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EDITOR’S COMMENT
JULY 2015
EDITOR’S
Editorial
Do you have an opinion you want to share with the sea fishing community? E-mail paul.dennis@dhpub.co.uk
ith the 2015 election now consigned to history, and a majority government in place, albeit with a slender majority, what will this mean for sea angling? It was pretty obvious during the interminable hustings in the run-up to election day that sea angling was not on the agenda of any of the parties. Pardon the pun, but they all seemed to have bigger fish to fry. And yet it’s a very important subject. Sea anglers contribute mightily to the economy but at best there’s only lip service to this fact. Now, the new government has pledged to renegotiate terms within the EU, and to have a referendum, but I don’t see fishing quotas being at the top of their argument list. From an angling point of view, will we be better in or out? I confess that I don’t really know. There’s part of me that thinks we will be best staying in, to at least lobby for better practices in respect of commercial fishing, but there’s another part of me that wonders if we would be better going it alone. The elephant in the room is that in neither case do I have confidence in any government taking much interest in sea fishing, never mind doing anything about maintaining sustainable stock levels and enforcing any legislation that’s put in place. Currently it’s all about the bass, very much the ‘poster boy’ species for sea anglers and as some would rightly say, only one of a number of less photogenic species that are under threat. However, we have to start somewhere, and the bass is as good a species as any if we’re going to get serious. The really disappointing thing is that it’s only when species are overexploited – such as rays, cod etc – that something is done, and although the measures put in place to restrict catches appear to have had a positive effect, it’s clearly a dangerous game. The time will probably come when we leave it too late. I’m old enough to remember a time when red bream were far more common off our coasts than black bream were, but where are they now? It might not have simply been overfishing that was the main factor in their disappearance, but you can bet that it contributed. Many sea anglers nowadays practise catchand-release fishing wherever possible, which is to be encouraged. But I’m put in mind of what comedian Sean Lock said in respect of his recycling efforts after he’d visited America. It was something
W
Total Sea Fishing ISSN 1461 - 622X Website www.totalseamagazine.com Editor Paul Dennis t: 01327 315414 e: paul.dennis@dhpub.co.uk Sub Editor Dean Kirkman Creative Director Mark Grafton Head Designer Fiona Brett Design and Illustrations Rebecca Abbott
ADVERTISING Contact: Matthew Marshall t: 020 3137 2406 e: mattm@media-shed.co.uk Production Manager Paul Evans Production Supervisor Neil Brooks Production Controller Lea Terry Production Designer Steph Horn Reprographics Manager Derek Mooney
Publishing Managing Director Sean O’Driscoll Operations Director Roger Mortimer
along the lines of: “After seeing what was going on in America I felt as if I was trying to help out after an earthquake, armed with a dustpan and brush.” Still, we must remain positive and continue to do our bit to keep stock levels sustainable – even if we are armed only with ‘dustpans and brushes’. As I write this, the weather is still what you might call ‘iffy’. Typically it seems that only one or two days each week offer decent conditions from boat or shore, and that’s a real frustration if you aren’t in the position to take advantage of those windows of opportunity. I’ve been lucky recently in that I’ve been able to wet a line in decent conditions, but set against this are numerous occasions when I’ve been set to go and the weather has scuppered it. I’m really hoping for more settled conditions to come, and for our summer species to begin to feature more consistently. The signs are encouraging if a little slow, but the key is to keep trying. For those of you lucky enough to live right on the coast, the opportunities can be taken more easily than for us ‘landlubbers’ who have to do a bit of motoring for our fishing. To get to my nearest bit of coast takes a 100-mile round trip, but it’s well worth the effort, because when you get there, well, there’s really nothing like it is there?
Contact DHP t: 01327 311999 f: 01327 311190 DHP Correspondence David Hall Publishing Ltd, 1 Whittle Close, Drayton Fields, Daventry, Northants NN11 8RQ Subscriptions Manager Louise Dalmedo Subscription & Back Issue Queries t: 0845 345 0253 Prestige House, Valleybridge Road, Clactonon-Sea, Essex CO15 4AD e: subscriptions@dhpub.co.uk Lines open 9am-5pm Monday-Friday Printed By Southernprint t: 01202 628300 Distribution Seymour Distribution Ltd 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT t: 020 7429 4000 Total Sea Fishing is published by David Hall Publishing Ltd Website www.davidhallpublishing.com The advertisements and editorial content published in this magazine are the sole property of the publisher and may not be copied or reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher.
18,814 likes
Tight lines.
Paul Dennis, Editor
04 www.totalseamagazine.com
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SURF Ca S T I NG SI L V E R
SURF
The Silver Surf is a three sections rod made of high quality materials the main characteristic is the high price/quality ratio. A rod intended for fishermen who want to improve their skills and try new casting techniques or simply implement the rod range. The Silver Surf is a very powerful and versatile rod, can be used in multiple fishing sytuations, from the beach or from the rocks, sensible during the fishing action and powerful during the casting. Suitable for live bait fishing in the “cableway” technique. Available: 4,20mt (100-250gr)- 4,50mt (100-250gr)
JUNO
SURF
Very powerful rod, particularly indicated for long range fishing, suitable for “ground casting”. The low rider guides equipping the rod will allow a better sliding of the line trough the guides. The Juno Surf is perfect for the surf caster who want to enhance his casting skill without investing too much money in his tackles. This rod is perfectly suitable to rig live baits and big baitfish fillets. Available: 4,20mt (100-250gr)
Northern England, Scotland, Ireland : Gus Brindle, E-mail : sales1@colmic.it Midlands, Wales: Shaun Stockley, E-mail : sales2@colmic.it Southern England and London: Chris Perry, E-mail : sales3@colmic.it
www.colmic.it
CONTENTS
JULY 2015
Do you have a story you want to share with the sea fishing community? E-mail paul. dennis@dhpub.co.uk
BAD-WEATHER BLUES
08 14 20 24 26 32
Robin Howard shows how flexibility can boost catches in testing conditions.
KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S SHORE Steve Neely receives a great welcome at a new venue.
SOUTHWEST SPOTLIGHT Paul Dennis looks at the wealth of fishing on the south coasts of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.
DUFFER’S GUIDE Matt Powell provides key pointers to success with shore bass on soft-plastic baits.
BASS-LINE SHIFT New TSF writer Matt Crowe shares a great session at Suffolk’s Minsmere Beach.
SEA ACADEMY
Increase your knowledge with the TSF Academy – packed with tips, tricks, skills and advice for ALL levels of sea angler. 32 Species Safari… How to catch this month’s four target species: mackerel, golden grey mullet, black bream and smoothhound 38 TSF Rigs… Ace skipper Tony Parry constructs a oneup, two-down scratching trace 40 Casting Matters… Peter Thain explains how to introduce long-distance consistency to your pendulum cast
GEARED UP!
56 62
TSF turns the spotlight on some of the best sea gear and gizmos!
ON TEST – HE’S BACK! Ex-editor Barney Wright gets in a spin with the Fladen Maxximus Microwave lure rod – “This rod will become a main contender in my armoury.”
TSF ANSWERS – BIGGER AND BETTER!
45 52
Your sea fishing questions answered.
ON TEST – EXCLUSIVE!
“STRAY RAY MADE MY DAY!” Gareth Davies visits Cei Bach Beach for some lively close-range sport.
64
Peter Thain gets ‘spooled’ by the awesome new Zziplex TRC shore rod – “Recovery speed is phenomenal; it’s easily the fastest Zziplex I’ve ever cast.”
06 www.totalseamagazine.com
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CONTENTS
JULY 2015
68 73
HITTING THE HORIZON The long and the short of the latest casting results from the UK and Ireland.
WIN ON THE WEB! Register on our website, www.totalseamagazine.com, and you can win brilliant prizes every week – as well as getting the most from the coast.
THE CODYSSEY
74
Paul Dennis takes advantage of a weather window to get among some wreck cod.
WIN!
78 80 82 86 89
Five fantastic Leeda Icon rods covering boat and shore fishing could be yours!
KAYAK KORNER All the latest kayak news and views.
BOAT TEST TSF enjoys a jaunt on the Smartliner 17.
REVVED UP We investigate the demon tweaks on the Selva 60 XSR Dorado outboard engine.
THE ANGLING TRUST SAYS… David Mitchell, the marine environmental campaigns manager for the Angling Trust, tries out some put-andtake sea fishing and gives his views.
CATCH SCENE
94 96 98
The month’s best catches, landed by YOU.
SENIOR MOMENTS Ace skipper Colin Penny discovers that the secret to eternal youth is plenty of fishing.
SKIPPER’S SPOTLIGHT Meet the skipper of Eastbourne charter boat Misty Blue, Jon Himpfen. Total Sea Fishing 07
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SHORE
BLUE WATER BAIT FISHING
Bad-Weat Angling guide Robin Howard discovered that it pays to be flexible when bad weather strikes.
I
truly thought that I had all the bases covered. My first trip to Fuerteventura in 2014 was a huge learning curve in an alien land. However, fishing it every day for two months puts a lot of rod hours under your belt. And although the fish were hard to put a pattern on, if you followed certain rules you would see action from the main attractions, the barracuda and the bonito. Get up and out on the rocks an hour before daylight and you would likely have the best of the barracuda fishing. Shallow your retrieve, and quicken it up, as the day began to reveal itself, and you would have your best chance at a bonito. Go out as the sun was setting, and stay an hour into dark, and again you would get chances. So, it was with far less trepidation that I loaded two heavy suitcases and a rod tube into the taxi on the last day of January 2015. I was back off for some winter sun and blue-water fishing for a full nine weeks. By the time I returned, the daffodils should have been and gone, and, if I was really lucky, the seas would have cleared, and the squid, and perhaps even a few early bass, would be about. This year my friend Sarah was not available for the opening week, so I took my
Robin’s This ‘bootlace’ Moray eel got ing. friend Laura hooked on fish
Andrew Upton with a massive smoothhound.
08 www.totalseamagazine.com
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BLUE WATER BAIT FISHING
SHORE
her Blues friend Laura out with me. I like to have a week to get a feel for the fishing before my guests arrive. My brother Richard was meeting us out on the island, although his obsession is birding, and that was his (actually extremely successful) mission that first week. Laura was there for a break, and because she had been banging on at me all year to take her fishing. It suited well because I was happy to have another rod along to vary techniques. That first week certainly kicked any smugness from my system. In fact it kicked many things out of my system, including my firstline approach of lure fishing for bonito and barracuda. We went through the motions from the Sunday morning to the Thursday evening, for perhaps two bangs and a couple of lizard fish. The swells were not the problem, although it was far from perfect conditions. The problem was that the pelagic predators simply weren’tt there. Why? Well, the weren
other thing missing were the twinkling shoals of immature sardines… Things were a lot different from the previous year. This was very apparent after the first five days. Laura had followed my instructions and fished like a trooper. But I wasn’t being fair to her. Reluctantly, for her last full day, we switched to baits. It was nothing major, just fishing for bits and pieces on prawn down the edges. And, thankfully, she caught her first fish. She was especially happy with a ‘bootlace’ Moray eel, although I think her absolute favourite fish was a little wide-eyed flounder, the only flatfish to be found on Fuerteventura’s sands I understand. And, as we enjoyed our final dinner together that night, she said: “I really like fishing.” I think that if I’d let her lure fish for a week-long blank then we would have lost her from this game altogether. It got me thinking. I now had guests to entertain for the next eight weeks. Perhaps
Lizard fish – fierce little predators.
Total Sea Fishing 09
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SHORE
BLUE WATER BAIT FISHING
The stingrays caught in daylight from the rocks were usually small male fish.
baits were going to feature more than I’d realised. The first guests were friends from the Thames Estuary regions. They were some very good anglers; I felt that things would improve. Conditions certainly did, with the wind dropping and swinging slightly to the west for much of the trip. Surely this would bring the baitfish in close, and with them the predators? Well, actually, yes. We continued with the lure routines every day, and it did produce three barracuda for that week, plus bonito hooked and lost. But there wasn’t really enough action to really entertain. When one of the lads, Charlie Coppolo, had been
Charlie Coppolo with a cracking angel shark.
possibly take Charlie onto the shallow sands that these huge beasts like to visit in the dark of night. He happily agreed, and so, on the Monday night Charlie was on his way to the first “Skippy” tour, as it became to be known, thanks to Simon’s Australian origins. The rest of us did the dusk patrol, with the already familiar lack of action, then some excellent dining, and a few very cheap beers – all part of the Fuerteventura experience. Charlie’s session went through till 3am, so it was the 5am assembly for the dawn patrol on the lures before we heard how it went. And it had gone very well indeed. Not only did Charlie
The sheer variety of fish is incredible. Some lads who came out towards the end of my tour for a couple of weeks hit 50 different species. asking about the trip a few months prior to departure, he’d asked me about the famed rays that inhabit these seas. I said to him that the trip really was focused on the bonito, and he would understand why when he hit one on shore gear. But I couldn’t put him off. So I asked a friend of mine who lives on the island, Simon Waldram, if he could
catch a cracking stingray in the 60lb bracket, but a bonus angel shark to boot! With the perfect conditions and yet still poor lure fishing, baits began to feature in daylight activities. And, suddenly, smiles were on people’s faces. The sheer variety of fish is incredible. A group of lads from the Channel Islands, who came out towards the end of my
tour for a couple of weeks, went on an all-out species hunt, and hit 50 before they returned. The waters are thick with bream of many varieties, although it was later in the tour before we worked out how to target the bigger ones more effectively. All of these experiments more or less directly led from the Skippy tour. As did further Skippy tours, because
Andrew Upton and Terry Small now also wanted the experience, having seen the magnificent fish that Charlie had beached. I began to regret not bringing heavy bait gear. I’d allowed for the wind and swells in the choice of my tackle that I’d taken out to the island, in so much as I had chosen a Cinnetic Explorer Black bass in the 3.6m version as my main lure rod. An extremely heavy and powerful rod, the choice was made in an attempt to dominate the bonito when hooked, with the extra length also helping keep deep fish away from the lethal ridges
10 www.totalseamagazine.com
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BLUE WATER BAIT FISHING
SHORE
Some of the lizard fish grow pretty big.
that surround the cliff edges. But the flip side was that these rods also double as great touch legering rods and float rods. Further Skippy tours threw up further trophy fish, a cracking stingray each for Terry and Andrew. The following week I had just a single guest. And as well as that single guest, I had a week of terrible wind and swells. Once again baits saved the day, with Couch’s bream sessions in daylight, and a Skippy tour that produced an awesome smoothhound in the 35lb bracket for Andrew, that I was lucky enough to witness,
as there was room in the car for me to go and watch. I decided to sort out some heavier bait gear that we might play with on big baits for big fish even in the swells smashing up Caleta de Fuste. A trip to Gone Fishing in Fuerteventura (a very appropriately named tackle shop – I advise ringing before heading over) saw me leave a lot of euros lighter. But for that I now owned a Cinnetic 7kg Heavy Lift rod (13 feet guaranteed to dead lift 7kg…) and a Penn Spinfisher 7000 reel spooled up to the brim with 28kg braid. I now had a beast tool for my guests. I also kept all guests up to date on a Facebook page, and recommended that they bring heavy gear out with them. Adaptability was kicking in… The following week the weather deteriorated. I had my first veteran of the 2014 tour returning, Hiroshi Okamoto. He’d done very well the previous year, and was keen for more of the same. Joining him were Dean, Terry and John from Portsmouth. This week was the absolute worst of the tour weather wise. Huge swells made all of Caleta unfishable and escaping to the shallow beaches of the south was the only option. Thank god for Skippy. I had the week off, as I couldn’t fit in the car. Skippy took my boys to the beaches, and pretty much
saved their week (although Hiroshi had a second week still to endure). Dean had a cracking angel shark, John an enormous stingray, and there were smaller rays for everyone else. Terry even managed an octopus. Their by-catch consisted mostly of small hound pups, big weevers and black and Couch’s bream. Now we had Hiroshi, and two more 2014 veterans, Tony and Alec. We were also joined by fellow Sussex angler Michael. And we had a week of mixed fortunes weatherwise, with the swells diminishing as the week went on. There still wasn’t too much happening on the lures, though, other than the odd lizard fish. Baits were performing better, including pulling in a cracking Couch’s bream creeping over the 3lb mark. The crowning glory of the week was Hiroshi catching a 5kg bluefish, again on a Skippy tour. Once again bait fishing had saved the day, and Hiroshi’s trip. I decided to invest in a second Cinnetic 7kg Heavy Lift/ Spinfisher 7000 combination. It was a good decision, and set the routine for the rest of the tour.
We still headed out early in the morning on the lures, and did eventually nail four bonito, with one lucky guy, Tim Albright, nailing one on a Monday and one on a Saturday with scant hours before his flight. We did find some tides better than others. Moonlight also ruined the shallow beaches for sure. We experienced many venomous creatures as well, which, luckily, through talking to locals, I was actually ready for. Perhaps the worst of these is the fireworm. It looks a bit like a ragworm that has had its paddles bleached. But these paddles are tiny darts loaded with powerful neurotoxins. First aid of urinating on them or pouring vinegar
Robin with a rockmark stingray. Total Sea Fishing 11
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BLUE WATER BAIT FISHING
Please be very aware, Atlantic waters are very harsh, and protection via venom is a popular theme with its inhabitants. Rigs were kept very simple, and seemed to be very effective. Fluorocarbon of 80lb was used because even the bream out there have incredible grinding teeth. Moray eels, which also featured in Caleta, are also heavily armed with a mincing arrangement. Bait was whatever fresh fish we could find in the local supermarket, or frozen sardines. Hook sizes were dependent on expectations. On the tides where the small rays were coming out, a 2/0 was appropriate, but a lot of Couch’s bream bites (which Fireworm dar ts were a hazard even on bait. were very distinctive hammering on the tip) were missed. Dropping to a size 1 saw more Couch’s hooked, but left you wondering if something special was to come. All the hooks were tough Mustad Big Guns, but even they can open up, as I proved when extracting snagged Fireworm venomous da s are well armed with tackle with the Heavy rts, as this one shows. Lift combination.
on them should you find them in your skin is recommended, followed by a trip to somewhere medical. And you don’t need to catch the worm to be affected. Carefully check your bait should you ever fish chunks of fish on the bottom. If the worm had been feeding as you retrieved, it will likely have dropped off. But in its fear it will have shed its darts, and your bait will be loaded with trouble. As Tony Geal said when he witnessed it: “Only in Fuerteventura can maddies put you in hospital…” Weevers and highly toxic scorpion fish were also encountered regularly.
Hiroshi Okamoto with a superb bluefish – no-one deserved one more.
On the shallow beaches, 7/0 O’Shaughnessy became the standard, as rays along here have been known up to the 300lb mark. And that’s without taking potential for immature hammerheads into consideration. They’re very exciting Tim Albright with a nice bonito.
beaches where you truly don’t know what’s coming next. And, most importantly, I could see from the smiles that the sessions were inspiring my guests, at a time when the luring had become pretty much boring once the sun was up. Collecting feedback after the event, it seemed that my thoughts were correct. Of course, everybody had come out for the lures, and the bonito and barracuda. But I think everyone agreed that bait fishing for other trophy fish was a winner. Adapting and expanding the bait gear, and getting mobile, made a huge difference to the enjoyment factor. So, for next year’s tour, there’ll now be a full set of heavy bait gear for my guests, and I’ll be driving a seven-seater hire car for a couple of months. At least that should see my beer consumption fall during the event… Roll on February 2016. As always, I can’t wait to get back.
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SHORE
LURE FISHING
HEAVEN’S
SHORE Steve Neely has upped sticks and moved to Alderney in the Channel Islands, and he’s discovered lure fishing Nirvana.
S
ome of you may already know that I’ve taken the leap and moved over to Alderney in the Channel Islands, for work, and to tap into some of the best lure fishing available in the UK. I’d never been to any of the Channel Islands before, but from what I’ve read it’s the Mecca for inshore lure fishing for species such as bass, pollack and the mighty ballan wrasse. ¬The flight over was an adventure all in itself but that’s a story for another day! On the plane, as I looked out, I could see dozens of rocky outcrops, reefs and islands peppering the rich, blue water – it looked like bass heaven! I’d brought most of my fishing kit over with me on the plane, but I had a few days to wait before my rods would arrive... and the anticipation was killing me. While I waited I decided to get myself a map and explore a little, to scout out some potential ground – it didn’t take long before I found some likely looking spots. The north side of the island comprises many shallow bays, which strip out on
low tide to expose reefs and gulleys. The southern side is rugged, with large cliffs plummeting into deep water and several tasty-looking boulder fields. After taking a few snaps of various marks for reference and marking them on the map, I headed home to sort out my lures as I eagerly awaited the postman.
The Gear My primary rod for wrassing is the Illex S 210 M 5g-21g, which is fast, light and powerful – the perfect tool for detecting subtle bites, yet with enough backbone to tame large wrasse. Over the past few months I’ve had it paired with a Daiwa Ballistic EX 3000 H (mag sealed) reel, loaded with YGK 20lb braid. Anyway, as I started to unpack the chaos that was my gear, it was the prime time to take stock and look at the ground that I was going to be fishing and see what lures I thought would do the job. I knew straight off that I would either be fishing Texas style or with weedless jigheads. The question was: which lures would I be taking on my first outing?
I decided on three main profiles to cover all eventualities until I got a better grasp of the resident wrasse population and what they preferred. The chosen three consisted of a Molix Sligozzo, a Z Man Punch CrawZ and an Illex I shad tail 4.8in. I had these in a few different colours – all subtle, revolving around a similar natural theme, so dark greens, browns and dark blues/blacks. I often try to fish with relatively light weights, around 5g to 10g, but from looking at the fierce currents and tidal rips I knew that I was going to have to step it up to hold the lure in the zone for longer, so I dug out a few heavier leads and jigheads ranging up to 14g. The suspense was killing me... I had my lures ready, the marks scouted, and all I wanted was to hear the knock on the door and I would be off for my first few casts in Alderney waters. I’d just popped back from work for lunch when I heard the postman – I was like a child at Christmas ripping off the wrapping as I popped off the lid and got the rods
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LURE FISHING
SHORE
Slipping a fish back to fight another day – and fight they cer tainly do!
Cliffs dropping into boulder bays make the ideal wrasse habitat.
Wrasse have perfect camouflage for ambushing small gobies.
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The Molix S lig is a proven ozzo wrasse catc her.
You can’t help but admire the stunning colour combinations of wrasse.
Wrasse Off Beaches!
Not the biggest wrasse ever, but a great introduction to the delights that Alderney has to offer.
out! I had just enough time to attach a reel, thread the line up and tie a leader on before I had to head back, but come five o’clock that evening I would be ready for action!
