the day’s ‘squad’ were Reagan King, the ‘in form’ Scarlets centre from New Zealand and a capped All Black. Then there was outside half Clive Stewart-Smith capped England A squad, Jonathan Mills-wing forward. Last but certainly not least was Phil John, the Scarlets’ prop, a very keen angler and a regular rod aboard Panther. It had been he who had invited his fellow team…

We are in the thick of winter weather where we face a series of challenges that require the right gear. Enter the Muck Boot Arctic Sport Wellies—sturdy and specifically designed to tackle our weather conditions while ensuring maximum comfort. For anglers who spend long hours on their feet, traversing over slippy rock surfaces, or perhaps muddy estuaries, investing in high-quality footwear can make all the difference. WHY INVEST IN COMFORT? When it comes to wellies, it’s tempting to go for the more economical option. After all, they all keep your feet dry, right? Sure, but most PVC wellies are seldom well-insulated, and quite uncomfortable for wearing during longer fishing sessions. The Muck Boot Arctic Sport makes for a compelling case for why spending a bit more is worth it. Not…

FEBRUARY • 1: Chesil League & opens, Abbotsbury, 5pm - 10pm best 8 from 10 matches, sponsored by Anyfish Anywhere, Weymouth Angling Centre, Arno Hooks, Angling Centre West Bay. Catch & release fishing to SAMF chart, further details Dave Lane 07977 132951 • 1: Hastings SAC Reg Willis open 10.00-15.00, contact Colin Crosby 07971 252652 • 2: Hastings SAC League and open 10.30-15.30, contact Colin Crosby 07971 252652 • 2: 2025 East Region Shore League, Aberthaw & Boverton, Steve Chadwick 07777 689289 • 7: Edinburgh New Year Shore League Joppa, Reg 6-6.15pm @ Promenade View, EH15 2ES, fishing 7pm-10pm, pre-book only, contact Ian Campbell 07907 805822 • 8: AC North region winter league Match 3, Talacre fishing 11.30-3.30pm, meet car park from 9.30am, pegged, measure catch and release, £20 entry…