A Leap Into The Unknown The evening looked perfect, the wind had dropped and the swell was next to nothing. The adrenaline was pumping as I climbed down to a mark that I’d found a few days previously, and I had it on good authority that it was worth a cast. I arrived at the bottom as
the tide was dropping, and as it receded it exposed a massive boulder field, which at first was a little daunting but it looked fishy! I was rigged up and ready to go so I cast out and began to twitch and hop my lure back over the boulders in front of me. About halfway through my first cast, the rod lurched and I connected with a small ballan wrasse – no monster but it was my first cast on Alderney and it had resulted in a fish… not a bad start! I fished on as the tide was dropping and managed to pick up a few more –
nothing monstrous but I didn’t care; it was just awesome to have started on such a positive note. I knew that this wouldn’t always be the case but it really lifted my confidence and put a spring in my step on the way back up the steep hike towards my house. In hindsight the first fish was probably one of the smallest wrasse that I’ve ever caught, but did it matter? No, not one bit – I was off the mark and ready to start tapping into the awesome wrasse potential that Alderney has to offer.
The one thing that I found hard to get my head around was how you could walk down to a pebble beach, cast out a shad and nail wrasse. Back where I used to fish on the west coast of Ireland you wouldn’t have the slightest chance of a wrasse anywhere near sand or pebbles – that all seems to be flipped on its head here. There are literally wrasse everywhere – although that’s not to say that they’re always easy to catch. Wrasse being wrasse, they’re hugely colour fussy and at times more interested in following the lure than actually nailing it, but perseverance often pays off and if you put the time in over here it won’t be long before something decent grabs your lure – as my girlfriend was going to find out! At first the ground puzzled me but you soon learn that anywhere you see weed or rocks off beaches, the wrasse often aren’t far behind. It’s awesome to cast out over the dark patches and watch as the wrasse begin to hunt your lure over the sand before you nail them and
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LURE FISHING
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Texas-rigged lures offe r great presentation with brilliant weedless qualitie
s.
they scream off like mini giant trevally over a coral reef – adrenaline-pumping stuff!
A Personal Best As I was sitting at work I felt my phone vibrate – I lifted it out to check that it wasn’t anything important to find a text from my girlfriend simply saying that she’d caught a beast of a wrasse during a morning lure session on one of the many bays on the
north side of the island. Typical – I was sitting at work and now my head was filled with all sorts of scenarios and theories… sometimes life just isn’t fair! Anyway, she popped in at lunch time with the camera and we gathered round to see the snaps of a real chunky fish that was easily over 5lb – a stunning example of the calibre of the fishing to be had on Alderney. It was caught on a Molix RA shad 3.8in in smoke sunrise colour, fished on a 10g Texas rig over some super-shallow reefs. It was tamed on an Illex S 230 M 5g-28g rod and
plenty of Stunning scener y and paradise! fish-holding structure –
by all accounts it put up a rather impressive fight. She was delighted and so was I – it was a new personal best for her and by any standards it was a clonking wrasse. There’s something about the look of a 5lb-plus wrasse – they just have so much more attitude than their smaller counterparts; whether it’s that huge spade tail or their stocky shoulders, you just know that these fish mean business.
My Thoughts So Far Where do I start? Everywhere I go looks promising – it’s ridiculous,
The fish are of a nice average size that’s for sure!
because each time I walk over a headland or look down over some cliffs, I see another mark that looks just as ‘fishy’ as the last. The possibilities are endless and with the island being so compact you can easily get out of the wind, which is a huge plus point as any lure angler will tell you. By the time you read this I will have obviously spent a considerable amount of time exploring new marks and hopefully smashing some more decent-sized fish, but, so far, from what I’ve seen, it has blown my mind and completely flipped my perception of wrasse fishing on its head. To some this may sound a little worrying, but I think it’s quite refreshing to be presented with new challenges because it helps keep my fishing dynamic and interesting. One thing I struggled to get my head around was the size of the tides and the difference they make to the coastline. I know that the tides aren’t Total Sea Fishing 17
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The breakwater provides access to deep water and big fish.
as dramatic as those at, say, Jersey, but view the island at high and low tide and you’ll think that you’re looking at two completely different places. Low water produces an almost lunarlooking landscape around the northern shore, exposing reefs, gulleys and hundreds of metres of prime hunting ground for any saltwater predators. The strong currents take a little getting used to, but after some experimentation and trial and error I soon found that on most marks it took between 10g and 14g to hold the lure in the gulleys for long enough to entice a wrasse to come and investigate. Paddletails seem to be working best – my theory being that the
vibrations from the tail help the fish tune in to the lure in the more turbulent water, compared with more streamlined lures like Senkos, although this is only an early theory – but time will tell. I’ve also noticed that because most of the marks are so shallow, the wrasse tend to run more rather than go for the bottom (like I’m used to). Back home I was used to wrasse diving to the nearest ledge for cover, but here they just run over the reefs peeling off line if you let them – so lock your drags up! It’s too early to say, and I don’t want to jinx it, but I think I’ve found lure fishing Nirvana. From the little I’ve seen and the stories I’ve been told, I’m in for an eye-opener This 5lb-plus specimen is hopefully a sign of things to come.
Wrasse love paddletails.
this season – hopefully I’ll be able to share these exploits and adventures with you in articles to come!
Want To Come And Experience It For Yourself? When you say “the Channel Islands” most people think of Jersey or Guernsey, and the little island of Alderney is sadly overlooked. Well it’s a hidden gem for anglers looking for decent weather, dynamic terrain and a huge variety of species. I know that I’ve only talked about wrasse so far but the island’s coastal regions are home to huge pollack, bass and shedloads of mullet, not to mention the various species of bream, flatfish and massive conger eels. Not only do you have the stunning natural scenery but you also have the massive breakwater that hosts numerous species and gives
way to some seriously deep water, which is known for producing some monstrous fish – it really needs to be seen to be believed! You can fly direct from Southampton or from a number of other UK airports via Guernsey. There’s a whole host of accommodation options on the island but for anglers I’d recommend checking out Alderney Angling, which is not only a tackle shop but also runs its own bed-andbreakfast accommodation that will cater for all your needs. I know that a lot of UK lure anglers have their own pilgrimages to different parts where they tie up with friends or to explore somewhere new, so next time you’re planning a trip, why not check out Alderney? I took the plunge and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!
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The scenery is great - and so is the fishing. Dorset, Devon and Cornwall have loads to offer.
TUNE IN TO THEDDC
TSF editor Paul Dennis looks at the wealth of sea fishing opportunities on the southern coast of the southwest.
T
here’s no doubt that the southwest offers some of the best sea fishing opportunities in the UK, both for numbers of species and specimen prospects. The picturesque south coast areas of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall (DDC) still attract holidaymakers by the millions, with many eager to try out the topclass sea sport that’s on offer. It’s long been a coastal angling hotbed, and you only have to look at the well-known tackle companies based down there to get an idea of its importance to the angling trade as well as keen anglers. Redgill, Eddystone Eels, Snowbee, Sidewinder, South West Sea Baits, Luremasters, to name but a few, are all based in the area. It guarantees that
their products will have been thoroughly tested, and it’s no surprise that anglers buy them with great confidence. The DDC boasts more than 30 British Record sea fish – and that doesn’t include mini species. It’s truly a great area for quality as well as quantity, with the added attraction of some very unusual ‘occasional visitors’ borne along by the Gulf Stream.
Shore Thing The southern DDC coastline boasts some of the most varied fishing marks in the country. From shingle deep-water beaches like the mighty Chesil Beach, to feature-filled rock marks, estuaries and sandy beaches – not forgetting piers and breakwaters – there’s something for anglers of every ability to target. This wealth of marks also offers opportunities
for an astonishing choice of techniques for the keen angler, be they specialist or simply out for a fun day getting away from it all. Light rock fishing (LRF), distance beachcasting, heavy spinning, float fishing, light legering; the list isn’t exhaustive, but pick the right spot and whatever your preferred method is, you’ll be in with a great chance of some memorable sport. From stalking estuaries and side channels for gilthead bream, to a casual hour or two feathering for mackerel, or targeting grey mullet in marinas, the opportunities are there for those who want to take them. For a totally different day out, a species hunt can be great fun. Start off as light as you can to prospect rock pools with tiny baits – but keep an identification card with you to help differentiate between the various species
of gobies, blennies and other mini monsters you may catch. Then you can turn your attention to bigger species, still fishing close in if you’re on a rocky mark, before eventually going out to further distance for yet more species. You can set yourself a challenge of catching only on artificial baits, stick with natural baits or mix and match tactics to suit the state of the tide and the likely species. A target of 10 different species isn’t unreasonable and is achievable given a bit of thought and flexibility. The sheer diversity of the shore fishing on offer can be quite daunting, but a trip to a local tackle shop is a great starting point towards finding the upto-the-minute prospects. Some may even be able
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to put you in touch with well-respected local angling guides who can tailor a day out to suit you and give you a good grounding in the best baits, methods and tactics, which can be as specialised or as diverse as you wish. Rough-ground fishing for bass and wrasse is hugely
popular, and ray sport can be excellent, with an outside chance of landing blonde, small-eyed, undulate, thornback and spotted rays in the same session. Even during the quieter months at the back end of the year, good sport can be enjoyed with the ever-
obliging flounder, and there’s often the chance of a bonus cod too. For the big-fish minded this area of the country has a history of big shore-caught conger eels, with three specimens over 50lb landed in a two-week period earlier this year.
Go Afloat As with the shore fishing, the DDC boat fishing is some of the best in the country, and there are plenty of species to go at. Depending on the time of year you can target anything from tiny (but a mega-species tick)
Dorset’s iconic Chesil Beach offer s some of the most diverse spor t in the UK.
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red band fish to blue and porbeagle sharks. For an idea of the diversity of the species that can be encountered you only have to look at the catch log of top Weymouth skipper Colin Penny, who has seen no fewer than 69 different species landed on his boat. Obviously this number has been boosted by ‘accidental’ by-catch captures when targeting other species, but the ‘usual suspects’ of rays, cod, pollack, congers, tope, ling, black bream, bass, huss and a variety of flatfish form the basis of many trips, although dedicated species hunts are also understandably popular. The highly rated Charter Boats UK website lists 58 boats operating from DDC
ports, and this is only part of the story – a Google search will reveal others. There’s no shortage of top marks to visit, covering everything from bank and reef fishing to distant deepwater wrecks and close inshore work. Dedicated bass trips are popular and productive, with a variety of methods used to target this popular species. It’s not just the variety of species that makes this area popular. The chance of a real specimen is ever present, with anglers seeking to up their personal bests enjoying very real chances of doing so. Don’t forget, you’re in the home counties of some of the best plastic lures in the world. They were invented, tested and popularised in
these waters and the local skippers are old hands at setting their boats up to get the best out of them. As well as the mainstream methods, the more niche styles like slow-pitch jigging can be catered for by knowledgeable skippers, with Fish On! skipper Josh Simmonds highly rated.
Tackle Up There’s no shortage of tackle shops in this area, and you’ll find that some, like Weymouth Angling Centre, open very early to cater for anglers booked on boat trips and the like. A good supply of fresh and frozen baits are big features of these tackle shops, as well as some top-quality gear and all of the top-up bits and
bobs that you just can’t do without. While the internet is undoubtedly a popular choice for tackle buying, it’s possible to pick up some real bargains in store, especially with items that might not have found their way onto a web page yet. And it’s hard to deny that getting your hands on that rod or reel and putting it under very close scrutiny can often seal the deal – so make sure you take your wallet with you. As already mentioned, tackle shops are great sources of information, not just on the going marks and baits, but also on tackle. Pick the right shop and they’ll not only tell you what their biggest sellers are,
Bass? Rays? Wrasse? Pollack? It probably holds them all! www.totalseamagazine.com 822www www.totalseamagazine.com tottalseamagazine t l com
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they’ll also tell you what their favourites are in terms of reliability. This last nugget of information is a real winner if you’re making a substantial purchase that you intend to use on a regular basis.
Pick Your Spot It’s a fact that the best-laid plans can go awry, simply because of the vagaries of the good old British weather, but you can cut the odds with a bit of work on the internet. Some areas offer good shelter and can be fished in comfort and safety even when other marks are out of bounds. The same goes for boat anglers. The DDC has some inshore spots that local
skippers can target even when they can’t put right out to sea, and sport can be very good indeed. As an example, Falmouth Bay was still fishable and producing good catches around the Christmas and New Year period, when bad weather closed out the chance of fishing more distant marks.
target and what methods you want to use. For boat anglers, longerduration bookings are becoming increasingly popular because it removes some of the weather risks. They also offer the opportunity to get to know the skipper better, to take a more leisurely view of things and visit more
different marks than can be fitted into a single day. For the shore angler it provides a chance of trying new marks at varying states of the tide, and if a guide is booked for at least one of the days, the knowledge gained will last a lifetime, and will be applicable to different areas of the country too.
Choose Your Time Obviously the DDC area can get very busy during the summer months when holidaymakers swell the crowds. But the fishing is good all year round, and booking an overnight stay at short notice is a lot easier out of the main season. It really depends on what sorts of species you want to Turbot from the famous Shambles Bank – but you can catch them from the shore too. You’ll find numerous feature-filled rock marks along this coastline.
SWIMMING AT 60 This year sees the 60th anniversary of the first sandeel lure designed by the late Alex Ingram. The lure became known as the Red Gill, and it achieved fame worldwide as a brilliant fish catcher. To celebrate the 60th anniversary, Red Gill has brought out a limitededition ‘Diamond’ lure, featuring the classic 1970’s tail design that proved such a huge success.
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duffer’s guide
BASS ON SOFT PLASTICS TO SHORE Matt Powell shares some basic tips on how to succeed with softplastic lures for bass. It only takes a bit of warmth for anglers to start reaching for their spinning rods, and inevitably some will immediately reach for the soft-plastic lures too. With the right timing and knowledge, and, of course, the right soft-plastic lures fished in the correct manner and with excellent techniques, late spring and into early summer are the perfect times to fish for hungry bass. But life and conditions are rarely perfect, so what can you do to achieve an edge with soft-plastic lures?
A common lure fishing sin is having an old favourite lure that always finds its way onto your line in any situation. Most anglers have their ‘go-to’ patterns that they place a lot of reliance on, but sometimes they catch most of their fish on them because they’re in the water for longer than any of their other lures. Always have an open mind and be ready to learn.
Colour choice is a conundrum with all lures, not just plastics, and in some situations it can be key. Matching the predominant lure colour to that of preyfish being targeted can draw more takes, but its effectiveness also depends on light levels and water clarity. In some situations a strong silhouette will work best, so don’t ignore black or dark-coloured lures.
Many soft-plastic lures have built-in ‘actions’ in the form of flexible tails, sometimes enhanced by an exaggerated paddle, but you can have too much of a good thing. Make use of the action by working the lure with subtle twitches to just give a small kick of life. The more you can make it look like a dead or dying fish, the better.
Remember the rule: “Anything that can’t move faster than they can.” Check out how fast the prey is moving and match your lure speed to that. While it’s unlikely that you can wind in faster than a bass can swim, always bear in mind that they love an easy meal.
The weight, and how you apply it to soft-plastic lures, is also important. Some lures have weight built in, and this affects the depth that they can be fished at, the speed that they can be fished at and how far you can cast them. Alongside this is a key predatory trigger: the drop rate of the lure. If you’re trying to mimic an injured fish, remember that they don’t drop to the bottom like a stone. Ideally you want to initially grab the attention of the bass as the lure drops through the water, perhaps even drawing takes as the lure falls. How light you can go depends more on current and tide than the distance you need to cast. Unweighted plastic lures can be deadly.
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How bass catch their prey depends to some extent on their size. The bigger fish tend to be solitary through a combination of choice and survival smarts, and they tend to target prey in a different way from their smaller brethren, which often show a preference towards pack hunting. Bigger bass are more likely to be ambush predators, using their coloration and the local ground to give them an advantage in hitting unwary prey. They will take advantage of shoal fish, herding prey their way, but they’re unlikely to be leading the charge; rather they will be picking off the wounded and maimed so don’t be shy of fishing a static lure!
Over and above lure choice and how you fish them, the importance of time of tide, tidal flow and current is everything. As lure anglers this knowledge is the most important natural tool we have. This type of fishing is not just about throwing out a lure and hoping for the best; you need to get to know your venue. In time you will be able to use this knowledge in other situations. The bottom line is: You can’t catch fish that aren’t there.
Give your lures a chance. The more soft lures you have in terms of size, shape, colour and action, the more tempting it can be to change lures every cast without giving them a chance to work their magic. Think more about how you’re presenting and working the lure than its colour and shape.
Predatory fish will eat pretty much anything that can’t move faster than they can, so lures loosely imitating small fish of any species, marine worms, crabs, squid and crustaceans are the most popular choices, but more important is how you fish them.
Bass are built to feed, and you should never be surprised at the nooks and crannies they can force their way into in search of a meal. Not only that, the bigger fish will make use of cover to ambush their prey, so the closer you can get to structure the better. Even with weedless hooks you MUST expect to lose some kit. If you aren’t losing a lure or two you’re missing out on fish.
Don’t be a slave to wholly imitative soft-lure patterns. Sometimes the really detailed copies are less effective than the rougher, sketchier examples. Some of the most effective soft plastics are very simple, almost ‘stick-like’ lures like the Slug-Go. Don’t be afraid to keep things simple.
The old adage of “big bait, big fish” doesn’t always hold true with soft-plastic lures, especially if you have the chance to compare lure size with preyfish. Three-inch lures can be great choices if conditions are calm, the water is really clear and visibility is very high. If you aren’t getting takes on your ‘normal-sized’ lures, try the next size down.
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BASS-LINE
SHIFT Matt Crowe scored a perfect 10 on a productive shore bass session.
E
ver since I was young, the bass has always been one of my favourite fish to catch from the shore. With its aggressive nature and gorgeous silver flanks it has definite star quality, so when spring arrives I get that excited feeling because I know that we shall soon be graced with its presence. So it was that at the beginning of May I finished
early from work, and knowing that I had some prime fresh peeler crab resting in the fridge, I could hear the beach calling. I loaded up the car and made the 45-minute journey from my house to Minsmere Beach on the Suffolk coast. Situated between Dunwich and Sizewell, Minsmere is a shallow sandy beach with a sandbank running the length of the shore just 50 yards from the low-tide line,
and my theory was that the bass would be working this sandbank looking for all the tasty morsels that they’d be feasting on. When I arrived I walked down to the beach an hour before low tide to be greeted by the waves crashing and swirling over the top of the sandbank, creating plenty of white water, which in my eyes screamed bass. The confidence inside me was high by now. If I didn’t
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get a bass this night I would be very shocked. Everything so far was slotting into place. The wind was blowing southwesterly and there was a nice bit of colour in the water, the sunlight wasn’t too bright and the tides were perfect. I would fish low tide and then up into darkness to high, which was due to fall around 11:30pm. I sat down and picked out my weapons of choice. I would be using two rods. I was going to use my Colmic Zero 7 90g-150g with a two-hook hook flapper consisting of Sakuma Manta 2/0 hooks baited with half a crab on each and a rolling lead setup to search the sandbank for any little gulleys and holes that the bass would be patrolling around, looking for food deposited by the incoming tide. The second rod was my ever-faithful ZZiplex profile GT with a pulley dropper rig loaded with a whole crab on 2/0 Sakuma Manta Extra hooks Pennel style.
This was to be cast out far beyond the sandbank to see if anything was lurking further out, then if I had no bites at distance, my plan was to also move this rod in closer later on. Sitting in my shelter I made the first bait up, cutting the crab in half and whipping each half with bait elastic on a baiting needle to aid in bait presentation on the hooks. Looking out as I was baiting up I could now see that it was nearly low water, with the sandbank looking even more inviting. The excitement I was feeling inside rose as my Colmic flicked my flapper rig right on top of the white water. Would I do battle with my intended quarry this night, and, if I did, would any large bass show? Well it was now time to find out. I sent the dropper rig out with a nice easy offthe-ground cast, sending it well into the area where I was intending for it to start fishing. I sat back, watching the Colmic’s rod tip slowly
SHORE
Using a baiting needle makes things a lot easier.
Half a crab is plenty for these bass.
A decent early fish kicks off the session – but will it continue in this vein? Total Sea Fishing 27
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move as the lead was doing its job perfectly, searching the top of the sandbank, rolling in and out of every dip and trough. Ten minutes passed with no movement. I now had that satisfied relaxed feeling that we all get when we know that in our minds everything we can do has been done right and it’s just a job of the fish now playing ball and snaffling the bait. Out of nowhere I saw a tremble on the rolling-lead rod followed quickly by a slack-line bite. Was this Mr Bass; had the plan worked? I was about to find out. As I lifted the rod off the rest, I started winding down, and after what must have been only a couple of seconds but which felt a lot longer, I made contact with the fish. The unmistakeable strong fight told me that this was a bass – it felt sizeable, too. After a spirited little scrap I saw the bass come
They were getting bigger, due to the weather turning and roughing up the shallow water, encouraging the bass to come in and feed. through the surf, then as I got closer I gave a little whoop; it looked around the 3lb size. I unhooked it and took a couple of pics, then waded out a little way and released it. I was happy – I’d hit my target species on the first cast. “Calm down,” I thought to myself, because a fish on the first cast normally spells disaster for me. I’ve had a fair few sessions where I’ve caught on my first cast and then sat for the next six hours watching those around me bag up while I don’t even see another bite. “So was this going to be one of those sessions?” I thought to myself again as I sent the rolling lead out yet again onto the sandbank. Well I needn’t have worried because within a minute of the rod being out I saw the tip slowly slacken
off as another fish took the half-a-crab bait. I wound down into the fish and could feel weight but no real scrap, but yet again I saw a flash of silver in the surf and a very undersized diddy bass was beached. I quickly unhooked the little cracker and watched it swim away to hopefully keep growing and one day become a doublefigure fish. The tide was now starting to flood, no tide run was visibly present but I could see the water level rising and the sandbank was no longer as visible as before. The only sign that it was there were the waves rising up as they rode over the top of it. Yet again the rollinglead rod slackened off and another bass was on. They were all feeding
over that sandbank and were obviously loving the juicy crab baits that I was sending out to them. This one felt a bit better
and gave me a nice scrap, pulling the rod round as it tried to make its getaway down the shoreline. I was chuckling away to myself as it turned out to be around the 3lb mark again but fought well above its weight – what pristine, healthy little fish these were. Unfortunately I then saw the rattles of doom! The
Small, but perfectly formed!
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As darkness falls, the fish get bigger.
whiting had moved in and they also had the taste for the crab that I was putting out. Weirdly, nothing had hit the crab on a fixed lead; every fish was nailing the rolling setup, which works a much bigger area. The tide was now around three hours into the flood and darkness had descended, the wind had got up and the rain was coming down fairly hard, but I picked up a couple more bass of around the 3lb to 4lb mark. Then, out of nowhere, the Profile GT with the fixed lead sprang back. I wasn’t expecting this and I could see the tip wobbling as a fish had obviously hooked itself against the weight. I wound down and lifted into it. I felt the weight of the fish and then felt a nod on the rod, followed by another. “H’mm, could this be a codling or is it another Billy bass?” I thought. I walked to the water’s
SHORE
It’s nice to see that people do follow the advice on these notices at Minsmere.
edge and got it in my headlight; it was a lovely chunky codling that went 45 centimetres. “Very nice,” I thought as I walked up to my shelter to unhook it. It had nailed the whole crab, which was stuffed right down its throat. What a greedy little thing. I then carried it down to the water and watched it swim away, and as I was walking back to the shelter,
the rain really started pounding down and the wind strength increased. I rebaited the fixed-lead setup with a whole crab and just gave it a simple overhead thump past where the sandbank was in the hope that a few more codling may have been shoaled up where the last one had been plucked from. If I could keep catching those all night and didn’t
Winding down into another bass.
Total Sea Fishing 29
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A nice cod is a welcome bonus.
have any more bass I would have still been a happy chappy. I needn’t have worried, though, because about 10 minutes later the rolling lead did it again and the line went slack, then another 4lb bass slid up the sand after a nice scrap in the now rough surf that was crashing into the shoreline. Within 10 minutes of the rod being back out it did exactly the same thing: a lovely slack-line bite followed by another 3lb to 4lb bass sliding up the sand. I sat down and thought to myself that this was turning out to be one of the best sessions I’d had in a long time, when the fixed-lead rod gave a slight lurch forward and then slowly slack lined. This felt a much better fish and when I saw it in my headlight I could see that it was over 5lb, which was a bonus. They were getting bigger, which I assume was due to the fact that the weather had turned and was roughing the shallow water up perfectly for the bass to come in and feed. I released the fish and walked up to my shelter. As I got closer I could see that the line from the
rolling lead was going past my shelter and had gone parallel to the beach. I lifted the rod out of the rest and wound down until I felt weight. The rod smacked round as the fish made off downtide in the surf – this wasn’t a small schoolie; this felt BIG! The fish was going up and down the surf trying to shake the hooks out of its mouth, lunging backwards and forwards. “Please don’t let the hooks pull!” is all I kept thinking as the leader knot got onto the reel. Then I saw her in the surf in my headlight, with her spikes up looking like one angry momma. I could see that she was a big fish so as the waves broke I brought her in, riding the surf to the beach. Wow, what a cracker she was, and she was in no mood to be messed with, so I unhooked her, took a couple of photos and a little video and quickly waded in to the surf with her, holding her until I felt her give a couple of kicks, and then watched as she glided away slowly, stilly looking extremely angry. I’d ruined her night by catching her. I sat back and didn’t bait up for about
five minutes. I just sat there buzzing, thinking about that beautiful fish. I then sent out a few texts to my mates telling them that they should have come with me.
What a session it was! I wanted one more bass, though, to make 10 in the session, so I sent out the rolling lead again and yet again within 15 minutes it slack lined and another gorgeous bass of around 7lb was sitting on the sand. I couldn’t believe it; I unhooked her and released her too. The rain was hammering it down but I didn’t care. I’d just had one of those sessions that we all dream about and that we all think will never happen… but they sometimes do. Hit the right time and right place and you can catch the unexpected, be it species, size or quantity. So, the next time you get a hunch and everything feels right, grab your gear and get on the beach. You never know, it could just well turn out to be one of those red-letter days that we all dream of.
Two rods out and waiting for action.
30 www.totalseamagazine.com
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UNM ELEVEN PAGES OF
32 SPECIES SAFARI ckerel,
en ma How to catch specim ck bream and bla , llet mu y golden gre smoothhounds.
38 TOTAL RIGS
d use a one-up, Learn how to build an ce. tra g hin two-down scratc
RS 40 CASTING MAT TEto achieve w Peter Thain explains ho y. nc iste ns co e nc long-dista
In our great new s eri NEW increase your spe es, TSF provides you with in-depth SERIES cies count from b oat or shore – and information on how to pick up some spe cimens too.
Mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
T
he mackerel is a species that has started many anglers on the road to sea angling. Widespread during the summer months, and usually easy to catch due to the formation of large shoals of eager biting fish, it’s a staple of the UK sea scene. A fast-moving predatory species, the mackerel hunts sprats, sandeels and other small species, often herding them up towards the surface where the water can boil as the mackerel attack the bait ball. This behaviour by the mackerel is tuna-like, and it has similar finlets on the tail wrist. Also, like the tuna, it has no swim bladder, enabling it to change depth quickly to follow the shoals of preyfish. The mackerel can be very easy to catch indeed, and, as with any sea fish, the best advice is to take just what you need, and not indulge in wholesale slaughter.
Baits The majority of mackerel are caught on teams of feathers or similar small, flashy artificial lures fished above a heavy lead weight. This is a good method for catching numbers of them to use for bait when boat fishing for
bigger fish, but doesn’t allow mackerel to show their sporting potential. Small fish, fish strips or sandeels will catch mackerel and these can be presented on float tackle to produce more exciting sport. They can also be caught individually on small spinners, and if it’s possible to present these on light tackle, a mackerel can provide an entertaining scrap.
Tackle For shore and pier fishing it’s possible to catch mackerel on standard beachcasting gear using the aforementioned feathers. Standard boat rods with the same terminal tackle will also do the job. Such is the popularity of the species that many coastal tackle shops sell complete mackerel fishing kits, which are generally cheap fixed-spool reels ready loaded with line, rods
in the 11ft range and a selection of feathers and leads. However, for sport the lightest spinning rod capable of casting a small but heavy spinner is a good choice. The heavier lures allow for more flexibility when targeting mackerel at a variety of depths. Fly fishing is another tactic to try for mackerel, and again it’s an option that can provide great sport.
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Features While mackerel will chase shoals of baitfish into shallow water, they’re essentially fish that like a bit of depth underneath them. For this reason, rocky headlands, piers, breakwaters and steeply shelving beaches are favoured from the shore. Big tides tend to offer the best chances due to the increased depth of water. Mackerel also favour fast tidal runs, probably because this sort of water tends to concentrate the baitfish shoals, and these are the sort of marks that boat anglers search out, along with structure such as reefs and wrecks where there’ll be plenty of preyfish.
although in the case of a depth change it’s worth going deeper again first, because strikes could be expected on the drop if the shoal has moved up in the water. For fly anglers, leadheaded lures will get down to the fish-catching depth more quickly, while also providing the type of motion on the way down that will grab the attention of a predatory mackerel.
Tactics Feathering for mackerel from shore, pier or breakwater involves casting the feathers as far as possible then working them back towards you with big upward sweeps of the rod, before reeling in the slack, in an attempt to discover what depth the mackerel are at and to keep the feathers in their eye lines for as long as possible. Feathering tactics from boats are similar, with the lures usually jigged up and down at varying depths until mackerel are felt striking them. Dropping the feathers down to the bottom and then starting a steady retrieve, as with pollack fishing, counting the turns of the reel handle on the way up, will provide good information regarding the depth at which the shoals are feeding, and this can save time on subsequent drops. Finding the right depth is also key when float fishing and lure or fly fishing. With the latter methods, counting the
Specimen Spot
lure or fly down through the water before retrieving it should eventually reveal where the mackerel are. It pays to be methodical with this, but also to be flexible because mackerel are fast
swimmers and can change depth faster than most other species. A sudden lack of strikes can mean that the shoal has moved on, or it can mean that it has changed depth,
Mackerel form such big, aggressive feeding shoals that it’s very difficult to sort out the bigger fish. However, bait fishing tactics with a decent-sized mackerel strip or sandeel can pick out better-thanaverage specimens. A mackerel of 2lb is a very big fish indeed, and the British Record of 6lb is absolutely mind-boggling.
Mackerel will chase shoals of baitfish into water so shallow that the baitfish become stranded.
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Golden Grey Mullet (Liza aurata)
T
he golden grey mullet is the smallest of the three grey mullet species found in UK waters. It can be identified by the goldcoloured ‘thumbprint’ on the cheek and gill cover, and by its pectoral fins, which are longer than those of the thin-lipped or thicklipped grey mullet. It’s more common around the southern areas of the UK, South Wales and the Channel Islands, only appearing in the summer months before migrating early in autumn, so there’s a small window of opportunity in which to target them.
lines are best because it’s usually a case of watching the leader and the end of the fly line and striking quickly Baits at any movement. Golden greys naturally The fish has a fairly small feed on small creatures like mouth so hook sizes of 12 to shrimps, worms and ‘weed 8 work well, with leader lines maggots’, but may also have as low as 4lb to 8lb. predatory instincts, targeting A lot of golden grey tiny fish. Maddies make good fishing is sight fishing, so bait, as do tiny pieces of good-quality polarising lens mackerel (not skin) and, like sunglasses are musts. thick-lipped mullet, they can also be partial to breadflake. Features They can be caught on While this fish will frequent artificial flies and small harbours and marinas, it’s lures, with the latter tipped more of a clear-water species with a small ragworm good. than the other two and tends to avoid muddy estuaries. Tackle Shallow beaches are Due to their smallish size favourite habitat. It likes (2lb is a specimen), anglers warm water and the quicktend to target them with warming shallows are a as light tackle as possible. big attraction, with the fish Avon-style coarse rods and coming in fast with the small fixed-spool reels are making tide and tending to favoured, as long casts are stay until high water. rarely required, with weights It will forage and feed very in the 1oz to 2oz range. Fly close to the shoreline, right anglers will generally go in among the breakers. for 6-wt to 7-wt rods, again because usually closeTactics quarter fishing and accurate Legering tactics can work casting is required. Floating for golden greys, and a small
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drilled bullet with a 3ft hooklength is all that’s required, although a c couple of white beads n near to the hook can a interest. Bait can add e either be maddies, b breadflake or Marukyu I Isome worms, with red g good for the Isomes. Groundbaiting can keep fish interested and in the area, but doesn’t need to be too lavish. A few small pieces of bread or fragments of maddie will do the trick. Casting rarely needs to be further than 20 yards, and bites can be felt for if legering, with most coming as quick taps and plucks. Fly anglers rate golden grey fishing as the closest a UK angler can get to bonefish fishing on our shores. Casting is to individual fish, and it’s a case of watching its reaction and the line for indication of a take. The fly doesn’t need to be worked; its natural fall to the bottom will catch the keen eye of the mullet, which will pick up the static fly.
Shrimp patterns are good, as are some traditional ones like the red tag. Golden greys have a definite preference for red, so red-spot shrimps and any patterns with red in them are ones worth trying in size 10 or 12. These fish have good eyesight, so it pays to be as unobtrusive and drab as possible. That said, it can be a good tactic to get in the water among the fish so long as your movements are slow and deliberate. The lower profile this gives is useful. There’s no need to wade too far out; in fact it can be a disadvantage because mullet may get between you and the shore.
Specimen Spot Sight fishing is definitely the way to go for specimens – picking individual fish and casting to them, either on fly tackle or with bait.
Total Sea Fishing 35
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T
here was a time when the black bream was less common in UK waters than the red bream, but the black bream is now the dominant species. It’s most common in the southern areas out to the western end of the English Channel and can be caught from boat or shore, but boats tend to produce the bigger specimens. Most black bream haunts are well known and the fish return to them year after year, so local knowledge is important, although the species is quite widespread. For its size it fights harder than most species and is best targeted with the lightest tackle possible.
Baits Black bream aren’t fussy eaters and will have a peck at most things, although like most species they'll have days when they can be a bit picky. Lug, rag, squid, fish strips, crab, cockle, scallop, mussel, razorfish – there’s a wide choice. But baits need to be trimmed quite tight to the hook to provide the best chance of a hookup, rather than having the bream tearing away untethered bits of bait. They’re more than willing to attack big baits, but do have small mouths so the chances of hooking them will be remote. Cocktail baits work, and the addition of anything a bit tougher, like squid, as a tippet, will keep the fish pecking at the bait for longer with more chance of them being hooked.
Tackle It’s easy to fish too heavy for black bream. You’ll still catch them but won’t get the best from them. From beaches, longer
Black Bream (Spondyliosoma cantharus)
Continental-style rods will show the tapping bites better and have a more sympathetic playing action. Fixed-spool reels loaded with 20lb to 30lb braid will allow long, easy casts without much effort. Shockleaders will need to be used, but a two-hook or three-hook flapper or cascade rig with light fluorocarbon snoods will do the job. Hooks should be small but strong, size 2 to 6. Bream have small mouths but sharp teeth and strong jaws, so they need to cope. Shortshank carp or circle hooks are the best, used with 15lb to 20lb fluorocarbon snoods. The lightness of tackle to use from a boat depends on the strength of the tide and thus the weight of the lead. In testing conditions you can be a bit overgunned, but even on a 12lb-class rod with 12oz of lead you’ll know you have a scrap on your hands. Ideal conditions will see you able to use much lighter rods along with light leads. The recently released 9ft Shakespeare Agility Tipster seems to have potential to be a decent bream rod, having
extra reach to allow bites to be hit quickly, and a sensitive tip to show those ‘pluckers’.
Features Black bream like structure, mainly rocks, reefs and wrecks. They’re equipped for nipping tough food from rocks and the like, but the arrival of a soft bait can result in piranha-like activity. In faster tides the fish will be closer to the bottom and any structure, but slacker water will see them come up to take advantage of easier feeding opportunities.
Tactics Good sport can be had from shore, piers and breakwaters, especially if there’s rough ground nearby. Some beaches, notably Chesil, can produce black bream, but they tend to be small ones. Flapper rigs and two-up, one-down rigs will catch, with the lowest hook tending to produce bigger fish. The same rigs will work for the boat, although a simple one-hook paternoster bounced down the tide can be good, especially if light
leads and tackle are used. Keeping tight to structure is important, and the faster the tide, the closer to it the fish will be, often hiding on the downtide side of structure, meaning that baits need presenting precisely. Unlike with many species, bream bites must be struck. Lift into the first good rattle and you’ll soon know if you’ve made contact. If not, drop back down for another go, but on days when bites are a bit harder to come by it can pay to wind back up and put a fresh bait on because it will draw bites more quickly.
Specimen Spot Big bait, big fish for these. The big 'uns will attack quite large baits – in 2014 a terrific haul of specimens to over 4lb was taken on whole squid intended for rays. Canny anglers often set up with one-down, two-up rigs, with a big sacrificial bait on the bottom (bigger) hook in the hope of a big bonus bream. Squid heads are popular, but mackerel cubes or several limpets or mussels can work too. Total Sea Fishing 35
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T
he smoothhound is a member of the shark family and one of the most popular sporting fish in UK waters. It’s a shallow-water species and can be caught from boat or shore. Its range seems to be increasing around the UK, but the south and west still offer the best chances of regular catches. Smoothhounds usually begin to arrive during spring, coinciding with crab moults. The early fish are usually on the small side, with bigger fish coming in later and staying around during the summer before the weather cools.
Baits Smoothhounds are specialist feeders, with their blunt, crushing plates designed to handle molluscs, crustaceans and especially crabs. They’re rarely caught on fish or worm baits. Peeler crab is rated as one of the top baits, but hardback crab can be equally good and is more selective. A cocktail bait of half a hardback and half a peeler crab is also a good choice.
Tackle From the shore, standard beachcaster rods and goodquality multiplier or fixedspool reels are the way to go. Depending on the venue, long casts may be required, although there are many venues where smoothhounds can be caught close in as they do like to venture into shallow water. On venues where close-quarter tactics and lighter leads can be used, carp rods and reels can be pressed into service. Reel lines of 15lb to 20lb with shockleaders of 60lb to 70lb to 30lb hook snoods are popular choices. Hooks need to be strong and very sharp, and the traditional patterns in size 3/0 will do the job, although circle hooks are increasing in popularity. For distance work, clipped-down pulley rigs are favoured from the shore. With less distance casting to do, boat anglers often have the luxury of fishing very light for smoothhounds. Rods in the 6lb to 12lb class can be used depending on the state of the tide and the size of leads needed. Uptiding tactics can also be used, and specialist uptiding rods, or lighter carp rods, can be used to cast away from the boat. Simple running-leger rigs work well,
with similar hooks, rig-body and snood strengths as for shore work.
Features Smoothhounds favour sand, shingle and fairly light rough ground in shore situations. Beaches with a wealth of features in the form of gulleys and bars, which form natural food traps, will be favoured, but the most important factor regarding smoothhounds deciding to visit is the availability of food. They travel in packs and will swiftly move on once the food supply is exhausted.
Tactics Smoothhounds will happily feed during the daylight hours, but both dawn and dusk on the right tide can be very good. They tend to prefer calmer conditions than most species, but they do enjoy a decent tide run. From boat or shore, simple legering tactics are the best; from boats a running leger, while from the shore the aforementioned clippeddown pulley rig for distance.
Bait size can be important and for smoothhounds you don’t want to make it too big. They hit baits on the run and smaller baits are more easily engulfed than oversized ones, so baits around the size of a 50p piece are the usual top choices. You need to keep an eye on your rod when smoothhound fishing, with the reel set to give line on the take or the ratchet set. Carp anglers’ baitrunnerstyle fixed-spool reels are becoming popular among ‘hound’ specialists for this reason. Be prepared for an epic scrap when you hook a hound. They can take off quickly and can easily strip 100 metres of line from a reel.
Specimen Spot Bigger baits can mean bigger hounds, but timing is also important, and late May to early June is a good period for bigger fish. These tend to be pup-bearing females, so care must be taken when handling them, which should be kept to a minimum, and returning them, which should be swift and carried out with great care.
Smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus)
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Code RE0090 RE0091 RE0092 RE0093 RE0094 RE0095 RE0096
Constructed from Vass-Tex 350 material, delivering unparalleled levels of wind- and waterproofing. With button over storm collar and elasticated hem and cuffs. Size Black Navy Red S VW0449 VW0461 VW0606
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PE1552
9ft Bass Spin
15-55g
3
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10ft Bass Spin
£74.99
£68.00 £72.00
1-3oz
3
£79.99
PE1549 13ft 4 Beach Rod 4-6oz
3
£124.99 £113.00
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3
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7ft 8 Boat Rod
12-20lb
4
£79.99
£72.00
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7ft 6 Boat Rod
20-30lb
4
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30-50lb
4
£79.99
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BLUE YONDER
Features an open CT frame for easy line access and 2 stainless steel ball bearings + 1 roller bearing that provide smooth and dependable operation. Code
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PU5017 5.3:1
C3 7000 325yds/17lb
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AMBASSADEUR ATLANTIC SURF RODS Building on years of history and technology, the original Abu Atlantics were the first rods to seriously cast any distance. Abu have brought back the name and updated the technology so in the right hands, these rods can reach places the competition can only dream about.
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SALINA BEACHS RODS SA LE
New Hi-modulus carbon beachcasters from Okuma.
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12ft 2pc Beach M
4-8oz
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MAGNETIX REELS
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RATTLEBACKS
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KI0248
KI0252
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KI0233
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KI0250
KI0254
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£7.99
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£7.99
Code SP2869 SP2870 SP2868
PENN
• Spigot joints • Fast progressive carbon blanks • Protective blue X wrap shrink tube
Length 8ft 8ft 2 8ft Travel
Class 30lb 20lb 20/30lb
Pcs 2 2 4
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MAGPENN 2 SERIES
525
6:1
256m/0.38mm £169.99 £135.00
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535
6:1
320yds/20lb £159.99 £144.00
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5.6:1
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£49.99
£18.00
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BOSS FURY REELS The Boss Fury Narrow series covers a range of scenarios, if you are chasing bullet tuna or trying to catch your first White Seabass, the Boss Fury has a size to meet your fishing needs.
• Long Stroke Forged Aluminium Spool • Titanium Main shaft and Bail Wire • Fully Salt Water resistent • Stainless Steel Shielded Ball Bearings • Slow Oscillation • Supplied with 2 x Aluminium Spools • Rotor Brake System • Manual Bail Arm
235yds/6lb
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PE1584 6000
295yds/15lb
£99.99
£55.00
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7000
295yds / 30lb
4.2:1
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AR0038 400N 300yds/15lb
4:1 £285.00
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395yds/20lb £109.99
£60.00
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8000
330yds / 30lb
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Code AF5327
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AF5749 14ft Twin Tip 2-4oz & 4-6oz
C3 7000
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• Synchronised level wind system improves line lay and castability • Duragear 2 gear system provides increased gear strength for all fishing situations • 3+1 bearings Code
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PU5016 5.3:1
3 £139.99 £79.99
325yds/17lb
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The new casting multipliers from Tronix are sure to be a huge hit. We have tried and tested these reels and found them faultless. Fantastic quality, performance and simply outstanding value for money. Be sure to act fast, as these reels are sure to sellout.
LI1428
Model Ratio
This rod is awesome value for money, highly responsive and loaded with quality fixtures and fittings. This rod is suited for those anglers who want massive distance casting, yet still want the control to fish medium ranges, using lighter leads.
ENVOY REELS
RAPID BASS FD REEL
PE1583 4000
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With its ergonomic design, extra large bail arm, easy-grip EVA foam handle, and buckets of stopping power, the saltwater-resistant Rapid Bass FD delivers power and performance at an irresistible price.
Our Price £50.00
Model
Price £35.00 £35.00 £35.00
PE1462
£25.00
Code
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• Graphite frame and sideplates with aluminium • Forged aluminum spool • 6 stainless steel shielded bearings • Instant anti-reverse bearing • HT-100 powered drag system
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BANSHEE BEACHCASTERS
SALT EXTREME BOAT RODS
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SV6355 MG45-LS 2+1 6.2:1 190yd/18lb £119.99 £79.99
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SV5719 MG30-LS 2+1 6.2:1 430yd/20lb £119.99 £79.99
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KI0235
247m/0.36mm £159.99 £126.00
£49.99
WEEDLESS MINNOWS
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515
20
NOOK FOLDING BEACH SHELTER
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MATCH SURF 60 FS REEL SA LE
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30
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SV5718 MG30-CS 2+1 6.2:1 340yd/20lb £119.99 £79.99
SP3503
PENN
£43.99
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SP3504
Built on the success of the original Pursuit, the Pursuit II from Penn delivers versatility, supreme performance and exceptionally high value for money.
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Code Colour RE0339 Blue RE0340 Red RE0411 Green
XXL VW0459 VW0471 VW0546
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SIGMA MULTIPLIER REELS The new multiplier in the Sigma range, featuring a powerful level wind system, star drag and a light weight frame and spool! Perfect for all species of saltwater fish.
TEAM VASS BIB & BRACE
Delivers maximum weatherproofing in even the toughest conditions. Made from durable Vass Tex 350 fabric. Size Black Navy Olive S VW0455 VW0467 VW0542
XL
£70
Code Model PE1551 11ft 6 Bass Rod
£44
.99
VW0450 VW0462 VW0607
Code PU2398
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VW0451 VW0463 VW0608
PENNCARBON SEA RODS RAMPAGE
The new Rampage range has replaced the very popular Powerstix range. These rods are even more solid, dependable and powerful; ticking all the boxes for any serious sea angler.
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Top charter skipper Tony Parry shares one of his winning ‘tweaks’ to an established rig.
T
his is a great scratching rig for those days when fish are a bit wary, or when you’re on a species hunt. You can build it with hooks from a size 6 up to a size 1, depending on how hard you think the fishing is going to be. If you want to make the rig even more flexible, instead of having the
Take four feet of 50lb clear mono and slide on a crimp, a bead, a 1ft hook snood, a bead and a crimp. Crimp in place just over one foot from the end of the rig body. Below the bottom crimp, slide on two glass beads, a sequin, another six glass beads, then tie on a size 2 hook. Above the top crimp, slide on a crimp, a bead, some
01
additional snoods attached with swivels, you can use a lead or rig clip in place of the swivel, then use a hook snood complete with a swivel so that you can clip it onto the rig. This allows you to change hooks quickly if they become blunted or bent, to add or reduce bling, or to simply change the hook size. The rig as shown has a touch of colour and
glitter and it’s an ideal rig for fishing when the tide is running. Baited with lug/squid, lug/mackerel or cocktails of these, in sizes to suit the hook, and fished hard on the sea bed, this rig will catch a wide variety of fish, such as dabs, whiting, plaice and gurnards etc. With stronger-wire hooks this is also a decent rig for bream fishing, because
• 50lb Berkley Big Game clear line • 6 x crimps • 6 x 3mm beads • 24 x small glass beads • 3 x sequins • 2 x size 4 rolling swivels • 1 x size 2 crane swivel • 1 x size 2 link swivel • 1mm PVC rig tubing • Boom tubing • 3 x size 2 Sakuma Stinger hooks you get baits presented at different depths. I always use 50lb clear mono for rig bodies and snoods because it’s not uncommon for huss, rays or even tope to pick up a small bait. It also helps if you manage to hook a ‘full house’ of fish on all three hooks.
boom tubing with a snap swivel locked in place, another bead and a crimp. Crimp in place one foot above the hook link (note, you can allow a little extra line for the boom to slide on). Slide on a crimp, a bead, a 1ft hook snood, a bead and a crimp. Crimp in place one foot from the free end of the line. Finish by tying a size 2 crane swivel to the free end.
02 03
05
04
06
Building Hooklengths Take a 1ft length of mono and tie on a size 4 rolling swivel, then slide on a length of rigid rig tubing and steam it in place to lock it on the swivel. Add glass beads and sequins. Tie on the hook. Tie as many hooklengths as required for the rig – using shorter ones for the bottom hook above the lead may help reduce tangles.
38 www.totalseamagazine.com
p038-039_TSF_07_TotalRigs.indd 1
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SWIVEL
CRIMP BEADS CRIMP
SWIVEL TUBING
TWO BEADS
SEQUIN
SIX BEADS
HOOK
CRIMP BEAD
BOOM
SNAP-LINK SWIVEL CRIMP BEADS CRIMP
SWIVEL TUBING
TWO BEADS
SEQUIN
SIX BEADS TWO BEADS SEQUIN
HOOK
SIX BEADS
HOOK
Total Sea Fishing 39
p038-039_TSF_07_TotalRigs.indd 2
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T
his style has a lot going for it in terms of consistency as well as performance. Based on ‘what goes up must come down’, hitting the ground is an underlying problem that plagues many high-swing casters. Change it to ‘what goes around comes around’, and you almost entirely remove the issue of ploughing the sinker into the bottom. While I did very well using it, I’d never been entirely happy with the high-swing style right from the off. I could see the benefits, but, for me, the disadvantages always seemed to outweigh them. When the cast went well, distances were
outstanding, but when it didn’t, it was enough to make you consider packing the entire thing in. Fishing was never an issue with the highswing style; when I kept the power at a sensible level it all went fine. When cranking things up on the tournament field, though, frustrations began to red line: furrows in the turf, sliced wrists from misaligned power strokes, and sometimes as much as 20 metres difference in distance from one cast to the next. I decided that enough was enough, and made plans to come up with an alternative, and did... the flat arc. The original concept was simple enough: take a high-swing style and flip it on its side. This way the sinker would be going out
Getting your footwork sorted helps you deal with the power later in the cast.
Turning your feet slightly takes the load off your knees.
and not down when it came time to hit it. This allowed a greater margin for error while still delivering the end result: a decent cast. A bit of experimentation was required, finding the optimum point to redirect the lead around, instead of up. After adjusting the height of the inswing to keep things on one plane, the fundamentals were in place. The rest was easy, and the end result was a far more consistent performance with a marginal drop in distance. I’m happy to live with the small drop in distance, because it’s far outweighed by the level of consistency that the style produces. Being consistent means a better all-round performance anyway, because you can capitalise on good conditions
with a greater success rate. A lot of casters now use a variation on this theme, and there seems to be much less steam coming out of people’s ears these days. Of course, it isn’t entirely foolproof and you still get bad days, but the ratio of good to bad is much higher, and this has to be good news for everyone. The flat arc follows the same principles as the high swing. Feet, body and arm positioning remain core fundamentals, and are exactly the same. You still have to wait until the sinker is at its lowest point in the arc before you apply the power. The power flow is the same; the first half of the cast is about creating energy in the sinker that you’ll use in the second half to bend the rod. Probably the only
Loading up your body, by turning your shoulders and placing your bodyweight on your back foot, helps you achieve even more distance.
40 www.totalseamagazine.com
p040-043_TSF_07_Casting Matters.indd 1
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difficult part is mastering the swing... but there’s nothing new there! Without a solid stance you aren’t going to be able to deal with the power later in the cast. Your feet must be in line with the rod when you hit it; if they aren’t you’re going to wobble around. If your feet move because you’re off balance, the rod gets to straighten without adding speed to the sinker. This is because it’s pushing you around instead of the lead. Make a line on the beach pointing in the direction of the cast, then another one that intersects the first line at a 45-degree angle. Place your feet around a shoulder width apart with the toes of both feet on the 45-degree line. You won’t be far off the mark, and you can always make minor adjustments later to complement your own style. Now turn your right foot so that it points in the opposite direction in which you’re going to cast. This gives you stability during the first half of the cast and takes the rotational load off your right knee. Transfer all your bodyweight onto your right leg, and turn your body as far as is comfortable. If you can get your shoulders facing in the opposite direction to where you’re going to cast, then that’s more than enough. This will add free energy without you even having to think about it as you unwind your body.
Bodyweight transfer adds even more power, and the greater arc that you create by moving from one foot to the other all adds up to extra distance. Just as with the high swing, what you do with the sinker at the start of the cast decides whether the end result will make your reel scream like a banshee or trundle along like a snail. Setting up the swing angles is easy; anywhere between seven o’clock and nine o’clock is fine for the outswing. Midway between the two is a good starting point, but do what feels comfortable for you. Reaching too far around with the outswing before you’re comfortable with the rest of the cast could potentially cause problems in the latter stages. Begin the outswing by lifting the rod tip to bring the sinker close to the blank, then immediately lower the tip to send the sinker away from you. I send the sinker away from me by lifting my left hand; in fact I control the entire cast with my left hand, using my right as a fulcrum
Lifting the rod brings the sinker close to the blank ready for the outswing.
Lift your left hand to send the sinker away from you. Push down with your left hand to speed up the outswing.
Then it’s back up again with the left hand to cushion any bounce and prepare for the inswing.
Choosing an outswing position midway between seven o’clock and nine o’clock makes for a comfortable fishing cast.
The final push down with the left hand powers up the inswing.
Total Sea Fishing 41
p040-043_TSF_07_Casting Matters.indd 2
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to move the rod around. If it feels more comfortable to you, use your right hand to start the outswing, or use both hands. They all work, but the less hand movement, the less you have to think about during the cast itself. Once the sinker is on its way out, lifting the rod tip will increase its speed. Once again I use my left hand to do this by pushing it down. You can lift your right hand and it’ll accomplish exactly the same thing; the choice is yours. If you don’t lower the tip again at the peak of the outswing, you can’t lift it to begin the inswing. Lowering the tip also stabilises the lead as it peaks, and removes any tendency for it to bounce. I raise my left hand to do this while keeping my right hand in the same position as it was at the start of the outswing. It can also be accomplished by lowering the right hand. I’m aiming to get the sinker to at least eye level at the peak of the outswing. A little higher is better again, as it will add momentum to the inswing.
With the sinker tracking a flat arc, and both arms extended, you’re now ready to make the rest of the cast.
When the sinker has peaked you can begin the inswing. Catching it right on the pause, just before it starts to swing back towards you, will give the best results. Any later and it will feel like you’re always trying to catch up to the lead. I make my inswing by
pushing down with my left hand again. It can also be achieved by lifting the right hand, but be careful not to bring your right too far back. If you do this you’ll reduce the size of your arc with a bent right arm, and add all sorts of other complications like hitting the rod too soon.
The sinker should come back towards you along the same line as you sent it away, and this is where the flat arc begins to deviate from the high swing. Getting the sinker to go around rather than up is achieved by nothing more than lifting your left hand until the rod Putting your chin on your left shoulder and looking up automatically pulls your left hand up.
42 www.totalseamagazine.com
p040-043_TSF_07_Casting Matters.indd 3
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It’s rare for anything to go wrong with this cast, and any problems can usually be pinned down to just one or two things. An excessively bent right arm will cause you to hit the cast before the lead is in the correct place. This can make you hit the ground, chop the cast over the top, and get those nasty little cuts on your wrist. Avoid locking your right elbow, but keep both your right and left arms extended for the best results. A lazy inswing won’t let the sinker position develop properly. Don’t be scared to add some speed to your inswing, but try not to let a faster inswing encourage you to cast too quickly in the first half of the cast. You still need to unwind slowly until that left hand gets out in front of you, and you still have loads of time to make the cast without rushing things. If the sinker is going up rather than around, this is linked to the point where you change sinker direction. Try to change the sinker’s path too early and it will stall directly under the rod; too late and it will go straight above the rod before stalling again. Stalling below the rod will keep the lead inside the tip and the cast won’t work. Stalling above the tip means that the sinker will be dragged down when you start the cast and there’s nothing you can do to get it back on plane and heading outwards. The end result will be the sinker hitting the ground. is parallel with the ground. Timing this lift is crucial, and needs to happen when the sinker is around the lowest point of the inswing, when it’s closest to the ground. The lifting of the left isn’t a sudden, quick movement, but a steady, even-paced raising of your hand. After I’ve pushed my left hand down to make the inswing, I simply continue the movement out and up as my left arm straightens. You have plenty of time to do this, because you won’t be starting the rest of the cast for at least a couple of seconds. You should now be set up to make the rest of the cast, with both arms extended to maximise your arc. When the sinker disappears from view, count yourself into starting the cast. Somewhere between two and three seconds will be about the right time to begin unwinding your body. Remember, you still have to wait for the sinker to reach its lowest point in the arc before adding the power, so think of the cast being in two halves. The first half is
slow, to allow the lead time to develop a large path and gather momentum. The second half is where you add the acceleration. With both arms extended, turn your head and stick your chin on your left shoulder. This enables you to
look up to get height, starts your body unwinding, and pulls your left hand up to ensure that you have plenty of space to pull it back in when you hit the rod. All you have to do now is continue unwinding your body until your left hand Wait until your left hand is out in front of you before applying the power.
approaches a point directly in line with your intended casting direction and finish the cast. Your bodyweight transfer will have begun automatically, and when your left hand reaches this point, you can add power and speed by pulling in hard with the left hand while pushing through with your body and legs. If you’ve kept your right arm extended, the rod will come around the side rather than over the top. This prolongs the application of power by keeping rod and sinker on the same plane for longer. It also avoids those nasty little nicks on your wrist, which are sure signs that you’re bringing the tip up too early. As you can see, the second half is pretty brief. This is because it requires the least effort to get right. Set the first half up correctly, and the second half will take care of itself. Anyone can belt a rod, but it’s what you do before you belt it that makes the difference.
Total Sea Fishing 43
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TSF ANSWERS
Q&A
ANSWERS Got A Question? Do you want to ask our panel of experts a question? E-mail paul.dennis@dhpub.co.uk
The Long And The Short Of It Is upgrading my 12ft beachcaster to a longer rod a must in order to reach the bigger fish? Brett Lewis, via Facebook
Q A
Peter Thain says: On the face of it this seems quite a simple question, but as with many simple questions the answer is quite complex. It’s also difficult to give a definite answer without knowing what sort of casting technique you use. If your basic cast is a simple overhead thump, then going to a longer rod, say 14 or 15 feet, might give you extra distance. This is because the overhead thump isn’t very efficient as a casting technique, so a longer rod will help. All casts work by moving the sinker through the biggest possible arc to generate as much speed in the lead as possible. With the smaller arc used in the overhead thump, the obvious thing to do is increase rod length. By doing this you can make the lead travel a greater distance during the cast, and generate more sinker speed, which ultimately means greater distance when you get it right. What complicates things – especially in terms of ‘will you reach bigger fish’? – is what sort of ground you do most of your fishing on, and what sort of casting style you have. By casting style I don’t mean what type of cast you use, but how you generate speed in the lead. There are a lot of subtle differences in how speed is generated and as well as having an impact on what actioned rod is best for you, it has an effect on what length you can manage. In a worst-case scenario a longer rod might actually cost you a
few yards if you can’t generate your lead speed at the right point during the cast. Before investing your hardearned cash in a longer rod, my advice would be to engage a casting coach to look at your style and give you some tips. First of all this should help you gain extra yards with the rod you already have, and secondly they will be able to provide advice on what rod length would best suit you, and what rod action, so that you can get the best out of it. Going back to the type of ground that you usually fish on, this is very important in rod choice, and not just for the casting but also for fishing. If you regularly fish roughground marks, a long rod can be problematic in simple terms of having sufficient room to cast. Dedicated rough-ground rods also have a different action, designed not only to cast a long way but to also have the power to handle big fish in snaggy situations, and simply to be able to successfully retrieve tackle by having the power to quickly lift terminal tackle over rocks, boulders, kelp and the like. The more powerful tip sections of rough-ground rods get things moving a lot faster, both on the cast and the retrieve. The downside is that in some fishing situations there isn’t enough give in the tip, meaning that on shallow beaches with fast tides leads can be bounced free of the sea bed by wave action. In terms of catching fish, fishing efficiently is key, so there’s always a compromise to be made when choosing a rod that will cast a good distance but also provide good bite detection and be a pleasure to fish with. Total Sea Fishing 45
p045-050_TSF_07_TSF Answers.indd 1
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Q&A
TSF ANSWERS
Q
What’s the best fighting fish, pound for pound, in British waters? Karl McCullough, via Facebook
A
This is an oft-argued question and it’s difficult to answer. Many anglers would rate the bass as up there in the scrapping list, with others going for the sheer brute force of a big ballan wrasse. The blonde ray is also highly rated as a tackle tester, especially as the biggest specimens are often hooked in strong tide races, which gives them a huge advantage. The thick-lipped mullet is also noted for a great turn of speed, heightened by the fact that this fish is usually encountered on fairly light tackle. However, the highest rated by many anglers, strictly on a pound-for-pound basis, are the gilthead and black bream, with the gilthead perhaps just having the edge. Both pull really hard for their size and battle all the way to the net. An honourable mention, though, should go to the humble mackerel, and with this species its average size really is against it. If it grew a little bigger and was targeted on the right sort of gear, it would be much more highly rated.
The Fine Line Between Success And Failure Does the diameter of main line make more of a difference in terms of strength rather than the poundage of breaking strain specified? Richard Simpkins, via Facebook
Q
A
Paul Dennis says: I’m going to stick to simple old monofilament line to answer this one. Line diameter definitely has a big impact on what you would call line strength, but it isn’t reflected simply in terms of direct breaking strain. Knot strength is important and some monofilaments do show a better knot strength than others. Given that most breakages happen at knots, you can see why this is a factor. Correctly tied knots can help, as well as the use of more efficient knots that have greater strength in themselves. However, the finer the diameter of the line, the more critical knot choice becomes, because finer lines can have
an almost ‘cheesewire’ effect, resulting in knot failure when the knot is put under pressure. The amount of stretch that a line has is also important. Some lines are pre-stretched and these tend to be among the finer lines available. They’re great for bite detection and having less water resistance, but they also have less shock absorbance, meaning that they can be more easily broken with a sudden pull. Where line diameter is critical is in any kind of rough-ground, or even mixedground, fishing, and in these situations I go for strength over smaller diameter every time, even to the extent of using larger-diameter lines of the same breaking strain as one that’s available in a smaller diameter. Abrasion resistance is very important when fishing this type of ground, and it’s a fact of life that it can be very hard on lines. Why I prefer largerdiameter lines is down to this
simple formula… If you have mono of identical breaking strains but with diameters of 0.40mm and 0.20mm, then put a 0.15mm cut in the line, which do you think will fail first when put under pressure, the line which now has an effective diameter of 0.25mm or the line with a diameter of 0.05mm? An example of what effect this can have happened when I sheared off braid main line at the rod when lifting into a bite. I examined the rod rings and couldn’t find any fault, but switched rods anyway. On another session I had forgotten the braid incident but this time had tackled up with mono line. I hooked a decent fish and landed it, but noticed that the mono was now roughened and furry. Another examination of the rod revealed a small crack in one of the ring liners, which had been enough to shear through 30lb braid but only abraded 15lb mono, the comparable diameters being 0.12mm and 0.32mm respectively.
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TSF ANSWERS
Q&A
Going The Distance As a beginner at sea angling I bait up and cast as far as I can off the beach, but sometimes I don’t achieve half the distance of other anglers. Does distance matter when fishing a beach? Mark Lennon, via Facebook
Q
A
Peter Thain says: The key point to being able to cast a long way is that you always have the choice. While it’s true that you can catch plenty of fish at shorter range, there are times when you need to cast a long way, and if you don’t have it in your armoury then you don’t have that option. It’s also important in adverse weather conditions when the length that all anglers can cast will be reduced. The ones who can consistently put a bait out a long way in ideal conditions will still be capable of making good distances in more
difficult conditions. Casting is obviously important, but choice of rigs also has a part to play. A clipped-down rig, being more aerodynamic, will always cast further than a rig that’s flapping about. Also important is tackle choice and good maintenance of it. This doesn’t necessarily mean stripping reels down and servicing them every weekend, but is something as simple as making sure that the reel is correctly loaded with the right quantity of line. For example, fixed-spool reels need to be loaded to the lip of the spool, because a half-filled spool will steal yards off the distance that you can cast due to resistance of the line running over the lip. It’s amazing how many anglers struggle simply because they don’t have enough line on their reels.
Line diameter also plays a part, and using a smallerdiameter reel line (with a shockleader) will help you attain more distance. Practice and good tackle choice will help you cast further, but the best shortcut is to have some casting lessons to improve your basic technique. A good instructor will advise on the right tackle, and will explain if your current setup has any shortcomings (incorrectly filled spools for
example), and will get you casting further in a few hours than you would achieve under your own steam with weeks of effort. They’ll also stop you getting into bad casting habits, so as a beginner I’d advise you to make good instruction a priority before those bad habits take hold. It’s harder to get rid of them once you have them, but it’s much easier to learn good habits from scratch!
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Q&A
TSF ANSWERS
Get On The Right Lines Is there really much difference between monofilament and fluorocarbon, and does it really make a difference to catching fish? Dan Miles, via Facebook
Q
A
Paul Dennis says: The main difference between fluorocarbon and nylon monofilament is that fluorocarbon is stated as having the same refractive index as water, meaning that once submerged it should be invisible. Most fluorocarbon is clear in colour to help this, although it’s possible to get some brands that have a pale-pink tinge. Nylon monofilament lines come in all colours, including clear, although they don’t have the refractive index of fluorocarbon so they should still be visible in water. Another difference is that fluorocarbon tends to be a bit stiffer than mono, which can help with some bait presentations and also reduce
tangles. It also has zero water absorption and usually higher abrasion resistance, which makes it more durable. It is also more dense than mono, which means that it hugs the bottom better. This can be an advantage when targeting bottom-feeding fish. Mono usually has more stretch than fluorocarbon and this should be factored in when using the latter, because a sudden shock can see fluorocarbon breaking. However, it’s possible to reduce the risk by using a heavier breaking strain of fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon’s main use is for hook snoods and traces, rather than as a rig line where cheaper mono is often the first choice. It does offer advantages in clear water conditions where fish can be spooked off mono, and for the same reason it’s a popular choice with lure anglers, especially when using braided main line, as the fluorocarbon is used as a low-
visibility leader. Sight predators like bass and pollack can sometimes be teased into taking by the use of a fluorocarbon leader, and it’s a good idea to carry several different breaking strains for use when the fish are proving hard to catch. Dropping down to a lighterweight fluorocarbon leader can produce fish from shore or boat on days when bites are hard to come by. Fluorocarbon is also a favourite with match anglers for the same reason. On tough days a ‘ghost rig’ with small, fine-wire hooks on light fluorocarbon snoods can make all the difference, especially as low-stretch fluorocarbon transmits timid bites better than mono does. With all these advantages you might think that
fluorocarbon is the answer to every problem, but mono still has its place. The fact that it’s more willing to float gives it an advantage in some circumstances, and the stretch factor can also reduce the possibility of smash takes. As already mentioned, price also comes into the equation, meaning that mono is still a good choice for the donkey work of reel line or rig body, reserving the more expensive fluorocarbon for hook traces and snoods.
Getting Hounds On The Sniff What’s the best bait for smoothhounds? Oli Toomer, via Facebook
Q A
Brian Price says: Most anglers who target smoothhounds from boat or shore will tell you that the best bait is crab, crab, and on some days… crab! Peeler crab is a popular bait for smoothhounds, but there are a few things against it. One is that collecting it can be time consuming, another is that if you buy it, it can run expensive, especially on a hectic session, and finally it isn’t the most specific of smoothhound baits, although if the hounds appear in numbers there’s a very good chance that they will get to the bait first. Hardback crab makes
great bait for hounds because it lasts well and also tends to be resistant to other species. Fishing live crabs is an advantage. From a boat this is pretty easy because casting is minimal, and you can simply put the hook through the crab. From the shore you need to either lash the crab to the hook or use a cable-tie system, which I’ve used to good effect. From the shore it’s a good idea to remove the back legs of the crab as they use these for digging and can bury themselves, which makes them harder to find, although hounds will dig them out. Some anglers swear by edible crabs, while others rate velvet swimming crabs as the very best, and it’s true that on certain days these will give you an edge.
However, plain old shore crabs will catch their share because hounds are eating machines with fins and when they’re on the feed they show a remarkable lack of racial prejudice towards the crab clans. If you do have peeler with you it’s possible to make your bait supply last longer by using half a hardback crab and half a peeler, hooked and then bound on the hook with bait elastic. The advantage of this is that there will be more scent in the water. Hook sizes should be around 3/0 and you need
a strong pattern because hounds have strong, crushing teeth. Other crucial advice for hound anglers is to stand by your rod at all times. These fish hit fast and hard and can have your rod off the tripod and away in an instant. If you’re going to help a mate land a fish, or take a photo for him/her, wind in before you do so. Hounds travel in packs and there’s likely to be one heading your way at times like this.
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TSF ANSWERS
Bringing The Bling
When beach fishing, how do you choose a location? Callum Francis, via Facebook
Q
What are the best hook sizes and attracters for flatfish? Andy Haswell, via Facebook
Q
The accepted best practice is to visit the venue at low tide to see if you can pick out any features that may hold fish when the tide comes back in. On beaches, small depressions, bars, gulleys or even small patches of rough ground will all attract fish. Also look for worm casts near the low-water mark because fish will be attracted to these areas too. If you’re prospecting rougher ground, look for areas that still hold water at low tide; these will hold all kinds of creatures that will be prey to fish when the tide returns. It’s also a good idea to visit venues at high tide. This can be key in planning your exit route on some marks because you don’t want to get cut off by the rising water. Safety is of paramount importance.
A
A
Paul Dennis says: There are lots of different flatfish species you know! Hook sizes, attractors and the like depend on which species you’re targeting and also whether you’re fishing from the shore or a boat. Shore rigs tend to be simpler with fewer attractors (some anglers even swear by ‘naked’ rigs with no attractors at all). Hook sizes for plaice, flounders and dabs will tend to be size 2 up to 1/0 depending on the bait. Finewire Aberdeen long-shank hooks are popular. Attractors will usually be a few beads of your preferred colour choice and maybe a small spinner blade. One or two floating beads can be good additions if crabs are a problem. For sole you don’t really need any attractors at all, although it can pay to replace the beads with a couple of split shot because sole do like the bait to be nailed to the bottom. Sole have small mouths so use smaller hooks – some anglers go as small as a long-shank size 6. Although turbot and brill can be targeted from the shore, they’re mainly species for the boat angler. Big flashing spoons and maybe a few beads on the hook trace can be used as attractors, although their use is a lot less common these days. For both of these species you’ll be offering bigger baits – either launce, sandeel or mackerel strip – and bigger hooks in the 3/0 to 4/0 range should be used. Again, longshank hooks are favoured. Boat fishing for plaice can often resemble bling city with some real ‘fairground’ rigs lowered over the side. But,
Q&A
Q again, there are anglers who swear by using no attractors at all and they usually catch their share. Favoured colour combinations of beads are black and green, red and yellow, and blue and yellow. Black and green are usually favoured over mussel beds, with red and yellow good over sand. Blue and yellow is another option that can be good over mussel beds. Hook sizes for plaice should be similar to those used when shore fishing, but it depends on the size of the fish being targeted and the size of the baits being used. Fishing in the ‘Weymouth style’ with heavy bling and big baits for big fish does require slightly bigger hooks in the 1/0 to 2/0 range, simply to cope with the size
of the baits being used. Throwing the cat in among the pigeons, it’s possible to catch plaice, flounders and dabs on artificial baits like Marukyu Isome worms. These can be fished on hooks up to a size 1 or 2/0 with a piece of the Isome on the hook and plenty left hanging off to work in the current. The bait needs to be ‘spun’ slowly along the bottom using a light lead. It can be done from a drifting boat, making the bait travel at slightly faster than drift speed, and also from the shore. Very light tackle can be used for this method, and attractors are not needed. It’s a very sporting method of fishing and the flatties really provide good scraps on the light tackle.
The 6lb braid on my lure rod/reel appears to be stained or discoloured compared with when I first bought it. Will this make a difference to its strength over time? Bob Shuttleworth, via Facebook
A
Braid can discolour for a number of reasons. On white or pale braid lines, discolouring can be caused by algae or bait juice. Deepercoloured braids can become paler, even white. This is just the dye fading with use – the natural colour of the braid is white. It looks unsightly but doesn’t weaken the line. If you’re really concerned about your braid, wind it onto another spool, then repeat the action, then wind it back onto your main reel. This will reverse the braid and you’ll be fishing with the ‘new’ end that will be as strong as when it was new and shouldn’t be discoloured.
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Q&A
TSF ANSWERS
Gimme Shelter Would you recommend taking a beach shelter for fishing during daytime or is it an unnecessary luxury only needed at night? Gary Vincent, via Facebook
Q A
Paul Dennis says: While it’s hard to categorise a beach shelter as a shore angling essential, there are very real advantages to having one, day and night and whatever the weather. Hot, sunny days might make a shelter seem like a luxury, but while you might be more than happy to catch a few rays (with the appropriate high-factor sunscreen applied of course), it’s a certain fact that your bait won’t be anything like as enthusiastic. Obviously a cool box is a
great help for bait protection, but it will work so much better and keep bait fresher for longer if it’s kept in the shade provided by a beach shelter. The same goes for your drinks and sarnies, and any catches that you intend to keep for the table. On these last points, don’t be fooled by overcast weather, because your stuff will still spoil if you don’t keep it in the shade. A shelter is also useful for keeping wind-blown sand out of your tackle boxes and bags, and any spare or discarded clothing – yes, it’s surprising how it gets in there – and it also provides a relatively breeze-free area for setting up rigs and for rebaiting in relative comfort. Using a shelter for these tasks means that any items
dropped can usually be found more easily, and it’s also somewhere to stow your tackle to reduce the risk of it ‘wandering’ or being stepped on. The vagaries of the British weather also point in favour of a shelter. Even passing showers can be heavier and longer lasting than you think, and having somewhere to get out of them for a while is a real bonus, as well as helping to keep your tackle dry. If the rain does set in you’ll be very glad you have a shelter with you. At colder times of the year wind chill can be a factor in angling in comfort, and having somewhere to get out of it can raise both your body temperature and your spirits.
ANSWERS
ASK THE TEAM A QUESTION If you have a question for the TSF team, send it to: TSF Answers, Total Sea Fishing, DHP Ltd, 1 Whittle Close, Drayton Fields, Daventry, Northants NN11 8RQ. Alternatively, you can e-mail questions to paul.dennis@dhpub. co.uk.
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SHORE
FIRST RAYS OF SUMMER
Y A R Y A R T S ! Y A D Y M E D A M Cei Bach Beach, d e it s vi s e i vi a D Gareth yed some jo n e d n a , s le a W New Quay, sport. lively close-range
Harry Asprou blasts a big bait out to the reef.
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FIRST RAYS OF SUMMER
SHORE
Gareth is delighted with this bonus small-eye d ray.
S
ummer’s here, which means only one thing for most fish species – it’s time to reproduce. With warm water and longer nights, the predators just want to get frisky, so there’s no better time to pop a large fish bait into the deep blue in the hope that something wants to dine on your free offerings before getting back to the business of reproduction! At this time of year we
usually try to time our visits to Cei Bach, near New Quay, Wales, to coincide with the arrival of the bull huss to a reef that sits about 100 yards offshore. Fishing the ebb lets the large baits seep juices through the reef, drawing the fish out of the coral and weed-covered haven. A large variety of species choose to live on this reef system, with small-eyed rays along with small corkwings, ballan wrasse, whiting, flounders, dabs and the ever-
present dogfish all residing along the shore and reef. Lobster pots are tended daily by the local boat fleet, making a living from these rich waters along the stunning shoreline. The wildlife here is breathtaking too, with many varieties of sea birds plus raptors like peregrine falcons, red kites and buzzards hitting the skyline. The ever-present seals can make a nuisance of themselves, although this time they left us alone.
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SHORE
FIRST RAYS OF SUMMER
Mario Asprou wastes nothing and pops out a fresh whiting, because that’s what the huss will be eating.
I had my very good friends Harry and Mario Asprou (father and son) for company and we had visions of some good-sized huss hitting the beach. As the weather forecast had predicted little or no wind with high pressure set for the next few days, it meant wall-to-wall sunshine, and lots of sunblock to keep those
There are plenty of empty cockleshells on the beach, which suggests that cockles might make good bait.
Big-fish baits are blasted out in the hope of huss.
unwanted rays away. We park at the country club (Parc-Y-Brwcs, New Quay, SA45 9SL), which is the gateway to a windy footpath down to the water’s edge – very accessible and great for a family day out, with toilets, camping facilities and a clubhouse at your disposal. Hit the beach and fish from the slip looking right, up to the point about half a mile away. Stick with fish baits such as bluey,
squid, sandeel and mackerel for the huss, rays and dogs, or go light with worm baits such as rag and blow for the many other species such as bass, whiting, wrasse and many flatfish that hunt the shallow, rich waters. To be honest, the brighter and calmer the sea, the better are your chances of hooking a good fish. Onshore winds can create havoc, with kelp and heaps of seaweed getting washed along the shoreline, making
Dad Harry makes fun of son Mario’s tiddler.
Time to pack up as a freezing sea mist rolls in.
Mario found the reef, and with it this small corkwing wrasse. 54 www.totalseamagazine.com
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SHORE
for hard going. If you’re going to hit the reef then make sure you fish a rotten-bottom system – go for slightly heavier hook patterns and up the poundage on your snoods to cope with the razorsharp teeth of huss and the craggy coral that will snap you up in an instant. The lads and I chose to fish two rods each, with Mario being a great match angler and former Welsh junior international going for a scratching setup in Gareth also gets among the wras the hope of picking out a se – it’s corkwings galore out there! few bits, mainly for fresh fish bait. Straightaway he had a small bite and, hey banking I was b ki on picking i ki off ff presto, a whiting was landed, small flatties and suchlike. followed by a few small Punching above its weight, corkwings. However, his dad the little rod, tipped with was taking the proverbial the small sections of rag and whole time, exclaiming: “He small pieces of sandeel, needs to get the big baits on outperformed all the big the go, pronto!” rods by at least two to one! Harry and I started taking With a gentle lob of no more dogfish within minutes of than 40 yards I was catching hitting the water, and no corkwings, whiting and matter what the size of dogfish to 2lb! And, most the baits we were getting amazingly, a 9lb 4oz female walloped. At times small-eyed ray on this very in a match scenario fine, balanced setup. you pray for a good The ray was in the process count on the dogs, of dropping her purses as but today we really she came ashore. I had my wanted to get at GoPro camera on, recording their bigger cousins. a moment I will never Unfortunately, U forget, which made for great iit just wasn’t viewing, and you can sense happening. The tide h the delight in my voice when was ebbing fast, w Mario picked her out of the but as we were on b water. We grabbed a few a mid-range tide it photos, a quick weigh and meant that the water m she swam off none the worse wouldn’t completely w for her brief visit ashore. drain off the beach, dra The day didn’t quite go to allowing us a little all plan in terms of hitting the ted for a depth still, plus de huss, but the close encounter This scratching setup accoun ll-eyed sma 4oz 9lb a and fish 2lb dog the ability to hit th with the small-eyed ray made ll baits ray. It worked a treat with sma the reef without th a up for it and made the day with rod a of gem on an absolute snagging the with braid. sn ed quite a success. load reel ool d-sp fixe ll sma dreaded pots. dr We really love this venue – For a change I it’s less than two hours down had my new fourh the M4 and well worth the piece travel rod, a p effort to get to. If you like Rovex Ceratec 8ft R to travel and want a new Sea Bass rated at S challenge, give it a go. You 20g to 40g, and 2 can bring the family along by using a small b and let the kids play in the sset of SureCatch sheltered bay, while you fire ffeathers, supersome baits over the horizon ssharp hooks and – you just never know what’s 9lb short snoods 9 going to turn up! Total Sea Fishing 55
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GEARED UP!
GEARED
UP! CT CONTA
x Rok Ma 99 5 5003 m 3 6 1 0 : T .co x a m .rok W: www 9 .9 9 2 2 RRP: £
Shakespeare Salt Oval Luminous 3x4 Beads These small beads are just the job for giving a bit of subtle allure to your rigs, day or night. Oval in shape, they’re nice and neat and have a decent bore size to allow them to slide easily. They can be used as buffer beads, too. They have lots of uses and you get a generous 50 per pack. Pure Fishing T: 01665 602771 W: www.uk.purefishing.com SSP: £0.99
Avet SX 5.3 MC Multiplier Reel Multiplier reels form one of the hottest topics on internet forums, regarding who uses what, where they’re made… and on it goes. Avet reels are made in the USA to awesome specifications. Let’s list a few off for you: eight shielded stainless-steel ball bearings, stainless-steel gears, a machined-aluminium one-piece frame, magnetic casting control, oh, and you can get them in some nice colours too. These are lever-drag reels with 14lb of maximum lock-up. They’re very solid – you wouldn’t want to drop one on the cat. So, what’s the damage? Well probably a bit less than you’d think given the specifications and the ‘Born In The USA’ tag. Check out the Rokmax website.
Grauvell Teklon Concept Spin 902L Rod Straight out of the bag this rod begs to be taken fishing. It’s a nine-footer, which is nice to see in these days of shorter rods. That bit of extra length provides you with more control with braid reel lines, especially on windy days. The action is very fast, allowing good manipulation of lures, and the L specification puts it in the light category, although it looks as though it will show good fish just who’s the boss. The furniture is top rate and the cosmetics are pretty cool, too. It’s a lovely piece of kit all round.
CONTACT Veals T: 01275 892000 W: www.veals.co.u k RRP: £124
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TACKLE
Fladen Two-Speed Air Pump Just the job for keeping your livebaits lively, this battery-powered pump comes complete with an air stone. It’s nice and compact for anglers who like to travel light, plus it has two speeds to help make the battery last a tad longer while still keeping your bait in good condition. It comes at a good price too.
CONTACT Flad
Tronixpro Big Dog Hooks
en T: 01305 82 1111 W: www.flad enfishing.org .uk SSP: £11.99
Savage Gear MPP Vertical Lure Rod The 6ft 6in model in this range is rated with a casting weight of 20g to 60g – but casting isn’t too much of an issue if you’re jig fishing, and we reckon that this rod will make a cost-effective entry into this rapidly growing technique. The rod seems fairly stiff in the tip and is described as having an ultra-fast action, which is how we would describe it, too. It’s a nice, slim, well-balanced rod, and benefits from being a one-piece design, demonstrating a very nice action. It’s well worth a look for lighter jigging techniques, and could well handle lures around twice the weight of its stated casting range.
CONTACT Savage Gear T: 0182 759 659 W: www.savage-ge ar.com SSP: £69.99
It’s always worth having a few very tough hooks in your tackle wallet, and these are well worth seeking out. They’re short-shank types in heavy 2x wire with in-turned beak points. Big Dogs are favourites with discerning smoothhound and ray hunters because, once in, these hooks seldom fall out. They’re great for crab baits, and top choices if you aren’t quite convinced by the circle-hook lobby. They’re as cheap as chips too. Tronixpro T: 01903 732567 W: www.tronixpro.com RRP: £1 for 10
Savage Gear Reaction Crawfish Lures The realism of these Reaction crayfish lures is astonishing, and they’re sure to entice fish into making slip-ups. Unusually for soft-plastic lures, each of these incorporates a bead rattle for added attraction. The lures are naturally light in weight, which means that they can be rigged in a number of different ways, making use of the available current to give them life. A slow drop and minimal, if any, retrieve look to be favourite in order to get the best out of these beauties. Savage Gear T: 0182 759 659 W: www.savage-gear.com SSP: £4.99
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TACKLE
GEARED UP!
Fladen Vantage Line If you have a lot of reels to spool up you’ll have to go a long way to beat this line for value for money. It’s as tough as old boots and has great abrasion resistance, too. It’s just the job if you’re into serious rough-ground fishing. It comes in ¼lb spools at a bargain price.
CONTACT
Fladen T: 01305 82 1111 W: www.flad enfishing.org .uk SSP: £3.99
Tronixpro Three-Down Scratching Rig Sometimes you can buy rigs that are so decent that it isn’t worth building your own. Well these Tronixpro boat rigs fall into that category. Built from quality components, this three-down scratching rig has plenty of bling to attract a variety of species. It has boom tubing, lead link swivels, the lot – it’s ready to rock and roll
TT Lures Headlock Jigheads Built on top-quality, super-strong, Mustad Ultrapoint, chemically sharpened hooks, the TT Lures HeadlockZ HDs are the ultimate jigheads to suit the ultimate plastic lures. Each HeadlockZ HD is designed with a split-grip grub keeper on the shank, making them the perfect jigheads for locking on the range of space-age ZMan ElaZtech soft-plastic lures, without the need for superglue. Easy to fit and fiddle free, you get five to a pack.
CONTACT Tronixpro T: 01903 732567 W: www.tronixpro.com RRP: £2.49
HTO Artic-Eel Lures These cracking-looking soft lures are ready rigged with weedless hooks, just tempting you to use them where you maybe shouldn’t. Coming in three different sizes and six different weights, these leadheads can be used from boat or shore and look set to pack a punch. They come in all of the popular colours, too, so get on them before everyone else does!
Lure Lounge 86 T: 08448 7473 ge.co.uk un elo lur w. ww : W 9 .9 RRP: £5
CONTAC
Tronixpro T T: 01903 732567 W: www.t ronixpro.c om RRP: £3 .99
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TACKLE
Grauvell Teklon Surf One Reel This reel is an absolute monster. If you want long casts it’s worthy of serious consideration. It’s loaded with no fewer than 13 stainless-steel ball bearings and comes with three spools, allowing you to switch from braid to mono, and there’s no skimping – all of the spools are aluminium. With a gear ratio of 4.6:1 it has plenty of grunt, too. It just looks exceptional value for money for a classy piece of kit.
Tronixpro Canny Links
CONTACT Ve
als T: 01275 89 2000 W: www.vea ls.co.uk RRP: £109.9 9
Here at the TSF office we receive quite a few questions concerning rotten-bottom systems and how to set them up. The Canny Link is a good choice, acting as a bait clip and rotten-bottom link, with the shockleader tied to the top loop and the rotten-bottom tied to the bottom hook and then the lead, with the lead hanging from the hook. It’s a simple system but do be aware that it isn’t suitable for making pendulum casts. Tronixpro T: 01903 732567 W: www.tronixpro.com RRP: £1.85 for 10
Berkley Black Velvet Braid This permanent-colour super braid really looks the business. The colour won’t run or bleed, but it’s the specification that impresses most – and it impressed at EFTTEX, too, winning the Best New Line award. It’s skinny at 0.10mm for 25lb and you get a generous 300 metres on the spool. It seems pretty tough, too, while remaining one of the more supple braids out there. It’s well worth a look.
Pro-Cure Super Gel
CONTACT Berkley T: 01665 602771 m W: www.uk.purefishing.co .99 £43 SSP:
“Super sticky, super strong, super effective,” says the blurb, and we know that some anglers swear by boosting their lures with a dab or two of this. You can use it on plugs, spinners, spoons, plastics – anything. There are three different ‘flavours’ with an impressive amount of ‘presence’. It’s well worth a look if you fancy trying something a bit different. Lure Lounge T: 08448 747386 W: www.lurelounge.co.uk RRP: £7.99
Total Sea Fishing 59
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WEB GUIDE
SHOPPING CENTRE
Shopping
Centre TSF brings you an essential guide to the best sea fishing websites. Contact Matthew Marshall mattm@media-shed.co.uk RETAILER
RETAILER
www.gerryslurefishingtackle.co.uk
www.gerrysfishing.com Providing everything you need for your fishing – both in store and online.
Now providing all that’s required to take up the fastestgrowing branch of the sport.
RETAILER
www.grampianfishing.com A long-established business, originator Jim Somers invented the famous Grant Vibration Green Heart rod.
www.colmic.it
www.fishingmegastore.com Glasgow Angling Centre is one of the largest online tackle dealers in the UK.
RETAILER
RETAILER
www.bhg-marine.co.uk
www.nwac.co.uk NWAC offers an impressive array of sea fishing tackle including masses of rods from all the top names.
MANUFACTURER
Champion quality in fishing tacke.
RETAILER
Due to relocation, stocks of outboards, RIBs, kayaks and much more are available at up to 50% off.
RETAILER
www.fishingrepublic.net We have extensive angling knowledge within our company including exceptional customer service.
MANUFACTURER
www.fladenfishing.org.uk Anyone can fish.
www.totalseamagazine.com/online-shopping/shopping-centre p060-61_TSF_07_Shopping Centre.indd 1
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SHOPPING CENTRE
MANUFACTURER
www.tronixpro.co.uk Visit the website to view the full product and brand ranges.
WEB GUIDE
MANUFACTURER
FORUM
www.shimano.com
www.anglinganswers.com
An international manufacturer and distributor of the finest fishing equipment and accessories.
Join the sea angling community and have your questions answered by TSF’s experts.
HOLIDAY
MANUFACTURER
MANUFACTURER
RETAILER
www.sportquest.org Spectacular fishing holidays.
www.abugarcia.com
www.vassrainwear.co.uk
For generations, anglers the world over have put their trust in Abu Garcia for tackle that withstands the toughest tests.
Top-of-the-range rainwear, light-duty and heavy-duty, that will keep you 100 per cent dry for all angling occasions.
RETAILER
www.uk-hooks.com
RETAILER
RETAILER
www.gamefairdirect.com
www.anglingdirect.co.uk
The best sea lures, guaranteed to help you catch every time.
The wholesale expert in a large variety of fishing tackle.
The Scottish Borders’ premier supplier of quality sea fishing tackle and outdoor accessories.
FORUM
www.worldseafishing.com A comprehensive forum with up-to-date fishing reports and blogs.
To promote your website here for only £20 per month, call
MATTHEW ON
020 3137 2406
To see more of the TSF recommended websites, plus our blogs, weekly competitions, fishing reports and daily news updates, visit our website!
We’re on! Facebook And Twitter too!
@TotalSea
www.totalseamagazine.com
Advertise here FOR JUST £20 per month p060-61_TSF_07_Shopping Centre.indd 2
21/05/2015 11:38
ON TEST
FLADEN MAXXIMUS MICROWAVE
Fladen
Maxximus MicroWave (10g-35g)
Barney Wright took out the brandnew Fladen spinning/plugging rod for a cast around… ore and more sea anglers are turning towards the lighter side of sea angling. I have to admit that I’m still a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to sea fishing, and beachcasting will always be my main passion. But, over the last decade or so, my armoury has developed well with an array of rods for casting plugs and lures, and I frequently go armed with just this tackle to winkle out bass, pollack, wrasse, mullet and the like. I know my way around a beachcaster but am no expert when it comes to lure rods. However, there’s a basic principle of design that all rods follow, and, in my experience, action is everything. The nanotechnology used in the construction of
M
these Fladen blanks is quite remarkable, and they’re very thin, light and incredibly strong. I’ve used the Nano range for a while now and was intrigued to find out if rods of more than two pieces would be just as good. The MicroWave blank comes in three sections and is so called because it incorporates the ‘modern’ MicroWave butt guide. How this works is that the butt ring has an inner ring (pictured) that brings the line down from wide coils off the reel very abruptly, and then it can pass through all the other rings with next to no friction. Also, the rings can be smaller, which means that they’re lighter, which in turn means that the finished blank is lighter and this improves the action of the blank. It was
many years ago when my hero and good friend Dave Docwra said to me that rings quite often ruin a perfectly good blank! Very true words indeed. Now, I’ve highlighted the word ‘modern’ simply because the technology of this principle isn’t actually new; it is, in fact, many years old. I’ve seen old cane rods in a museum that have big brass butt rings that taper down like a funnel to create the same effect, albeit
they won’t be as effective as the modern-day versions, or indeed as light! So, my test saw me at a few venues where I tried just about everything I could, using mono lines and braids, and from casting the lightest lure to the maximum stated on the blank. Initially I tried mono of around 15lb breaking strain, and, to be honest, it didn’t really work. Even the micro guide struggled to let the line pass completely
Blasting out lures in the lower-weight range was no problem.
1w 62 www.totalseamagazine.com www ww www.totalseamagazine.com ww w w..to tota to ttal allsea a sse eam ea ma mag agaz ag azi a zziin ne ne. e e..cco com om o m
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FLADEN MAXXIMUS MICROWAVE
ON TEST
Fighting a decent fish was loads of fun.
freely. So I went to a light 5lb line and it worked much better. But no-one fishes with just 5lb mono, so the next thing was to switch to braid. Heavy braid of 40lb (about the same diameter as 15lb mono or thereabouts) did pass through well, but it wasn’t until I tried some of the really thin PE braid of 20lb with a diameter so low that I could hardly see the stuff that it really began to work. I’m always worried about such lowdiameter lines and wind knots, but, after many, many casts the MicroWave butt ring truly proved its worth. With very small lures I was able to cast to a more than respectable range, which can only be an asset as covering more ground is easier. So that was the ring test done; now to the blank and its action… It’s very tricky to manufacture a three-piece rod to be the same as a two-piece, as there will be flat spots, generally, where the spigots are. But in the Fladen blank these areas were negligible and the rod took on a nice smooth curve when casting and reeling in fish.
The butt ring has an inner ring that brings the line down from wide coils off the reel very abruptly, so it can pass through all the other rings with next to no friction.
It worked best at the lighter end of its casting spectrum, and I felt that when blasting the full 35g it did struggle a little bit. With light lures I could really hammer the heck out of it on the cast, but it worked best when casting smoothly and progressively with the big ones. I’m not saying that it didn’t work; just that it was happier up to the 10g to 20g range when blasting. The action is quite soft, which also means that pinpoint-accuracy casting wasn’t exactly easy – I was certainly in the fish zone, but landing the lure in a square foot or so was less easy. But it
could have just been me. However, there was no difficulty casting a long way with complete confidence knowing that wind knots weren’t going to ruin my day! Hard-fighting wrasse and small pollack were on the menu, and fighting a decent fish was loads of fun, although I did feel that more power in the mid-section and butt would benefit this blank further, probably making it perfect.
Conclusion
use one. It seems virtually indestructible and you can fish with complete confidence knowing that it won’t break with normal use. I would like to see a bit more power in the areas stated, but that’s just a personal preference. One more criticism would be that a keeper ring wouldn’t go amiss to secure the lure when moving from one spot to another, as this rod will become a main contender in my armoury for future trips. There are three rods in the range: a 2.1m 5g-25g, a 2.4m 10g-35g and a 2.7m 10g-40g. Each one comes in a highquality bag, too – just the icing on the cake.
CONTACT
Fladen T: 01305 82 1111 W: www.flad enfishing.org .uk RRP: For the te 10g-35g £94 sted 2.4m .9 £94.99 and 9; 5g-25g 10g-40g £99 .99
I feel that Fladen has got another winner here and am positive that any owner would be delighted to have and Total Sea Fishing 63
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ON TEST
ZZIPLEX TRC
Zziplex TRC Peter Thain assessed the latest tournament rod from Zziplex. he Zziplex TRC marks the beginning of a new era in rod design. Produced as a tribute to the founder of Zziplex, the late Terry Carroll, it’s been designed as an all-out tournament rod. Given Terry’s background in casting, it was only right that a rod named after him should be first and foremost a field rod. The TRC, like all the Zziplex tournament rods, is there to showcase the cutting edge of high-performance design. This technology is then used to make the exceptional fishing rods that the company is rightly famous for. There are no plans to change this format, and no reason to do so. Why fix what isn’t broken? Lee Isham, who’s been Terry’s right-hand man for close to 18 years, is now solely in control of design and manufacturing at the Zziplex plant. Taught by Terry, his credentials aren’t even up
T
for question. In fact, I can’t think of anyone more suited to the task of carrying on the Zziplex tradition of quality and performance. The TRC is the first solo production design by Lee, so how does his new baby rank in terms of performance? Well, if it’s all-out distance you’re after, you only need to look at what it’s delivered so far. Almost everyone who has cast the TRC has been wowed by its performance. Steve Lewis knocked out a monster 289m cast at Kent (that’s 316 yards in old money), while Andy Copping has just won UKSF GP3, taking first place in the 150g, 125g and 100g categories, all with the TRC of course. With it already proven on the field, there seemed little point in me dragging it down to a tournament just to find out the obvious. The obvious being that it’s a damn fine distance tool! Instead, I decided to test
it for both performance and feedback over multiple practice sessions while casting out to sea. Doing this would allow me to make many more casts and understand how the rod performs far more quickly than tramping up and down a field with it. So, first impressions? Well it’s long, very long. At 14 feet and six inches plus a reducer, it means you have a maximum casting length close to 15 feet if you mount the reel on the reducer. All this length doesn’t carry a heavy-weight penalty, though, and it’s considerably lighter than any of the serious competition at similar lengths. As expected, it’s pretty stiff, and needs to be to deliver the goods over grass. Comparing it with my Zeteque, the butt has about the same power, while the lower and mid tip have slightly more give. The extreme tip is firmer, which is a definite plus point because it makes lead control and power
input much easier. All this adds up to a rod action that’s powerful without losing the plot completely. Given Steve’s excellent 289m cast, it made sense to ask him for his ring spacings in order to get a head start on the testing process. So far I haven’t needed to adjust these spacings at all, and they seem very well suited to the action of the blank. With the guides taped in place, I hit the shore to make my first series of casts. Early doubts, about whether I could move a rod that long with sufficient speed to get the best from it, proved correct. With the reel on the reducer, the rod was in control of me, and threw me all over the place. To be honest it came as no real surprise, because at that length it’s way longer than
The mid section feeds the power nicely into the butt and provides plenty of feedback regarding what’s happening during the cast.
64 www.totalseamagazine.com
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ZZIPLEX TRC
anything I would normally use. I had to try it, though – you never know what might happen with a new design! Anyway, I’d much rather have a rod that’s too long and be able to move the reel up, than be wondering what might have been with a rod that’s too short. If I was going to make any progress, and do the TRC justice, it was time to move the reel onto the butt. I have a standard procedure that I use with any new rod I test to find the optimum length for myself. Depending on the length and power of the blank, I select two points on the butt at which to mount the reel. In ‘Before’.
‘After’.
the case of the TRC, the first point was six inches from the bottom end, and the second at 18 inches. This gave me a foot to play with, and hopefully somewhere within that foot would be the perfect position for optimum sinker velocity. It turned out that the prime position for me with the TRC was 13 inches to the reel centre. This provided a nice balance between rod and lead speed, which consequently produced the best distances. At the correct length the TRC becomes a pussycat, so it’s well worth running your own tests in order to fine
tune the blank to your personal requirements. Once sorted, it’s easy to time the cast, and it feels like you have all the time in the world to hit it – a characteristic that’s true of all the best rod designs. Under compression the TRC takes on a nice progressive curve. The more power you dial in, the further it bends, and the distances just keep climbing in response. Two weeks into the testing process, and it’s rapidly becoming a favourite casting tool. It has the classic Zziplex feel, and the blank comes alive in your hands just like all your old favourites. The sinker goes exactly where you want it to during the swing, and you know where it is throughout the entire cast. Feedback from the lead is excellent, so all you have to do is set the cast up correctly and belt it; the rod takes care of everything else. Recovery speed is phenomenal, and it’s easily the fastest Zziplex I’ve ever cast. The TRC loads and recovers so fast that it looks like it’s barely bending at all! It’s not until you start looking at photographs, or slow-motion video, that the level of deflection becomes apparent. This tremendous performance is due to a combination of a new concept in tip design, and a new material that Lee has been working with. The TRC is already a winner, which is obvious from the results so far. However, this is only the second evolution,
ON TEST
and bears testament to Lee’s own skills as a blank designer. You’ll also be pleased to hear that there’s a mellower version in the pipeline, with the same lightning-fast recovery as its big brother. Expect demand to be exceptionally high for both models. Rest assured, Zziplex is in very capable hands. Terry may have been the main man, but Lee wasn’t just making him cups of tea and nipping to the chip shop at lunch time; he was very hands-on in all the production processes. No doubt there will be further tweaks to the design as it gets more use on the tournament courts, but as it stands right now it may well be unbeatable. I’m certainly more than happy with its performance, and I’m going to have to make some adjustments of my own. Instead of the 0.35mm line I usually use for practice, with a hint of a breeze from behind I’ll have to drop the diameter to 0.31mm so I don’t completely empty the reel on every cast. Does it go further? Hell yes!
SPECIFICATIONS Length: 14ft 6in plus reducer (tip 7ft 11in and butt 7ft) Weight: 847g, including tapedon Fuji SiC guides, Diamite tip, coasters and butt cap Diameter: butt 24.4mm; tip 3.8mm Casting weight: 100g to 175g Guide spacings in cm: tip 18 – 38 – 64 – 94 – 135 – 185; butt 25 down from the top
With no flat spots, and a fast action, the TRC provides a greater effort-to-results ratio.
CONTACT
T: 01797 36 6602 RRP: £499
Total Sea Fishing 65
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22/05/2015 14:21
CASTING
HITTING THE HORIZON
Hitting The
Andy Miller brings you all the national and international tournament casting results.
KEY Assume all casts are pendulum style unless stated B (for back cast) or OTG (for off-the-ground) F/S = Fixed spool PBs in bold Court records in bold and underlined 300yds+ In red
Horizon SPONSORED BY
Suffolk Sportscast Purdis Farm,, Ipswic Ipswich, Suffolk uffolk – April 4th
U SF GP2 UKSF Huntingdon H ntingdon Racecourse, Racec rse, Cambridgeshire Cambrid shire – April 12th
The 28 cas casters were ere faced w with a north-northeasterly to northeasterly wind of between 2mph and 5mph and high pressure. It started out damp but brightened up during the day. Well done to Jay on winning the day and to Lee Adams on winning the boatrod challenge. Also well done to Paul Dawes on another PB. Another great day with plenty of mickey taking was made all the better by Derek in his kitchen cooking sausage rolls for everyone – thanks Derek, they were great! Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g Jay Lee 236.00 230.34 Duane Lockwood (B) 223.90 225.44 233.54 230.20 Lee Adams 232.15 225.32 Lee Caley 230.20 Andy Byrom 228.66 Steve Boyt 219.50 228.42 Colin Fosker 221.67 227.15 218.80 Chris Cannell 224.59 Steve Boyt (OTG) 223.48 Paul Dawes 218.39 Warren Jarvis 216.38 Andy Miller 215.01 Craig Buy (B) 214.00 Adam Jennings (OTG) 211.91 Kim Tester 197.50 204.70 Paul Mayhew 198.50 196.00 175.00 Bob Murray (B) 198.25 190.06 Ron Archer 195.65 Dave Andrews (B) 195.55 Ben Lockwood 183.00 Mark Peters 175.96 154.50 Dave Venables 161.52 169.27 Juniors 75g 100g Thomas Boyt (OTG) 123.00 Jake Mayhew (OTG) 96.00 Caster Boat Rod Lee Adams 161.10 Steve Boyt (OTG) 158.20 Bob Murray (B) 155.23 Dave Venables 131.38 Thomas Boyt (OTG) 91.00 Jake Mayhew (OTG) 43.50 Distances in metres
A ttotal of 33 casters competed on a dry and sunny day with a temperature of between 9°C and 17°C, and a variable south-southwesterly to westsouthwesterly wind of between 8mph and 18mph. Caster Overall 100g 125g 150g 175g Danny Moeskops 263.60 250.74 263.60 247.18 Andy Copping 260.49 242.10 260.49 253.33 Owan Moyle 257.36 249.68 257.36 247.40 Mike Grant 256.92 236.96 256.92 Olivier Folcke 256.44 256.44 242.93 Duane Lockwood 255.95 250.09 255.95 243.93 Lee Adams 250.57 239.70 250.57 Steven Swales 249.94 249.94 238.92 Jamie Blakeman 248.31 236.29 248.31 Brad Kinnair (jnr) 247.45 237.60 247.45 214.30 Kristian Leslie 247.25 247.25 235.41 Matt Russell 246.28 226.49 246.28 231.63 Barry Blakeman 243.33 236.92 243.33 Garry Dickerson 242.19 233.75 242.19 238.44 Jay Lee 239.53 207.68 239.53 Steve Boyt 234.06 230.07 234.06 Ricky Nash 232.06 232.06 224.64 224.59 Andy Miller 226.41 210.41 226.41 Kim Tester 221.30 214.77 221.30 Bob Murray 220.80 186.86 220.80 209.93 Barrie Davies 217.33 209.32 217.33 Keith Carter 214.93 214.93 211.57 Colin Blackburn 213.43 213.43 210.28 Dennis Retter 211.50 205.70 211.50 Colin Howlett 207.93 207.93 Tony Weaver 202.39 202.39 Paul Mayhew 202.36 202.10 202.36 Stephen Derraven 196.80 196.80 194.80 Jake Mayhew (jnr) 100.17 100.17 Day Casters Overall 100g 125g 150g 175g Merion Pritchard 248.03 248.03 Andy Byrom 241.73 241.73 Chris Cannell 241.58 241.58 Syd Burtcher 236.39 231.70 236.39 Bruce Marlborough 0.00 Distances in metres
68 www.totalseamagazine.com
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CASTING
SPONSORED BY
Kent Sportcast Tilmanstone, Kent – April 12th
Surfcast Wales Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, South Wales – April 19th
The southwesterly to south-southwesterly wind gusted from 10mph to 30mph for the 15 casters on this dry, sunny day. So, apart from the high pressure, the very good conditions with the wind down the court all day meant more club records and PBs. Well done to Danny on achieving the furthest cast, and to Roly and Ian with their new club records and PBs. You have to be a caster to fully appreciate casting a personal-best distance. Very well done to all those attaining PBs today. Many thanks to those who helped with clearing the court. Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g Danny Stone 243.00 252.06 241.00 219.00 Martin Osborne 216.10 242.90 231.90 Martin Osborne (OTG) 231.20 Darren Brooks 242.67 Ian McHaffie 223.50 Derek Regan 221.37 216.73 221.00 218.00 Roly Cannon (F/S) Tom Brooker 211.00 Tom Brooker (OTG) 209.30 Mick Chapman 200.00 Damian Hawes (OTG) 175.00 189.56 Damian Hawes 177.00 Steve Arnold 179.00 Steve Arnold (OTG) 177.00 Pete Brown (OTG) 173.00 Martin Cooper (OTG) 165.00 Caster 75g 200g 300g 454g Martin Osborne 237.10 221.70 174.50 121.30 Roly Cannon (F/S) Ian McHaffie (OTG – F/S) 184.00 Distances in metres
A 13mph to 16mph wind blowing northeasterly to north-northeasterly to southwesterly met the casters, while there was an air pressure of 1,027mb and a temperature of 13°C on this dry day. Matt showed his class and took the win easily in the ever-changing conditions, with the wind moving 180° after midday. As the field warmed up, the warmer air thermals rose and dragged the adjacent cooler sea air in on a stiff breeze to replace it, with the clouds visibly moving in the opposite direction! Also coping well with the conditions was the new gun in town – Andrew (Leadslinger) Sheehan – who wisely used the heavier leads to make a couple of PBs. An extra competition was planned this month, a supposed wind-chaser event, but unfortunately it failed to deliver! Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g Matt Russell 243.85 222.64 Neil Bragg 230.85 227.20 222.38 Andrew Sheehan 218.30 225.82 Will Irving 215.23 Milo Bjegovic 215.01 Phil Jones 210.01 209.55 205.75 190.01 Kevin Shortman 207.40 Ian Williams 207.38 Brian Sweet 193.54 181.51 Distances in metres
NESA Kirkleatham Showground, Redcar, North Yorkshire – April 19th The day was dry, with a variable northerly to northeasterly wind of between 12mph and 16mph. Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g Jamie Blakeman (OTG) 252.65 246.15 248.18 Owan Moyle 227.50 246.85 Jim Bean 242.97 John Ward 235.56 Baz Blakeman 231.60 234.84 Steve Swales 234.65 227.51 219.68 Syd Burtcher 233.97 233.13 Chris Woodrow 227.30 229.98 222.10 Brad Kinnair (jnr) 228.25 Ian Render (OTG) 223.73 Mark Armer 218.32 201.82 Keith Carter 210.98 217.25 Arran Stead (jnr) 215.50 203.25 Dave Gibson 208.46 208.66 Lee Parker 203.13 Richy Ayres 201.90 Ian Miles 198.96 John Walker 196.32 191.78 Phil Darby 194.40 Bill Bradley (OTG) 193.54 Simon Wells 186.30 Paul Randolph 177.30 175.55 Tommy Harland (OTG) 170.02 Harry Moyle (Jnr) 92.00 Distances in metres
Weymouth Casting Club Dorchester, Dorset – April 19th A turnout of 11 people arrived to find a northeasterly wind of 12mph gusting to 18mph on this dry day. As the day went on, the conditions started to go against the casters, with a side wind halfway down court, but this still didn’t stop some people achieving their best casts of the day. John stepped up to the mark again and led the day, closely followed by Jon, then Martin. A big well done also to Gary, Mike and Sam on there PBs. Caster 125g 150g 175g John Hooley 244.30 245.40 Jon Hook 231.27 228.78 Martin Sadler 224.14 Mike Benfield 218.07 213.07 Andy Holland 216.07 Sam Truan 200.00 209.17 202.80 Topper Brown 176.00 Mike Gibbs 174.00 Gary Harwood 143.00 Distances in metres Aaron Stead set two new PBs in the NESA casting competition at Redcar.
Total Sea Fishing 69
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CASTING
HITTING THE HORIZON
Suffolk Sportscast Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk – April 19th The 20 casters found a northerly breeze of up to 4mph and high pressure. The day started out overcast, cold and with spits of rain, then sunshine late afternoon. Well done to Steve on winning the day and to Mark on his PB. The weather conditions made it a hard day’s casting but, as always, it was a good fun day. Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g Steve Boyt (OTG) 215.00 230.04 217.00 Chris Cannell 229.65 Ricky Nash 213.98 221.25 225.36 201.11 Colin Fosker 224.53 222.43 Ian Guy 219.19 Kim Tester 209.65 217.30 Craig Buy (B) 214.82 213.07 Wayne Perring 196.60 211.60 206.40 Adam Jennings (OTG) 211.51 Paul Mayhew 208.60 203.00 190.00 Bob Murray (B) 204.86 Jon King 198.10 196.94 Ron Archer 196.58 197.25 Steve Markham 186.09 184.67 Mark Peters 177.50 175.12 Dave Venables 172.50 Derek Hayward 172.00 Alan Miller (OTG) 165.20 Juniors 75g Jake Mayhew (OTG) 99.00 Distances in metres
Sportscast Ireland Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, Ireland – April 26th It was a weird day on the hill, with not only a cyclonic northerly to northeasterly to southwesterly wind of between 5kph and 10kph that at times turned 180° by late afternoon, but with the wind the way it was everyone was also casting slightly uphill. It was a mild start with clear skies turning cold and with a spit of rain later on. Nonetheless, a great day was had all round, with special guest Danny Stark (aka Iron Man). Top spot went to Andrew and, considering the tough conditions, he still nailed a few big ones. It was also great to have Martin from the UCC down again. Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g A Gormley 230.00 J Henry 217.20 F Folan (OTG) 215.00 T Donovan 211.91 P Cunningham 208.17 L Gallagher 181.00 D O’Reardon 168.00 Day Caster M Campbell 196.10 Distances in metres Meiron Pritchard made a clean sweep at Surfcast Wales, winning all four lead categories.
Surfcast Wales Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, South Wales – April 26th The 15 casters discovered a dry day with a northerly to north-northeasterly wind of between 10mph and 20mph. There was a temperature of 12°C and an air pressure of 1,011mb. Meiron had a field day at the farm, taking the top spot on all four leads. The cool, northerly blast also saw several new PBs set by both young and old, highlighted by the score of five-year-old William Irving putting a 25g weight out to more than 36 metres. Caster 100g 125g 150g 175g Meiron Pritchard 233.75 250.45 240.88 235.35 Glyn Baldwin 247.60 240.60 Milo Bjegovic 232.60 237.24 217.30 Kevin Shortman 228.60 209.25 Andrew Sheehan 227.05 225.01 Will Irving 226.03 Brian Sillman 215.05 222.13 216.60 Ian Williams 219.50 Rob Jowett 215.82 212.12 Dennis Retter 210.84 212.50 Brian Sweet 199.10 208.49 Jerome Curtis 201.35 205.80 Caster 25g William Irving (jnr – 36.01 aged five) Distances in metres 70 www.totalseamagazine.com
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CASTING
SPONSORED BY
Kent Sportcast Tilmanstone, Kent – April 26th
Club Contacts
On a mainly wet day, a variable north-northeasterly to northeasterly wind of between 5mph and 10mph blew for the 16 casters. So the conditions weren’t ideal, due mainly to the fine, misty rain (that lasted for most of the day) and the long, wet grass. All in all it wasn’t a nice day for casting. However, what wind we did have was down the court all day and it didn’t stop Jason from recording his best-ever distances from this direction casting at Tilmanstone. Many thanks to those who helped with the court. Caster Jason Carter
100g
125g
150g
248.00
249.00
244.00
Danny Stone
233.00
Martin Osborne
227.50
Darren Brooks
219.50
222.00
Mark Ward
205.00
218.50
215.00
175g
Club UKSF Anglia Sportcast Down Casting Association East Coast Casting Club Kent Sportcast NESA
198.00
01603 872597 07786 616342/ 07967 361221
colinhowlett@rocketmail.com
Steve Lemm/ Jody Lemm
downcastingassociation@gmail. com 07957 830183/ stephenlemm@rocketmail.com/ 07517 310574 jody.lemm@yahoo.co.uk
John French
01227 360107
johnfr123@hotmail.com
WillPowell
07584 126456
will.powell33@googlemail.com
07742 173058/ 07866 546678
info@norfolkcastingclub.co.uk
Steve Ratcliffe
Iain Graham
07917 131816
iain@planetseafishing.com
Paddy Cunningham
00353-(0)879427645
sportscastireland@hotmail.com
Steve Boyt
07764 950269
lboyt@btinternet.com
Simon Batey
07801 876309
simonbatey@surfcastwales. co.uk
Sussex CC
Marco Marsiglia
07748 084737
Ulster CC
Lee Galashan
By e-mail Please
Westward CA
Ian Ford
01822 617946
ianford747@btinternet.com
Weymouth CC
Sam Truan
07584658145
samtruan@gmail.com
Roly Cannon (F/S)
201.00
Mick Chapman
199.00
Surfcast Wales
Barry Clayton (OTG)
144.00
Caster
Colin Howlett Dave Vicary/ Malcolm Green
07935 044487/ secretary@nwsurfcasting.co.uk/ 07846 378616 chairman@nwsurfcasting.co.uk
203.00
210.00
212.29 199.00
John Walker/ Mark Armer
NWSA
Derek Regan
Kim Tester
Tel
Norfolk Casting Simon Buttery/ Club Rusty Parker
Scottish Surfcasting Association Sportscast Ireland Suffolk Sportscast
Mark Cousens
Who
209.70
120.20
200g
Martin Osborne
217.00
Roly Cannon (F/S)
194.00
Distances in metres
marcomarsi@hotmail.com jonny@ulstercastingclub.org/ lee@ulstercastingclub.org www.ulstercastingclub.org
Upcoming Events June 2015 20th & 21st Suffolk Sportscast, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk 21st NESA, Kirkleatham Showground, Redcar, North Yorkshire 21st Surfcast Ireland, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, Ireland 21st Weymouth CC, Dorchester, Dorset (check with organiser) 27th East Coast Casting Club, Driffield, East Yorkshire
19th 26th 26th 26th 26th 26th
(check with organiser)
28th 28th 28th
Kent Sportcast, Tilmanstone, Kent (check with organiser) Norfolk Casting Club, CITB, Birch Newton, Norfolk Surfcast Wales, Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, South Wales (check with organiser)
28th
5th 5th 5th
Sussex Casting Club, Steyning, West Sussex (check with organiser) NWSA, Sandy Villa Farm, Cockerham, Lancashire East Coast Casting Club, Driffield, East Yorkshire (check with organiser)
11th 12th 12th 12th 12th 19th 19th
(check with organiser)
August 2015 1st 2nd
Suffolk Sportscast, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk
July 2015
Suffolk Sportscast, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk NESA, Kirkleatham Showground, Redcar, North Yorkshire Kent Sportcast, Tilmanstone, Kent (check with organiser) Norfolk Casting Club, CITB, Birch Newton, Norfolk Westward CA, Cardinham, Cornwall (check with organiser) UKSF JLLC, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk Surfcast Ireland, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, Ireland
Weymouth CC, Dorchester, Dorset (check with organiser) Suffolk Sportscast, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk Kent Sportcast, Tilmanstone, Kent (check with organiser) NESA, Kirkleatham Showground, Redcar, North Yorkshire Norfolk Casting Club, CITB, Birch Newton, Norfolk Surfcast Wales, Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, South Wales
Suffolk Sportscast, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk Sussex Casting Club, Steyning, West Sussex (check with organiser)
2nd 2nd
NWSA, Sandy Villa Farm, Cockerham, Lancashire East Coast Casting Club, Driffield, East Yorkshire (check with organiser)
8th & 9th UKSF Invitation, Purdis Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk 9th Kent Sportcast, Tilmanstone, Kent (check with organiser) 9th Norfolk Casting Club, CITB, Birch Newton, Norfolk 9th Westward CA, Cardinham, Cornwall (check with organiser) 16th Weymouth CC, Dorchester, Dorset (check with organiser) 23rd NESA, Kirkleatham Showground, Redcar, North Yorkshire 23rd Norfolk Casting Club, CITB, Birch Newton, Norfolk 23rd Surfcast Ireland, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, Ireland Total Sea Fishing 71
p068-071_TSF_07_Hitting the Horizon.indd 4
22/05/2015 15:16
Need more than just your monthly fix of Total Sea Fishing? Then visit our Facebook page for the latest news, catch pics, top tips, weekly giveaways, savings and all the banter.
NOW GO TO www.facebook.com/totalseafishing
p072_TSF_07_Social Media.indd 1
NOT JUST A MAGAZINE
26/05/2015 15:47
eGet siWWeb beWWise teG PRIZES GALORE ON THE TSF WEBSITE
COMPETITION
WIN On The Web! www.totalseamagazine.com Prizes Galore On The TSF Site
Check out our website, www.totalseamagazine.com, for all the latest goings-on, films and reviews. More than that, we’re giving away brilliant prizes EVERY week.
June 12th to June 18th Pro-Cure Super Gel Worth £7.99 “Super sticky, super strong, super effective,” says the blurb. You can use it on plugs, spinners, spoons, plastics – anything. There are three different ‘flavours’ with an impressive amount of ‘presence’. It’s well worth a look if you fancy trying something a bit different on your lure or lead.
June 19th to June 25th Fladen Vantage Line Worth £3.99 It’s tough stuff this, and if you have a lot of reels to spool up you’ll have to go a long way to beat this line for value for money. It’s pretty supple and has great abrasion resistance, too. It’s just the job if you’re into serious rough-ground fishing. It comes in ¼lb spools at a bargain price.
YOUTUBE TSF On Your Screen! Check out our fabulous video footage of the TSF team and others enjoying great sport from shore and boat – which includes plenty of top tips and tricks!
JOIN US AND WIN EVEN MORE GOODIES Join the ‘Total Sea Fishing’ fan page on Facebook so you can be both a fan and a winner! Each month we will give away prizes for the most interesting comments. Post your catch reports here for all to see, and you can also make friends and chat away with 18,814 other fans worldwide.
PLUS we’re on Twitter too! June 26th to July 2nd Tronixpro Three-Down Scratching Rig Worth £2.49 Sometimes you can buy rigs that are so decent that it isn’t worth building your own. Well these Tronixpro boat rigs fall into that category. Built from quality components, this three-down scratching rig has plenty of bling to attract a variety of species. It has boom tubing, lead link swivels, the lot – it’s ready to rock and roll. Give one a go!
@TotalSea And Finally Online… • Great weekly and monthly competitions. • See our new FREE online TV channel – TSFTV! • Check out the blogs from TSF staff. • Don’t miss out on our fabulous subs offer.
July 3rd to July 9th Fladen Two-Speed Air Pump Worth £11.99 Just the job for keeping your livebaits lively, this battery-powered pump comes complete with an air stone. It’s nice and compact for anglers who like to travel light, plus it has two speeds to help make the battery last a tad longer while keeping bait in good condition. One of these is vital for the warmer months.
• You can now buy TSF as an app for your iPhone, iPad or Android device
Total Sea Fishing 73
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22/05/2015 15:19
BOAT
FISHING FOR COD
The
TSF editor Paul Dennis joined an epic trip for south coast cod.
Codyssey T
he sea season so far has been a mixed bag, weatherwise. Shore and boat anglers alike have suffered from the vagaries of the weather. Boat trips have been cancelled, unsympathetic winds have dumped loads of weed just where shore anglers don’t want it, there’s been the annual problem of May rot, inshore waters have been more coloured than normal, the crab moult was late, and so it goes on. In these circumstances you just have to be grateful for any opportunities that come your way, and usually you have to be ready at a moment’s notice. I’ve spoken to Brighton skipper Paul Dyer a few times since February. He’s got his finger on the pulse and knows what’s what. It seemed that any species you cared to mention could turn out to be a bit unreliable. When they were on, sport was superb, when they weren’t, sport was nonexistent, with nothing in between. Stealing a line from many an election address, hard-working anglers were not being rewarded. It’s frustrating when that happens, because you start to doubt your techniques and ability to catch. You know that you’re doing all the right things, but that voice inside your head asks: “Are you sure…?” Anyway, let’s cut to the chase. A window of opportunity opened up, and like all such recent windows it wasn’t going to be open long (has there ever been a season like this for providing one decent day in a week of otherwise foul conditions?).
“I think we can get out on Wednesday,” said Paul. “Conditions should be great, but Thursday, Friday and the weekend look like washouts again.” I’m normally mad keen for any trip out, but still suffering the effects of a bout of genuine ’flu, I wasn’t sure that I’d be in the best frame of mind. Still, I decided to go for it. So, it was up before the lark to arrive at Brighton Marina for an early morning sail. The weather was gorgeous and sunblock was slathered on even before the rods were put together, all this while still in port and waiting for the stragglers. What Paul had in mind was a cod trip: “I know that they’re about and I’m certain I can put us on some fish,” he explained. Well, that was good enough for us, although I must admit to having niggling memories of my previous cod trip, which
Ronnie Nicoll was quickly among the cod, nailing this nice fish on the first drift.
had provided nothing but pollack. There’s nothing wrong with that; just the wrong species. On steaming out I introduced myself to the crew, all individuals with a lot of experience: Colin Holland, Ronnie Nicoll, Michael Button, Bill Hunt, Brian Barratt, George Whiley, Darren Fletcher and Denville Hopkins. Little did I realise just how good these guys were, but I was soon to find out. It’s always interesting seeing how different anglers set their rigs up. Some used wire booms, some used tubes, some, like me, opted for a very basic Whitby rig. Just as interesting is that allimportant choice of the first lure.
Brian Barratt started as he intended to go on, taking this fish on his first drop.
74 www.totalseamagazine.com
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FISHING FOR COD
BOAT
It sets the tone for the day. Catch on your first choice and you’ve made the ideal start. If you have to chop and change then you’re always playing catch-up. On the way out I had a good chat with Michael. We were both trying to decide what to offer first up and were toying with the idea of black lures with orange or yellow tails. In the end I decided to keep that option in reserve while starting off on a clear holographic lure with a red head; an unusual choice, perhaps, but I fancied giving it a go. As you’d expect, rhubarb-andcustard and bubble-gumpink lures had plenty of fans, so it made sense to me to try something different. I don’t know how far out the first wreck on the agenda was, but it didn’t seem to take us too long to reach it. The weather was glorious, the sea was calm and, just as important, it was very clear. So we had great conditions for the fish to be able to see what we were offering – but would they be able to see too much? First drop down and it was obvious that we were over deep water – the lead seemed to take ages until
Paul started off with a red-headed lure…
… which accounted for a fish on the first drift. Total Sea Fishing 75
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BOAT
FISHING FOR COD
it hit bottom, and I started a very slow wind back up. Almost immediately I felt a couple of tap takes and kept winding slowly, but whatever had shown initial interest declined to hang on. I got to just 10 turns and dropped back down again. Paul was already in action with the net as Ronnie on my left cranked up the first fish of the day, and he was soon joined on the scorecard by Michael, Denville and Brian. I got as far as four turns before a couple of taps turned into solid resistance and I kept winding to set the hooks. There was solid, head-shaking resistance all the way back up; no crash dives so indicative of pollack, but just grudging bumping and boring. Eventually my first cod of the day hit the net and I gave a mighty sigh of relief. I busied myself taking some catch shots, then some action work as the long and productive drift saw plenty of cod boated. The pattern was repeated on the next two drifts. It seemed as if we were all landing decent, but not massive, cod. Paul had stowed the net in favour of a smaller, faster gaff in order to keep up with landing demands, and with three fish in the bag I decided to try something different, just to see if it would work. I removed my lead and clipped on a hefty 200g jig for the next drift, and worked it up and down just above bottom; not quite bouncing it, but by my estimation keeping it somewhere between six and 10 feet off the deck. The jig in question was in the Slow Blatt style, so I was able to feel it flutter back down after each lift. I was also able to feel the solid thump of a take as the jig dropped, and responded by striking into the culprit. Once again I winched a cod to the surface. It felt heavier than previous ones, but when it surfaced it was actually of a similar stamp.
The reason for the extra resistance was pretty clear. All of the assist hooks had come into play, meaning that the fish had come up broadside on. Well, that was the end of that experiment. I decided that the task of removing a set of hooks from the jig was one best carried out at home, rather than from a pitching boat, so it was back to the plastics and an easier removal process. With four fish to my credit it was time to take some more shots while the rest of the crew attended to the task of filling the fish box. In between times I managed the odd drop down, but I wasn’t really keeping a personal fish count, and among all of the toing and froing with the camera I wasn’t sure whether or not I was stuck on four fish or had added another one or two. With almost every fish landed coughing up a mix of small pout and sprats, I decided to try a shad-type lure that was more similar in shape to the preyfish than the Sidewinder-style lures that we were using. I don’t know what it is about these shads, but they just don’t seem to work in southern waters. In the northeast they are choice number one, but down south, no. I gave the lure a good try and in truth came as close to catching on one as I’ve ever done, getting a few tap takes that didn’t develop any further. Still, it was worth a try and if they were ever going to work this was the day to do it. It’s no use trying things when the fish aren’t having it – it’s not a fair trial. What really curtailed sport for me was eventually hooking the wreck. It hadn’t been a problem and in common with many of the guys I was starting to take serious liberties on the depth that I was fishing. I’d had an aborted take on the way up, then everything went solid. This happened a few times during the day and indicated
Denville Hopkins is having a day to remember with cracking cod like this – and plenty of them.
76 www.totalseamagazine.com
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FISHING FOR COD
to me just how close the fish were to the structure. Having hooked the wreck I tightened down and applied a straight-line pull for a break, which I achieved. Unfortunately it wasn’t the bottom end that broke but my main braid line. My reel was now seriously depleted, and looking at it I decided against tying on another leader (never a joy on a moving boat), opting instead to switch reels. This proved to be a lengthier process than I’d anticipated due to a tangle on that reel, and by the time I’d got it sorted we were steaming again and heading towards a new wreck in search of bigger fish. These didn’t materialise, and although we picked up a fish or two it was noticeably slower than our first wreck. Michael, Brian and Denville kept the score ticking, but Ronnie and I were struggling a bit. Different lures and retrieve paths were tried, but nothing seemed to work for us, and in my case I began to blame the ultra-fast retrieve on the reel that I was now using. I tried knocking the retrieve rate down to the slow cranking ratio, but that didn’t work either. Apart from a couple of pout I was now struggling.
It wasn’t until we moved to another, even bigger wreck that my luck changed. This was a big merchantman that came well up off bottom. Paul’s instruction was to wind up 10 turns when he told us, and hold it there until he told us to drop back down again. The fish were much tighter to the structure on this wreck, and I began to pick up fish again on the way up when following Paul’s call to “come up 10.” On several consecutive drifts that final wind saw fish hit my lures after five or six turns. Not all of them stayed on, but at least I was back in business and catching a few. In the midst of the cod I landed a small pollack, then hooked what felt like a bigger sample of the same, only to discover that it was a livelier than usual cod. By now I’d switched to a blue and white lure and it was performing nicely – until I lost it. Annoyingly I’d come up by more than 12 turns but had found an even higher piece of structure – especially when you factor in that the retrieve rate of my reel was a monster 41 inches per turn, more than the majority of reels in use
BOAT
on the boat that day. I decided to go back onto the lure that I’d started on for the final drifts back on the original wreck that we’d fished, but this time it didn’t work its magic. Brian had no such problems, and along with Denville landed a fish on the first and final drifts of the day. It doesn’t get much better than that. Colin landed a good contender for the best cod of the day. We didn’t tangle with any real specimens but the fish that we landed were of a nice eating size – “butter sweet,” according to Brian. The day had passed really quickly, and it was only after all the excitement that I managed to get my picture taken with a couple of fish – everyone had been far too busy earlier! I thought I might have landed eight cod – but showing how poor my maths is, looking at the fish I’d marked as my captures I was comfortably into double figures. The weather, company and fishing had been great, and the ’flu was blown away and forgotten. You can’t beat a dose of good old ‘vitamin sea’!
Skipper Paul Dyer gets ready to land a fish for Bill Hunt. Total Sea Fishing 77
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22/05/2015 15:20
COMPETITION
BE READY FOR ANYTHING WITH FIVE GREAT LEEDA ICON RODS!
WIN LEEDA ICON
BOAT & SHORE RODS
WORTH £430!
Ever wished you had the right rod for the job? Well now you can because we have five brilliant Leeda Icon rods to give away that cover multiple options on boat or shore! First up is a Leeda Icon FS Sport Continental shore rod. Designed to make long casts even easier with a fixed-spool reel, we have a fabulous 16-footer to give away. For closer range and a variety of methods we have a superb Leeda Icon
bass rod to add to the package. It’s a versatile 11-footer that’s sure to put a smile on your face. And if you’re going afloat you’ll be able to cover plenty of ground, too, because you can win Leeda Icon multi-tip boat rods in both 6lb-12lb and 20lb-30lb
ratings, covering everything from battling bream to lengthy ling. Did we mention uptiding? Well there’s also a Leeda Icon uptiding rod as part of the prize! Whatever method you fancy, you’ll have the right rod for the job if you win our fantastic competition.
HOW TO ENTER JUST CALL THIS NUMBER
09012 932306 AND ANSWER THIS SIMPLE QUESTION CORRECTLY... What length is the Leeda Icon FS Sport Continental rod that we’re giving away as a prize? A: 10ft B: 12ft C: 16ft Alternatively, you can send your answer on a postcard to: The Leeda Icon Rods Competition, Total Sea Fishing, 1 Whittle Close, Drayton Fields, Daventry, Northants NN11 8RQ. CONDITIONS The competition will run from noon on June 12th, 2015. Calls will cost £1.03 from a BT land line. Calls from other networks or mobiles may cost considerably more. Please obtain permission from whoever pays your phone bill. Winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received by noon on July 10th, 2015. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
78 www.totalseamagazine.com
p078_TSF_07_ Comp.indd 1
27/05/2015 09:05
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p079_TSF_07_News+Sandies+Vass.indd 1
22/05/2015 14:21
BOAT
KAYAK KORNER
KAYAKKORNER
GET ON COURSE FOR KAYAK SAFETY Simon Everett says that education is key.
J
ust recently there’s been keen interest shown by newcomers to this fantastic branch of our sport in kayak fishing safety and skills courses due to a few well-documented accidents that, thankfully, had happy endings due to the professionalism of the RNLI. These have served as warnings that there’s a bit more to this kayak fishing lark than just jumping on a kayak with a rod and going fishing. Like many things, investment in a bit of training pays dividends, and the cost of a course can very often be cheaper than finding something out the hard way. There are countless stories of people losing hundreds of pounds’ worth of fishing gear and electronics on their first couple of trips out. Suddenly the cost of a proper kayak fishing safety and skills course pales into insignificance
when compared with the cost of those losses. And this is without taking the actual personal safety considerations into account. There’s no question that a course is a very good investment; what else can you buy that you can take with you to your grave with no cost of maintenance? The knowledge gained on one of these courses will stay with you for life, and you’ll use the techniques and knowledge gained every time you go out, enabling you to both enhance your safety and enjoyment of the activity. And because you’ll expend less energy on the paddling side of things, you’ll be more in control, and because your kayak skills have been honed you’ll be able to concentrate on your fishing more. Consequently you’ll catch more fish. The course that’s promoted by the Angling Trust is one that was developed in
conjunction with the chief safety officer of the RNLI and is delivered by qualified coaches around the country. There’s sure to be one in your area, but if there isn’t, provided you get a small group together, a course can be laid on for you and your mates. So what does a course consist of? A course will include all the basics that you need to stay safe and to be able to control your kayak, including the tricky techniques and considerations needed for launching and landing through mild surf. It will provide the basis of stability so that you can avoid capsizing, but in the event that you do have a spill, rescues are a fundamental part of the course, both self-rescues and assisted rescues, so you can help a fellow kayaker in trouble, for which there’s a
legal obligation under the law of the sea. In addition, certain kayak fishing requirements are covered in depth. The main concern of most kayak anglers is that of anchoring safely, and this is covered thoroughly, as is the use of a drogue, trolling and other fishing aspects peculiar to kayaks. Even those who’ve been kayak fishing for a few years and who’ve attended one of these courses have come away enlightened and have learnt new things, which they’ve said universally was worth the cost. The Angling Trust has been promoting these courses to make more people aware of them. They’re also publicised on Anglers Afloat, the leading kayak fishing forum, and on Facebook. It really does make sense to get yourself along to one and save yourself a packet.
80 www.totalseamagazine.com
p080_TSF_07_Kayak Korner.indd 1
22/05/2015 15:21
LIGHT RANGE
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BOAT
TEST: SMARTLINER 17
T SMARTLINER BOAT TEST:
17 Simon Everett checked out the baby of the Smartliner family and noticed some improvements. PERFORMANCE At idle Cruise Fast cruise Maximum Length Beam Draft Weight Max persons Max power CE category
2.3 knots 10.0 knots 12.0 knots 17.4 knots 5.00m 2.25m 0.38m 600kg 5 60hp C
he Smartliner lineup is beginning to send a few ripples through the boating world. They were originally made in China and a few were brought over and found homes, but then when the bankers decided to run off with all our money, things went quiet on the boating front and the Smartliner name had something of a low profile in the UK too. Now the three models in the range are being built to a new standard in Poland and Smartliner has a new UK distributor, South West Boat Sales, based in Plymouth. The difference is tangible and already there’s one charter skipper rigging a 21-footer. We haven’t seen that one yet, but we have it on our radar. We started by looking at the baby of the three sisters. The Smartliner 17
combines several features found on some of the most popular of the modern fishing-boat models. The cuddy is lower than some, to reduce windage, and it features flush-mounted windows, which are sealed and screwed in place. On the old-style boat they were simply screwed to the outside of the cuddy moulding. The new cuddy is stiffer as a result and the windows don’t let water in. That isn’t the only improvement that has been made; the expertise of the Polish boat builders has ensured a better finish overall and more consistent finished weight from one boat to the next. This is down to the skilled workforce. In order to be able to make boats at this price they’re sprayed into the mould, rather than cut and rolled
The Smartliner 17 combines several features found on some of the most popular of the modern fishing-boat models.
82 www.totalseamagazine.com
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TEST: SMARTLINER 17
by hand. This is a faster way of producing a boat, and therefore cheaper, but it requires more skill and the strands are chopped finer so that they’ll go through the gun. The three-panel, simulated clinker hull has a stopped keel to provide more grip on the water, finishing to give a flat planing surface aft. It lends a traditional look and feel to the boat. The 25mm-wide keel will take a keel band for protection when beaching. The keel also helps to create a true beam on drift, which settled nicely and was comfortable thanks to the stabilising effect of the wide, reversed chines running full length and which are quite pronounced aft. This is a combination of several established concepts that have been borrowed from other boating sources.
BOAT
The console is to starboard, and is very minimalist with just the basics of steering and throttle.
The reverse chines provide good lift, but from high on the sides, they do give the boat stability with water flow under them, and act as beam sponsons when stopped. The bow is fine, to cut waves, so the boat is better run on an even keel, rather than trimming up on the motor so as to hit a wave with the forefoot and reduce the slamming effect that the flatter, after section of the hull would give. I also found that keeping the boat on an even keel provided a better angle of attack for the propeller and I gained speed as a result.
There’s a chemica l fitted below the lift Porta Potti that forms the for -out board ward seat.
Total Sea Fishing 83
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BOAT
TEST: SMARTLINER 17
The three-panel, simulated clinker hull has a stopped keel to provide more grip on the water.
With just 40hp to push her she returned a top speed of 17.4 knots and cruised at 12. Being rated for a 60hp motor she has more to give and the bigger motor wouldn’t be working so hard all the time. The boat is a typical open-wheelhouse design with the anchor locker on the foredeck, accessed through a top-hinged and gas-strut-supported frontopening window to avoid having to go forward. It’s a decent-sized hatch, too, that even big blokes can get their shoulders through. Those same blokes will also be able to sit in the shelter of the cuddy, although the forward seating is overhung by the foredeck. To counter this there’s a chemical Porta Potti fitted below the lift-out board that forms the forward seat. This is a more refined version of the ‘bucket and chuck it’ but with no more privacy, although it wouldn’t take much ingenuity to devise a curtain that could be rolled up and stowed on the deckhead, just for a little decorum. The seating either side of the cuddy houses the usual lockers and there’s room for a spare fuel can beside the chemical loo. The console is to starboard, and is very minimalist with just the basics of steering
and throttle. There was no tachometer for the 40hp Mariner, but there was an ICOM fixed-station VHF and a Garmin fishfinder, both of which are extras. Some engine and electrical status would be beneficial. The Sea Star no-feedback steering is a useful feature with just over four turns lock to lock and a dual cable rather than the standard single cable to provide more precise control. The adjustable, swivellingpedestal helm seat enables a good view ahead through the large cuddy windows. We went out through Plymouth Sound on a blustery evening, with a stiff northwester kicking up
a bit of chop to the south of Drake’s Island. The boat coped perfectly and drifting beam on to the steep waves showed her ability to ride them cleanly with a steady motion. I half expected a violent, sudden roll as she came off the chines, but instead she lifted and settled in a controlled manner. With the 40hp motor, performance was adequate, and I’d suggest that this be considered the minimum you need. Certainly with a 50hp or the maximum 60hp she’s rated for she’d be livelier and the motor would be less stressed too. There was a tendency to be affected by weight distribution
and some propeller-torque reaction, but this is easily countered by being aware when you load your gear and personnel. Other than that she coped very well and could take a lot more sea comfortably, especially with more power available. The transom has a convertible midships section, where the dam board from the inner transom lifts out and drops into a shaped recess to form an extra seat at the stern. It also creates a large, flat area that would be ideal as a preparation area for bait or fish, although I’d use an extra board on top. Below the transom the battery sits in a box and the sizeable fuel tank is mounted in the port quarter. There are four rod holders around the gunnels and a useful, secure rod locker to port. The Smartliner is aimed at the serious angler so has a completely self-draining deck and a large cockpit with clear, high internal freeboard gunnels for safety. There’s foam incorporated into the deck to provide an unsinkable platform. The boat is rated for five, but this would be a bit of a crowd. Three would be comfortable and for just two there’d be bags of room. With her light weight she’s ideal for towing, so would be a good choice for the roving competition angler, and you can’t argue at the price, especially given a five-year warranty.
With just 40hp to push her, she returned a top speed of 17.4 knots and cruised at 12 knots.
84 www.totalseamagazine.com
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REVVED UP
TEST: SELVA 60 XSR
SELVA60 XSR TSF talks the ‘torque’ on an upgrade to an established engine that chips in with much more power and better fuel economy.
I
n the UK the name Selva is a virtual unknown, purely because it has had no representation over here for at least a couple of decades. That’s all changed now, however, with a dealer network set up and the full range of engines and boats available. At this stage it’s probably worth providing a bit of background on the company. Italian firm Selva built its reputation on tuning engines and making performance parts for racing exploits. Its expertise extends to extracting more power and torque from an otherwise standard engine. That is how Ezio Selva, the founding father of the company, racked up an impressive tally of wins on the racing circuits of Europe, in both offshore and inshore disciplines, throughout the 1950s and 1960s. From those racing successes the company grew to be the largest outboard-engine manufacturer in Europe. It’s now the only outboard and sterndrive producer in Europe. Lifting the lid on this engine, one finds a Yamaha outboard underneath, but one with the Selva influence manifested upon it. The result is an engine of the same technical specifications as the donor motor, but one that produces more
power, more torque and, in the case of the 60 XSR, as near as dammit the same fuel consumption as the standard outboard motor. One might query how this can be so, but that’s where the expertise of the Selva engineers comes in. Carlo Selva, grandson of the firm’s founder, has worked together tirelessly with his genial, and genius, father Mauritcio on producing a new alogorithm for the engine-mapping computer that acts in a similar way to having your car chipped. There are no mechanical changes; just those dictated by the electronic management system, which cleverly makes best use of the potential performance contained within the original engine and releases it under normal boating conditions for anyone to enjoy. Selva was the first outboard-engine maker to use electronic ignition, so is ahead of the game when it comes to utilising electronic engine management. Selva has traditionally given its outboards model names. This is an Italian thing, just like Italian motorcycles and cars have had names, rather than boring model numbers. The 60 XSR is aptly called the Dorado, after a wonderful sporting fish famed for its fighting prowess and culinary excellence.
PRICE
£7,419
CONTACT
Deep Consu T: 07831 4 ltancy W: www.sel 67416 vamarine.
co.uk
Currently it’s the smallest of the XSR range available outside of Italy and is ideal for many of the popular fishing boats of 16 to 18 feet, which is the most popular sector. The base engine is a
standard four-cylinder single overhead cam Yamaha F60. Selva has changed the engine-management chip to provide a motor that now produces 7.3hp more than before it was remapped, and releases 12Nm more
86 www.totalseamagazine.com
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TEST: SELVA 60 XSR
torque than standard with a flatter and higher torque curve across the rev range. This translates into having an engine that’s the equivalent of a 70hp outboard for the competitive price of a 60hp one. Given the already light weight of the Yamaha motor, the power-toweight ratio of the Selva is even greater and so provides greater acceleration, and the ability to lift greater load onto the plane. This translates into better overall fuel economy as there’s less time spent under heavy load. Selva will have a network of dealers countrywide in time for the summer season. These new engines make very tempting repower options with their competitive pricing and three-year warranties.
p086-087_TSF_07_Revved Up.indd 2
REVVED UP
Technical Specifications Power hp Max RPM Motor type Swept volume cc Bore x stroke ratio N° of cylinders Induction Starting Fuel Fuel tank (L) Lubrication Ignition Ignition timing Starting Alternator Cooling Exhaust Steering system Type of remote-control box provided (for the version with the remote-control box) Trim adjustment Direction reversal Transmission ratio Available shaft versions Standard propeller type Weight of basic version
60 EFI XSR 5,000 – 6,000 Four-stroke SOHC 996 65mm x 75mm Four, on line Electronic injection Automatic Petrol (for specifications see the user manual) Separate 23 Forced (oil sump) TCI/computer Electronic Electric Standard 12V/200W with regulator Water cooled with pump-forced circulation Underwater through propeller Remote with remote-control box Single lever with safety switch Power trim/tilt Mechanical A-F-R 13/24 Long Three-bladed with built-in spring drive 111kg
27/05/2015 09:05
9
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26/05/2015 15:46
THE ANGLING TRUST SAYS…
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COMMERCIAL FISHING! David Mitchell, the marine environmental campaigns manager for the Angling Trust (AT), has mixed feelings about put-and-take sea fishing.
T
here’s no question about it. One of the reasons I love sea angling is the challenge of hunting down and catching truly wild quarry – I have little interest in catching an overfed goldfish, which has a name, from a commercially stocked, artificial, pond. However, I do enjoy the occasional trip to a stillwater trout venue – where stocked rainbows in good condition get my juices flowing as they strip 30 yards of line off my reel in an instant. I was therefore left with mixed feelings when I came across a Danish project that involves the stocking of sea fish for angling! “How does this work?” I hear you ask. Well a 120m x 120m part of the Thyborøn Channel in West Jutland has been closed off with a net, creating a lagoon that’s stocked with plaice, turbot, coalfish, cod and other species caught locally by commercial fishermen. Anglers pay as little as 100 Danish kroner for a ticket to fish from the shore and rocks around the lagoon. The use of spoons, lugworms or sandeels is allowed, and anglers can keep two fish per hour. Family friendly facilities include a fishing cottage selling snacks and refreshments and tables where anglers can relax. Anglers who don’t catch don’t go away empty handed; people who blank are allowed to claim one free plaice from the local fishmongers in Thyborøn. The idea was to diversify the link between fisheries and tourism and is the result
Put-and-take sea fishing should never be allowed to replace this type of traditional sea angling – even if you are guaranteed a plaice at the end of the day!
of collaboration between an aquarium, a fishmonger and local fishermen. The project cost €26,000 to set up and was partfunded by the local Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) – one of 300 funded by the EU European Fisheries Fund to help local fishing communities diversify and develop a more sustainable future. So far the project has been a huge success, with more than 1,000 anglers visiting in the first six months of the launch in 2013. Local commercial fishermen have benefited from the new market, supplying live fish to the project, and the fishmonger is attracting new customers to his business. This all sounds like a success story and a great way of getting kids into fishing and driving tourists into spending money in the local area – and it is, because maintaining a
newcomer’s interest in sea fishing relies on them catching something. This, in turn, means that they’ll return, spending money and helping to support other local businesses. But for all the positives to be said about it, this project isn’t, and can never be allowed to be, the future of sea angling. It would be an almost criminal act of negligence on society’s behalf to overfish the seas to such an extent that sea angling is confined to artificially stocked pockets of water where the challenge of watercraft, understanding the marine environment and the skill of outsmarting a wild fish are replaced by the expectation of instant gratification and a guaranteed catch. Sea anglers want wilderness, open seas and wild fish, with taxpayers’ money not spent on creating artificial sea
angling fisheries, but instead on dealing with the commercial overfishing that has so dramatically reduced many stocks over decades. Had this not happened, and if stocks of fish in inshore areas were more abundant, there would be no need for saltwater put-and-take fisheries like the one in West Jutland. At the end of the day I think that a solution falls somewhere in the middle; perhaps put-and-take sea angling fisheries can play a useful role in increasing angling participation, getting more kids into fishing and giving local areas a tourist attraction. But please let us not forget that if fish stocks were properly managed and restored, every part of the coast would have its own wild, and free, sea angling fishery that could be just as productive. It’s called the open sea… Total Sea Fishing 89
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CatchScene Caught A Fish? Want to share your latest catch with the sea fishing community? E-mail paul.dennis@dhpub.co.uk
CATCH OF THE MONTH
SQUID’S IN FOR BASS Who: Barry Seabrook What: 10lb 8oz bass Where: Herne Bay Herne Bay, Kent, angler Barry enjoyed some great bass sport from his own boat, Jessica Blake. This 10lb 8oz specimen fell to a whole squid on 12lb-class tackle out of Barry’s home port.
WHAT YOU CAN WIN! TSF has teamed up with tackle giant Shakespeare to give the Catch Of The Month winner two packs of superb Devil’s Own Hellfire Worms and Hellfire Shads worth £13.96, as well as a spool of red Beta monofilament line worth £5. All runners-up will receive a pack of Devil’s Own Hellfire Worms or Hellfire Shads. But that’s not all: every three months the three Catch Of The Month winners will be put into a draw where one of them will win more than £250 worth of Shakespeare rods, reels and line, including the Agility and Sigma brands.
TREBLE FOR SPURS Who: Andy Collings What: 20lb spurdog Where: Weymouth Andy, 60, from Weymouth, broke his spurdog PB three times on the same trip, with spurs weighing 16Ib, 17Ib and this 20Ib specimen. Andy used 15Ib-class tackle with a two-hook trace with Sakuma 6/0 and 4/0 Stinger hooks baited with squid and mackerel aboard Colin Penny’s boat Flamer IV. All the fish were released alive.
SPONSORED BY
STOREY’S HAPPY ENDING Who: Adam Storey What: 20lb tope Where: Weymouth Adam bagged a new PB tope after some great advice from skipper Colin Penny. Squid and mackerel fillet presented on a Sakuma 6/0 hook with a running-leger rig and an Abu 20lbclass rod and Shimano TR200 reel did the trick on the reef and bank fishing trip out of Weymouth.
For More Info Log On To www.totalseamagazine.com
www.shakespeare-fishing.co.uk 94 www.totalseamagazine.com
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SPONSORS CATCH SCENE
YOUR LATEST CATCHES
CATCHSCENE
TOP RANKIN RAY Who: James Rankin What: 14lb undulate ray Where: Yarmouth, Isle of Wight James, of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, was night fishing off Yarmouth-Norton Beach when this 14lb undulate ray struck. A two-hook flapper rig with size 2/0 hooks and sandeel as bait did the trick for James, who said: “I was using my trusty Century TipTornado LD rod and Penn Mag 525 reel. It’s my second ray of 2015 following a 14oz thornback earlier in the year.”
GRAY’S THE BOSS OF THE BAY Who: Mike Gray What: 13lb pollack Where: West Bay An orange Sidewinder lure tempted this PB 13lb pollack for Mike on a trip out of West Bay, Dorset, on Steve Wake’s boat Channel Warrior. Skipper Steve said: “The fishing wasn’t easy because of the small tides but we ended up with a decent mix of pollack and cod into double figures.”
SEND IN YOUR CATCH REPORT To win some lures from Devil’s Own, send in a goodquality picture of your catch and fill in the form, which is available on our website, www.totalseamagazine. com, plus add any other interesting facts about your catch. Catch of the Month winners will be put into a draw to win £250 worth of Shakespeare tackle. Send your entry to: Catch Scene, Total Sea Fishing, 1 Whittle Close, Drayton Fields, Daventry, Northants NN11 8RQ, or e-mail high-quality images to: paul.dennis@dhpub.co.uk.
THE RIGHT LINES FOR BASS Who: John-Paul Lines What: 9lb bass Where: St Brides Newport, Gwent, warehouseman John-Paul only had one bite during a beach session at nearby St Brides, but it resulted in this 9b bass. John-Paul offered a lug-and-rag cocktail with an Abu beachcaster rod and Daiwa SL20sh reel loaded with 15lb line and a Varivas tapered shockleader.
GOING CUCKOO IN CORNWALL Who: John Wordsworth What: 4lb 8oz cuckoo ray Where: Penzance Owner of tackle-shop Reel Value, John thought that he might have a record-nudger on his hands when this 4lb 8oz cuckoo ray neared the boat. John was aboard Bite Adventures out of Penzance, Cornwall, when he struck into the rare capture on a Penn International 12lb series rod and 975 lever-drag reel. He recounted: “When it came up and we first saw it I reckon that we were all hoping it might have been a little nearer to the record of just 5lb 10oz! But it wasn’t to be I’m afraid!”
MOTTRAM’S MAURITIUS MULLET MELEE Who: Nathan Mottram What: 11lb flathead grey mullet Where: Mauritius Thirteen-year-old Nathan enjoyed some great fishing while on holiday in Mauritius, with this 11lb flathead mullet being one of his top catches. Nathan offered a cracker soaked in Bombay mix overnight, and landed it on just 10lb line, adding fish of 5lb and 8lb, all of which were released. “The big one took 40 minutes to land,” revealed Nathan.
www.shakespeare-fishing.co.uk Total Sea Fishing 95
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BOAT
SENIOR MOMENTS
SENIOR
MOMENTS Top skipper Colin Penny has found a great way of staying youthful – make sure that the crew are older than you are!
A very happy crew! Colin Penny’s 60-and-over contest continues to thrive.
I
Bill Oliver took the trophy thanks in part to this cracking thornback ray.
’m sure that many of us have suffered from the odd ‘senior moment’. You know: walking into a room and wondering what you had gone in there for, wearing slippers to the supermarket, mistaking that buxom brunette for the wife – that sort of thing. I’ll admit to falling prey to a few of those, and I definitely thought I’d had another one when I had the bright idea of setting up a competition for some of my regulars who were now enjoying ‘experience-
enhanced youth’. The truth be told, I’d started to notice that a fair few of my customers were in their 60s and 70s, so I set up an annual aged-60-andover species contest, which is affectionately known as the ‘Old Gits Competition’. Interesting talk always takes place during the competition about things that have happened over the years, such as tackle changes, catches of different fish compared with yesteryear, the quality of the charter boats, skippers from the past, and also things like songs, music acts, TV programmes and sweets that they used
to get as kids but are not around now or are called something different. As a ‘youngster’ this all goes over my head, but it keeps them happy. Of course, with all this chat going on I have to make sure that the ‘oldies’ get their morning coffee and afternoon tea and cake to keep their energy levels up, so that there are no afternoon naps on the trip. Although I do joke that I feel like a carer looking after their wellbeing, I do draw the line at taking them to the toilet. The 2014 competition saw nine anglers on board Flamer IV, with an average
96 www.totalseamagazine.com
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SENIOR MOMENTS
BOAT
Trevor Lockyer has the best bream of the day at 3lb 8oz.
Denise Young starts her day with a decent mackerel.
became frantic, with lots of quality black bream being caught, along with undulate rays, thornback rays, tope, red gurnards, congers and codling. The competitors used a variety of rigs and baits during the competition, and in all 14 different species were landed. The time went all too quickly, and I soon found myself calling lines up and adding up the scores.
lowest score for 2014 and winning ‘The Weakest Link’ prize. The competition, now in its fourth year, has had four different winners, who are: Trevor Lockyer (2011), Mick Nunn (2012), Paul Lawson (2013) and Bill Oliver (2014). I wonder who will win this year’s competition?
Result Derek Hunt (70) with a new personal-best undulate ray weighing 15Ib 8oz.
age of 66.25. The fishing started with us trying to catch mackerel for bait, but they were proving elusive, with just the odd one coming aboard with a few small pollack. So I went around Portland Bill in a flat-calm sea and sunshine and headed to a mark known as the M2 ground, where it’s a mixed sea bed that can produce a good variety of species. As I was anchoring the boat I advised the competitors to try for some mackerel, and, like magic, plenty were caught for bait. “Look at the old folks go!” I thought.
As Flamer IV settled at anchor I shouted: “Go get ’em,” and the competition started. I have a scoresheet for this type of competition and as the fish started to be caught I was kept busy keeping it up to date – while also using the landing net, and making sure that the teas and coffees were kept topped up. Carers – I take my hat off to them! During this state of tide – the last of the flood and into slack water – dogfish, gurnards, mackerel and scad were the main species caught. But as the ebb tide picked up, the fishing
The 2014 Champion was Bill Oliver with 206 points, and the runner-up was Mick Nunn with 186 points. The other scores ranged from 82 to 152, with 2013 Champion Paul Lawson going from hero to zero, as they say, by getting the
Ian Young picks up points for this 3lb 4oz black bream. Total Sea Fishing 97
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SPOTLIGHT
JON HIMPFEN
SKIPPER’S SPOTLIGHT
JON HIMPFEN This month we meet the skipper of Eastbourne charter boat Misty Blue… Jon Himpfen.
W
here it all began for me was my first fishing trip, at the age of five. I remember it well, fishing on a tiny farm lake with my father. From that moment on I was hooked, and by the time I was 11 I was working weekends at my local fishery. Unfortunately I never got to go boat fishing with my dad because he was too ill by the time I was old enough to get on a charter boat, but ingrained in my memory of him is all the big cod he used to fillet in the garden. This would have been in the 1980s, when he fished every weekend on the various boats from the Thames Estuary. When I was 20 I started crewing for the local commercial boats from Canvey Island, Essex, and eventually owned my own boat at 25. After running her for four years I sold her and spent a couple of years working ashore, but, as many of you will know, the sea always draws you back, and in December 2014 I bought the charter boat Misty Blue in Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne. Misty Blue is a 10.5m Offshore 105 powered by a 370hp Yanmar engine with a cruising speed of 15 knots and plenty of deck room. I’m licensed for nine, but prefer to take parties of eight to make sure that everyone has plenty of room and tangles are kept to a minimum. The feeling I get when seeing my customers hooked up to a decent fish is something I can only compare to being behind that rod myself, and the buzz I get
from the job is incredible. There are so many different species to target from Eastbourne that it makes a perfect base. It’s why I currently drive 110 miles each way, although I’m planning to move down next year! I have been extremely fortunate to have met some great people since changing ports, and the help that Steve Bradshaw on Deep Blue has given me makes me feel very lucky to be where I am. I really appreciate all Steve’s help and can’t thank him enough. Starting off the fishing season around January we normally concentrate on ground fishing for cod. Top baits are cuttlefish, squid and black lug. By the time we get into March we’re hitting the wrecks for pollack and cod. The interesting thing is that we can target some wrecks for
cod, others for pollack – it’s rare that you get a mix of the two species, apart from the odd straggler or two. April brings the start of the bass season with some early fish showing, and this continues through to the autumn. We usually target these on livebaits or Red Gills. By May time we’re looking at the plaice coming in, but there are still plenty of cod around, too, and most anglers do love to target them. June gives us a chance of early turbot and brill – we run a bit later for these species than Weymouth, but sport increases during the summer until we start to think of conger and bream fishing in August. At this time of year we seem to get some specimen tub gurnards showing as well, and these are always welcome. As autumn arrives there are good prospects for specimen
blonde and thornback rays. Species hunts are always popular, and days are rarely wasted. Even if a full day’s trip is blown off there’s often a chance of a quick blast out for mackerel or plaice, so it’s worth keeping an open mind and giving me a call. I keep my Facebook page up to date (Misty Blue Angling Charters), so it’s always worth looking in for updates.
Fact File W: www.mistybluefishing charters.co.uk Boat phone: 07540 223875
98 www.totalseamagazine.com
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/savagegear
www.savage-gear.com Tel: 01827 59659
EvErybody
needs an envoy! Envoy Mag £59.99 • 6500 size • Mag brakes • 5.3:1 retrieve • 8Kg drag power • Tronixpro Power handle • Available in left or right handed
Envoy orbit £56.99
• 6500 size • Centrifugal braking • 5.3:1 retrieve • 8Kg drag power • Tronixpro power handle • Available in left or right handed.
Envoy LW £56.99
• 6500 size • Centrifugal braking • 5.3:1 retrieve • 4Kg drag power • Tronixpro power handle • Level wind
Envoy WavE £59.99 • 7000 size • 5.3:1 retrieve • 6Kg drag power • Comfort twin handle • Level wind
availablE from your local tacklE shop
tronixpro poWEr handLE £3.99 Fits all major brand multiplier reels.
Envoy Advert A4 v1.indd 1
/tronixpro www.tronixpro.com
25/06/2014 22:04:28